LONE RUIN Reviews
A Rogue-like game that gives the sensation of shooting powerful bullets. The fast-paced gameplay provides a great experience when played on handheld consoles, but the overall playtime is unfortunately short.
Review in Korean | Read full review
But beyond that, Lone Ruin is a beautiful game with a fun combat system. And fun is the highest compliment I can give to any game. There’s something addictive about trying to craft the perfect spell-build and seeing how far into the ruins you can get.
There could definitely be some balancing with the weapons, and bosses, as the bosses can feel like way more of a challenge than any of the enemies depending on your setup. That said though, it’s a very okay game with a lot of potential so maybe in the future with a few balance patches, it could stand on its own two feet for Hades fans waiting for the second game.
A wise man once said that if you are going to do something, it should either be different or better than the competition. Whilst there are plenty of occasions where this isn’t always a fair statement, it couldn’t be truer when considering the development of a new roguelike or twin-stick shooter. Where once there was a clamouring for games of this ilk, eShops are now fit to burst with games that just haven’t done enough to avoid the cliched comparisons to Hades and The Binding of Isaac.
Usually, the New Year starts off with a quiet introduction to new games. Gamers typically enjoy their holiday gifts from the previous year and cozy up to some new hardware all while sipping some delicious hot chocolate. 2023 is a bit different though. Super Rare Originals and Cuddle Monster Games are hitting the ground running with their captivating, thrilling, and fun roguelike title, Lone Ruin.
Lone Ruin gives off a great retro vibe, and if I were playing it on my ZX Spectrum in 1985 I would have enjoyed it a lot more. In today’s market, there is so much better to choose from. Great gameplay is hindered by a lack of content and continuity, the big question is ‘Why?
Whilst it may be pleasing to the visual and audio senses, Lone Ruin balances out that pleasant feeling with fair challenge. A roguelike in the traditional sense, it offers that “one more run” gameplay for anyone that feels like they can do it better next time.
Lone Ruin is a game with a lot of style and potential but lacks the content necessary to foster the replayability critical to a roguelike. In simpler terms, there’s a fun game here, just not a lot of it.
Lone Ruin is a decent arcade roguelike, but it did leave me wanting a bit more. With only three main boss fights and nothing to really unlock during the game, it feels a little light on content. What does save it, though, is its solid gameplay, which made me come back, repeatedly, to try out new spells and jump into some instantly satisfying action. If you’re new to the action roguelike, this is a good place to start. If you’re well versed in the genre, consider this a solid pick-up and play arcade title, just maybe not the best compared to the competition.
It’s not hard to recommend Lone Ruin, particularly if you are into the genre. It’s a good price, atmospheric and a lot of fun. It’s not the longest game you will play this year. but you will still find yourself coming back for another go. Definitely check it out.
Lone Ruin is going to scratch an itch for those who love chasing high scores and trying to one-up friends.
A tense, twin-stick shooting experience awaits for those who adore the roguelike genre and all the uncertainty that comes with it… whether that’s positive or negative, I’ll leave up to you. But just know that once Lone Ruin sinks it’s teeth into you, those marks will be tremendously hard to remove.
While I like the low poly X pixel graphics style and think that the pulsing (albeit limited) soundtrack is great, I didn’t fall in love with Lone Ruin. Despite marketing itself on replayability, the main problem is that it didn’t do enough to make me want to keep coming back for more. The rapid-fire spell slinging is pretty good fun and there’s plenty of variety, but the short run length and lack of plotline or overarching upgrade systems makes Lone Ruin feel more like an arcade game than a roguelike. I’ve no doubt that the pick-up-and-play style will appeal to coin-op fans who like short-burn, intensive action, but I think traditional roguelike fans might lose engagement after just a couple of runs with the lack of a long game on offer.
Lone Ruin is a competent and interesting action roguelike, but it ends up losing some of its shine with its limitations. The highlight is in the frantic combat in which we have to escape from dangers while casting different spells — part of the fun is discovering effective combinations of powers. However, the reduced amount and scarce variety of content make the runs somewhat repetitive. In the end, Lone Ruin is intense and very brief fun.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In its basic structure, Lone Ruin is an easy game - which doesn't mean that any trip to its lone ruins will be easy. This might be a game for people that usually don't like roguelikes because I found the game to be more accessible than many others. It is, however, also quite repetitive and not every part of it is perfect.
Review in German | Read full review
I had really high hopes for Lone Ruin. And while it’s not a horrible game by any stretch, I felt it was really underwhelming. Not only does it lack any replay value, but the core loop features nearly identical stage layouts and a frustrating lack of clear audio cues for enemy attacks. While some may find something to enjoy in the survival mode, I think fans of the rogue genre will be left wanting much more.
Lone Ruin does have great music and it is a game with a fantastic central loop that is fast, satisfying, and full of variety. It’s just a shame that the game has so few additional options and no persistent progression.
There is a delicate balance to strike in a roguelike game. The genre, featuring titles as diverse as the 2020 breakout hit Hades, the perfectly fine-tuned The Binding of Isaac, and lo-fi early access epic Caves of Qud, has plenty of appeal. Lone Ruin, from developer Cuddle Monster Games and Grapple Dog publisher Super Rare Originals, sets itself apart from its contemporaries with an inimitable sense of style. The neon-soaked environments and pulsing techno soundtrack are tremendous highlights of Lone Ruin, and even if the limited biomes and scant worldbuilding may ultimately leave players wanting more, the crunchy combat, included survival mode, and leaderboard score chasing are plenty satisfying.
Lone Ruin is a solid addition to the roguelike genre, especially for those in need of a challenge. It’s got a strong art direction that enhances the darker mood the game is going for. The boss fights are an easy highlight as the developers really get to flex their muscles with those but the gameplay loop isn’t quite good enough, or long enough, to thrive otherwise. The weaker abilities and items render some attempts futile without me even doing anything wrong and success largely feels down to luck rather than my own choices for the most part.
LONE RUIN is a game that's simply too short for its own good. A lack of content means the experience is over long before it ever should be, and any additional difficulty modes and a survival mode don't do enough to justify the small scope. The experience is saved somewhat by good gameplay and a great spells/upgrades system, though not enough to call this one a real must-play.