Bitches be like "I have my whole life ahead of me". No you don't, Onrush (14-26 slash damage) is coming š
This review contains spoilers
Really, I can't think of a bigger argument against the now-ubiquotus early access release model than Library of Ruina. The magnitude of its greatness is so staggering that it is only inhibited from perfection by the extent to which the earliest installments in the update cycle clearly lack the polish and care put into the final ones ā methods of presenting the story along with the characters such as pre-battle dialogues on the battlefield as well as dynamic cutscenes featuring the sprites duking it out in the background are all saved near-exclusively for the final set of fights, excluded from even the most emotionally gratifying and narratively significant story beads from earlier in the game. Conventional logic dictates that a more contained development cycle might have provided the chance to go back and freshen up the comparatively plain segments developed earlier in the game's life cycle, but alas I doubt Project Moon saw much point in doing so when most of its at-the-time fanbase had played update-to-update and were long past the point of desiring a do-over on content they'd already mastered, instead fiending for the final Receptions and the resulting conclusion to the tale of the Library.
Perhaps I'd feel differently if I were there before the game's full release, instead being impressed by the fact that Project Moon chose to go all-out for the game's final stretch. Alas I did not, and instead I'm left feeling deeply perturbed by the fact that the game is so backloaded in terms of attention to detail and the crafting of the means by which the story is conveyed - even the "small stories" between the Librarians only begin to crop up towards the end, and the little looks into the everyday goings-on within the Library are welcomed just as quickly as they eventually end which is surely another product of an idea added later in development that wasn't retroactively implemented to the earlier parts of the game.
Speaking of the story I wish I could suggest that my qualms with it exclusively reflected Project Moon's ability to put their plot on display, but unfortunately not even the writing - for all its depth, richness and substance of which you rarely see in video games - is wholly unaffected by the piecemeal means in which it was made available to the audience.
There are aspects I have issues with on the whole (namely that many major characters hardly get exposition or a chance to find their place in the story before they're thrust into the spotlight for major conflict or treated with extreme thematic importance, such as Greta who we literally never even hear mentioned prior to her introduction as a member of the Ensemble), but a couple of major examples stand out to me: Hokma is perhaps the only non-Keter librarian who has an actual character arc as opposed to mostly using their own growth from the previous game as a conduit and catalyst by which Angela and Roland can grow, but since he's the last Librarian to make his entrance into the story and only does so in the penultimate chapter of the game he has a lot of growth to do in very little time (even less time than most of the other Librarians, as Binah and Hokma only have three Abnormality battles before their Realizations as opposed to the four of the other Floors). It ends up feeling rushed, as Hokma's one-time identity of Benjamin is killed off so that he may be reborn as his own individual for the first time within the span of two cutscenes. I don't mean to insinuate that Hokma's character is any weaker for this (quite the opposite, as his Realization got the biggest emotional reaction of all the Realizations out of me), but I believe presentation to be every bit as important as what's penned to paper - and in a game that prides itself on style and was developed with the utmost attention and care put into the way the plot itself was conveyed, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
The other one I've saved for last due to the extent to which it left a bad taste in my mouth, and especially due to the fact that it's emblematic of the very same problems with the world and the systems we exist within that Library of Ruina exists to stand up and out against: when I beat Library of Ruina for the first time I was troubled and a little let down by the fact that every single Librarian effectively ceases to be relevant the instant the final reception is over with, which is troubling considering that they've all grown into individuals who wish to live of their own volition as opposed to the servile robots they existed as in Lobotomy Corporation - so many of them have arcs in Library of Ruina espousing their belief in man's ability to prosper in spite of the world it's found itself existent within, so why are their desires to live and their hopes for their futures not given the same weight and importance as Roland's and Angela's? It's natural that Roland, as the protagonist and the character that most embodies what Library of Ruina hopes to convey, would be the focal point of the finale, but it did bother me that since his own arc as well as Angela's are both about no longer centering themselves at others' expense they do in fact shut out all others in the end without so much as a word of what they hope to get up to now that the Library lies dormant and they're freed of their duty...
And then I learned that in the original release of the final update the other Librarians did make an appearance, as the credits showed a montage of what the Librarians' lives were like as they continued to coexist together in the Outskirts. This was removed later by the developers, leaving the ending sudden and incomplete in its current state! I was puzzled and baffled by this decision and looked into why it was changed - only to find that a large quotient of Library of Ruina's consumer base apparently disliked the ending and review bombed the game, threatening its profitability now that it was out of Early Access and marked with mostly negative reviews on the only marketplace it was available (with plenty being able to be said here about Steam's pseudomonopoly over game storefronts in relevance to the game's themes). So naturally Project Moon neutered their own product to appeal to its customers, ensuring it could satisfy them rather than satisfy the vision that was originally intended. I can't say I don't understand, as doing what you have to do to survive under capitalism is a major idea that Library of Ruina hammers in and ultimately does not judge anybody for - but Library of Ruina is also one of the only truly great anticapitalist narratives in video games, and probably the only one that serves as genuine praxis without just repeating theory over and over again. The game ends on a note that stresses the importance of removing one's self from those systems and choosing to care about one's self without regard for the oppressive social norms that force one to place themselves underfoot of those who would love nothing more to walk all over them - which the developers did not do, and eventually caved in to the pressure.
Not only is it unsatisfying and leaves the ending feeling incomplete, it's also a bit toothless and dampens those ideas a bit to me in the end. VA-11 Hall-A is a cyberpunk game much like Library of Ruina is that I've called perfect due to how corporate meddling inadvertently reinforced the ideas the game touches on - but those little thorns and weird bits didn't stab far enough into VA-11 Hall-A to drain any life and livelihood from the story it aimed to tell at the very end. Library of Ruina, on the other hand, has its wings clipped right as it reaches its most soaring of heights.
Okay, now I'm done talking about all the stuff I don't like and don't have to worry about bringing it up anymore. Are you ready? Because holy shit, even with all the frustrating things I just wrote a thesis on just now, Library of Ruina is one hell of a game in basically every respect. Like, even when you consider all the stuff I just spent a billion words bitching about Library of Ruina is never ever less than good at the absolute worst, and it's more consistently great, and absolutely incredible with a regularity most games can only dream of keeping up with. It knows exactly what it wants to say and pretty much says it as loudly and proudly as it possibly can, ideas so strong and so firmly spoken that they manage to resonate perfectly even when Project Moon was forced to gnaw its own leg off to fend off the review bombs.
Once again, this is one of the only actually good critiques of capitalism in games - Disco Elysium often comes to mind when one thinks of Good Leftist Game Narrativesā¢ļø but what makes Library of Ruina all the more impressive is that actual economic/political ideology is used exactly once near the very end when a character mentions that the slums of the City are being gentrified, using that exact word. Instead, Library of Ruina chooses to voice its disdain for capitalism by showing an unapologetic, unadulterated and unfiltered look into the world that blooms from the seeds of discontent sown by a world that forces individuals against one another and crushes them between the cogs of the great machine. Some might classify the oppressively grim nature of the City as an exaggeration that borders on comical, but it feels appropriate: the Head as an all-knowing entity that perpetuates insane cycles of violence and despair for no other reason than that it amuses them might seem unrealistic, but what other justification can there be for capitalism other than a beast that consumes all it touches wholesale simply to keep itself afloat? Project Moon is a Korean studio, but the constant violence and murder practiced between the City's denizens brings to mind the very real realities of the United States in this day and age: inner-city youths slaughtering one another en masse as a result of the conflicts they introduce themselves into in hopes that they might find security and a means to provide for themselves and their loved ones, innocent being killed in mass shootings with such regularity that most people don't even know when our last shooting was, minorities being gunned down by the police simply for existing, large-scale wars breaking out out of a desire for power or resources by the aggressors... the City appears cartoonish only because we view its violence in a context dissimilar to our own, rendered alien only because it is just distinct enough to not act as a reflection of what most individuals are too desensitized by to truly question.
The Index and the Will of the City that they serve embody a theory with much greater and wider boundaries, which in my opinion strikes more deeply at the heart of what Ruina believes in and what Project Moon has always been about: that capitalism itself, while it exists to perpetuate the suffering and rancor that birthed it, is not necessarily the root of all suffering in the world. The cruelty, violence and widespread agony that has always plagued mankind did so before the advent of capitalism as we know it today. Most of modern history can be documented and measured by wars and conflicts, and the civilizations that paved the path we now walk shone brightly and were promptly burned to the ground by the discord sown within their very cores.
As unfortunate as it may be - and seemingly simple, considering the complexity of the means by which Library of Ruina gets this point across - the root of the issue is simply that people do not care about one another, certainly not enough to be kind to and look out for their fellow man.
Chrono Cross is my favorite game of all time in large part due to its studies on the inevitability of conflict, and the stress it places on the importance of breaking cycles of violence and instead choosing to create circumstances and environments among your peers where conflicts may never have to escalate into bloodshed and can instead be solved peacefully, motivated by a desire to see things through for everybody rather than a desire to see your enemies fall. In a few different ways I believe that Library of Ruina shows what that future being built may look like: of understanding that in times of strife and pathos one's love for their closest ones takes precedence over the pain imbued by the harm done, and choosing to nurture that love and let it bloom rather than nipping it in the bud. Compassion is infinite, whereas hatred can only get someone so far - and while scorn can harm you if you drink too deeply of it, there's no such thing as an abundance of love or being too kind to somebody you treasure.
Of course, it isn't that simple - it never is, and can only be exacerbated by the means by which you've been molded by your past, and the way that past may still cling to you to this very day. To be seen for all your flaws and hangups is terrifying, and when one is more defined by their own pain and scars than they are by the love that exists inside them that fear becomes the norm and the standards by which every interaction and every relationship is scrutinized. It's difficult enough just to exist when burdened by all of that pain, so how can you be expected to show it proudly and trust other people to touch it gently and with understanding, sympathy and acceptance? When you are at your worst - or when your worst has simply become your normal - what guarantee is there that the other party won't simply throw their hands up, give up on you, and intensify the pain that you live with?
Well, there is none. Showing kindness is a deliberate action, not one in the nature of humans as a whole - and it's far too easy to simply give up on it and let that intuition win, to be every bit as afraid of showing off your pain as the other person is. At the end of the day, it's up to you to take that first step and to expose yourself to the risk of anguish, to cling onto the hope that your trust won't be broken.
To embrace the past and break the cycle. To face the fear and build the future.
As previously stressed, conflict is inevitable, especially when each and every living being is carrying their own pain that molds their desires, actions and shapes the person they become. You can't force the world to change overnight, and only one person can only do so much to press back against the cycles the world traps itself in. The only real way to face this inevitability is to be the one to quell it as it rises up, to make the conscious choice to fight the impulses you've been taught to survive and to care about the people around you every bit as much as you care about yourself, and to reject the standards this world forces on you when you look at the person who opposes you.
The world and its people are unkind - but you don't have to be. It's important not to feign ignorance to the nature of the cycles, but it's also important to know when to embrace it and when to embrace the pockets of good and of hope that you can find. Sure, there's no guarantee you won't get hurt again, but there's no guarantee that you will be either. Inevitably, that pain and that rancor will quell up once again...
