Blade Runner meets Ghost in the Shell. Loved the nostalgic feel of the Japanese neo/cyberpunk future reminiscent of some 90s films and games. Some elements work very well, the cartoon 2D anime elements, the EPIC music, the full head mask visuals. Some elements unpolished or completely unfinished making me feel the game wasn't completed. I finished it in a few evenings and althought the ending is horrifyingly short and a big let down, I enjoyed the game on the whole.
Bought while on sale, otherwise not worth £15.99!
Cool graphics, intense fighting, cool futuristic concepts. One of the best cyberpunk action games around. It's very tough even on normal difficulty, but easy mode was kinda too easy. I missed something in-between normal and easy. If you want a real challenge, go ahead.
Ruiner is a game that may let you wanting for a bit more, but is very competently made and successful at what it tries to do.
The gameplay is rock-solid overall: you get to wield an impressive and creative variety of weapons, and the skilltree has a lot of interesting (if not always balanced) options: as a result, the combat is fast, manic, brutal and satisfying. This is not really an unfair or frustrating game, but it quickly turns into a challenging one... The difficulty curve is steep, and while Ruiner starts off easy, by the end it often feels like it’s mindlessly throwing hordes of tough foes at you. The short length of the campaign is adequate, as it would get repetitive if it lasted any longer.
Ruiner’s level design is, alas, very linear: it’s a repetitive succession of narrow corridors and large arenas, and I really think it could have benefited from a more complex approach to exploration. The best example of that may be the “hub” zone you get to visit several times, which has little to offer except very basic and pointless sidequests.
The cyberpunk atmosphere is pretty damn cool. The plot is fine, the music is badass, and while the character and set designs are nothing extraordinary, they’re distinctive and creative enough to be memorable. The graphics are not particularly detailed and the environments could use more variety, but the lighting and color palette are put to such a great use that it’s hard not to admire the worldbuilding and art style on display.
Overall, to me, Ruiner is not perfect, but it's fun while it lasts. The plot, the art and the gameplay felt good, but not great, and my impression is that it is a great foundation for a more ambitious and memorable game… Still, there is clearly a great deal of talent and effort invested in it, and it has more than enough style and energy to make for a fun playthrough, even if it’s your first twin stick shooter: while I don’t plan on replaying it, I’m looking forward to the developers’ next romp.
PROs:
+ awesome Cyberpunk atmosphere
+ stylish visuals
+ slick controls, smooth gameplay
+ good skill & weapon variety
+ quick, reload & try again type of game
CONs:
- gets a bit repetitive towards the end
- a few sections might frustrate less patient players
- sometimes, when the action gets fast & chaotic, it feels like the game could use more camera/zoom options
- lacks a bit in the story department, I wish there were more voiceovers, dialogues
Overall: 7.5/10 with promising future ahead if it gets pushed in right direction.
Very hectic rapid clicker of a cyberpunk action game that does everything it needs to do in a very short runtime (< 2 h, cutscenes and some exploration included).
I like the art, music and writing style a lot, and the melee action is very satisfying. The game definitely prioritises player excitement and rewards, and the rest is cute icing that doesn't get in the way - price included. The game is well worth €10, and the €20 is justifiable if you like repeating fights and improving your runs/skill.
The hub and its NPCs deserve a special mention: both are well-designed to serve the atmosphere and amuse the player while they cool down between missions.
The downsides of the game mostly come from the "cute icing" aspect.
Some character skills are superfluous or outright counterproductive, and the shared activation keys make them a chore to juggle - which is unnecessary to do, and hence unnecessary for the game, I feel. The skill system felt decorative and a compromise (forced addition?) in an otherwise streamlined experience.
Exploring is clumsy with the kb+m movement system, but it's passable. The rewards are fun and build up the immersion. The soundbite+text dialogue is a pleasure, as it establishes just enough character for the NPCs without slowing down gameplay at all (speed-readable) - which makes it puzzling why voice acting is completely absent from (some very key) story cutscenes. This brings the great atmosphere to a screeching halt more than once. Some transitions are also curiously jarring and unpolished.
The kb+m movement system, as tight and fast as it is, gets very janky around corners (bad collision navigation/objects) and can lead to very angular chases of phasing enemies. The slow-mo dash aim mode is way too slow to activate and breaks the pacing in fights (and even in its dedicated gameplay demo sequence). TAS use only? ;P
The game runs well in general on GTX 960 4 GB/i5-3570K/8 GB DDR3-1600/256 GB SSD.
GOES FAST. FEELS GOOD. GET GAME, PUPPY.
