RUINER is a brutal action shooter set in the year 2091 in the cyber metropolis Rengkok. A wired psychopath lashes out against a corrupt system to uncover the truth and retrieve his kidnapped brother under the guidance of a secretive hacker friend. Combine preternatural reflexes, augmented tools, and the arsenal of fallen foes to tear down and dismantle the corporate titans of virtuality dealers at HEAVEN.
Ruiner is momentum. The art drives the story, the story drives the setting, the setting drives the music, and the music drives the combat. Which in and of itself, needs none of the above. There are other very cool elements to be found from the versatile progression system to the way in which the boss battles evolve and really put your skills to the sent. And there are stretches where the momentum lags and cues are repeated. But with the sound turned up, the lights drawn, and your eyes firmly watching each enemy movement and background detail come to life there’s nothing better. Ruiner gets it. And I love it.
Ruiner’s budget presentation does little to sully what is otherwise a challenging, addictive and sublime twin-stick shooter experience. Whether you’re head-hunting a particularly nasty criminal, taking on a group of cyborgs or arduously battling against a fearsome boss, Ruiner is action-packed, stylish as hell and fucking awesome. In fact, it just might be one of the most memorable experiences I’ve played this year. Just play it on PC if you can though, yeah?
A great action game, well balanced and with a unique personality. It's not very long, but we've enjoyed it, and we think any fan of this genre will too.
[Recommended]
Ruiner is a fast isometric shooter. Frenetic. With a good handful of playable possibilities that offer variety in action, although it can sometimes be repetitive. Exploring its city Rengkok and its cyberpunk history of hackers and street gangs helps to bring a little more variety to the set.
Ruiner's cyberpunk carnage and soundtrack evoke Hotline Miami, even if the gameplay doesn't quite measure up. It's a spectacle, but it's over too soon.
RUINER ruins its own explosive presentation and promising combat with poorly thought-out difficulty and incomplete narrative and gameplay concepts.
November 20, 2017
Ruiner publishes a free update called Savage Update.