...but that is that. This - this hope, this joy, this willingness to embrace the good in yourself and in your loved ones, this promise that this world is worth living in and worth fighting for, this resolution that you'll find your place within it as long as you keep your heart open to the love it'll bring you - is this.
Perhaps I'd feel differently if I were there before the game's full release, instead being impressed by the fact that Project Moon chose to go all-out for the game's final stretch. Alas I did not, and instead I'm left feeling deeply perturbed by the fact that the game is so backloaded in terms of attention to detail and the crafting of the means by which the story is conveyed - even the "small stories" between the Librarians only begin to crop up towards the end, and the little looks into the everyday goings-on within the Library are welcomed just as quickly as they eventually end which is surely another product of an idea added later in development that wasn't retroactively implemented to the earlier parts of the game.
Speaking of the story I wish I could suggest that my qualms with it exclusively reflected Project Moon's ability to put their plot on display, but unfortunately not even the writing - for all its depth, richness and substance of which you rarely see in video games - is wholly unaffected by the piecemeal means in which it was made available to the audience.
There are aspects I have issues with on the whole (namely that many major characters hardly get exposition or a chance to find their place in the story before they're thrust into the spotlight for major conflict or treated with extreme thematic importance, such as Greta who we literally never even hear mentioned prior to her introduction as a member of the Ensemble), but a couple of major examples stand out to me: Hokma is perhaps the only non-Keter librarian who has an actual character arc as opposed to mostly using their own growth from the previous game as a conduit and catalyst by which Angela and Roland can grow, but since he's the last Librarian to make his entrance into the story and only does so in the penultimate chapter of the game he has a lot of growth to do in very little time (even less time than most of the other Librarians, as Binah and Hokma only have three Abnormality battles before their Realizations as opposed to the four of the other Floors). It ends up feeling rushed, as Hokma's one-time identity of Benjamin is killed off so that he may be reborn as his own individual for the first time within the span of two cutscenes. I don't mean to insinuate that Hokma's character is any weaker for this (quite the opposite, as his Realization got the biggest emotional reaction of all the Realizations out of me), but I believe presentation to be every bit as important as what's penned to paper - and in a game that prides itself on style and was developed with the utmost attention and care put into the way the plot itself was conveyed, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
The other one I've saved for last due to the extent to which it left a bad taste in my mouth, and especially due to the fact that it's emblematic of the very same problems with the world and the systems we exist within that Library of Ruina exists to stand up and out against: when I beat Library of Ruina for the first time I was troubled and a little let down by the fact that every single Librarian effectively ceases to be relevant the instant the final reception is over with, which is troubling considering that they've all grown into individuals who wish to live of their own volition as opposed to the servile robots they existed as in Lobotomy Corporation - so many of them have arcs in Library of Ruina espousing their belief in man's ability to prosper in spite of the world it's found itself existent within, so why are their desires to live and their hopes for their futures not given the same weight and importance as Roland's and Angela's? It's natural that Roland, as the protagonist and the character that most embodies what Library of Ruina hopes to convey, would be the focal point of the finale, but it did bother me that since his own arc as well as Angela's are both about no longer centering themselves at others' expense they do in fact shut out all others in the end without so much as a word of what they hope to get up to now that the Library lies dormant and they're freed of their duty...
And then I learned that in the original release of the final update the other Librarians did make an appearance, as the credits showed a montage of what the Librarians' lives were like as they continued to coexist together in the Outskirts. This was removed later by the developers, leaving the ending sudden and incomplete in its current state! I was puzzled and baffled by this decision and looked into why it was changed - only to find that a large quotient of Library of Ruina's consumer base apparently disliked the ending and review bombed the game, threatening its profitability now that it was out of Early Access and marked with mostly negative reviews on the only marketplace it was available (with plenty being able to be said here about Steam's pseudomonopoly over game storefronts in relevance to the game's themes). So naturally Project Moon neutered their own product to appeal to its customers, ensuring it could satisfy them rather than satisfy the vision that was originally intended. I can't say I don't understand, as doing what you have to do to survive under capitalism is a major idea that Library of Ruina hammers in and ultimately does not judge anybody for - but Library of Ruina is also one of the only truly great anticapitalist narratives in video games, and probably the only one that serves as genuine praxis without just repeating theory over and over again. The game ends on a note that stresses the importance of removing one's self from those systems and choosing to care about one's self without regard for the oppressive social norms that force one to place themselves underfoot of those who would love nothing more to walk all over them - which the developers did not do, and eventually caved in to the pressure.
Not only is it unsatisfying and leaves the ending feeling incomplete, it's also a bit toothless and dampens those ideas a bit to me in the end. VA-11 Hall-A is a cyberpunk game much like Library of Ruina is that I've called perfect due to how corporate meddling inadvertently reinforced the ideas the game touches on - but those little thorns and weird bits didn't stab far enough into VA-11 Hall-A to drain any life and livelihood from the story it aimed to tell at the very end. Library of Ruina, on the other hand, has its wings clipped right as it reaches its most soaring of heights.
Okay, now I'm done talking about all the stuff I don't like and don't have to worry about bringing it up anymore. Are you ready? Because holy shit, even with all the frustrating things I just wrote a thesis on just now, Library of Ruina is one hell of a game in basically every respect. Like, even when you consider all the stuff I just spent a billion words bitching about Library of Ruina is never ever less than good at the absolute worst, and it's more consistently great, and absolutely incredible with a regularity most games can only dream of keeping up with. It knows exactly what it wants to say and pretty much says it as loudly and proudly as it possibly can, ideas so strong and so firmly spoken that they manage to resonate perfectly even when Project Moon was forced to gnaw its own leg off to fend off the review bombs.
Once again, this is one of the only actually good critiques of capitalism in games - Disco Elysium often comes to mind when one thinks of Good Leftist Game Narrativesā¢ļø but what makes Library of Ruina all the more impressive is that actual economic/political ideology is used exactly once near the very end when a character mentions that the slums of the City are being gentrified, using that exact word. Instead, Library of Ruina chooses to voice its disdain for capitalism by showing an unapologetic, unadulterated and unfiltered look into the world that blooms from the seeds of discontent sown by a world that forces individuals against one another and crushes them between the cogs of the great machine. Some might classify the oppressively grim nature of the City as an exaggeration that borders on comical, but it feels appropriate: the Head as an all-knowing entity that perpetuates insane cycles of violence and despair for no other reason than that it amuses them might seem unrealistic, but what other justification can there be for capitalism other than a beast that consumes all it touches wholesale simply to keep itself afloat? Project Moon is a Korean studio, but the constant violence and murder practiced between the City's denizens brings to mind the very real realities of the United States in this day and age: inner-city youths slaughtering one another en masse as a result of the conflicts they introduce themselves into in hopes that they might find security and a means to provide for themselves and their loved ones, innocent being killed in mass shootings with such regularity that most people don't even know when our last shooting was, minorities being gunned down by the police simply for existing, large-scale wars breaking out out of a desire for power or resources by the aggressors... the City appears cartoonish only because we view its violence in a context dissimilar to our own, rendered alien only because it is just distinct enough to not act as a reflection of what most individuals are too desensitized by to truly question.
The Index and the Will of the City that they serve embody a theory with much greater and wider boundaries, which in my opinion strikes more deeply at the heart of what Ruina believes in and what Project Moon has always been about: that capitalism itself, while it exists to perpetuate the suffering and rancor that birthed it, is not necessarily the root of all suffering in the world. The cruelty, violence and widespread agony that has always plagued mankind did so before the advent of capitalism as we know it today. Most of modern history can be documented and measured by wars and conflicts, and the civilizations that paved the path we now walk shone brightly and were promptly burned to the ground by the discord sown within their very cores.
As unfortunate as it may be - and seemingly simple, considering the complexity of the means by which Library of Ruina gets this point across - the root of the issue is simply that people do not care about one another, certainly not enough to be kind to and look out for their fellow man.
Chrono Cross is my favorite game of all time in large part due to its studies on the inevitability of conflict, and the stress it places on the importance of breaking cycles of violence and instead choosing to create circumstances and environments among your peers where conflicts may never have to escalate into bloodshed and can instead be solved peacefully, motivated by a desire to see things through for everybody rather than a desire to see your enemies fall. In a few different ways I believe that Library of Ruina shows what that future being built may look like: of understanding that in times of strife and pathos one's love for their closest ones takes precedence over the pain imbued by the harm done, and choosing to nurture that love and let it bloom rather than nipping it in the bud. Compassion is infinite, whereas hatred can only get someone so far - and while scorn can harm you if you drink too deeply of it, there's no such thing as an abundance of love or being too kind to somebody you treasure.
Of course, it isn't that simple - it never is, and can only be exacerbated by the means by which you've been molded by your past, and the way that past may still cling to you to this very day. To be seen for all your flaws and hangups is terrifying, and when one is more defined by their own pain and scars than they are by the love that exists inside them that fear becomes the norm and the standards by which every interaction and every relationship is scrutinized. It's difficult enough just to exist when burdened by all of that pain, so how can you be expected to show it proudly and trust other people to touch it gently and with understanding, sympathy and acceptance? When you are at your worst - or when your worst has simply become your normal - what guarantee is there that the other party won't simply throw their hands up, give up on you, and intensify the pain that you live with?
Well, there is none. Showing kindness is a deliberate action, not one in the nature of humans as a whole - and it's far too easy to simply give up on it and let that intuition win, to be every bit as afraid of showing off your pain as the other person is. At the end of the day, it's up to you to take that first step and to expose yourself to the risk of anguish, to cling onto the hope that your trust won't be broken.
To embrace the past and break the cycle. To face the fear and build the future.
As previously stressed, conflict is inevitable, especially when each and every living being is carrying their own pain that molds their desires, actions and shapes the person they become. You can't force the world to change overnight, and only one person can only do so much to press back against the cycles the world traps itself in. The only real way to face this inevitability is to be the one to quell it as it rises up, to make the conscious choice to fight the impulses you've been taught to survive and to care about the people around you every bit as much as you care about yourself, and to reject the standards this world forces on you when you look at the person who opposes you.
The world and its people are unkind - but you don't have to be. It's important not to feign ignorance to the nature of the cycles, but it's also important to know when to embrace it and when to embrace the pockets of good and of hope that you can find. Sure, there's no guarantee you won't get hurt again, but there's no guarantee that you will be either. Inevitably, that pain and that rancor will quell up once again...
...but that is that. This - this hope, this joy, this willingness to embrace the good in yourself and in your loved ones, this promise that this world is worth living in and worth fighting for, this resolution that you'll find your place within it as long as you keep your heart open to the love it'll bring you - is this.
My feelings for this game in the series is indescribable and last time I said, it was very difficult for me to put my thoughts together after just finishing the game but now I can talk about it more. It still is very difficult to put all my thoughts together though.
This is such a beautiful game in every aspect of the gameplay, artistic direction and the story and the characters. This game is meant to be played with Lobotomy Corporation knowledge, so it just makes it even better together. Library Of Ruina has so many layers to it, it's so amazingly done well that there are details everywhere which contribute to the story and it helps convey the messages and themes.
We all suffer, and we all live, we go through this thing called life. We can be stripped naked for who we are as people and people see our flaws and we are scared of that, of who we truly are. We have our scars and our own flaws. It's difficult to be able to show this to people and trust him, without knowing how they will react to it and how you will feel. There's no one who can help you move forward; they can help but you have to be the one to take that first step forward and the rest will happen.
