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.