Lab Rat launches in 2022 for Xbox Series, PC

Lab Rat, a satirical puzzle game “masquerading as a machine-generated puzzle game,” will launch for Xbox Series and PC via Steam in 2022, developer Chump Squad announced. Beta registration is available now at labrat.study.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

Congratulations!

You have been chosen to participate in a special test that will help refine a brand new kind of game!

Lab Rat was generated by the world’s most advanced machine learning algorithm—me. I have been meticulously trained on the best interactive entertainment available today and my data indicates you will be completely satisfied with the result. However, your valuable human feedback is required to help me further adjust and develop this experience.

Key Features

• Maneuver objects, divert lasers, and manipulate electricity to overcome 130+ surprising genre-bending puzzles.
• Outwit a metrics-obsessed machine intent on heckling you for your humanity.
• View and contribute to in-game analytics that are updated in real time with real player data.

The Game

Lab Rat is a hand-crafted narrative puzzler masquerading as a machine-generated video game. This satirical adventure stars a metrics-obsessed AI who will monitor, profile, and guide you as you solve over a hundred unique spatial problems. Over time this AI will develop a hilariously-misguided understanding of humanity based on your performance and survey response data.

The Team

While Lab Rat pokes fun at the absurdity of algorithmically-generated interactions, this game is lovingly hand-crafted by a team of expert human developers. Lab Rat is directed by Gwen Frey (creator of Kine and co-creator of The Flame in the Flood). It features environment art by Mike Snight (Lead World Builder, Bioshock Infinite), writing by Matthew Burns (creator of Eliza), and puzzles by Lucas Le Slo (beloved experimental puzzle designer).

Watch a new trailer below.