The Rust Jungle update is a testament to the team at Facepunch Studios. Over a decade since it first launched, one of the founding figures of modern survival games remains steadfastly atop the Steam charts, pulling in hundreds of thousands of players daily. Competitors such as Ark, Valheim, and Once Human certainly have their moments, but Rust remains the most consistent presence among them, and a big part of that its regular cadence of impactful updates. Now, it's introducing the game's first new biome since it originally implemented Rust's procedural world generation.
The new jungle region covers a section of the tier-zero temperate coastal area, where new survival game, offering you much more cover, but doing just the same to any potential rivals or threats. The plant life includes a range of all-new species, including bromeliads, monstera, arrowroot, and calathea.
Towering above you are all manner of trees, including the giant kapok, which features vines that you can climb and swing from to traverse great distances quickly. While you can knock these monsters down for wood, you won't be able to remove the stump, and the tree will respawn over time. Explore the undergrowth further, and you'll find a range of buildings and monuments, from ancient ruins to the mysterious stone Ziggurat. Who knows what secrets it holds?
The thick brush offers plenty of potential for sneaking, but you won't be the only one doing it. "The tiger may be the deadliest animal you'll ever encounter in Rust," Facepunch warns. "It closes in extremely slowly from behind, and only strikes when it's sure to kill. A moment of inattention in the jungle is all it takes." Perhaps even scarier is the rare black panther, which is even harder to spot. Despite that, the team advises that there are three different hints to warn you if you're being stalked, so that attacks don't feel "unfair and bullshit."
You'll also want to watch where you're walking. Step on a snake and you'll likely be rewarded with a venomous bite. Listen out for the warning hiss that comes first, however, and you can jump away to dodge their strike. In an attempt to get water, you'll be drawn to the rivers running through the jungle, but watch for shadows beneath the surface. Crocodiles are tough, fast, and deadly, although they "operate on the basis of mutual respect; don't mess with it and you'll be fine, but mess around and find out."
If you do get into trouble, Facepunch is giving us some thematic new tools to fight back, with boomerangs and blowpipes ing the weapon roster. The latter even features a range of ammo types including the ability to disorient or irradiate your target. Of course, overcoming these creatures nets you various new types of meat, while the snake will also provide venom that can be used to craft more blow darts.
The Rust Jungle update is out now. You can read through the full patch notes courtesy of Facepunch Studios for all the small details, including the addition of a fridge for your vending machine, resized chicken coops that fit cleanly onto foundations, and the optional Jungle Pack DLC (priced at $12.99 / £10.39) offering a range of additional themed skins and items.
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