Developer Rusty Lake’s eponymous series of deliciously macabre puzzle games turns ten today, and the studio is marking the occasion with a variety of treats and teases for fans – including the surprise launch of a free new game, The Mr. Rabbit Magic Show, with more to come.
Rusty Lake, for those unfamiliar, blends casual point-and-click puzzling and room-escape-style conundrums into a wonderfully sinister saga of standalone games (but narratively intertwined) adventures charting the lives of the Vanderboom family. Up until today, the series consisted of 17 titles under the Rusty Lake and Cube Escape banner – some fully fledged premium offerings, others free-to-play companion pieces – with the most recent being 2023’s Underground Blossom, in which players took an eerie metro ride though the life of Laura Vanderboom.
Now, though, that tally has swelled to 18, thanks to the arrival of The Mr. Rabbit Magic Show. Developer Rusty Lake calls it a “short but mysterious” freebie intended to put players into a celebratory mood, and one that promises to “delight and [shock] with its sleight of hand” across 20 acts of secrets and unexpected twists. It also includes a secret achievement offering some pointers toward Rusty Lake’s next major (and presumably premium) instalment.
Rusty Lake is maintaining some mystery around this new game for the time being, but we do know it’s titled Servant of the Lake and whisks players back in time to explore the early history of the Vanderboom Brothers. And if that’s still not enough to go on, you might find a few extra glimpses of things to come on its Steam page.
As for The Mr. Rabbit Magic Show, it’s available to download right now on iOS, Android, itch.io, and Steam – and while you’re visiting the digital storefront of choice (including Switch’s eShop), you might want to check out the Rusty Lake sale, which features discounts of up to 66 percent on the entire catalogue. And given that means you can pick up absolutely everything in the series for less than £8, it’s an absolute steal.
If you’re curious to learn more about Rusty Lake – the games and the tiny team that makes them – you can check out my interview with the studio from a few years back elsewhere on Eurogamer.
