Ruff City

About

Ruff City is a single player and multiplayer action adventure game. It was developed by DogParkGameStudios and was released on December 20, 2023. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Ruff City" is a classic beat 'em up action game that can be played solo or with a friend in local co-op mode. Up to 2 players control Lucky the Dog, punching and kicking their way through 4 stages of PUG-ilistic mayhem. The game features split-screen multiplayer and a pack of fur-ocious bosses to overcome. A controller is required for multiplayer mode.

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

music4 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

The game features a charming art style and fun character designs, making it visually appealing.
Gameplay is simple and accessible, providing a light-hearted and enjoyable experience, especially in co-op mode.
The variety of enemy types and humorous dialogue add depth and entertainment to the gameplay.

The game has a short playtime of about 1-2 hours and lacks substantial content.
Controls can be unresponsive at times, and the absence of a dodge mechanic makes combat feel limited.
Boss fights can be frustratingly difficult, with some having excessive invincibility frames and punishing attack patterns.

music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its quality and integration with the gameplay. However, some reviewers noted tonal mismatches, particularly in the first area where upbeat tracks contrast with violent visuals, and highlighted moments where the absence of music felt uncomfortable. Additionally, issues with sound mixing were mentioned, where certain sound effects overshadowed the music.
- “Love the music and audio effects, the combat is simple but still involved enough not to be too easy.”
- “It's quite a nice feeling beat 'em up that has really stellar art and pretty good music.”
- “The music is pretty good.”
- “Music is decent but in some areas feels off tonally; the first area has especially upbeat music for all the violence occurring onscreen.”
- “[*][spoiler]The story dialog scrolls without any music, which felt uncomfortable, but not in a way that helped the mood of the game.[/spoiler]”
- “[*][spoiler]Some of the sound effects, which are vocal samples for enemies getting killed, are mixed way louder than the rest of the music and sound effects.[/spoiler]”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics of this indie brawler are praised for their charming and cute art style, which complements the game's simple beat-em-up mechanics. Players appreciate the responsive controls and engaging audio/visual elements, enhancing the overall experience, especially during the weighty boss battles.
- “A solid little indie brawler with a charming art style.”
- “Really simple beat-em-up with responsive controls and fun audio/visuals.”
- “Fun little beat 'em up title with a cute art style.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Ruff City is praised for its charming and quirky humor, creating a wholesome and cute atmosphere throughout the game. Players appreciate the balance of challenging boss battles that lead to amusing game over graphics, enhancing the overall comedic experience.
- “Ruff City is a charming arcade romp through a quirky and hilarious setting.”
- “If I was ever gonna play a game where that was the case, I'd want it to be funny, wholesome, kind, and cute.”
- “The boss battles are weighty and tanky like a Destiny/Halo boss with a big health bar; they're just challenging enough so that you can see the funny game over graphic every now and then.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay is a quick and enjoyable 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up that emphasizes satisfying enemy juggling and features a variety of foes to keep the experience engaging. While it doesn't aim to innovate, its light mechanics and pun-oriented characters provide a straightforward and fun experience across four major levels, each culminating in a boss fight.
- “The 2D side-scroller beat-em-up gameplay is quick and fun; juggling enemies is so satisfying here.”
- “It's not trying to re-invent the wheel, and it doesn't - its characters are pun-oriented and tropey, its mechanics are light and straightforward, and, as advertised, it contains only four major levels, each containing one boss.”
- “The variety of enemies allows a balance to strike where the gameplay would otherwise be simple and repetitive.”
- “It's not trying to re-invent the wheel, and it doesn't - its characters are pun-oriented and tropey, its mechanics are light and straightforward, and - as advertised - it contains only four major levels, each containing one boss.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in this game is highlighted by its charming and diverse character designs, particularly the animal enemies, which add a whimsical touch to the gameplay. The quirky dialogue and silly bosses further enhance the overall character experience, making players feel a connection to the unique personalities within the game.
- “The character designs are especially charming, and the variety of animal enemies have a lot of character, some so cute that you may think twice about punching them in the jaw.”
- “As others have said, I also don't usually gravitate towards beat 'em ups, but this one looked fun. I liked a lot of little details they added, like the variety of enemy types, cutesy character designs, weird dialogue, and the silly bosses.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The story is described as lighthearted and comical, culminating in a twist that adds to the overall context of the gameplay, which involves battling anthropomorphic animals. However, some users found the lack of music during dialogue scrolling to be uncomfortable and detracting from the game's mood.
- “The story is lighthearted with a comical twist towards the end, providing all the context you need to beat the stuffing out of animals in leather jackets.”
- “The story is lighthearted with something of a comical twist towards the end, but provides you with all the context you need to beat the stuffing out of animals in leather jackets.”
- “[*][spoiler]The story dialog scrolls without any music, which felt uncomfortable, but not in a way that I think helped the mood of the game.[/spoiler]”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a desire for emotional experiences in games to be characterized by humor, wholesomeness, kindness, and cuteness, highlighting the appeal of uplifting and heartwarming narratives.
- “If I were ever going to play a game that evoked strong emotions, I'd want it to be funny, wholesome, kind, and cute.”