The world is a cruel place, its relentless and it can be straight up cold. There are cycles in place which we can get stuck, and no hope is there for us as we believe it and we just quit and get stuck in this restless cycle. We all suffer at some point, but we should know it's not the end all be all for us. We can fight back against it, to rise up against the situation. It won't be immediate but we as people can overcome hopeless situations and get past what the world is trying to force on us and be better than that.
Breaking this cycle of constant revenge and grief, focusing on what's really important such as compassion and empathy for others and more important, for ourselves. This game is one of the most human stories to ever exist, humans struggling to live, through this world of hardship and grief, deciding how to move forward whether we should be stuck to the past and get left behind or move forward despite this world ever turning flow. Trying to break free from this city, to follow our own dreams, where its merciless and there's no light at the end of the tunnel for us. Groveling on our knees of people with higher status than us just to survive, is this truly a way to live our lives where everyone is just constantly filed with anger, sadness and other emotions. Even so, we should have kindness, compassion, empathy for us and other people.
I love these characters and everything, it just hits me personally. I especially love Angela & Roland, they mean everything to me.
The Eye Facing the Fear; Breaking the Cycle
The Eye Embracing the Past; Building the Future
I love this game so much. One of the few games that has me like this to be able to even write this. There are just so many things more to talk about it, but this is just the tip of the iceberg for me. Maybe in the future, I'll add more to this review overtime but for right now, this is good enough for me.
That's this and this is that.
This is such a beautiful game in every aspect of the gameplay, artistic direction and the story and the characters. This game is meant to be played with Lobotomy Corporation knowledge, so it just makes it even better together. Library Of Ruina has so many layers to it, it's so amazingly done well that there are details everywhere which contribute to the story and it helps convey the messages and themes.
We all suffer, and we all live, we go through this thing called life. We can be stripped naked for who we are as people and people see our flaws and we are scared of that, of who we truly are. We have our scars and our own flaws. It's difficult to be able to show this to people and trust him, without knowing how they will react to it and how you will feel. There's no one who can help you move forward; they can help but you have to be the one to take that first step forward and the rest will happen.
The world is a cruel place, its relentless and it can be straight up cold. There are cycles in place which we can get stuck, and no hope is there for us as we believe it and we just quit and get stuck in this restless cycle. We all suffer at some point, but we should know it's not the end all be all for us. We can fight back against it, to rise up against the situation. It won't be immediate but we as people can overcome hopeless situations and get past what the world is trying to force on us and be better than that.
Breaking this cycle of constant revenge and grief, focusing on what's really important such as compassion and empathy for others and more important, for ourselves. This game is one of the most human stories to ever exist, humans struggling to live, through this world of hardship and grief, deciding how to move forward whether we should be stuck to the past and get left behind or move forward despite this world ever turning flow. Trying to break free from this city, to follow our own dreams, where its merciless and there's no light at the end of the tunnel for us. Groveling on our knees of people with higher status than us just to survive, is this truly a way to live our lives where everyone is just constantly filed with anger, sadness and other emotions. Even so, we should have kindness, compassion, empathy for us and other people.
I love these characters and everything, it just hits me personally. I especially love Angela & Roland, they mean everything to me.
The Eye Facing the Fear; Breaking the Cycle
The Eye Embracing the Past; Building the Future
I love this game so much. One of the few games that has me like this to be able to even write this. There are just so many things more to talk about it, but this is just the tip of the iceberg for me. Maybe in the future, I'll add more to this review overtime but for right now, this is good enough for me.
That's this and this is that.
GEBURAH CAMPEĆO DO MUNDO
3 months 156 hours of struggle & frustrations
absolutely worth it.
That is this, and this is that. One of the lines of all time that bring the themes of this games character and plot together with just one line.
One of most unique combat systems ever combined with card building + card fights and on top of that dice rolls. The story is absolutely amazing following Lobotomy Corps Game which is a must to be able to play Ruina and enjoy it to its full. The music is one of the best I've heard and if you pay attention to it as well, its not just music for it to be just be music, its interconnected to the current battle, mood, whoever's characters battle theme it is and a lot of importance.
The story is one of my favorites of all time and I love it so dearly so much including all the characters in it. It's very difficult to describe my feelings for this game right now even after finishing it.
Roland & Angela are my whole heart.
Poems Of A Machine.
absolutely worth it.
That is this, and this is that. One of the lines of all time that bring the themes of this games character and plot together with just one line.
One of most unique combat systems ever combined with card building + card fights and on top of that dice rolls. The story is absolutely amazing following Lobotomy Corps Game which is a must to be able to play Ruina and enjoy it to its full. The music is one of the best I've heard and if you pay attention to it as well, its not just music for it to be just be music, its interconnected to the current battle, mood, whoever's characters battle theme it is and a lot of importance.
The story is one of my favorites of all time and I love it so dearly so much including all the characters in it. It's very difficult to describe my feelings for this game right now even after finishing it.
Roland & Angela are my whole heart.
Poems Of A Machine.
I don't think this is how a library works.
That's that and this is this.
guys im getting really worried.
the library battle simulator genre is dying, they haven't made one since library of ruina. how are we supposed to get our fix?
hold on let me add to this genius review a bit.
this is no longer a joke about the way they describe the game on storefronts. this is serious. everything i said in this review is completely sincere. it's a bit of a thing right, fans of project moon shilling to as many people as possible, but i feel i have gained an appreciation for the immense effort put in to create that kind of fan reverence and loyalty. i hope this developers future is even more bright. library of ruina and lobotomy corporation, lack of polish included, have so thoroughly captivated me.
the library battle simulator genre is dying, they haven't made one since library of ruina. how are we supposed to get our fix?
hold on let me add to this genius review a bit.
this is no longer a joke about the way they describe the game on storefronts. this is serious. everything i said in this review is completely sincere. it's a bit of a thing right, fans of project moon shilling to as many people as possible, but i feel i have gained an appreciation for the immense effort put in to create that kind of fan reverence and loyalty. i hope this developers future is even more bright. library of ruina and lobotomy corporation, lack of polish included, have so thoroughly captivated me.
ROLAAAAAAAAND šššššššššššššš
I once again was wrong about Library of Ruina.
It's not a PM game, we know.
But it's a damn good game
Sure it's not Lobcorp
Sure it's not LC2
Sure it's not Limbus
Sure it's not Distortion Detective
But it isn't trying to be any of those games in the past.
Lots of people blamed PM for innovating, except for Steam Workshop, that's a whole different story.
PM took risks with Library of Ruina, and you know. I give them more gratitude now and start to even respect them more even of their flaws, they are trying their best at making these games and did a good job at it too.
I watched documentaries of PM and their games and Alicesoft's Rance X, and from what I've seen they both do a damn great job.
It's not the writing of any of the past games but that's okay, in Library of Ruina there are very good receptions too and some good written too, it's just, we haven't taken notice of it, because they lie under all the other mediocre storyline quests.
I played 100 hours and did I enjoy it? Hell yeah, I even got the game with the DLCs for cheap, my money was worth the spending.
It's not a overly well written PM game but that's okay, if you want such a game there is Lobcorp.
But let me get down to the positives
Gun decks are really well done and feels really good, some guns feel meh but most of them are solid while shooting and do the job, and customizing guns is really deep too with some weapons, I am referencing this positive because past PM games failed to do this well with the engine they had.
I underestimated the DLCs, like they are great DLCs with tons of content to add, whether it's for a settlement or a whole new world to explore with a new narrative.
Except for storyline quests, most receptions were great.
Mods were this time integrated in the game which made it so much easier for people to access it.
RPG system is very dumbed down and lackluster but does the job relatively well, it's not as customizable as the old ones but that's fine, PM tooks risks and that's okay +/-
Negatives are pretty simple
Storyline quests, factions really felt lackluster, some storyline quests were good but most of them failed, sadly enough.
RPG system is +/- but it's still in an negative, it's very dumbed down and is not that customizable.
deck building is also a +/-, it does the job but nothing really amazing.
I think that's about it, now that I think about it, Library of Ruina wasn't too bad of a game, its just that PM wanted to innovate in such ways it really stood out but some of them failed, people were disappointed of some things but nontheless it's a fun game and surely a great time to play. Having negative thoughts about this game really just doesn't feel good, just because it wasn't a PM game for me, but still had a great time.
10/10 Where is my Lobcorp 2
BTW I am really excited to nuke people in Limbus
It's not a PM game, we know.
But it's a damn good game
Sure it's not Lobcorp
Sure it's not LC2
Sure it's not Limbus
Sure it's not Distortion Detective
But it isn't trying to be any of those games in the past.
Lots of people blamed PM for innovating, except for Steam Workshop, that's a whole different story.
PM took risks with Library of Ruina, and you know. I give them more gratitude now and start to even respect them more even of their flaws, they are trying their best at making these games and did a good job at it too.
I watched documentaries of PM and their games and Alicesoft's Rance X, and from what I've seen they both do a damn great job.
It's not the writing of any of the past games but that's okay, in Library of Ruina there are very good receptions too and some good written too, it's just, we haven't taken notice of it, because they lie under all the other mediocre storyline quests.
I played 100 hours and did I enjoy it? Hell yeah, I even got the game with the DLCs for cheap, my money was worth the spending.
It's not a overly well written PM game but that's okay, if you want such a game there is Lobcorp.
But let me get down to the positives
Gun decks are really well done and feels really good, some guns feel meh but most of them are solid while shooting and do the job, and customizing guns is really deep too with some weapons, I am referencing this positive because past PM games failed to do this well with the engine they had.
I underestimated the DLCs, like they are great DLCs with tons of content to add, whether it's for a settlement or a whole new world to explore with a new narrative.
Except for storyline quests, most receptions were great.
Mods were this time integrated in the game which made it so much easier for people to access it.
RPG system is very dumbed down and lackluster but does the job relatively well, it's not as customizable as the old ones but that's fine, PM tooks risks and that's okay +/-
Negatives are pretty simple
Storyline quests, factions really felt lackluster, some storyline quests were good but most of them failed, sadly enough.
RPG system is +/- but it's still in an negative, it's very dumbed down and is not that customizable.
deck building is also a +/-, it does the job but nothing really amazing.
I think that's about it, now that I think about it, Library of Ruina wasn't too bad of a game, its just that PM wanted to innovate in such ways it really stood out but some of them failed, people were disappointed of some things but nontheless it's a fun game and surely a great time to play. Having negative thoughts about this game really just doesn't feel good, just because it wasn't a PM game for me, but still had a great time.
10/10 Where is my Lobcorp 2
BTW I am really excited to nuke people in Limbus
o grindset jorge luis borges Ć© real
I WANT SOMEONE TO HANDLE ME THE SAME WAY GEBURA HANDLES RECEPTIONS
I didn't get the Red Mist's page, I'm not redoing that reception again so I'm done. Fuck this game, one of the worst loot systems I've experienced in my life.
