Ruiner

 Switch
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. COGconnected
    Jul 13, 2020
    90
    Considering RUINER has already released on several other platforms, Nintendo Switch fans who may have already tried it will be delighted in the seamless transition in visual quality when playing in handheld mode after playing RUINER docked. As a long-time fan of cyberpunk anime, it’s hard not to enjoy RUINER and it stuck with me long after putting the controller down just as Akira stuck with me long after the credits rolled. Reikon Games put all of their eggs in one basket with RUINER and they created a quality experience with it.
  2. Everyeye.it
    Jun 29, 2020
    87
    Take up a rifle or a metal tube and dive headlong into a suffocating cyberpunk universe.
  3. Nintendojo
    Jun 19, 2020
    83
    Ruiner has some flaws and isn’t perfect, but is still an incredibly fun and beautiful debut project from Reikon Games. Encouraged by the success of Ruiner, the studio is working on an FPS sci-fi game, but I do hope they’ll give us more from this series. There’s so much more to explore, so much more to Puppy and Her’s story, and a second game could easily build upon the very strong foundation of the first. Ruiner is a fantastic addition to your Switch library and definitely worth your time.
  5. Video Chums
    Jul 2, 2020
    80
    If you haven't played Ruiner yet then getting it on Switch is a must, especially if you enjoy dark, gritty, and action-packed indie games.
  6. Malditos Nerds
    Jun 30, 2020
    80
    Ruiner has a lot of very well-groomed aspects. The game isn't a prodigy, of course, but it knows its intentions very well and how to achieve them; it has a prodigious execution. The game's length is one of the few weak points not because of the extension itself but because of its abrupt ending.
  7. GamingTrend
    Jun 30, 2020
    80
    Ruiner is a cyberpunk-style, guns blazing, top-down shooter that pulls no punches when it comes to action. Where the levels lack depth and unique flair, the gameplay makes up for it with a diverse of ways to approach playing.
  8. NintendoWorldReport
    Jun 24, 2020
    80
    It’s surprisingly fun. Just don’t play it in Handheld mode, where you’ll be struggling to see things (the Joy-Con sticks aren’t necessarily up to the task, either). I will say there’s a plot twist that could not have been more telegraphed, which was a little disappointing, but this isn’t a game you’re playing for depth of story. Ruiner is a good time and is definitely worth trying.
  9. Nintendo Life
    Jun 18, 2020
    80
    Ruiner is an exceptionally stylish, brutal and bloody top-down shooter that hurls you unceremoniously into a relentless onslaught of deranged creeps, cyborgs and enormous mechanoid bosses all hellbent on your destruction. A steady drip-feed of new combat skills – alongside a ton of meaty guns and melee weapons – keeps the action feeling fresh, and the game's excellent graphics and thumping techno soundtrack do a top-notch job of bringing the whole thing vibrantly to life. There are a few framerate issues here and there in docked mode – something which has been an issue in other versions of the game – but, overall, this is a super-solid version of a supremely enjoyable and challenging cyberpunk action-adventure.

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best Switch Game of 2020

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. Gust800
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    Excelent top down shooter game, well paced, good graphics, gameplay and sound is amazing. I liked very much .
  2. nusco
    Dec 2, 2020
    7
    Ruiner is an action game that was clearly built with craft and passion. It has brutally intense gameplay–but sometimes the intensity gets toRuiner is an action game that was clearly built with craft and passion. It has brutally intense gameplay–but sometimes the intensity gets to be too much for the slightly loose controls and the overdesigned mechanics. As a result, combat can feel annoyingly random.

    Pros:
    - Great style: A relentlessly dark cyberpunk setting, with memorable touches. Hearing the hacker's sexy voice comment "What a mess!" after a well-played level never got old.
    - White-knuckle combat: At the medium difficulty, I was pushed to the edge of my seat again and again as I desperately tried to maintain my grip on the action.
    - Nice graphics: Even with plenty of lighting and details, the frame rate is mostly good on the Switch.

    Cons:
    - Confusing combat: In the heat of combat, you often fail to activate a skill because you lack the required energy. As a result, the game tends to devolve into button mashing and RNG-driven combat. You might get stuck on a regular fight, and then destroy a miniboss in a matter of seconds.
    - Overdesigned skill system: I never felt like it was worth it to investigate the details of the various skills. It was good enough to activate or deactivate all the available updates for each skill at once.
    - Repetitive environments: The gritty graphics look good–but after a while, those endless red and blue lights turn every level into the same cyberpunk movie from the 80s.    … Full Review »
  3. Nikkybbx
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    Cyberpunk theme done right!
    Fast paced and brutal, incredible style and the Soundtrack! Wow!
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