A Strategy RPG With a Twist
Ratocalypse is shaping up to be one of the more unusual strategy RPGs on the horizon. The game positions you as the prince of a fallen kingdom that’s been ravaged by a zombie plague, forcing you to investigate the capital city that’s now completely overrun with the undead. But here’s the hook that sets it apart from every other tactical RPG: you don’t directly control your party members during combat. Instead, you design the artificial intelligence that governs how they behave.
This isn’t just tweaking aggression sliders or setting basic priorities. Ratocalypse asks players to actually program their characters’ decision-making processes, creating custom AI routines that determine how party members react to different battlefield situations. It’s a concept that blends traditional strategy RPG combat with elements of programming logic, targeting players who enjoy the tactical depth of games like Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics but want more control over the underlying systems.
The teaser that recently surfaced showcases a dark fantasy aesthetic fitting for a plague-ridden kingdom. Details remain sparse about specific gameplay mechanics, but the core concept alone has generated interest among strategy game fans looking for something different from the standard formula where you manually command every action each turn.
Why AI Programming Could Change Tactical Combat
Most strategy RPGs follow a familiar pattern. Your turn comes up, you move each unit individually, select their actions, then watch the results play out. Ratocalypse flips this by making the planning phase happen before combat even starts. You essentially become a strategist in the truest sense, setting up systems and protocols that your party follows automatically when battle begins.
This approach has precedent in other games, though it remains relatively rare in the RPG space. Gambit systems in Final Fantasy XII let players set conditional behaviors, while more recent titles like Wildermyth allow limited AI customization. But few games have made AI programming the central mechanic rather than an optional convenience feature.
The potential benefits are significant. Instead of repetitive turn-by-turn micromanagement, you focus on higher-level strategy and adaptation. Watching your carefully programmed team execute complex tactics without direct input could be incredibly satisfying when it works. On the flip side, debugging poorly designed AI routines mid-battle sounds like it could be frustrating if the tools aren’t intuitive.
How This Could Work in Practice
- Pre-battle planning phase where you program each character’s behavior patterns
- Conditional logic systems (if enemy health below 30%, use healing spell)
- Priority hierarchies determining which actions take precedence
- Adaptable routines that respond to changing battlefield conditions
- Testing and refinement between encounters to improve AI effectiveness
The Zombie Kingdom Setting
Beyond the AI mechanics, Ratocalypse’s narrative setup offers classic dark fantasy appeal. Playing as a prince returning to investigate your fallen kingdom creates immediate stakes. The capital overrun with zombies suggests a world that’s already lost, where you’re picking through the ruins rather than trying to prevent disaster.
Zombie plagues are well-trodden territory in gaming, but they work particularly well in strategy RPGs where overwhelming enemy numbers create tactical challenges. Hordes of undead force players to think defensively, manage limited resources, and make difficult decisions about which objectives to pursue when you can’t save everyone.
The royal angle adds political intrigue possibilities. Who caused the plague? What happened to the rest of the royal family? Are there survivors with competing claims to the throne? Strategy RPGs thrive on layered narratives where battlefield victories connect to broader story consequences, and a fallen kingdom offers plenty of storytelling opportunities.
Development Status and Release Timeline
Concrete details about Ratocalypse’s development remain limited. The recent teaser suggests the game is far enough along to show publicly, but without gameplay footage or a release window, it could still be years away. Indie strategy RPGs typically have long development cycles, especially when introducing complex systems like AI programming that need extensive testing and balancing.
The lack of a publisher announcement or platform confirmation means the team might still be in early development stages or seeking funding. Many ambitious indie RPGs start with concept teasers to gauge interest before committing to full production. The positive reception could help secure additional resources or partnerships that accelerate development.
Comparisons and Competition
Ratocalypse enters a crowded field of indie strategy RPGs, each trying to carve out unique identities. Triangle Strategy delivered branching narratives and terrain-focused tactics. Wartales combined open-world exploration with turn-based combat. Unicorn Overlord blended real-time strategy with RPG progression. Standing out requires either exceptional execution of familiar mechanics or genuinely innovative ideas.
The AI programming angle gives Ratocalypse a clear differentiator, though it also narrows the potential audience. Some players love deep systems and optimization puzzles. Others find that level of abstraction removes them from the action, preferring direct control over their units. Success will depend on whether the developers can make AI design accessible enough for genre fans without dumbing it down for the hardcore crowd who love complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Ratocalypse release?
No release date or window has been announced yet. The game currently appears to be in early development based on the teaser reveal, which typically means at least a year or more before launch.
What platforms will Ratocalypse be available on?
Platform availability hasn’t been confirmed. Most indie strategy RPGs target PC first through Steam, with console ports potentially following after the initial release depending on reception and budget.
Do you have any direct control over characters in combat?
Based on available information, the core mechanic revolves around programming AI behavior rather than direct turn-by-turn control. However, developers haven’t clarified whether you can override AI decisions mid-battle or if the programming phase is the only point of control.
Is this related to the Ratpocalypse film or Love Death and Robots episode?
No, Ratocalypse the game appears to be completely separate from the 2015 indie film Ratpocalypse or the Mason’s Rats episode from Love, Death and Robots Season 3. The similar names are coincidental.
Will there be multiplayer or co-op modes?
No multiplayer features have been announced or hinted at so far. Strategy RPGs occasionally include competitive modes, but most focus exclusively on single-player campaigns, which seems likely for Ratocalypse given its narrative focus.
How complex is the AI programming system?
Details about the complexity and depth of the AI programming haven’t been revealed. This will be crucial to the game’s success – too simple and it feels gimmicky, too complex and it alienates casual strategy fans. Expect more information as development progresses.
Can you customize or level up your party members?
Standard RPG progression systems like leveling, equipment, and skill trees haven’t been detailed yet. Most strategy RPGs include these features, so it would be surprising if Ratocalypse didn’t offer some form of character customization beyond AI programming.
Worth Watching
Ratocalypse represents exactly the kind of experimental design that makes indie games exciting. Whether programming your party’s AI instead of directly controlling them proves fun or frustrating remains to be seen, but the willingness to try something different deserves attention. Strategy RPG fans tired of the same formulas have reason to keep this one on their radar.
The zombie kingdom setting provides a solid foundation for typical genre storytelling – political intrigue, moral choices, resource scarcity, and tactical challenges. But the AI system is what could make or break this game. If the developers nail the interface and make programming feel empowering rather than tedious, Ratocalypse could carve out a dedicated following among players who enjoy optimization puzzles and emergent gameplay.
For now, we wait for more substantial reveals. Gameplay footage showing the AI programming interface in action will be critical to understanding whether this concept translates into compelling moment-to-moment gameplay. Until then, Ratocalypse joins the growing list of intriguing indie RPGs that could surprise us when they eventually launch, assuming development continues smoothly and the team can deliver on the ambitious premise their teaser suggests.