The long-anticipated Jungle Biome for Rust has officially gone live on the testing branch (oxo3), and it’s bringing some of the most immersive environmental changes the game has seen in years. From terrifying wildlife to tree-swinging traversal and mysterious monuments, this update is shaping up to be a true game-changer for survival fans.
A Fourth Biome Emerges
For the first time in Rust’s history, the procedural island generator now supports a fourth biome beyond the usual temperate, desert, and snow. This new Jungle Biome is only guaranteed to spawn on maps larger than 4K, where it often occupies a significant portion of the map — in some cases, nearly half.
Expect dense foliage, lush new ground cover, and thick tree canopies, giving the map a totally fresh vibe that both challenges visibility and enhances immersion.
Traversing the Jungle Like Tarzan
One of the most exciting additions is the ability to climb special jungle trees and swing across vines, zip-line style. Players can navigate high above the jungle floor, avoiding predators and gaining vantage points. This tree-to-tree traversal system adds verticality never seen before in Rust’s map mechanics.
Deadly New Wildlife
The jungle isn’t just a visual change — it’s dangerous. Players will encounter:
- Crocodiles – Fast on land, deadly in water, and they drop large amounts of leather and crocodile meat.
- Snakes – Appear suddenly, bite, and vanish in a puff of venomous gas. They drop fat and snake venom, which is now a crafting material.
- Panthers – Stealthy predators that stalk players and react to fire.
- Tigers – Majestic yet horrifying, they strike fast and hard, and will even drag player corpses into the underbrush if left unattended.
All creatures come with unique behaviors and useful drops like raw bear meat, animal fat, and venom for darts.
New Jungle Monuments
Two new monuments make their debut:
- Jungle Ruins – Early ruins with climbable rope paths, light puzzles, and loot crates.
- Ziggurat – A modern concrete structure styled like ancient temples. With bamboo scaffolding and multi-layered access, it contains loot and visual storytelling but no underground sections (yet).
These locations add exploration depth to the biome and are still subject to polish.
New Weapons: Blowpipe & Boomerang
Two jungle-themed weapons have arrived:
- Blowpipe – Crafted from basic materials, it fires four types of darts:
- Standard
- Scatter
- Radiation
- Incapacitate (causes movement slowdown and screen distortion)
- Boomerang – A throwable with curve mechanics. It can bounce, stick into surfaces, and even hit enemies from behind if thrown cleverly.
These tools provide tactical and stealth advantages, especially in the dense jungle terrain.
Jungle Ruins Building Skin
A new stone building skin is now live on the testing branch: Jungle Ruins. Featuring moss-covered bricks, engraved faces, and overgrown details, it’s the perfect choice for anyone wanting to blend into the jungle or roleplay as a relic hunter.
Bonus Updates in the Pipeline
While not jungle-exclusive, other features in development include:
- A new main menu redesign
- Wood armor gloves
- Chicken coop tweaks (smaller, now fits indoors)
- Audio exploit fixes
- Work-in-progress cocoon knight armor DLC
- Wall and ceiling wallpaper system
- A mysterious Outbreak Scientist NPC, hinting at possible future disease mechanics
Final Thoughts
The Jungle biome is still in testing and likely to evolve, but it already feels like a landmark addition. From terrain and traversal changes to new predators and monuments, this update significantly diversifies the Rust survival experience. It’s not just cosmetic — it’s a whole new way to play.
If you want to try it out, switch to the oxo3 testing branch and dive into the jungle yourself.