The last battles are kicking my ass so I'm not completely done but I think I've seen enough to say:
This is probably one of the best video games out there? Ever? A triumph in gameplay for RPGs, with incredible art and sound design with some of the most intelligent writing I've see to back it up. The game ruminates on too many topics to name in a single review, but it never once feels bloated; every single theme and idea, through gameplay and writing, is wrapped in the perfect little package that is probably one of my favorite stories ever created. Just the perfect game all around. please play it
angela my beloved
This is probably one of the best video games out there? Ever? A triumph in gameplay for RPGs, with incredible art and sound design with some of the most intelligent writing I've see to back it up. The game ruminates on too many topics to name in a single review, but it never once feels bloated; every single theme and idea, through gameplay and writing, is wrapped in the perfect little package that is probably one of my favorite stories ever created. Just the perfect game all around. please play it
angela my beloved
this game has permanently altered my brain chemistry (positive)
I think what generally strikes me first about Ruina, when reflecting, is scale and balance. Most of it comes from sheer awe, jumping from LobCorp this whole work has a stark amount of awareness of the ramifications of LobCorp, while also choosing to make an ambitious goal to balance so so so much more on top. And yet, the scales do not tip over, the further I mulled over and dived into things, the more everything seems awfully well set. Lot of flowery words to say that Project Moon has read a significant amount of literature between games and has an incredible amount more to say AND manages to integrate it perfectly, stretching my use of the word 'ludonarrative' to its absolute limit.
Ruina runs out the gate dismantling the 'hero' of the prior story, burning its idea of redemption into beautiful flame before trying to work beyond him. It keeps the hands of librarians that followed him, resolute in their ways, alongside villains seeking vengeance, joining together against the systems that have confined them, constructing a tower of babel built upon lives hoisted out of the city, justified in the name of 'fairness'. Watch along with them as the city moves in clockwork, these gears set by hypercapitalist systems that turn along people until they are crushed under the metal and spat out as ground together puppets. Reprieve only in the hopes of the little bits of light that people cling to to try to change, sometimes ending up with distorted selves trying desperately to conduct their own symphony, until all of us self realize, progressing beyond the means by which defines human, gender, creed into something more. Full Self-Actualization, Manifestation, capture your E.G.O. to build your future.
It's all explored in intense clashes! Use cards you pull from the light you take, then spread them out into tactics that run an intense ebb and flow on the battlefield. As you stack the shelves with every story you face and people you brutalize, the potential of your use of this knowledge flies sky-high, until you've made 'decks' that swallow the next set of fights with pinpoint precision. Even if you were a master deckbuilder you still have to adapt though. Solve the puzzle that matches each new patron's pscyhe, or be forced to retool from the pushed over house of cards. Every level jump in reputation brings in a whole area of complexity that gives you more immense freedom, with the caveat that the game pulls not a single punch for you to learn it. You'll be walled over and over until fundamentals are rock solid, pushed into an understanding of the ways of the city.
The leftover roots of the corporation that stand in ashes beneath the spine of the library throw you into even stronger, more complex puzzles, boss fights that adopt the abnormalities' story directly into turn by turn gameplay. Then reaching further, becoming thorough contextualization for the characters, then RE contextualizing across central theming. The Kabbalah's Sephirot and christian allegory returns with a much more complicated and personal base that transcends the story into touching on the baseline recognition of compassion and empathy, down to fighting anthromorphized struggles. Finish off by fighting demonic reflections of each lesson you've learned, until you're once again back at the base of the light, trying to look upon that all too familiar completely hopeless massive scope of depressing systems that oppress life, and going, This Can Change. Even those with the darkest masks over them can decide to break the cycle and seek to dismantle the machine. We can keep going while everything around us is 'distorted', and
Become Star of the City, Facing the Past, and Building the Future.
The journey's a long one but not one step is misplaced, not a moment wasted. You might have cause to grind to backfill your mistakes but the progression is always continuous. If you've got the head for it, you might even break it faster under your feet. The City is not without its weaknesses, after all!
But really, this is a rocketing experience, practically irreplaceable after much time to think over it. If you're not at least considering getting it what are you doing hereeee.
Ruina runs out the gate dismantling the 'hero' of the prior story, burning its idea of redemption into beautiful flame before trying to work beyond him. It keeps the hands of librarians that followed him, resolute in their ways, alongside villains seeking vengeance, joining together against the systems that have confined them, constructing a tower of babel built upon lives hoisted out of the city, justified in the name of 'fairness'. Watch along with them as the city moves in clockwork, these gears set by hypercapitalist systems that turn along people until they are crushed under the metal and spat out as ground together puppets. Reprieve only in the hopes of the little bits of light that people cling to to try to change, sometimes ending up with distorted selves trying desperately to conduct their own symphony, until all of us self realize, progressing beyond the means by which defines human, gender, creed into something more. Full Self-Actualization, Manifestation, capture your E.G.O. to build your future.
It's all explored in intense clashes! Use cards you pull from the light you take, then spread them out into tactics that run an intense ebb and flow on the battlefield. As you stack the shelves with every story you face and people you brutalize, the potential of your use of this knowledge flies sky-high, until you've made 'decks' that swallow the next set of fights with pinpoint precision. Even if you were a master deckbuilder you still have to adapt though. Solve the puzzle that matches each new patron's pscyhe, or be forced to retool from the pushed over house of cards. Every level jump in reputation brings in a whole area of complexity that gives you more immense freedom, with the caveat that the game pulls not a single punch for you to learn it. You'll be walled over and over until fundamentals are rock solid, pushed into an understanding of the ways of the city.
The leftover roots of the corporation that stand in ashes beneath the spine of the library throw you into even stronger, more complex puzzles, boss fights that adopt the abnormalities' story directly into turn by turn gameplay. Then reaching further, becoming thorough contextualization for the characters, then RE contextualizing across central theming. The Kabbalah's Sephirot and christian allegory returns with a much more complicated and personal base that transcends the story into touching on the baseline recognition of compassion and empathy, down to fighting anthromorphized struggles. Finish off by fighting demonic reflections of each lesson you've learned, until you're once again back at the base of the light, trying to look upon that all too familiar completely hopeless massive scope of depressing systems that oppress life, and going, This Can Change. Even those with the darkest masks over them can decide to break the cycle and seek to dismantle the machine. We can keep going while everything around us is 'distorted', and
Become Star of the City, Facing the Past, and Building the Future.
The journey's a long one but not one step is misplaced, not a moment wasted. You might have cause to grind to backfill your mistakes but the progression is always continuous. If you've got the head for it, you might even break it faster under your feet. The City is not without its weaknesses, after all!
But really, this is a rocketing experience, practically irreplaceable after much time to think over it. If you're not at least considering getting it what are you doing hereeee.
Edit: The developer ProjectMoon has been involved in an unfortunate controversy, which you can find details of elsewhere. Use your own judgement, but at the very least don't play a fucking gacha game.
---
This is a direct sequel to Lobotomy Corporation, before playing Library of Ruina you must finish that first or watch a story summary video! Also consider installing this collection of mods that fix bugs. (Mass Attack targeting change is balance-affecting and probably not needed)
---
Strangely enough, the video game that came to mind most when playing Library of Ruina was Persona 3. It's been many years since I played it, and I would almost certainly have massive problems with it now, but in theory there are aspects that I admire. The game takes multiple gameplay modes that are seemingly separate, and tries to frame them all around the core themes of malaise, time, and death to create a cohesive whole.
I recall Persona 3's final boss being a major high point of the game, but after going back and watching a video of the fight, it's clear just how much the combat system is holding it back (and a credit to the other elements which can pick up some of the slack). When you are limited to simple loops of attacking and healing, there's not enough space to evoke the kinds of different experiences that the mood and themes are calling for, and the monotony is even sabotaging the intended effect!
Library of Ruina is by no means perfect, and in a certain sense is less ambitious than Persona 3. But it executes that vision with far more craftsmanship, in a way that allows it to both function on a moment-to-moment level and integrate its elements together. Once again, as I mentioned here and here, mechanical and experiential appeal isn't a real tradeoff: on the contrary, they complement each other!
The most obvious improvement, and my usual area of "expertise", is the combat, and though my experience is limited, it's probably the best turn-based RPG without positioning I've ever played? (Someone I know with more RPG experience corroborates this) I suspect the reason is actually simple: instead of looking to other RPGs, they took inspiration from tabletop games (Source - Lobotomy Corp spoilers) while ditching a lot of superfluous structural elements like throwaway encounters and exploration that aren't central to the goal of the game.
Very quick mechanics rundown to give context, don't worry about understanding it all (also I'm leaving a lot of stuff out). You have 5 characters, each with HP, stagger meter, speed dice, light, emotion level, and their own hand and deck of cards. HP is self-explanatory. Empty stagger meter = staggered for the rest of the turn and the next one, which prevents taking any actions and doubles damage received. Speed dice are a character's "turns" to play cards and have a random number assigned each turn, higher goes first. Light is basically mana and is consumed to play cards, regain 1 per turn. Emotion level determines max light, mainly raised by clashing (more in a second). Hand and deck self-explanatory, 9 cards in deck, start with 4 in hand, draw 1 per turn.
Each card has a light cost and some amount of dice (example). Cards are played by assigning them to a speed die and targeting an enemy speed die. Enemy cards and targets are shown at the start of the turn, and higher speed dice can forcibly redirect the targets of lower speed dice to themselves. If two cards target each other's speed dice, then their dice clash, which means the higher roll uses its effect and the lower roll doesn't (in ties, neither use their effect). Example: if the above card clashed with this card, the above card would likely win and deal blunt-type damage equal to the dice roll, but there is a chance they tie or the other card wins and deals pierce damage. Clashing dice builds progress to the next emotion level for both participants. Cards can have multiple dice (example) which are rolled in order, and uncontested dice simply have their effects occur.
Apologies for vomiting the manual at you. There are obvious similarities here to tabletop games, of course (cards and dice). But more fundamentally, the game is about resource tradeoffs and options, in the sense of something like Magic the Gathering. Unlike Slay the Spire derived card roguelites, in Ruina, light/mana and cards in hand persist across turns, putting more emphasis on complex short vs. long term value. Trade cards for life and damage (use powerful cards to clash with enemy attacks), trade life for cards (take a hit and don't play anything), trade life for emotion level (take many clashes, some of which will probably be unfavorable), trade cards for light (play weak cards that restore light), and so on. The many timing-sensitive variables like speed dice values mean you'll be constantly having to evaluate the relationships and efficiencies of each opportunity within a turn.
How does this relate to all that stuff I wrote at the top though? Well, it's precisely because the mechanics are deep and solid that the game can actually make use of them in an experiential way. Abnormalities, the SCP-likes returning from the previous game Lobotomy Corporation, are a shining example of this. Fighting them is more puzzle-like than most encounters, and there is enough room in the possibility space for them to bend the normal game rules in idiosyncratic ways that evokes their characters and moods while still keeping you engaged with the fight itself. Pinocchio copies your cards while trying to sneak incorrect versions past you, the cannibalistic Fairy Queen tries to eat its own kind for health unless you distract it, and Little Red Riding Hood flies into a frenzied rage if you kill the Wolf before she can. Each fight emphasizes a different aspect of the mechanics, which feels viscerally different and allows you to actually connect that with the context! When this dovetails with story events, the result can be surprisingly immersive and moving.
