Rat Protocol Review: A Clever, If Familiar, Puzzle Workout

If you have spent any time with indie puzzle games, Rat Protocol will feel immediately familiar. It is a game that wears its influences on its sleeve, pulling mechanics from here and there to build its test chambers. But while it may not be revolutionary, it succeeds at being a confident, well-paced mental workout. For those looking for a solid, bite-sized puzzle experience on Xbox, it is an easy recommendation, earning a 3.5/5 score.

Clever Puzzles, No Filler

Rat Protocol is refreshingly straightforward. You are a rat in a maze, and the game tasks you with navigating through a series of test chambers. It starts with simple sokoban-style block pushing, but quickly layers in complexity. You will find yourself sliding across ice, managing battery-powered portals, and utilizing hologram rats to bypass obstacles. The game does an excellent job of introducing these mechanics at a steady clip, ensuring you are never overwhelmed while consistently feeling like a "brainbox" as you solve each room.

While the game is arguably a bit too easy and lacks the deep, complex permutations found in more demanding puzzlers, that simplicity makes it an approachable experience. You can comfortably finish the entire game in a sitting or two. It feels like a two-hour workout that leaves you feeling satisfied rather than exhausted.

Where It Stumbles

The game is not without its frustrations. The lack of a robust undo system is a noticeable pain point; the current undo only moves you back one square, which is rarely helpful when you have made a significant error on a conveyor belt. Additionally, the reset function requires you to pause and navigate a menu, which breaks the flow of the gameplay. It also avoids some of the more complex interactions—such as what happens when you push a battery into a portal—opting to keep rules simple rather than exploring the potential chaos of its mechanics.

Ultimately, Rat Protocol is a well-made, confident puzzler that is worth your time if you enjoy the genre, even if it does not offer anything you haven't seen before.