Ring of Pain

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,326 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Ring of Pain Game Cover
Ring of Pain has some slight issues that hamper its replayability but, overall, its a dark, atmospheric and well rounded addition to the card rogue-like genre
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Ring of Pain is a strategic roguelike card game where players delve into an ever-changing ring of rooms, confronting nightmarish creatures in tactical turn-based combat. Carefully plan your path to capture powerful items and reach the exit, while managing limited resources and exploring multiple procedurally generated biomes. The game offers numerous character traits, enemies, and cards, ensuring high replayability and a challenge even for seasoned players.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,326 reviews
gameplay201 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging gameplay that combines roguelike mechanics with a circular card-based format.
  • Haunting art style and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the eerie experience.
  • High replayability with a wide variety of items and strategic combinations to explore.
  • Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustratingly unwinnable runs, making progress feel arbitrary.
  • Limited player agency in decision-making, as many outcomes depend on luck rather than skill.
  • Some items and mechanics can feel underwhelming or poorly balanced, reducing the overall strategic depth.
  • gameplay541 mentions

    The gameplay of "Ring of Pain" is characterized by its unique ring mechanic, which combines elements of roguelikes and card games, offering a fast-paced and engaging experience. Players navigate through a circular dungeon, making strategic decisions with a variety of items and mechanics that encourage experimentation and replayability. While the game is easy to learn, it presents a depth that requires mastery, though some players note that the reliance on RNG can lead to frustration and a sense of repetitiveness over time.

    • “Its blend of risk-reward mechanics, haunting aesthetics, and replayability makes it a standout in the genre.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics of Ring of Pain are refreshingly deep yet accessible.”
    • “The gameplay loop is quick and satisfying.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and repetitive.”
    • “The combat and mechanics get repetitive really fast and that makes it become boring really fast too.”
    • “Ultimately the game is entirely governed by random chance as the strength of the player is determined by what items and statistic upgrades they find, while the difficulty of the game is determined by what enemies spawn and if the player gets bad dice rolls on certain percentage based mechanics.”
  • graphics235 mentions

    The graphics of "Ring of Pain" are characterized by a unique, hand-drawn art style that blends dark, surreal visuals with an eerie atmosphere, effectively enhancing the game's haunting theme. Many reviewers praise the artwork for its captivating and unsettling qualities, which contribute to an immersive experience, although some note that the simplicity of the graphics may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the aesthetic is seen as a standout feature, complementing the gameplay and adding depth to the game's psychological and macabre elements.

    • “The hand-drawn art style is both haunting and mesmerizing.”
    • “Its dark, surreal visuals and unsettling creatures create a world that feels eerie yet captivating.”
    • “The art style is sublime and really fits the atmosphere that this game aims for.”
    • “While the artwork itself might be considered passable, the visual presentation here is negligible; it might as well be a slideshow or a YouTube video.”
    • “Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Asteroids had more advanced animation and visuals going on than this game does.”
    • “The downsides are card-like visuals (personal taste) and a dour presentation in general.”
  • story126 mentions

    The story in "Ring of Pain" is often described as cryptic and minimal, with many players finding it intriguing yet lacking depth. While some appreciate the atmospheric and vague narrative that invites personal interpretation, others feel it falls short, offering little in terms of plot progression or clarity. Overall, the game is primarily enjoyed for its mechanics and gameplay rather than its storytelling, which is seen as a secondary element.

    • “Ring of Pain is a really immersive game with a great atmosphere and intriguing story.”
    • “The story, while told very minimally, is surprisingly engaging and interesting.”
    • “The story is interesting to me, like we're going through our own minds.”
    • “It offers only hints at a plot; if a strong story is important to you, then you'll have to look elsewhere.”
    • “The game features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, as they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding such content to the game.”
    • “The problem is the story, which is so threadbare it might as well not exist.”
  • atmosphere124 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Ring of Pain" is widely praised for its dark, eerie, and immersive qualities, enhanced by haunting visuals and a moody soundtrack that effectively creates a sense of dread and mystery. Players appreciate the unique art style and sound design, which contribute to a captivating experience that draws them into its unsettling world. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its standout features, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric gaming.

    • “The soundtrack is moody and atmospheric, perfectly complementing the dark visuals.”
    • “From the moment you step into its eerie world, you're enveloped by an atmosphere of dread and mystery, fueled by haunting visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “The atmosphere is dark and spooky, with both the high-contrast sharp visuals and the amazingly done music.”
    • “The atmosphere and graphics are so original (and amazing) and work very well to immerse you in this creepy world.”
    • “The creature designs are delightfully unsettling, the music and sound effects create a disquieting atmosphere, and the world caught through glimpses in small conversations is both terrifying and fascinating.”
    • “What the game mechanically lacks is carried by atmosphere and will inevitably catch up to that.”
  • music119 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting quality, effectively enhancing the eerie visuals and overall dark aesthetic. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, creating a rich and immersive experience that complements the gameplay, although some note that it can be repetitive or lacking in variety. Overall, the combination of music, sound design, and art style contributes significantly to the game's unsettling and captivating atmosphere.