This type of characterization should be somewhat familiar to anyone who has played around with a custom card generator, and reminds me of one of Magic's own famous city settings: Ravnica, the City of Guilds. Consult the Necrosages gives a window into the Dimir, focused on gaining and denying others knowledge in equal measure. Judge's Familiar shows how the Azorius's meticulous devotion to laws are used to obstruct others, for both justice and simple power-seeking.
Ruina often uses similar techniques to evoke its characters and setting through its cards. One of my favorite cards, Will of the Prescript, illustrates how the Index's acolytes strangely benefit (drawing cards) by subjugating themselves to its seemingly arbitrary dictums (only works if the deck has no duplicate cards).
Of course, much of this is resting on the story and writing itself pulling its weight. I feel very inadequate to discuss the story proper, but considering it's such a driving force in the game, I will try (in a spoiler-free way). Ruina is a game about the terror of humanity's reach finally meeting its grasp. Humanity as a collective could accomplish anything, but that collective is mediated by structures, and the structure of this world, The City, is both prosperous evolutionarily and nightmarish humanistically. Almost no one wants this, but fixing things would require awareness and sacrifice that is tantamount to reopening scars with a knife, and so the City grows. And if humans can simply modify themselves so their desires more deeply align with the vile rhythms of the City, then what purpose can such an anguished struggle really have? The question is psychological: what does one truly desire, what should one truly desire, and how can one bring themselves to seek it?
"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope." - Persona 3
"Use your own eyes to watch things as they are. Then you may see it. However, you will inevitably forget why you wished to see it once you reach that point. That oblivion is what creates anguish; that is why it is a tragedy." - Library of Ruina
"On some shelf in some hexagon (men reasoned) there must exist a book which is the formula and perfect compendium of all the rest: some librarian has gone through it and he is analogous to a god... How could one locate the venerated and secret hexagon which housed Him? ...In adventures such as these, I have squandered and wasted my years." - Borges, The Library of Babel
Though my experience is limited, I would consider this to easily be the best RPG in this style ever made. Hopefully that's enough of a recommendation for you!
---
This is a direct sequel to Lobotomy Corporation, before playing Library of Ruina you must finish that first or watch a story summary video! Also consider installing this collection of mods that fix bugs. (Mass Attack targeting change is balance-affecting and probably not needed)
---
Strangely enough, the video game that came to mind most when playing Library of Ruina was Persona 3. It's been many years since I played it, and I would almost certainly have massive problems with it now, but in theory there are aspects that I admire. The game takes multiple gameplay modes that are seemingly separate, and tries to frame them all around the core themes of malaise, time, and death to create a cohesive whole.
I recall Persona 3's final boss being a major high point of the game, but after going back and watching a video of the fight, it's clear just how much the combat system is holding it back (and a credit to the other elements which can pick up some of the slack). When you are limited to simple loops of attacking and healing, there's not enough space to evoke the kinds of different experiences that the mood and themes are calling for, and the monotony is even sabotaging the intended effect!
Library of Ruina is by no means perfect, and in a certain sense is less ambitious than Persona 3. But it executes that vision with far more craftsmanship, in a way that allows it to both function on a moment-to-moment level and integrate its elements together. Once again, as I mentioned here and here, mechanical and experiential appeal isn't a real tradeoff: on the contrary, they complement each other!
The most obvious improvement, and my usual area of "expertise", is the combat, and though my experience is limited, it's probably the best turn-based RPG without positioning I've ever played? (Someone I know with more RPG experience corroborates this) I suspect the reason is actually simple: instead of looking to other RPGs, they took inspiration from tabletop games (Source - Lobotomy Corp spoilers) while ditching a lot of superfluous structural elements like throwaway encounters and exploration that aren't central to the goal of the game.
Very quick mechanics rundown to give context, don't worry about understanding it all (also I'm leaving a lot of stuff out). You have 5 characters, each with HP, stagger meter, speed dice, light, emotion level, and their own hand and deck of cards. HP is self-explanatory. Empty stagger meter = staggered for the rest of the turn and the next one, which prevents taking any actions and doubles damage received. Speed dice are a character's "turns" to play cards and have a random number assigned each turn, higher goes first. Light is basically mana and is consumed to play cards, regain 1 per turn. Emotion level determines max light, mainly raised by clashing (more in a second). Hand and deck self-explanatory, 9 cards in deck, start with 4 in hand, draw 1 per turn.
Each card has a light cost and some amount of dice (example). Cards are played by assigning them to a speed die and targeting an enemy speed die. Enemy cards and targets are shown at the start of the turn, and higher speed dice can forcibly redirect the targets of lower speed dice to themselves. If two cards target each other's speed dice, then their dice clash, which means the higher roll uses its effect and the lower roll doesn't (in ties, neither use their effect). Example: if the above card clashed with this card, the above card would likely win and deal blunt-type damage equal to the dice roll, but there is a chance they tie or the other card wins and deals pierce damage. Clashing dice builds progress to the next emotion level for both participants. Cards can have multiple dice (example) which are rolled in order, and uncontested dice simply have their effects occur.
Apologies for vomiting the manual at you. There are obvious similarities here to tabletop games, of course (cards and dice). But more fundamentally, the game is about resource tradeoffs and options, in the sense of something like Magic the Gathering. Unlike Slay the Spire derived card roguelites, in Ruina, light/mana and cards in hand persist across turns, putting more emphasis on complex short vs. long term value. Trade cards for life and damage (use powerful cards to clash with enemy attacks), trade life for cards (take a hit and don't play anything), trade life for emotion level (take many clashes, some of which will probably be unfavorable), trade cards for light (play weak cards that restore light), and so on. The many timing-sensitive variables like speed dice values mean you'll be constantly having to evaluate the relationships and efficiencies of each opportunity within a turn.
How does this relate to all that stuff I wrote at the top though? Well, it's precisely because the mechanics are deep and solid that the game can actually make use of them in an experiential way. Abnormalities, the SCP-likes returning from the previous game Lobotomy Corporation, are a shining example of this. Fighting them is more puzzle-like than most encounters, and there is enough room in the possibility space for them to bend the normal game rules in idiosyncratic ways that evokes their characters and moods while still keeping you engaged with the fight itself. Pinocchio copies your cards while trying to sneak incorrect versions past you, the cannibalistic Fairy Queen tries to eat its own kind for health unless you distract it, and Little Red Riding Hood flies into a frenzied rage if you kill the Wolf before she can. Each fight emphasizes a different aspect of the mechanics, which feels viscerally different and allows you to actually connect that with the context! When this dovetails with story events, the result can be surprisingly immersive and moving.
This type of characterization should be somewhat familiar to anyone who has played around with a custom card generator, and reminds me of one of Magic's own famous city settings: Ravnica, the City of Guilds. Consult the Necrosages gives a window into the Dimir, focused on gaining and denying others knowledge in equal measure. Judge's Familiar shows how the Azorius's meticulous devotion to laws are used to obstruct others, for both justice and simple power-seeking.
Ruina often uses similar techniques to evoke its characters and setting through its cards. One of my favorite cards, Will of the Prescript, illustrates how the Index's acolytes strangely benefit (drawing cards) by subjugating themselves to its seemingly arbitrary dictums (only works if the deck has no duplicate cards).
Of course, much of this is resting on the story and writing itself pulling its weight. I feel very inadequate to discuss the story proper, but considering it's such a driving force in the game, I will try (in a spoiler-free way). Ruina is a game about the terror of humanity's reach finally meeting its grasp. Humanity as a collective could accomplish anything, but that collective is mediated by structures, and the structure of this world, The City, is both prosperous evolutionarily and nightmarish humanistically. Almost no one wants this, but fixing things would require awareness and sacrifice that is tantamount to reopening scars with a knife, and so the City grows. And if humans can simply modify themselves so their desires more deeply align with the vile rhythms of the City, then what purpose can such an anguished struggle really have? The question is psychological: what does one truly desire, what should one truly desire, and how can one bring themselves to seek it?
"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope." - Persona 3
"Use your own eyes to watch things as they are. Then you may see it. However, you will inevitably forget why you wished to see it once you reach that point. That oblivion is what creates anguish; that is why it is a tragedy." - Library of Ruina
"On some shelf in some hexagon (men reasoned) there must exist a book which is the formula and perfect compendium of all the rest: some librarian has gone through it and he is analogous to a god... How could one locate the venerated and secret hexagon which housed Him? ...In adventures such as these, I have squandered and wasted my years." - Borges, The Library of Babel
Though my experience is limited, I would consider this to easily be the best RPG in this style ever made. Hopefully that's enough of a recommendation for you!
A bibliotecĆ”ria medita sob seu passado infinito: um jogo e cenĆ”rio que nascem das cinzas de Lobotomy Corporation, seus fantasmas ainda a exorcizar, e uma montanha de trauma deita dormente, esperando pela fagulha que incendiarĆ” tudo. E assim, entra pela porta Roland, um protagonista exemplar: multifacetado, suave, dotado de uma atitude desinteressada que contrasta perfeitamente com a Cidade em que a biblioteca habita, sua personalidade e voz simpĆ”ticas temperadas por aquele ar misterioso de um passado mal-resolvido. E saindo das portas de LobCorp para o mundo, agora o vislumbramos: a Cidade Ć© uma verdadeira mistureba, de ferrenho comentĆ”rio anticapitalista Ć historinhas assustadoras r/nosleep cuca vai te pegar, tudo isso de alguma forma conseguindo se retorcer em uma paisagem efervescente, onde cada esquininha parece ser o suficiente pra acordar a imaginaĆ§Ć£o e espantar.
Nossa perspectiva, porĆ©m, Ć© de dentro para fora. A biblioteca Ć© a nossa casa e prisĆ£o, e nossa interaĆ§Ć£o com a Cidade Ć© apenas parasitĆ”ria, uma biblioteca de Babel na qual o preƧo a se pagar Ć© o mĆ”ximo: caro Convidado, os livros daqui te proverĆ£o com toda a sabedoria, riqueza, honra e poder que busca; supere-nos ou se incorpore Ć biblioteca. E quem adentra a biblioteca estĆ” pronto para dar sua vida: atravĆ©s desta entrega absoluta, livro de cada um Ć© composto da sua essĆŖncia nua, despida de mĆ”scaras e pretensƵes. Library of Ruina alega que o Ć”pice da humanidade se apresenta com as emoƧƵes Ć flor da pele: desespero, euforia, determinaĆ§Ć£o, Ć³dio; ingredientes primordiais da sopa humana. E Ruina busca o mesmo do jogador, que se investe emocionalmente e fisicamente em cerimĆ“nias demoradas, cansativas, frustrantes, em busca de uma experiĆŖncia que transcenda, que atravesse a barreira de LEDs na tela e o toque no coraĆ§Ć£o - e assim como o suprasumo de um livro sai das adversidades mais cabeludas, o mesmo se mantĆ©m para o jogador, que reverbera emocionalmente com a cerimĆ“nia.
