Mad Rat Dead is a video game released in late 2020 by Nippon Ichi Software (NIS). The game is honestly one of the only good things 2020 gave us.
Mad Rat Dead tells the story of a rat who has died in the lab he was experimented on, but thanks to the Rat God, he is given one more day to live so he can complete his bucket list before he kicks the bucket again. His goal is to kill the scientist who experimented on him, and he is determined to get that done before the day is over. Also, he has Heart, his heart (that can talk to him for some reason) to guide him and pump some beats when he needs it. This may seem like a funny and lighthearted concept, but trust me, this game’s story and lore slap harder than Heart and his beats. You may cry tears of sadness from the ending, or you may just cry out of frustration because of the game’s difficulty.
The game is designed to be a rhythm platformer, involving some stellar parkour done to the beat of the music. A concept that is difficult to pull off, but Mad Rat Dead nails it. If the idea of a rhythm platformer sounds like too much to handle, at least give the soundtrack a listen. The soundtracks were made by multiple composers, including Dyes Iwasaki, who makes songs for TopHamHat-Kyo (who also made a rap for the game itself), a_hisa, Yo Oyama, Kazuya Takasu, and Camellia. Each track has its own unique charm, and is also fun to listen to on its own.
Admittedly, finding problems with this game is difficult. The controls can be overwhelming at times, and it’s hard to remember what button does what. And at times, it feels a bit annoying to navigate, when the world itself also has to conform to the beat. So sometimes you get stuck floating in a spot for a second, and then the beat picks back up at a faster pace, leaving you confused and mashing buttons in an attempt to find somewhere to land safely. If you do lose your combo, whether it be because you were hit by an enemy or fell into the void, you can rewind back to the last stable position you were in, but the clock is not generous. You have a set time limit for every level, regardless of background track.
But those aren’t problems in my opinion. The game’s difficulty is a little bit off-putting at times, but aside from those times, it’s easy to manage. So in conclusion, Mad Rat Dead is a fun but frustrating game designed around an awesome soundtrack that’s definitely worth listening to on its own.