Overview
Idle Lab Rats is an idle/incremental game about training rats and helping them improve their ability to solve increasingly difficult mazes. The rats solve the mazes on their own, but the player's job is to help them learn faster by boosting their attributes and tailoring the maze difficulty to fit their growing competency.
Story
Hey Lab Buddy,
I'm Sorry to hear the interviews didn't go well. It's so rough out there I just stopped trying. Instead, I've been putting my research skills to use in a new business venture. I'm sending you one of those rats I've been talking about. It's amazing how fast they learn! I started calling some of those grant organizations, and some of them seemed interested in using these rats. Maybe your mom will let you use the garage as a lab. I can also send you the site I'm using to buy more rats.
Talk soon,
~C
Buy and train rats
Rats may all start slow and witless, but they all have a wide range of undiscovered potential. Train the rats in mazes of increasing difficulty to push them to their limits. Use what you learn from the rat’s training to improve their proficiency. More advanced rats will unlock varying combinations of abilities. There are 9 rat abilities at the start and 9 more unlockable abilities to explore!
Buy lab tools
Once a rat has improved enough, submit them for grant money. Use the money to buy rats with powerful abilities and acquire new lab tools. Fill your lab with the equipment that will serve your playstyle:
Get more mazes and train many rats at once
Improve your rat’s proficiency with specialized chemical regimens
Use other training tools like running wheels to passively train your rats
Experiment with new maze styles
Attempt challenging mazes
The grant community will take notice of your efforts and offer new opportunities. Rats can be tested in special mazes that have alternative rules and objectives. Completing these mazes will unlock new rat abilities and new lab tools.
Observe as the rats grapple with their purpose
Occasionally, rats will exchange dialogue with one another. They will support one another and try their best to assist their new human friend. What will they do when they are forced to choose between the purpose laid before them and the livelihood of their brethren?