Cada recepĆ§Ć£o, uma batalha que pede por tudo de vocĆŖ; o sistema de embates, uma verdadeira maravilha mecĆ¢nica: dinamismo e fluxo dado ao batido combate em turno, criando uma conexĆ£o quase perfeita entre narrativa e jogo, com uma sensaĆ§Ć£o de ritmo aterradora - mudanƧas de plano, desastres, viradas - a escalaĆ§Ć£o de intensidade dos conflitos atingindo constantemente o nirvana cinematogrĆ”fico. Sem dĆŗvida alguma, o melhor sistema de batalhas de turno que jĆ” tive a honra de me deixar consumir e cuspir do outro lado, esbagaƧado e moĆdo. Um problema, porĆ©m: o grind Ć© vestigial e premoniĆ§Ć£o - fazia sentido temĆ”tico em Lobotomy Corporation, faz sentido monetĆ”rio no gacha Limbus Company; aqui, nĆ£o adiciona em nada, apenas gordura desnecessĆ”ria que prontamente removi assim que passou a contribuir sĆ³ com repetiĆ§Ć£o insossa, e recomendo que qualquer maluco que se adentrar nessa jornada faƧa o mesmo.
Fala, principalmente, sobre aquilo que nos define: uma cidade, uma estrutura, uma comunidade. Vivemos moldados por sistemas sobrepostos por sistemas, um maquinĆ”rio infernal, diante cujo qual nenhuma aĆ§Ć£o individual parece capaz de pĆ“r as coisas nos eixos - cada um por si. Ruina levanta a pergunta: atravĆ©s de todas essas camadas, o que Ć© vocĆŖ? O que Ć© que te mantĆ©m nesse mundo, apesar de tudo? Para a obra, Ć© apenas atravĆ©s da entrega total Ć si mesmo que se pode descobrir a resposta. Library of Ruina Ć© uma verdadeira jĆ³ia, instigando o jogador atravĆ©s da famigerada fusĆ£o da tal da ludo e da dona narrativa, uma muralha que lhe ousa a ser escalada, cada passo adiante aproximando a sua conexĆ£o e entedimento para com a mensagem, chegando Ć um Ć”pice de clareza participativa entre jogador-arte que pouquĆssimas obras conseguem. Te cobra penitĆŖncia, coloca no seu mais vulnerĆ”vel, e nesse momento desabrocha uma flor lĆndissima. EntralaƧamento atravĆ©s das chamas, eternamente memorĆ”vel. Absurdo.
Nossa perspectiva, porĆ©m, Ć© de dentro para fora. A biblioteca Ć© a nossa casa e prisĆ£o, e nossa interaĆ§Ć£o com a Cidade Ć© apenas parasitĆ”ria, uma biblioteca de Babel na qual o preƧo a se pagar Ć© o mĆ”ximo: caro Convidado, os livros daqui te proverĆ£o com toda a sabedoria, riqueza, honra e poder que busca; supere-nos ou se incorpore Ć biblioteca. E quem adentra a biblioteca estĆ” pronto para dar sua vida: atravĆ©s desta entrega absoluta, livro de cada um Ć© composto da sua essĆŖncia nua, despida de mĆ”scaras e pretensƵes. Library of Ruina alega que o Ć”pice da humanidade se apresenta com as emoƧƵes Ć flor da pele: desespero, euforia, determinaĆ§Ć£o, Ć³dio; ingredientes primordiais da sopa humana. E Ruina busca o mesmo do jogador, que se investe emocionalmente e fisicamente em cerimĆ“nias demoradas, cansativas, frustrantes, em busca de uma experiĆŖncia que transcenda, que atravesse a barreira de LEDs na tela e o toque no coraĆ§Ć£o - e assim como o suprasumo de um livro sai das adversidades mais cabeludas, o mesmo se mantĆ©m para o jogador, que reverbera emocionalmente com a cerimĆ“nia.
Cada recepĆ§Ć£o, uma batalha que pede por tudo de vocĆŖ; o sistema de embates, uma verdadeira maravilha mecĆ¢nica: dinamismo e fluxo dado ao batido combate em turno, criando uma conexĆ£o quase perfeita entre narrativa e jogo, com uma sensaĆ§Ć£o de ritmo aterradora - mudanƧas de plano, desastres, viradas - a escalaĆ§Ć£o de intensidade dos conflitos atingindo constantemente o nirvana cinematogrĆ”fico. Sem dĆŗvida alguma, o melhor sistema de batalhas de turno que jĆ” tive a honra de me deixar consumir e cuspir do outro lado, esbagaƧado e moĆdo. Um problema, porĆ©m: o grind Ć© vestigial e premoniĆ§Ć£o - fazia sentido temĆ”tico em Lobotomy Corporation, faz sentido monetĆ”rio no gacha Limbus Company; aqui, nĆ£o adiciona em nada, apenas gordura desnecessĆ”ria que prontamente removi assim que passou a contribuir sĆ³ com repetiĆ§Ć£o insossa, e recomendo que qualquer maluco que se adentrar nessa jornada faƧa o mesmo.
Fala, principalmente, sobre aquilo que nos define: uma cidade, uma estrutura, uma comunidade. Vivemos moldados por sistemas sobrepostos por sistemas, um maquinĆ”rio infernal, diante cujo qual nenhuma aĆ§Ć£o individual parece capaz de pĆ“r as coisas nos eixos - cada um por si. Ruina levanta a pergunta: atravĆ©s de todas essas camadas, o que Ć© vocĆŖ? O que Ć© que te mantĆ©m nesse mundo, apesar de tudo? Para a obra, Ć© apenas atravĆ©s da entrega total Ć si mesmo que se pode descobrir a resposta. Library of Ruina Ć© uma verdadeira jĆ³ia, instigando o jogador atravĆ©s da famigerada fusĆ£o da tal da ludo e da dona narrativa, uma muralha que lhe ousa a ser escalada, cada passo adiante aproximando a sua conexĆ£o e entedimento para com a mensagem, chegando Ć um Ć”pice de clareza participativa entre jogador-arte que pouquĆssimas obras conseguem. Te cobra penitĆŖncia, coloca no seu mais vulnerĆ”vel, e nesse momento desabrocha uma flor lĆndissima. EntralaƧamento atravĆ©s das chamas, eternamente memorĆ”vel. Absurdo.
Ruined my life.
I sorta feel like I owe Ruina a proper review because there has never been another game where I was just so happy to be playing it every second.
Lobotomy Corporation was an incredibly confident game in spite of the fact that it looked very homemade (to put it lightly). Its follow up here in Ruina is what happens when you give a studio with this level of talent and creative vision a proper budget and the resulting combination is terrifying. There isn't any compromises here with regards to the narrative and experience, something that holds back even some of my other favorite games of all time. The game, no pun intended, has fully realized Project Moon's talent and they're now one of my all time favorite devs.
Do you love artsy fartsy narrative told through gameplay? There's basically no better game on the market outside of its own predecessor. The game tells a gripping tale of people trying to survive and dream in a world where dreams go to die. It's about understanding humanity through small vignettes of everyday people's lives. Apathy, grudges, and resignation are beautifully contrasted by its messages of faith, change, and freedom. And so much of all this is learned as if it was an element of the gameplay. Entire characterization is told through the various system mechanics and wrinkles each fight brings to the table. Especially when you get to the higher realization levels no reception feels the same as each one is dripping with its respective character's idiosyncrasies. There's basically no dissonance here between gameplay and narrative, and it's wonderful.
Do you like a massive ensemble cast that each have only few degrees of separation and build on each other? Once again, only a few, if any, games reach this level (Disco Elysium comes to mind). No other game captures the idea of escalating danger and conflict as well as Ruina does. Every single guest received at the library leads to the next one, and may even foreshadows the involvement of people you won't see but will be hearing about hours or even tens of hours later. Trying to map out how each and every character is related to all the other characters would be a herculean effort yet it all feels like a steady and logical progression while playing. The way the city and its denizens are connected astound me to be frank.
Do you love games with mile deep strategies and encompass every aspect people love about possibility space games like Deus Ex? I assure you, as someone who wasn't and still isn't too excited about deck builder games, Ruina's strategic depth and intuitiveness makes it one of the most fun and rewarding combat experiences ever for me. Every major boss or abnormality fight breaks the rules of the game in a way that's unique to it, and makes the planning phase of each reception feel like a breath of fresh air.
If I had any qualms about the gameplay, it would be that there is very little incentive for the player to not just completely steamroll SOTC with one or two floors and 5 key pages. At least that's what I would have said until a certain bossrush in the lategame. Fighting this ensemble was my favorite boss experience in a game period. It forces you to use every single character up till now and run setups that you would normally completely dismiss as not 100% optimal. And nearly every fight in this section is completely balanced. Essentially I have few to no real complaints about the gameplay either.
Basically what I'm trying to say with all this is that Project Moon games are some of the best i've seen in the medium and something I hope everyone gets a chance to play. They set the bar in so many aspects and demonstrate an understanding of games as a way to tell stories better than any dev i've seen. With LoboCorp they told an amazing story behind a great yet somewhat unapproachable gameplay loop. That isn't the case here. Nothing is dragging this game down from doing what it seeks out to do and I can't recommend it enough. Play Library of Ruina
Lobotomy Corporation was an incredibly confident game in spite of the fact that it looked very homemade (to put it lightly). Its follow up here in Ruina is what happens when you give a studio with this level of talent and creative vision a proper budget and the resulting combination is terrifying. There isn't any compromises here with regards to the narrative and experience, something that holds back even some of my other favorite games of all time. The game, no pun intended, has fully realized Project Moon's talent and they're now one of my all time favorite devs.
Do you love artsy fartsy narrative told through gameplay? There's basically no better game on the market outside of its own predecessor. The game tells a gripping tale of people trying to survive and dream in a world where dreams go to die. It's about understanding humanity through small vignettes of everyday people's lives. Apathy, grudges, and resignation are beautifully contrasted by its messages of faith, change, and freedom. And so much of all this is learned as if it was an element of the gameplay. Entire characterization is told through the various system mechanics and wrinkles each fight brings to the table. Especially when you get to the higher realization levels no reception feels the same as each one is dripping with its respective character's idiosyncrasies. There's basically no dissonance here between gameplay and narrative, and it's wonderful.
Do you like a massive ensemble cast that each have only few degrees of separation and build on each other? Once again, only a few, if any, games reach this level (Disco Elysium comes to mind). No other game captures the idea of escalating danger and conflict as well as Ruina does. Every single guest received at the library leads to the next one, and may even foreshadows the involvement of people you won't see but will be hearing about hours or even tens of hours later. Trying to map out how each and every character is related to all the other characters would be a herculean effort yet it all feels like a steady and logical progression while playing. The way the city and its denizens are connected astound me to be frank.
Do you love games with mile deep strategies and encompass every aspect people love about possibility space games like Deus Ex? I assure you, as someone who wasn't and still isn't too excited about deck builder games, Ruina's strategic depth and intuitiveness makes it one of the most fun and rewarding combat experiences ever for me. Every major boss or abnormality fight breaks the rules of the game in a way that's unique to it, and makes the planning phase of each reception feel like a breath of fresh air.
If I had any qualms about the gameplay, it would be that there is very little incentive for the player to not just completely steamroll SOTC with one or two floors and 5 key pages. At least that's what I would have said until a certain bossrush in the lategame. Fighting this ensemble was my favorite boss experience in a game period. It forces you to use every single character up till now and run setups that you would normally completely dismiss as not 100% optimal. And nearly every fight in this section is completely balanced. Essentially I have few to no real complaints about the gameplay either.
