Ninkilim: The Lord Rodent

"Once upon a time, as dusk drowned the world in darkness, the vermin gathered one last time around their God. The innocent but unwanted guests of the fields and the streets of the world, forgot suddenly their swarming and teeming nature as Ninkilim, the Lord Rodent, rose from the fertile soil to grant his subjects one wish. It is then that the ever so afraid and emaciated rats and mice asked for forgiveness from humans without knowing what they ever did to wrong them. The Primordial God, aware of the growing violence against the vermin, spoke in an eerie squeaking voice only rodents could understand. And soon, the soul of Ninkilim was freed from its divine body and was gifted to the rats, granting them knowledge of the world. It is at this very moment, with no witnesses around, that the Sharp-Toothed War began."

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In Ninkilim: The Lord Rodent, the player embarks on a journey throughout the ages in which they incarnate a rat possessed by the soul of the Mesopotamian God of Rodents: Ninkilim. Wronged by humans who see rats as unwanted vermin, the playable character goes out into the city in the hope of accomplishing some of the following goals: getting food, fighting predators, uniting more allies, spreading illnesses, etc. depending on their advancement.

 

Each run challenges the player in a random series of rooms in which they might have to fight enemies, accomplish quests or achievements, gain rewards and resources… The hack-and-slash combat system lets the player attack or defend themselves using a wide range of weapons, shields, and healing items they might unlock throughout the game.

 

As the player finishes a certain number of requirements, they will move forward in time and location in order to further explore the relationship between humans and rats throughout historical events such as the birth of agriculture in Ancient Mesopotamia, the Black Death in 14th Century Europe, or even modern-day metropolises among others. This change of scenery will come alongside new mobs and weapons, different resources, and unique quests congruent to the period.

 

Each time the playable character dies or completes a run another rat inherits the soul of Ninkilim, the player can then use the resources amassed previously to improve their chance of winning and completing quests. The main storyline comes to an end when the player is able to give Ninkilim their physical form back either by making peace with humans, eradicating them, or accepting their fate as vermin. In parallel, the player will be able to take part in minor storylines to fully explore the immersive and compelling world of Ninkilim: The Lord Rodent.