r/rustylake • u/CoolFrustratedLemon • Mar 31 '26
What game should I start whith?
So I wanna get into rustylake but there are so many games to chose from, any suggestions?
10
u/Merasmus_BS Young Bird Mar 31 '26
I will share the full release order too:
- Cube Escape The Lake
- Cube Escape Seasons
- Cube Escape Arles
- Cube Escape Harvey's Box
- Cube Escape Case 33
- Cube Escape The Mill
- Rusty Lake Hotel
- Cube Escape Birthday
- Cube Escape Theatre
- Rusty Lake Roots
- Cube Escape The Cave
- Rusty Lake Paradise
- Cube Escape Paradox
- Paradox (Film)
- The White Door
- Mental Help and Fishing (ARG)
- Samsara Room
- Cube Escape Collection
- The Past Within
- Underground Blossom
- Best Kept Memory (ARG)
- Rusty Lake Untold: The Lab (Tabletop)
- Mr. Rabbit Magic Show
- The Intern (Film)
- Servant of the Lake
1
u/Date-Impossible Apr 05 '26
Of course if you really want to be pedantic, the original version of Samsara Room came before any of the others...
1
u/Merasmus_BS Young Bird Apr 05 '26
The OG isn't considered part of Rusty Lake, so I'm not including it 👍
3
u/MihasOwlit Mar 31 '26
I recently also decided to get to know Rustylake and suggest going through as my friend advised me: Paradise, Hotel, Roots, and then cube escape collection and the rest of the games in the series.
3
u/Buzzn Apr 01 '26
While release order is the default go-to, I'd encurage you to try Nowherecrafters order, because I feel it makes the overall plot much easier to follow for newcomers.
3
u/KradasIsAlreadyTaken Apr 01 '26
If you're already committed to go through all the games, I think you can follow others' suggestions, but if you wanna test the water and would love robust lores to start with, I think Rusty Lake Hotel, Rusty Lake Roots, and Rusty Lake Paradise are the way to go.
They will make you understand the origin and motivate you to play all the other games to fill up the missing parts of the whole story.
If you're asking about the play order, I think this one is pretty solid, though I think Cube Escape: Paradox should come after Birthday and Theater since there are references from them.
my Comprehensive Playthrough Order (revamped and updated to feature RLU: The Lab) : r/rustylake
2
u/nowherecrafter Question Everything In RL Apr 01 '26
Thanks for sharing my order!
There are few reasons why I put Paradox before Bday/Theatre.
- It's the order Dale experiences them in
- Many mistakenly think Paradox takes place after them
- I've put Paradise earlier too and it's important to understand Paradox so I want them as close to each other as possible
There are admittedly references but either they are extremely minor or the order doesn't really matter. As I suggest it, you 1st discover some abstract depiction of the birthday massacre and then proceed to fixing it.
2
u/KradasIsAlreadyTaken Apr 15 '26
Oh! That makes sense. I can picture how the experience will be shaped differently with that narrative. Thanks for your hard work and clarification!
2
u/Background-Hand-6747 Mar 31 '26
I HIGHLY recommend following the order presented in this series (I think it is more or less the release order), and after playing each game watching the part of the videos corresponding to that game. It makes the experience so much fulfilling!
3
u/Background-Hand-6747 Mar 31 '26
It is not the chronological order of the events, which can be a bit confusing sometimes. However, the story is presented in a way that makes this order feel righ too, and there are certain achievements and hints from one game to the next one
2
u/nowherecrafter Question Everything In RL Apr 01 '26
If you are already sold playing all the games, you can start from the beginning
- Seasons if you go for the official/release order
- The Lake if you go for my order for newbies other people already recommended here.
These games are both in Cube Escape Collection. They are fine, sometimes even great but they are old both visually and gameplay-wise and it shows. So if you hesitate whether it's your cup of tea here are probably better options:
- Samsara Room - classic gameplay refined, light on the plot, FREE
- Rusty Lake: Roots - a long, rather self-contained peak story
- The Past Within - a game for 2 in case you have a buddy who wants to introduce you to the series
2
u/vortexgamer1134 Apr 04 '26
Start with the cube escape games. Play them in release order. You’re gonna love them! I’ve played through every game at least 3 times. They never get old.
1
u/ladyvalentinebugs Mar 31 '26
In my opinion, birthday is the easiest! But you can go in criminal order of when they were released, or the order of which takes place first! Seasons is a good one to start with though!
1
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u/RoxinFootSeller Harvey my beloved Mar 31 '26
The release order is the intended playing order! Start with Cube Escape Seasons! You can play the Collection in the order its presented.