Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Grounded 2
  • The Fantastic Four: First Steps
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Switch 2 Starter Pack
Recommended reading
Stellar Blade protagonist Eve
Action RPGs Stellar Blade devs confirm PS5 players will get the PC version's new boss fight and 25 extra costumes in a "free update" as the action-RPG escapes console exclusivity next month
Upcoming PC games 2025 header imagine featuring InZoi / Split Fiction / Elden Ring: Nightreign / Dune: Awakening
PC Gaming Upcoming PC games: New PC games for 2025 and beyond
RS fights a giant enemy crab in Sea of Remnants, with a Summer Preview 2025 GamesRadar+ frame
RPGs Sea of Remnants is an online pirate swashbuckler take on Honkai Star Rail that's had me rolling dice in turn-based duels and trading cannonfire with a gorilla
Screenshot from Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, showing a bunch of anime fighters battling a red, fiery monster in a lush field.
MMO Games Canceled Amazon MMO Blue Protocol was as dead as it gets, but it's now getting a gorgeous reboot this year – rideable capybara included
A screenshot of the upcoming Xbox series X game, The First Berserker: Khazan.
Action RPGs For a free update, The First Berserker: Khazan devs cooked up a Soulslike challenge so brutal that even a lead designer said "I probably wouldn't play that"
Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 lead art of Yixuan
Action RPGs The big Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 interview: buffing old characters, standing up to Miyabi, the missing idol faction, and the "undeniable" Yixuan
Ascendant appearing in Future Games Show
FPS Games Adapt or die on dynamic battlefields while capturing biocores in dystopian PvPvE shooter Ascendant
  1. Games
  2. Action

Rusty Hearts exclusive preview - Rising again with the Reborn expansion

Features
By Lucas Sullivan published 18 July 2012

More additional content than you can swing a sword at

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Page 1 of 14
Page 1 of 14

Page 2 of 14
Page 2 of 14

Page 3 of 14
Page 3 of 14

Page 4 of 14
Page 4 of 14

Page 5 of 14
Page 5 of 14

Page 6 of 14
Page 6 of 14

Page 7 of 14
Page 7 of 14

Page 8 of 14
Page 8 of 14

Page 9 of 14
Page 9 of 14

Page 10 of 14
Page 10 of 14

Page 11 of 14
Page 11 of 14

Page 12 of 14
Page 12 of 14

Page 13 of 14
Page 13 of 14

Page 14 of 14
Page 14 of 14
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Lucas Sullivan
Lucas Sullivan
Social Links Navigation

Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them. 

Rusty Hearts, the anime-esque MMO hack-‘n’-slash from Perfect World Entertainment, is about to transform. With the Reborn expansion going live next Tuesday on July 24th, the game’s about to get a lot more appealing to newcomers and veterans alike with the game’s biggest update since launch. New jobs, new stages, new features, and the requisite new enemies and weapons - it’s all about “new” with Reborn, and now's the perfect time to join in the fray.

If you haven’t already given this free-to-play beat-‘em-up a try, Rusty Hearts feels like a classic arcade brawler - think Final Fight or Streets of Rage - set in a gothic anime setting riddled with showy character designs and their equally-impressive repertoire of moves. Developer Mark Hill likens the game to “Castle Crashers meets Full Metal Alchemist,” a formula which we can happily get behind. Playing equally as well with a keyboard or a gamepad, it’s sure to bring you back to days of plunking quarters into your local arcade’s best side-scrolling, thug-bashing fightfest.

Rookie players may not notice it, but much of the additional Reborn content has been catered to improve their quality-of-life when delving into the game for the first time. Revamped character creation helps novices get a better sense of what their chosen character is capable of - let alone looking infinitely cooler than previous iterations. A brand-new starting area has been designed to ease newbies into the game: instead of throwing them into the fray in the dark depths of castles and sewers, greenhorns will get to learn the ropes in a bright, outdoor forest zone. While the cheery-looking area is undoubtedly less intimidating, it also goes a long way towards diversifying your surroundings when first leveling up.

You may like
  • Stellar Blade protagonist Eve Stellar Blade devs confirm PS5 players will get the PC version's new boss fight and 25 extra costumes in a "free update" as the action-RPG escapes console exclusivity next month
  • Upcoming PC games 2025 header imagine featuring InZoi / Split Fiction / Elden Ring: Nightreign / Dune: Awakening Upcoming PC games: New PC games for 2025 and beyond
  • RS fights a giant enemy crab in Sea of Remnants, with a Summer Preview 2025 GamesRadar+ frame Sea of Remnants is an online pirate swashbuckler take on Honkai Star Rail that's had me rolling dice in turn-based duels and trading cannonfire with a gorilla

But worry not, Rusty Hearts experts - there’s plenty of content in Reborn for you to sink your teeth into, with new job focuses, PvP systems, and increased difficulty in the late game. The job focuses are chief among the exciting features in Reborn’s bullet-list, granting every current character an additional weapon style and bumping their variations from two to three. These are essentially as substantial as entirely fresh classes: with their newfound armaments and accompanying movesets, old faces will be busting out novel combos and flashy finishing moves that make playing an alt all the more appealing.

Case in point: Natasha, the femme fatale whose arsenal includes powerful muskets and dual pistols, will be getting an awesome new toy: an attaché case that transforms into a multitude of deadly firearms. Gatling guns, cannons, a Spartan-style shielding dome with myriad rifle barrels poking out of it - it seems there’s nothing this lethal briefcase can’t conjure up. Our favorite of Natasha’s new moves is a must-see: her magic case morphs into a full-on wheeled mortar launcher, which she then rides on top of to dash forward and bash any unfortunate enemies caught in its wake. Old favorites haven’t been neglected: resident badass Tude goes from a clawed close-range pugilist to a bonafide metal boxer with his dual steel gauntlets, which amplify his already-impressive melee bashing tenfold. As if the new job focuses weren’t enough, two previously-premium characters will now be completely free, so stingy gamers can look forward to giving them a go.