Basically what I'm trying to say with all this is that Project Moon games are some of the best i've seen in the medium and something I hope everyone gets a chance to play. They set the bar in so many aspects and demonstrate an understanding of games as a way to tell stories better than any dev i've seen. With LoboCorp they told an amazing story behind a great yet somewhat unapproachable gameplay loop. That isn't the case here. Nothing is dragging this game down from doing what it seeks out to do and I can't recommend it enough. Play Library of Ruina
That's that, and this is one of the best games ever made.
so if you're not a fan of the words peak fiction goat raw fire click off this review
I finished Library of Ruina exactly 3 weeks ago but only now decided to write a review because, frankly, I was so overwhelmed with the finale and the entire experience that I couldn't formulate coherent thoughts on it. This is my attempt at doing so (without spoiling as much as I can):
Library of Ruina is many things: a card game, a deckbuilder, an RPG, a psuedo-visual novel, etc. But I think at its core, it's an experience about struggling, living in a merciless world where hopes, dreams, wishes and everything in between go to die. It touches upon subjects as profound and thought-provoking as free-will, vengeance and forgiveness of self and others with an incredible amount of depth, nuance and emotion, often times showing multiple perspectives on a single topic such that it never patronizes the player.
Both the gameplay and story contribute to this idea of living in such a cruel world, fighting against systems established beyond one's control, dictating virtually every aspect of life. The setting of the world, simply dubbed "The City," is a cruel and unjust place, yet people live in it, building lives and families. The gameplay can seem difficult and random, yet players have thrived within its systems, creating powerful builds and tricks to beat the game's most difficult challenges.
This mesh of both gameplay and story funnels down from this grandiose theme all the way to minor battles and story beats and is unlike anything I've ever seen. The level select for the main story is itself a flow chart of various groups and peoples, showing the sonder that exists within The City. The mechanics of every battle, down to individual passives that enemies have, especially the Abnormalities, accentuate the richness of the lives and stories behind the battles.
Every character in Ruina struggles with breaking free from these systems, these cycles of almost unsurmountable proportions. And the player gets to witness how they fail, live with and persevere through this world. It makes for what feels like a complete and fulfilling experience, even when realistically Project Moon has shown a fraction of the City and its potential as a fictional setting.
Library of Ruina is a truly special piece of media that I could go on ad nauseam. But I think I've covered all the major points I wanted to and I hope I've compelled you, at least a little bit, to play this game. Maybe I'll update this in the future with more in-depth and spoiler-y topics or maybe I'll write something else entirely. For now though, I'm happy with what I've put on paper.
Library of Ruina is many things: a card game, a deckbuilder, an RPG, a psuedo-visual novel, etc. But I think at its core, it's an experience about struggling, living in a merciless world where hopes, dreams, wishes and everything in between go to die. It touches upon subjects as profound and thought-provoking as free-will, vengeance and forgiveness of self and others with an incredible amount of depth, nuance and emotion, often times showing multiple perspectives on a single topic such that it never patronizes the player.
Both the gameplay and story contribute to this idea of living in such a cruel world, fighting against systems established beyond one's control, dictating virtually every aspect of life. The setting of the world, simply dubbed "The City," is a cruel and unjust place, yet people live in it, building lives and families. The gameplay can seem difficult and random, yet players have thrived within its systems, creating powerful builds and tricks to beat the game's most difficult challenges.
This mesh of both gameplay and story funnels down from this grandiose theme all the way to minor battles and story beats and is unlike anything I've ever seen. The level select for the main story is itself a flow chart of various groups and peoples, showing the sonder that exists within The City. The mechanics of every battle, down to individual passives that enemies have, especially the Abnormalities, accentuate the richness of the lives and stories behind the battles.
Every character in Ruina struggles with breaking free from these systems, these cycles of almost unsurmountable proportions. And the player gets to witness how they fail, live with and persevere through this world. It makes for what feels like a complete and fulfilling experience, even when realistically Project Moon has shown a fraction of the City and its potential as a fictional setting.
Library of Ruina is a truly special piece of media that I could go on ad nauseam. But I think I've covered all the major points I wanted to and I hope I've compelled you, at least a little bit, to play this game. Maybe I'll update this in the future with more in-depth and spoiler-y topics or maybe I'll write something else entirely. For now though, I'm happy with what I've put on paper.
This review contains spoilers
Ruina and the SMT franchise are two of the game series I think just sum up my taste in media as a whole. They're both, on the surface level, very "cool" media. They are very hard, but they are cool. It's cool to use Yesod in endgame where he absolutely demolishes everything. It's cool to defeat the Reverbration Ensemble Distorted, where the Library is falling apart but your LIbrarians are still fighting, as a tried and true victory lap (despite the major difficulty), it's cool to fight the Head and Claw while Binah's third theme plays, in a tried and true conclusion of everything the game's been building up to. Roland's furioso is an amazingly satisfying finishing attack. It's cool. It's satisfying.
It's satisfying because there is so much context dripping with everything we do. Everything in this game builds up to something else. YOU are learning, developing, struggling, to grow the Library, to get stronger, and to eventually reach the end point. The very process of winning a reception and burning the books to use is contextual. Just losing a fight is contextual. Everything fits into this grand narrative, where we are putting everyone's wills and emotions against Angela's thirst for knowledge and power. It's the same thing as Shin Megami Tensei, where we, both as players and in the narrative, grow and develop. But while Shin Megami Tensei excels at this grand, suffocating atmosphere, with world-changing implications, Ruina excels at much more personal development.
The emotional crux of Ruina is entirely dependant on three things; Angela, and how she's changed from Lobotomy Corporation (which is also an excellent game, although for different reasons), Roland, and his perspective on the City, and the denizens of the City, all with their dreams, wills, and personalities. It's not a stretch to say every character you meet in Ruina has their own motivations and personality that expands much more on how the City operates, and how these are pit against the City. Even the Rats, which are worthless bums in the eyes of the City, have their dreams. Pete wants to become a Finger, for exampe; it's these small things that make it become a personal fight between the Library and the denizens. Even larger scale fights, like Xiao, are personal fights, where she wants to tear down a Star of the City as vengeance as she burns herself alive.
Roland also has his own motivations, although these aren't really explored until mid to endgame, with his Realizations and everything from the Reverbration Ensemble and onwards. His entire motivation is revenge, as a pseudo reimagening of Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso, as the Twelve Knights of Charlemagne are now twelve Fixers led by Roland (or Orlando, for his original name), where his wife Angelica dies and he lashes out in revenge. Project Moon seems to be a very big fan of reusing these novels to tie them into the thematic narrative of the universe (especially Limbus Corporation), but it never exactly feels like a lazy rehash, but as if it were an original idea, because it links to what the City is.
And to explain what the City is, we'll be moving quickly to Angela. Angela's is a bit of a hard topic to talk about, as it's entirely founded on her development in Lobotomy Corporation, and that game is a lot. But to expand on it in a simpler sense; Angela is about breaking out of a cycle. Lobotomy Corporation was a literal time loop for Angela, and she struggled to realize the Seeds of Light project. She was, once and for all, able to realize it, but that only lead to the Library, another cycle. This time, on her terms, as she employs the same skills as she did in LobCorp, gaining through death and tragedy. She's entirely about breaking out of her selfish desires and understanding what Ayin's goals were, as she eventually understands and reinstates the original Seeds of Light project, creating, once again, a ray of hope for the denizens of the city.
At the end of the day, that's what Ruina is. It's breaking out of a cycle. Everyone is stuck in a cycle of tragedy for various reasons, such as revenge for Roland, but it's only by breaking it that the cast was able to shine and gain a "happy ending". Despite the harsh circumstances, everyone we fought and killed had their own reasons to succeed. Despite Angela desperately wishing to become human, she still discarded it to finish Carmen's work. It's all just about breaking from a cycle.
Gameplay's really fucking fun it's probably my favorite gameplay out there.
Music's amazing yeah.
Art is great too.
Fuck XBox.
It's satisfying because there is so much context dripping with everything we do. Everything in this game builds up to something else. YOU are learning, developing, struggling, to grow the Library, to get stronger, and to eventually reach the end point. The very process of winning a reception and burning the books to use is contextual. Just losing a fight is contextual. Everything fits into this grand narrative, where we are putting everyone's wills and emotions against Angela's thirst for knowledge and power. It's the same thing as Shin Megami Tensei, where we, both as players and in the narrative, grow and develop. But while Shin Megami Tensei excels at this grand, suffocating atmosphere, with world-changing implications, Ruina excels at much more personal development.
The emotional crux of Ruina is entirely dependant on three things; Angela, and how she's changed from Lobotomy Corporation (which is also an excellent game, although for different reasons), Roland, and his perspective on the City, and the denizens of the City, all with their dreams, wills, and personalities. It's not a stretch to say every character you meet in Ruina has their own motivations and personality that expands much more on how the City operates, and how these are pit against the City. Even the Rats, which are worthless bums in the eyes of the City, have their dreams. Pete wants to become a Finger, for exampe; it's these small things that make it become a personal fight between the Library and the denizens. Even larger scale fights, like Xiao, are personal fights, where she wants to tear down a Star of the City as vengeance as she burns herself alive.
Roland also has his own motivations, although these aren't really explored until mid to endgame, with his Realizations and everything from the Reverbration Ensemble and onwards. His entire motivation is revenge, as a pseudo reimagening of Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso, as the Twelve Knights of Charlemagne are now twelve Fixers led by Roland (or Orlando, for his original name), where his wife Angelica dies and he lashes out in revenge. Project Moon seems to be a very big fan of reusing these novels to tie them into the thematic narrative of the universe (especially Limbus Corporation), but it never exactly feels like a lazy rehash, but as if it were an original idea, because it links to what the City is.
And to explain what the City is, we'll be moving quickly to Angela. Angela's is a bit of a hard topic to talk about, as it's entirely founded on her development in Lobotomy Corporation, and that game is a lot. But to expand on it in a simpler sense; Angela is about breaking out of a cycle. Lobotomy Corporation was a literal time loop for Angela, and she struggled to realize the Seeds of Light project. She was, once and for all, able to realize it, but that only lead to the Library, another cycle. This time, on her terms, as she employs the same skills as she did in LobCorp, gaining through death and tragedy. She's entirely about breaking out of her selfish desires and understanding what Ayin's goals were, as she eventually understands and reinstates the original Seeds of Light project, creating, once again, a ray of hope for the denizens of the city.
At the end of the day, that's what Ruina is. It's breaking out of a cycle. Everyone is stuck in a cycle of tragedy for various reasons, such as revenge for Roland, but it's only by breaking it that the cast was able to shine and gain a "happy ending". Despite the harsh circumstances, everyone we fought and killed had their own reasons to succeed. Despite Angela desperately wishing to become human, she still discarded it to finish Carmen's work. It's all just about breaking from a cycle.
Gameplay's really fucking fun it's probably my favorite gameplay out there.
Music's amazing yeah.
Art is great too.
Fuck XBox.
this happened to my buddy eric once
May you find your book in this place.
I am writing this review exactly an hour after beating Library of Ruina, having been stuck in the end game of it for the past 4 days. Iāve struggled, lord have I struggled. But despite being incredibly overwhelmed and frankly a bit exhausted from the whole thing, I think itās only fair that I write my review with all those feelings in mind. So here we go
First of all let me talk about the gameplay without touching yet, on plot or how I feel about it. For those wanting to skip spoilers, this is the part that you can read.