    • “The soundtrack is moody and atmospheric, perfectly complementing the dark visuals.”
    • “The music, sound effects, satisfyingly powerful actions, and dark art style all really come together to create this oppressive, sinister, and mysterious feeling that often caught me off guard.”
    • “The overall feel of this game's tone and art style makes for an incredible experience paired with its brilliantly matching soundtrack.”
    • “The game doesn’t really have a soundtrack of songs, more ambient sounds that keep you immersed in the dark and broody atmosphere.”
    • “Music is a bit boring and repetitive.”
    • “The eerie soundtrack matches the visuals of the game and while playing the game you will feel like you are in some nightmarish world which tries to crush you in every possible way.”
  • replayability95 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its diverse item combinations, varying enemy encounters, and random room layouts, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging. Many players highlight the addictive nature of the gameplay, with achievements and unlockables further enhancing the replay value. While some reviews note that it may not reach the replayability levels of top-tier roguelikes, the overall consensus is that it offers a satisfying and enjoyable experience that encourages repeated play.

    • “Its blend of risk-reward mechanics, haunting aesthetics, and replayability makes it a standout in the genre.”
    • “Highly replayable based on how many different items you can equip, enemies you encounter, and randomness of the rooms.”
    • “My time played says it all - it's a great pick-up-and-play game that's super addictive and almost infinitely replayable.”
    • “I think there isn't much replayability outside of doing the achievements, but that is to be expected.”
    • “This is a great game but I cannot recommend it at full price for two reasons: it has little to no replay value; once I completed it I never wanted to see it again.”
    • “It feels a bit lacking replayability-wise.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both entertaining and cleverly integrated into the gameplay. Many appreciate the darkly playful tone and hidden references, while the combination of challenging mechanics and comedic elements creates a unique and engaging experience. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the game, making it enjoyable despite its difficulty.

    • “This game is too hard, but it is hilarious when you get exploded literally every time.”
    • “The developers clearly had a sense of humor, and I appreciate the addition of what I believe to be a few 'hidden' references to other games.”
    • “There’s a darkly playful sense of humor and plenty of unique biomes to explore.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game, noting that while some achievements encourage diverse playstyles, others require excessive repetition, such as dying 250 times or achieving 10,000 kills, which can alienate casual players. Although grinding can unlock unique items and enhance replayability, it often leads to predictable gameplay and boredom, with some feeling that it introduces artificial difficulty rather than meaningful challenge. Overall, while some appreciate the depth grinding adds, many find it tedious and poorly designed.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Some achievements seem to be pretty grindy, such as 250 deaths or 10,000 kills, and others are decently hard, which can lead to more casual players never seeing unique items that are locked behind achievements.”
    • “However, grinding does not significantly reduce difficulty (only widens the pool of loot), and many hours of subsequent play are necessary to unlock the full range of items, roll for particular builds, etc. Nothing new happens on any gameplay or story fronts during this time; runs get extremely predictable, so you get very bored very quickly.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, running well on platforms like the Steam Deck with minimal bugs reported. While some users experienced early glitches, subsequent patches have largely resolved these issues, allowing for a smoother gameplay experience. However, players noted some balance concerns, particularly regarding enemy freezing mechanics.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck too.”
    • “The game runs great and is more than worth your money.”
    • “It isn't exactly buggy, but the balance feels a bit off.”
    • “I did encounter a couple of glitches early on, but a few patches later, they all seemed gone, for better or worse.”
    • “After thinking, I found my winning tactic: only wearing a crown that freezes enemies, but only when you wear fewer items. I skipped a zillion new items that I can't wear because I need the freezing.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' intense reactions to in-game events, such as the heartbreaking experience of killing a puppy, which has left some feeling emotionally damaged. While some players struggle with a lack of attachment to the main character, others find the game's themes of loss and healing resonate deeply, creating a mix of heartbreak and style that enhances the overall experience.

    • “I've had a few of my runs end this way, and it's heartbreaking.”
    • “I'm still not sure if it's a metaphor about emotional healing or just an edgy haunted dream world, but it's dripping with style either way.”
    • “I accidentally killed a dog and I cried.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of "Ring of Pain" has been criticized for its high price of $20 USD, which many users feel is excessive compared to older AAA games. However, players appreciate the absence of in-app purchases, viewing the game's pricing model as a positive aspect despite its initial cost.

    • “What an amazing developer to put their game in the bundle with no in-app purchases to profit from. That being said, it is about time I 100% this game.”
    • “Ring of Pain has the completely unrealistic cash grab price of $20 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games.”
    • “What an amazing dev to put their game in the bundle with no in-app purchases to profit from; that being said, it is about time I 100% this game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game showcases remarkable attention to detail, with a cohesive spooky atmosphere reflected in various elements such as design, sound, and UI. However, the character design itself has been criticized as being subpar.

    • “The attention to detail in character development is remarkable, with each character feeling unique and well-crafted.”
    • “The spooky environment enhances the character design, making each character's backstory and attributes feel deeply integrated into the game world.”
    • “The character development is immersive, with thoughtful design choices that reflect their personalities and histories.”
    • “And the character design is pretty awful.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization in "Ring of Pain" is crucial, as it transforms the game from a potentially dull and repetitive experience into an engaging challenge that encourages strategic thinking and replayability.

    • “Without it, Ring of Pain would just be a slow and unexciting exercise in optimization that gets repetitive after one playthrough.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Ring of Pain

Play time

19hMedian play time
42hAverage play time
7-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs

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