Getting Started with Reap and Rush

Reap and Rush (Chinese title: 地府有点忙) is a top-down action roguelike from Beijing Pacifier Technology, published by Mecrew Games and Assemble Entertainment. It launched on Reap and Rush on Steam in Early Access on July 22, 2026 at 9:09 AM Beijing time at $14.99 USD with a 20% launch discount for 14 days, and quickly earned Very Positive Steam reviews around 90%. Early Access includes four maps, five difficulty tiers, and six playable envoys — see Maps Guide, Difficulty Guide, and Launch FAQ. If you enjoy spell-stacking survivors-likes such as Magicraft, you are in the right place — but the underworld setting, Chinese mythology, and bureaucratic chaos give Reap and Rush a distinct personality.

The premise: Zhong Kui is missing

The underworld runs on paperwork, reincarnation queues, and divine discipline — until Zhong Kui, the legendary demon queller, vanishes. Reincarnation breaks down, Yaoguai spirits spill into every hall, and you — a newly appointed underworld clerk — must reap rogue souls and rush through escalating crises. Story beats unfold through duties and envoys rather than long cutscenes, which keeps runs readable while still giving mythological weight to every decision.

Your first three runs

Treat runs one through three as tutorials you control yourself. On run one, pick any Envoy that mentions balanced stats and focus on learning movement. On run two, deliberately grab one Fate Stone and one Yin Spell even if they do not synergize — you need to see how upgrades appear between waves. On run three, accept an underworld duty (feeding hungry Yaoguai, helping misplaced gods, or resolving fox spirit cultivation issues) and finish it even if it slows your kill pace. Dying is expected; you are mapping systems, not chasing victory.

Core systems at a glance

Every build in Reap and Rush stacks four pillars. Fate Stones are passive run modifiers — your foundation. Yin Spells are active abilities with cooldowns and upgrade paths. Paper Crafts are consumable talismans and scrolls with burst effects. The Five Elements — Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth — govern synergy bonuses across all three. Companions and Relics appear as run rewards and shop offers, while Soul currency persists between attempts for meta unlocks. Our Builds Hub and Items Reference break each pillar down in detail.

Controls and combat expectations

Movement uses WASD with mouse aim — a standard top-down action roguelike layout. Enemies telegraph in crimson outlines; i-frames are generous but not unlimited. Read the dedicated Controls Guide before rebinding keys, and the Combat Basics Guide for dodge timing, elite patterns, and Soul pickup routing. Boss rooms gate biome progression; the Boss Guide lists phase tells for Early Access encounters.

Underworld duties: do not skip them

Between combat waves, the underworld assigns duties — side objectives that restore order and pay extra Souls. Hungry Yaoguai need offerings, misplaced gods need escorts, and fox spirits need cultivation advice. Duties teach enemy types in low-pressure contexts and unlock narrative fragments. The Underworld Duties Guide catalogs every duty type in Early Access and notes which envoys handle them best.

Meta progression and achievements

Soul currency unlocks envoy variants, starting Fate Stones, and shop inventory expansions at the underworld ledger. The full game targets 99 Steam achievements; many require specific element builds or duty streaks. Track them through our Achievements Guide rather than guessing in-run. There are no promo codes or cheat codes — see the Codes Page for official redemption status.

Where to go next

Once you survive a full biome, pivot to build craft: start with Fate Stone Builds, compare power with Envoy Tier List, and sketch synergies in the Build Planner. For launch timeline and demo history, read Updates. For an honest Early Access take, see our Review. Welcome to the busiest office in the afterlife — clipboard in hand, seals charged, and absolutely no time for Zhong Kui’s vacation.