When we think about indie games, a shooter might not immediately come to mind. However, the genre is deeply rooted in the indie game scene, particularly isometric shooting games. Ruiner is a hard core cyberpunk (not to be confused with the game Cyberpunk 2077) game. In the same vein as GTA 3, we control an unnamed main character, oftentimes called “The Guy” or even “Puppy” in a world where massive conglomerates control the city of Rengkok, a city in the year of 2091.
The game was developed by the Polish-based indie developing company Reikon Games, The developers took great inspiration in classic cyberpunk classics, adding their own distinctive touch to the mix. I believe that the company did an amazing job creating a whole world, worthy of standing tall with the big names of the genre.
Shootout Mayhem
Ruiner invites players to embrace chaos, offering a fast-paced action shooter experience that challenges your reflexes and strategic thinking. At its core, the game has a blend of destructive action packed adventure, mixed with exploration and progression mechanics, allowing you to elevate your character’s powers and abilities.
The game is played from a bird-view perspective, allowing you to manipulate the main character and appreciate the beautiful, but dark scenery. You’ll be thrown to fight multiple enemies from the get go. To defeat them, you’ll be equipped with multiple weapons and abilities. For weapons, you’ll have both melee and fire weapons to defeat your enemies.
On top of these weapons, you’ll also have multiple abilities that will help you in your multiple battles. This will grant you the possibility to have a tactical approach to your fights, and create innovative and creative ways to win. Whether you prefer to slice through enemies with a razor-sharp blade or rain down bullets upon them, the game offers an array of weapons and abilities to suit your combat style.
Dodging, parrying, and using cover effectively are essential skills, as enemies are relentless and unforgiving. Each encounter requires a strategic approach, making the combat a mix of intense reflexes and calculated decisions.
Upgrades and Progression
You’ll gather money as you move through Rengkok City’s neon-lit alleys and shadowy nooks, and you’ll also discover parts that will let you improve The Guy’s skills. Upgrades might increase your health reserve or grant access to devastating special strikes. With this development system, you can customize your character’s strengths to fit your desired playstyle.
But not everything is fights and chaos in Ruiner, you’ll also have the possibility to literally get lost in Renkok City, meet multiple characters with interesting and challenging side missions, you’ll discover secret paths and interactive objects that enrich the vast world of the game, increasing the level of immersion.
Level Design
Another stand out feature of Ruiner is the design of the multiple levels. The environments are diverse and dangerous, ranging from neon-soaked nightclubs to dimly lit alleyways, to wide fighting arenas. Each locale has its own challenges, encouraging adaptability in your approach.
Even though you are allowed to choose the level of difficulty, the game’s main objective is to give you a challenge in every fight, to test your adaptability and creativity at the moment of tuning your fighting abilities and gear. This brings an immense sense of satisfaction when your personally built equipment and skills manage to help you move forward after defeating challenging enemies.
One of the things that blew my mind the most was the vast lore created for the game. This is, in my opinion, one of the things that bring most value to the game, aside from the challenging battles. Thanks to a rich setting, full of interesting characters and a very alive world, the fact that Ruiner was developed by an indie company proves that heart and creativity can transcend the limitations of budget and resources.
A City Shrouded in Darkness
The heart of Ruiner doesn’t just lie in its frenetic combat; it beats within the intricate narrative and the dystopian world it paints. As you step into the cybernetic shoes of The Guy, you’re thrust into the seedy underbelly of Rengkok City, a place where the line between humanity and machinery blurs, and power is the currency of choice (also karma).
Rengkok City is a character in its own right—a sprawling metropolis defined by its contrasts. Neon lights pierce through the darkness, casting bright lights onto grimy alleyways and towering skyscrapers. Yet, beneath the neon-lit surface, corruption and despair thrive, creating a stark contrast between the face of progress and the reality of oppression.
The city’s design isn’t just visual; it’s thematic. The labyrinthine streets mirror the complexity of its social hierarchy, while the ever-present advertisements and propaganda billboards paint a vivid picture of a society controlled by shadowy forces. Every step you take serves as a reminder that in Rengkok City, appearances are deceiving, and nothing is what it seems.
This makes the city feel so alive, there is always a character with a backstory or sub-mission, there’s always a new path, leading you to new challenges and secondary activities that keep the fun alive along with the main storyline.
At the beginning, we are thrown into an unknown world, with only a single mission: kill the Boss. After the intro we discover that The Guy has been hacked by a known cyber terrorist and the Guy’s brother has been kidnapped by Heaven, a powerful and enigmatic organization that exerts its control over the city. Even though the personal motive drives our hero, that’s about it regarding his personality, since the Guy has no more dialogue.
But his silence serves a purpose, for the players to project their own motivations and emotions, creating a bond between player and protagonist that deepens as you navigate the city’s treacherous terrain, allowing for a more immersive experience. Ruiner masterfully weaves a narrative of conspiracy and betrayal that unfolds with every revelation.
As you dig deeper into the world’s lore, you’ll encounter factions contending for control, each with their own hidden agendas and motivations. The narrative is rich and at times intricate, inviting you to piece together the puzzle fragments scattered throughout the city.
A Cybernetic Odyssey of Immersion and Empowerment
Ruiner is one of the best indie games I’ve played recently and the level of immersion and world building make it one of the strongest elements for the game, the playability is fluid and it allows you to be creative with your playstyle and personalization.
Some of the negative things I found in the game are that sometimes in the early stages of the game, the mechanics surrounding crafting and ability upgrades might prove confusing, leaving players tinkering with the multiple options until getting it right.
Additionally, while the vibrant urban expanse of Rengkok City permeates the game with an electrifying ambiance, it can also at times become a double-edged sword.
The city’s vibrancy occasionally becomes confusing, as the plethora of elements bustling around can momentarily distract from the core objectives. I didn’t like that after the tutorial, my dashing button decided to stop working, even if I remap the button, I don’t know if it’s something everyone experiences or is a thing on my end.
But despite having minor inconveniences, I enjoyed the game greatly and found it to be an amazing and creative achievement by Reikon Games, who delivered a AAA level of quality for this indie game. For all the fans and cyberpunk lovers, Ruiner is an amazing option to enjoy. If you want to check out more, visit the game’s website here.