Professional-level RH players have been vocal about their yearning for more end-game content; with Reborn, their prayers have been answered. The PvP aspects are getting a complete overhaul in Reborn with the introduction of a welcome ladder system - instead of the outdated room-based system that could pit opponents with a 20-level discrepancy between them, a new auto-matchmaking system ensures that every fight is a level playing field. Better yet, it prioritizes a player’s ping first and foremost, so you won’t be able to blame lag for any flubbed combos or crushing defeats. The ladder should promote the kind of one-on-one, hardcore PvP community that the developers envisioned for the high-end gameplay, fostering competition amongst the experts who want the glory inherent in a prime spot on the new leaderboards.

PvE is also getting some much needed love for those who’ve worked their way deep into Rusty Hearts’ dungeons. A new “party gauge” will incentivize partying up with allies in the later levels to increase the stakes: enemies’ strength will scale to the party-size, but in exchange, slaying these monsters will produce the appropriate amount of loot. Drop increases have also been boosted, and an extremely helpful Dungeon Map now lays out each stage’s opposition and the gear they drop, so you’ll never have to consult a wiki in search of your ideal drop. Additionally, the introduction of Training dungeons finally lets players practice their most devastating skill combos against a docile punching-bag boss, so you’ll never have to risk death in a real dungeon run to try out a new skillset.

Top it all off with reduced XP requirements for leveling, an intriguing master/apprentice system that encourages pros to foster the new kids on the block, and some coveted new pets, and it’s official: with the launch of Reborn, there’s never been a better time to play Rusty Hearts. You can bet your britches that we’ll be jumping in to try out the new content - and with zero monetary barriers to entry, there’s nothing stopping you from doing the same.

See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Stellar Blade protagonist Eve
Stellar Blade devs confirm PS5 players will get the PC version's new boss fight and 25 extra costumes in a "free update" as the action-RPG escapes console exclusivity next month
Upcoming PC games 2025 header imagine featuring InZoi / Split Fiction / Elden Ring: Nightreign / Dune: Awakening
Upcoming PC games: New PC games for 2025 and beyond
RS fights a giant enemy crab in Sea of Remnants, with a Summer Preview 2025 GamesRadar+ frame
Sea of Remnants is an online pirate swashbuckler take on Honkai Star Rail that's had me rolling dice in turn-based duels and trading cannonfire with a gorilla
Screenshot from Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, showing a bunch of anime fighters battling a red, fiery monster in a lush field.
Canceled Amazon MMO Blue Protocol was as dead as it gets, but it's now getting a gorgeous reboot this year – rideable capybara included
A screenshot of the upcoming Xbox series X game, The First Berserker: Khazan.
For a free update, The First Berserker: Khazan devs cooked up a Soulslike challenge so brutal that even a lead designer said "I probably wouldn't play that"
Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 lead art of Yixuan
The big Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 interview: buffing old characters, standing up to Miyabi, the missing idol faction, and the "undeniable" Yixuan
Latest in Action
GTA 5
Ahead of GTA 6, Rockstar makes more changes to Social Club before seemingly taking down its dedicated site entirely
James Bond in 007 First Light
"Don't make him a killing machine!": Hitman developer IO Interactive got the James Bond gig because its games are more about creativity and stealth than shooting
Death Stranding 2
After Metal Gear Solid 5 made sparing or killing enemies so important, I'm disappointed Death Stranding 2 wasted its most interesting mechanic
Dead Island 2 screenshot
"Boy, that game sucked": Notorious Dead Island 2 delay lasted nearly a decade partly because its original developer ignored "horrific" player feedback, says former Deep Silver lead
Kassandra holding a falcon on her arm during Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Ubisoft foresaw the grindy fate of Assassin's Creed Valhalla back in the Odyssey days, wanting a literal "odyssey" but not "a world that was just fatiguing to travel through"
Zelda
Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P says his latest game dev crush is The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, one of the most efficient games he's played all year
Latest in Features
One of the new Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 is releasing in just under 2 months, so I'm revisiting the 5 best Gearbox games while I count down the days
The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature screenshot of a fairy, a ghost, and a mermaid looking scared
After 400 hours in The Sims 4, I've finally met my match: an occult-only household riddled with phantoms, house fires, and dead plants
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild screenshot of Link cooking over a campfire
The Legend of Zelda and Red Dead Redemption 2 have whetted my appetite, so I've found the 7 best cooking games to tuck into
David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames
I’m tired of MCU post-credits scenes that go nowhere, which is why Superman’s organic world-building is such a breath of fresh air
A female-presenting warrior in armor and furs holding a banner stares into the foreground, surrounded by an equipment menu and statistics block
I've played board games like Frosthaven for decades, but the digital version convinced me that it's a better introduction to the epic RPG
Death Stranding 2
After Metal Gear Solid 5 made sparing or killing enemies so important, I'm disappointed Death Stranding 2 wasted its most interesting mechanic
  1. DK and Pauline look surprised in Donkey Kong Bananza
    1
    Donkey Kong Bananza Review: "Destruction isn't just a flashy gimmick for the Minecraft generation, it's one of the best inventions Nintendo has had in years"
  2. 2
    Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans"
  3. 3
    College Football 26 review: “Thanks to rivalries and dynasty, this is the greatest show on turf”
  4. 4
    Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy"
  5. 5
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  1. David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
    1
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  2. 2
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  3. 3
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  4. 4
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  5. 5
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...