Rusty Lake
Rusty Lake business and news from across the web.
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How to run an indie game studio: Part 5, Better meetings
This guide, the final part of a five-part series on indie management by Martijn van Zwieten, focuses on improving studio meetings. It outlines a structured approach to weekly, quarterly, and yearly meetings, emphasizing clear agendas, time allocations, and specific goals like check-ins, to-do reviews, rock status checks, and problem-solving (IDS) to ensure progress and decision-making. The article introduces the FIRM framework for studio management, covering vision, goals, issue resolution, and quarterly traction.
The 13 scariest, spookiest video games you should play this Halloween
This article presents a curated list of 13 horror video games suitable for playing during Halloween, covering a range of platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and VR. The selection includes titles like Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Iron Lung, offering a mix of survival horror, psychological scares, and unique gameplay experiences.
How to run an indie game studio: Part 4, Setting (and hitting) quarterly rocks
This guide, part four of a series on running an indie game studio, focuses on setting and achieving quarterly goals, referred to as 'rocks.' Business coach Martijn van Zwieten explains why yearly goals are insufficient and how quarterly objectives provide a crucial middle-distance focus for substantial progress. The article details the 'rocks' metaphor from Stephen Covey's 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' and outlines a straightforward process for teams to define and commit to these critical quarterly priorities, emphasizing specificity for accountability and team alignment.
How to run an indie game studio: Part 3, Dealing with issues
This guide provides strategies for indie game studios to address and resolve internal issues that go beyond typical development problems. It introduces methods like creating a studio backlog and using the IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve) framework to foster constructive problem-solving and build essential team habits for long-term studio health.
How to run an indie game studio: Part 2, Defining your future
Business coach Martijn van Zwieten outlines how indie game studios can define a long-term future goal, known as a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG), to guide all future decisions. This article, part two of a series, details an exercise for teams to collaboratively establish a 5-10 year vision and then set yearly goals to achieve it.
How to run an indie game studio: Part 1, What is a studio?
This guide, the first in a five-part series by business coach Martijn van Zwieten, focuses on the fundamental aspects of running an indie game studio. It emphasizes the importance of building the studio itself alongside the game, defining what a studio is, and establishing a clear purpose based on passion, excellence, and economic drivers. The article introduces the FIRM framework (Future, Issues, Rocks, Meetings) as a tool for studio management.
Best new mobile games on iOS and Android – September 2026 round-up
This September 2026 round-up highlights new mobile game releases for iOS and Android, including Lara Croft And The Temple Of Osiris, the free update for Ball x Pit, and the puzzle game Servant Of The Lake. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor receives a paid expansion, while Chillquarium offers a relaxing idle experience. Galactic Outlaw: Tower Defence is criticized for its microtransactions and lack of engaging gameplay.
Servant of the Lake brings a touch of Saltburn to Rusty Lake
Servant of the Lake, the latest entry in the Rusty Lake series, offers a compellingly bleak point-and-click adventure with abstract puzzles and unsettling body horror. The game serves as a pseudo-prequel to Rusty Lake: Roots, focusing on the Vanderboom family's reunion and the player's role as a servant navigating their strange requests and hidden motives. Available on Steam, iOS, and Android, it's recommended for fans of escape room games and Twin Peaks-esque mysteries.
ShackStream: Indie-licious Episode 210 - Servant of the Lake
This week's Indie-licious stream will feature Servant of the Lake, a point-and-click mystery adventure from Rusty Lake. Players will serve at the Vanderboom Estate, uncovering secrets and learning the family's history of dark alchemy. This is the third game in the Vanderboom Bloodline saga and can be bundled with Rusty Lake: Roots.
The new Rusty Lake game is a grim, sinister tale of family, destiny, and cooking: I fed a man porridge filled with dead…
Servant of the Lake, the latest point-and-click adventure from Rusty Lake, offers a grim and sinister tale centered on family, destiny, and unsettling tasks. While the initial hours are subdued, the game builds to a bizarre and engaging narrative filled with mystery and light puzzles. The title has received an "overwhelmingly positive" rating on Steam, with co-founder Robin Ras noting a strong launch performance.
Rusty Lake is back with another belter, so I get to shout about the overlooked puzzle series all over again
Servant of the Lake is the latest installment in the Rusty Lake series, continuing its tradition of unique point-and-click puzzle adventures with a fragmented narrative. The game, set in 1839, tasks players with assisting the Vanderboom family over three days, featuring a dense array of puzzles that blend traditional mechanics with the series' signature surreal "moon logic." Despite eschewing some of the more experimental elements of recent titles, it delivers a rich and engaging experience.
This week in PC games: GoldenEye returns (sort of), plus janky arcade football, ballpoint cities, and a game about keeping the monsters inside Area 51
This week's PC game releases feature a variety of genres, including horror titles like T.W.I.R.L. and Homeostasis, alongside city builders such as Verde and factory games like Sandustry. Notable new entries include Agent 64: Spies Never Die, a spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007, and the quirky football sim Pro Jank Footy. The article also touches on the upcoming release of a highly anticipated game that has generated significant buzz among guides writers.
10 amazing indies to get into in August 2026
This article highlights several indie games scheduled for release in August 2026, including Big Walk, Gunstoppable, Pigeon: A Love Story, Echobreaker, Cult of PiN, Ledgerbound, Pro Jank Footy, Servant of the Lake, Memoirium, and how to kill a fly [H2KAF]. The games span various genres and platforms such as PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5.
Rusty Lake Reveals the Release Date for Its Next Point-And-Click Servant of the Lake
Rusty Lake has announced that their new point-and-click mystery adventure game, Servant of the Lake, will be released on August 13th, 2026, for Android, iOS, and PC via Steam. The game continues the Rusty Lake universe narrative and places players in the role of a servant within the infamous Vanderboom house, exploring its rooms and assisting with the family's alchemical pursuits.
‘Servant of the Lake’ Opens Its Doors August 13 on Steam and Mobile
Rusty Lake announced that their new point-and-click mystery adventure game, Servant of the Lake, will be released on August 13, 2026, for Steam, Android, and iOS. Players will take on the role of a servant at the Vanderboom estate, solving puzzles and uncovering dark secrets. A demo is available on Steam.
Fellow Traveller Story-Rich Showcase Airs June 6
Fellow Traveller announced its Story-Rich Showcase will air on June 6, 2026, at 10 a.m. PT as part of Summer Game Fest. The hour-long presentation will feature 26 narrative-driven games with world premieres, release date reveals, and gameplay updates from various studios, including Fellow Traveller's own publishing lineup.
The Best Android Adventure Games – Updated!
This guide highlights the best adventure games available on Android, showcasing the genre's evolution from text-based adventures to diverse modern titles. It features a variety of games including Professor Layton, Oxenfree, Machinarium, and Return to Monkey Island, covering different subgenres like puzzle, narrative, and point-and-click.
