Ruiner

Fast paced, Fun, Looks cool, and i get a woman calling me a puppy 24/7... 10/10

It's alright. a bit too unforgiving and repetitive, and the controller layout isn't really comfortable,
Art style and music are good though

A top view game where you get called puppy. Truly a Shadowolf188 classic.

The art direction is enough that I will literally stop and stare at my Steam Deck, from style to overall quality this game is absolutely incredible on that front.

This game sat in my library from 2018 until 2024 without ever being played - I'm not even sure where it came from. But being on a rougelite kick, it looked like RUINER might scratch that itch and so I downloaded it and was instantly blown away. I'm not sure why this game isn't more popular because I'm certain that if they followed the 2024 trend and included some rogue-like elements and simply rereleased the exact same game tomorrow, that it would be chart topping.

Give it a shot! Literal moving art.

RUINER is a stylish and brutally fast-paced cyberpunk action game that excels in atmosphere and combat but falls short in storytelling and variety. It’s a game that delivers intense, adrenaline-fueled action wrapped in a visually striking world, but it sometimes struggles to maintain depth beyond its aesthetic.
The biggest strength of RUINER is its presentation. The neon-drenched cyberpunk cityscapes, glitchy UI effects, and pounding synthwave soundtrack create an incredible sense of style and immersion. Every frame of the game feels like a cyberpunk fever dream, with sharp, angular designs and a haunting, dystopian atmosphere that pulls you in immediately.
The combat is another highlight. It’s fast, brutal, and satisfying, rewarding quick reflexes and tactical thinking. The mix of melee and ranged weapons, along with abilities like dashes and shields, keeps encounters exciting and fluid. The game makes you feel powerful, but never invincible, as enemies hit hard and require careful positioning and strategy to defeat. Boss fights, in particular, are intense and well-designed, pushing you to master the game’s mechanics.
However, RUINER has its drawbacks. The story is minimalistic and doesn’t feel as engaging as the world it’s set in. While the themes of corporate oppression and cybernetic augmentation are intriguing, the narrative doesn’t develop enough to make you truly invested in your silent protagonist’s journey. The game also leans heavily on its cyberpunk aesthetic without offering much depth in world-building.
Another issue is the repetition. While combat is fun, the enemy encounters start to blend together after a while, and mission objectives don’t offer much variety beyond “kill everything in the room.” The game’s length is fairly short, which helps prevent fatigue, but it still could have used more diversity in gameplay.
Overall, RUINER is a visually stunning and mechanically satisfying game that thrives on its cyberpunk atmosphere and intense action but falls short in narrative depth and variety. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, stylish action game with an amazing soundtrack, it’s worth playing—but don’t expect it to redefine the genre.
Rating: 7/10 – A sleek, cyberpunk power trip with repetitive gameplay and a forgettable story.

Cyberpunk twinstick-shooter goodness.

Pros:
- God-tier soundtrack and overall presentation.
- Fun combat.
- Interesting setting and story.

Cons:
- Not very deep gameplay.

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Pros:
-Surprisingly nice visuals for an idustrial hellscape plus it has cinematic
touches and good character design (Augmentation but grungy and good - the
helmet in particular - some plastic). The lighting and darkness helps the
clutter and concrete look good (Has a lot of detail for an isometric view)
-Very tight and fun twin-stick shooter action (3d solidity but still fast
and fluid) - not as immediate as Hotline Miami because it's not one shot,
one kill but going into a fixed RUINER kill animation feels nice
-More about surviving than perfecting (You can't redo a level to better
the rank) but generally, especially during new game + you need to
perfect to survive which is fun
-Surprisingly upbeat atmosphere for such a moody setting

Maybes:
-The story is fine... a tad predictable and the world building (While good) can
be a superfluous. Her's buried sadism can be nice as can some of the
characters who made Rengkok home and stay content
-Don't make full use of mechanics on normal difficulty (New game + makes it
come alive!)
-The music can be hard to hear when focusing on combat over the gunfire,
sometimes it's no thrills atmospheric stuff and other times you get more
moody stuff (Can sound good... but it may not wow you)

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