Contrary to Lobotomy Corporation I felt like the gameplay of Library of Ruina was properly explained (up to a point) and easy to follow the first few hours of the game. You are able to get used to collecting books, burning them, building your decks and trying them out pretty easily. That is until the difficulty scale goes up. And Boy, does it go up. Remember this is a Project Moon game? Yes the difficulty scale IS vertical as everyone says.
I was having NO issues with the game up until a certain EGO battle came in. And from that point and onwards the game keeps introducing small but very important mechanics that youāll just have to read about yourself. And you WILL fail and continue failing if you fail to consider every single small thing that the enemy can stack on you, and if you do not read those passives they will bite you in the ass. That is not to say that this is a horrible thing but it gets overwhelming Fast. Soon your books that have been carrying you the entire time will get wiped in seconds because you have not applied passives (you mean I canāt just mindlessly apply power passives and be done with it? I wondered after failing the same reception for the 5th time.)
Here is a tip for you, if you are reading this and plan on playing this game: do NOT get attached to your pages, your decks and your passives. You are going to be switching all of that around CONSTANTLY. You would think that is obvious but as someone who just sticks with what works until it doesnāt, it was hard for me to accept this. Using my strongest pages only for their passives instead of them being the main page was something that I did not consider most of the time and it fucked me up every time.
If you get stuck, do not worry. We all do. We all have.
Hereās another thing about this game to consider: time. You will spend so much time playing this game. I have spent 2 months and a half playing, and it wasnāt really on and off. I have played many hours of this game, and while I do not consider myself a very good gamer or anything like that, Iām still amazed at the amount of hours Iāve put in the last part of the game.
The game does feel a bit unfair, at times, but itās also very rewarding when you finally get something done. Frankly if I didnāt give up , I should already be giving it points for that.
But the truth is, I wanted to give up many times. But even then I felt like I couldnāt. Because I was struggling for a reason and that is because I needed to see where these characters were heading and I needed to reach that with my own hands.
Library of ruina is a story about struggling.
The City is an unfair place. How anyone manages to even survive in it is truly a miracle. Everyone is tired, disillusioned, sad and angry. The City is merciless, there is no hope and there is no light and everyone is constantly struggling. In a world where it truly feels like thereās always circumstances to everyoneās actions, circumstances that are unavoidable that are unsolvable because that is simply how it is in the city, where you are only following orders of a higher power to simply survive, where does free will lay? Is it really that bad to care only about yourself when surviving is already a whole ordeal?
Every character that came to the library, those that already lived there and those I already knew their stories, those I didnāt, those I killed. Everyones struggling to break free from the system of the City, to find who they are what they stand for, to follow their will. Everyone has dreams, or things they want to achieve.
Isnāt only fair that I the player struggle with them too?
Many of the characters in the game were flawed, they were angry, they were filled with grief, they were tired. They were human. Are those in the library the villains? Are those who came to the library villains?
All of them were simply human. Simply people who struggled to continue living.
You could call Angela a villain, if you wanted to look at it that way. Surely she is painted like one, isnāt she? Selfish and carrying her revenge. But is she, really? She may not be human in the biological sense, but isnāt the way sheās acting making her one?
Is Roland a villain for wanting to take revenge after the one person he loved was taken away from him? Is he a villain for wanting to carry out this revenge despite empathising with Angela?
Despite my dislike of their methods, and with a new perspective on their story their actions and their consequences, were those at Lobotomy corporation villains? Were they wrong?
Library of ruina is a game about breaking the cycle of revenge, about empathy and compassion, but itās also a game about people. Simply people. People with compassion and empathy and grief and sorrow.
The two main characters that are more alike than anyone else. Learning to let go not because it didnāt hurt, not because it should be forgiven. But for the sake of healing.
Face your fears, and build a future.
I have many other feelings on this game, but itās hard to put into words, so I apologize if a lot of that didnāt make much sense.
I loved all of the games characters for their flaws. I talked already a bit about Angela and Roland, but it was amazing being able to see the sephira having grown as they did in Lobotomy Corporation, interacting with each other, and sharing their thoughts and feelings with Angela and Roland. I loved the conclusion, I loved the message and god do I Love the project moon world building, despite it being a bit confusing (I probably should check out their other non game media to get a better idea, maybe I will eventually). I had expectations after Lobotomy Corporation and Library of Ruina did not disappoint at all in terms of story and character writing.
Itās a hard game to recommend, but it is a game I will be thinking about for a long while.
I am writing this review exactly an hour after beating Library of Ruina, having been stuck in the end game of it for the past 4 days. Iāve struggled, lord have I struggled. But despite being incredibly overwhelmed and frankly a bit exhausted from the whole thing, I think itās only fair that I write my review with all those feelings in mind. So here we go
First of all let me talk about the gameplay without touching yet, on plot or how I feel about it. For those wanting to skip spoilers, this is the part that you can read.
Contrary to Lobotomy Corporation I felt like the gameplay of Library of Ruina was properly explained (up to a point) and easy to follow the first few hours of the game. You are able to get used to collecting books, burning them, building your decks and trying them out pretty easily. That is until the difficulty scale goes up. And Boy, does it go up. Remember this is a Project Moon game? Yes the difficulty scale IS vertical as everyone says.
I was having NO issues with the game up until a certain EGO battle came in. And from that point and onwards the game keeps introducing small but very important mechanics that youāll just have to read about yourself. And you WILL fail and continue failing if you fail to consider every single small thing that the enemy can stack on you, and if you do not read those passives they will bite you in the ass. That is not to say that this is a horrible thing but it gets overwhelming Fast. Soon your books that have been carrying you the entire time will get wiped in seconds because you have not applied passives (you mean I canāt just mindlessly apply power passives and be done with it? I wondered after failing the same reception for the 5th time.)
Here is a tip for you, if you are reading this and plan on playing this game: do NOT get attached to your pages, your decks and your passives. You are going to be switching all of that around CONSTANTLY. You would think that is obvious but as someone who just sticks with what works until it doesnāt, it was hard for me to accept this. Using my strongest pages only for their passives instead of them being the main page was something that I did not consider most of the time and it fucked me up every time.
If you get stuck, do not worry. We all do. We all have.
Hereās another thing about this game to consider: time. You will spend so much time playing this game. I have spent 2 months and a half playing, and it wasnāt really on and off. I have played many hours of this game, and while I do not consider myself a very good gamer or anything like that, Iām still amazed at the amount of hours Iāve put in the last part of the game.
The game does feel a bit unfair, at times, but itās also very rewarding when you finally get something done. Frankly if I didnāt give up , I should already be giving it points for that.
But the truth is, I wanted to give up many times. But even then I felt like I couldnāt. Because I was struggling for a reason and that is because I needed to see where these characters were heading and I needed to reach that with my own hands.
Library of ruina is a story about struggling.
The City is an unfair place. How anyone manages to even survive in it is truly a miracle. Everyone is tired, disillusioned, sad and angry. The City is merciless, there is no hope and there is no light and everyone is constantly struggling. In a world where it truly feels like thereās always circumstances to everyoneās actions, circumstances that are unavoidable that are unsolvable because that is simply how it is in the city, where you are only following orders of a higher power to simply survive, where does free will lay? Is it really that bad to care only about yourself when surviving is already a whole ordeal?
Every character that came to the library, those that already lived there and those I already knew their stories, those I didnāt, those I killed. Everyones struggling to break free from the system of the City, to find who they are what they stand for, to follow their will. Everyone has dreams, or things they want to achieve.
Isnāt only fair that I the player struggle with them too?
Many of the characters in the game were flawed, they were angry, they were filled with grief, they were tired. They were human. Are those in the library the villains? Are those who came to the library villains?
All of them were simply human. Simply people who struggled to continue living.
You could call Angela a villain, if you wanted to look at it that way. Surely she is painted like one, isnāt she? Selfish and carrying her revenge. But is she, really? She may not be human in the biological sense, but isnāt the way sheās acting making her one?
Is Roland a villain for wanting to take revenge after the one person he loved was taken away from him? Is he a villain for wanting to carry out this revenge despite empathising with Angela?
Despite my dislike of their methods, and with a new perspective on their story their actions and their consequences, were those at Lobotomy corporation villains? Were they wrong?
Library of ruina is a game about breaking the cycle of revenge, about empathy and compassion, but itās also a game about people. Simply people. People with compassion and empathy and grief and sorrow.
The two main characters that are more alike than anyone else. Learning to let go not because it didnāt hurt, not because it should be forgiven. But for the sake of healing.
Face your fears, and build a future.
I have many other feelings on this game, but itās hard to put into words, so I apologize if a lot of that didnāt make much sense.
I loved all of the games characters for their flaws. I talked already a bit about Angela and Roland, but it was amazing being able to see the sephira having grown as they did in Lobotomy Corporation, interacting with each other, and sharing their thoughts and feelings with Angela and Roland. I loved the conclusion, I loved the message and god do I Love the project moon world building, despite it being a bit confusing (I probably should check out their other non game media to get a better idea, maybe I will eventually). I had expectations after Lobotomy Corporation and Library of Ruina did not disappoint at all in terms of story and character writing.
Itās a hard game to recommend, but it is a game I will be thinking about for a long while.
"O my sorrow, you are better than a well-beloved: because I know that on the day of my final agony, you will be there lying in my sheets, O sorrow, so that you might once again attempt to enter my heart."
i am definitely not the best reviewer but i really enjoyed this experience so i am going to attempt! i apologize if it is messy
Library of Ruina is a game that has genuinely blew me away and impacted me so damn hard with its beautifully written setting, characters, and themes. The way it presents its world and characters with "receptions" that allow you to peek into the opponent's unique lives around the city before you inevitably face them. This format really tugs on you and never fails to make you think deeply about the person at the other side of your weapon.
The characters in this game are so painstakingly human. The themes of humanity in this game really fascinate me, specifically what humans are capable of, and what it means to be human. Agh. Anyway play this game if you can dawg what the fuck
Also Roland is fucking peak he might be one of my favorite protagonists of all time now bro IDEK
i am definitely not the best reviewer but i really enjoyed this experience so i am going to attempt! i apologize if it is messy
Library of Ruina is a game that has genuinely blew me away and impacted me so damn hard with its beautifully written setting, characters, and themes. The way it presents its world and characters with "receptions" that allow you to peek into the opponent's unique lives around the city before you inevitably face them. This format really tugs on you and never fails to make you think deeply about the person at the other side of your weapon.
The characters in this game are so painstakingly human. The themes of humanity in this game really fascinate me, specifically what humans are capable of, and what it means to be human. Agh. Anyway play this game if you can dawg what the fuck
Also Roland is fucking peak he might be one of my favorite protagonists of all time now bro IDEK
I'm disgustingly obsessed with Roland so every time he goes "yes, ma'am" or say "Angela" I have the uncontrollable need to choke him out. I don't care for the rest of it. Maybe this opinion will change the more I play it. I don't know I just kind of picked this game up because I thought Roland was hot
Bu ne la anaaaa TOP oyunu bu
THOUGH IT MAY HURT TODAY TOMORROW ILL BE HEADING MY WAY