RUINER Critic Reviews

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 is a truly magnificent ode to Akira and Ghost in the Shell. It builds a brilliant world with a lot of narrative undertones for you to grasp, should you wish to. The physical ultra-violence is only the entry point to the dystopian atmosphere of the game. All the gameplay elements are complex enough without being overbearing to the player. You'll find yourself easily juggling through skills while you deliver carnage. In Ruiner, everything seems to have fallen into place: artistically, narratively, technically. Give it a go, you'll be amazed at how good it is.

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 solid cyberpunk action game that has exceptional gun and melee based combat taking place in a beautifully fleshed out world that it, unfortunately, doesn't utilize to its full potential. It may not be perfect but I can wholeheartedly recommend RUINER if you are looking for a good challenge or a game that would fit perfectly in a dark room with your headphones cranked to maximum.

RUINER is a great game. It’s polished, offers a unique world and some solid combat mechanics. Although it doesn’t necessarily revolutionize the twin-stick shooter, RUINER’S attention to story, graceful and synergistic combat and pacing set it apart from many of its brethren. Fan of the genre or not, RUINER is a game to keep on your radar.

RUINER is a spectacular and harsh action game. It doesn't ask if you like to hurt other people - you just have to do it.

RUINER is a tight experience that transcends its inspirations and becomes an experience of its own.

RUINER is surely a title not suitabile for everyone because of its top-down shooter mechanics; it's easy to learn, but very, very hard to master. The solid cyberpunk setting gives the game a dark-neon atmosphere that perfectly fits around the gameplay: this should be enough to turn on the attention of the genre lovers.

With no one single way to finish a level and constantly changing enemies, the game’s intense electronic soundtrack will get your adrenaline pumping as you slice, dice, and blow your enemies into pieces.

Dazzling, dangerous, and dripping in style, Ruiner is a superb, if short, whirlwind of cyber-violence and sightseeing.

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.

Over-the-top and frequently overwhelming, Ruiner might be the first cyberpunk game to give an inkling of what it’d be like to have a deluge of sensory stimuli downloaded directly into your head. A guilty pleasure, and a damn good twin-stick shooter to boot.

Ruiner creates a future teeming with interesting concepts, fascinating people and hidden despair. But it is the combat which stands front and centre. Through the endless bodies that fall by your hand, the grim layers of the story peel away to reveal a few surprises about the meaning of life, death and revenge. It is a revealing journey that's well worth taking but it is apparent from the opening scene to the mysterious finale, the only thing that is pure and absolute in the world of Ruiner is murder.

Even if you don’t go back to the game after finishing it once, there’s plenty in that four-hour experience for you to enjoy. RUINER is a no brainer if you are interested in fast-paced action games that require real skill to truly perfect.

With its brutal, agile combat and engrossing slice of cyberpunk existence, you'll desperately want Ruiner to keep the story going.

Despite a bit of a hurdle when it comes to difficulty at the beginning, Ruiner is quite the addictive action game, one with a lot of variety in its combat that packs a lot of experimentation into a small package. The visuals are amazing when it comes to depicting the grittiness of Rengkok, the characters and enemies are well-designed, and the speedy gameplay works exquisitely, perfectly capturing the feel of a futuristic action film. The more you get involved, the more you discover just how much of a blast it is, so give it a shot. Seriously, the ice sword alone is worth it. I love you, fox blade.

Devolver Digital hits the target one more time. Ruiner is a really solid game, with great personality and gameplay.

RUINER is a game that wins the player with its very well done cyberpunk style, a gameplay system based on speed and a sweet violence aura that is everywhere. A great game that is one of this year best surprises.

So if you want a healthy dose of style and don’t mind potentially rage quitting every now and then when faced with a boss battle then this should be right up your alley. Also, I’m keen to see how the cosplay community go with that helmet because it is pretty darn awesome!