WAR RATS: The Rat em Up
Release date: Nov 20, 2025
Developers: wootusart Industries
Publishers: wootusart Industries
Genres: Action, Strategy
Categories: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, Adjustable Difficulty, Playable without Timed Input, Partial Controller Support, Steam Cloud, Family Sharing
Supported languages: English

BOX QUOTES 'Delicious Trash' - Rock Paper Shotgun Roadmap I have failed to implement Road Map Update 7 - Multiplayer. I just cannot code it. I'm sorry. I am just one person working on this game and I only just learned how to code really. It was too advanced for me at this level. I really did try my best. Please see the Discussions section for a full post about it. Anyway, the game is and always has been single-player focused. So doesn't matter! About the Game It's time for the rats... To WAR! Sidescrolling roguelite shooter meets tower defense with a sprinkle of RPG elements. A hand-drawn rat-filled side-scrolling looter-shooter moba-lite 2D gore-fest inspired by that brutal 90s gaming feel of yore. Set in a world where rats are the only form of life. Lead your troops to battle and retake the land of Ratopia from TechnoRat: A singular consciousness comprising cyborg rats that want nothing more than to consume all flesh and turn it to metal. Inspired by games such as Kingdom: New Lands and Futurecop LAPD's Precinct Assault mode (now generally considered to be the first ever MOBA) delivered in a package that evokes the brutal, gory 90s gaming sprites of old, it's a non-stop bloody action game with lovingly hand-drawn art and animation. Loads of weapons, enemies and loot to be had. You must manage and fight alongside your army to push back the tide of the enemy and get your Ratineer into their base. Sounds simple but it won't be easy. Current Content: FULL SINGLE PLAYER CAMPAIGN HORDE MODE NEW GAME + (BASICALLY INFINITE RUNS MODE) CUSTOMIZABLE RATS NEST BASE SKIRMISH MODE 22 DIFFERENT WEAPONS OVER 20 RAT UNITS TO FIGHT WITH AND AGAINST 12 UNIQUE MAPS PLAYER CUSTOMIZATION WITH OVER 1000 SKIN COMBINATIONS DIFFICULTY OPTIONS (INCLUDING IRON RAT AND FRIENDLY FIRE) RATS ALL OVER YOUR FAAAAACCEEEE KEY FEATURES:  Brutal 2D Shooting Action: Engage in brutal, fast-paced, strategic battles against hordes of enemies. (Did I say brutal enough yet?) Roguelike Progression: Fight through each district and try to reach the TechnoRat HQ and shut them down permanently. On death, spend your hard earned CHz to upgrade your attributes to do better! Recruit Troops: Going in alone is sure to lead to failure. Make sure you utilize your troops effectively or it's GG. Call in reinforcements at key times to turn the tide of battle in your favour. Buy New Weapons and Gear: Earn credits (CHz) and upgrade at the shop (rat dealer) to give yourself an edge over the endless hordes that are only going to get stronger and stranger as you get closer to TechnoRat HQ. Defend Your Base: Build turrets, shrines, walls, resource generators and missile launchers to counter and overwhelm the armies of TechnoRat. Customizable Difficulty: Set your friendly fire options and choose between 3 different levels of difficulty and 2 starting weapons.   Rats Nest:  A customizable level that serves as your base of operations. Access different rooms and game modes here as well as hang out with some of your rat friends. New Game +: Not just 'the campaign again but with a few tweaks', it's a lightly procedurally generated run that will never be exactly the same twice. Keep your progression and increase the challenge each time you beat it. Horde Mode: Defend your base against endless waves of enemies that get more numerous and stronger as it goes on. The tide comes at you from both sides in this mode, and you have only defensive units to try and hold out! Iron Rat Mode:  If you like a challenge, enable this toggle to turn your run even more hardcore! Start over at level 1 again if you die, but keep the core gameplay loop of upgrading with whatever you earned during that run. Unique Art Style: Experience the world of Ratopia with graphics all hand-drawn by rat artist wootusart (Me!). (Meaning I am an artist who draws rats, not that I am a rat that is an artist. That would be crazy.) Customize Your Ratty: Over 880 different combinations of skin components to try out so you can slay in style! Skirmish Mode: Select any map and choose what enemies to face and just go at it, for practice or for fun. Or both! The rats have whispered to me in the night that I must make this game. They demand it. I must obey. They scurry in my mind. I cannot sleep. I cannot rest. Until it is done. 

Press reviews: “The gameplay feels satisfying and enjoyable, and its systems are integrated well for the most part. Although it’s not in its full release yet, it manages to feel fairly polished.” (Early Access) – Screen Hype “War Rats is a fun, action-packed title filled with crude humor and addictive gameplay” (Early Access) – Everything Action “There’s a surprising depth here under the cheesy yet gore-filled exterior” (Early Access) – Outrun Gaming 

Notes: There are no humans featured in the game. The game is set in a world where every living creature is some kind of rat. All the violence and gore therefore is only of these animals. The game is also entirely hand drawn in a somewhat cartoony stylized look and so not photorealistic or 3D.