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Runers

Runers offers a truly enjoyable experience, with a good marriage of standard roguelike mechanics expanded by the real-time top-down shooter gameplay dynamic and by the spell crafting system. It offers enough variety to keep things fresh, but not enough to make it truly stand out from the ever-increasing crowd of roguelikes out there. The combat is pretty spammy, and your progression is conditioned by luck and requires a lot of repetition. The rune combining system is a really nice feature, enabling you to mix and match your favorite effects to get spells custom-tailored to your preferred play style, and this experimentation is probably the most fun activity in the whole game.
Runers Game Cover
79%Game Brain Score
gameplay, replayability
graphics, grinding
81% User Score Based on 213 reviews
Critic Score 75%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Runers Game Cover

About

Runers is a single player and multiplayer role playing shooter game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by LGK Games and was released on September 2, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Runers" is a fantasy shooter game with local multi-player option for up to 2 players. It's a rogue-like dungeon shooter with top-down perspective, where you gather Runes to create unique spells and explore procedurally generated floors. The game offers customization and discovery with various playing styles, leveling up, and random traits to unlock, but beware, death ends the playthrough.

Genres & Tags
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Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
Runers screenshot
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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews
gameplay24 positive mentions
graphics8 negative mentions
  • Highly replayable with a vast number of rune combinations to create unique spells.
  • Fun and imaginative gameplay with a customizable magic-based roguelike experience.
  • Challenging yet rewarding, encouraging experimentation with different spell combinations.
  • Difficult controls, especially when trying to manage multiple spells while dodging enemies.
  • Rare drops for combiners can lead to frustrating gameplay, hindering spell crafting.
  • Visuals and sound design are lacking, making the game feel less polished.
  • gameplay
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Runers" is characterized by its engaging twin-stick shooting mechanics and a unique spell crafting system that encourages exploration and experimentation. Players appreciate the depth of customization and the challenge presented by the game's mechanics, although some find the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks polish in certain areas. Overall, the combination of solid mechanics, addictive gameplay, and a variety of character options contributes to a rewarding roguelike experience, despite some criticisms regarding its execution and visual presentation.

    • “The mechanics are solid, the gameplay loop really hooks you in, and it's so much fun to discover spells, especially with a friend!”
    • “It's an excellent mechanic that works well, and gives you ever more things to do with all of those runes you'll be filling your inventory with.”
    • “Runers offers a truly enjoyable experience, with a good marriage of standard roguelike mechanics expanded by the real-time top-down shooter gameplay dynamic and by the spell crafting system.”
    • “I have put 6+ hours into this game and I've combined maybe 2 spells total, and those I had to look up because I didn't want to waste runes (well, not the first one because I didn't know about the combiner mechanic the first time).”
    • “Thought it would be fun but I don't feel much difference nor excitement discovering new magics, and the gameplay itself is pretty basic and infested. I felt like it's more important to run around mindlessly than think of any strategy to fight anything.”
    • “The graphics, animations, music, and gameplay feel like a flash game or run-of-the-mill dungeon crawler created by some guy in the late 90s at Game Maker because it's his first 'real game'.”
  • graphics
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received largely negative feedback, with many users describing them as mediocre, simplistic, and reminiscent of outdated flash games or 8/16-bit styles lacking charm. While some appreciate the DIY aesthetic and find it endearing, the overall consensus is that the visuals are a significant drawback, detracting from the game's potential despite its enjoyable gameplay mechanics. Players who prioritize graphics may find this game unappealing, while those who focus on gameplay may overlook the visual shortcomings.

    • “The visuals, sounds, and GUI design are spot on and have a very DIY feel that is endearingly telling of a small dev team crafting a hidden gem that will be pined over by loyalists for decades to come.”
    • “While the general aesthetic may be considered average, the particle effects are absolutely gorgeous and the enemies are well designed.”
    • “On the surface, Runers may seem slightly rough around the edges in terms of aesthetics, with its art and sound effects having a very hand-made and appropriately gritty quality to them.”
    • “Graphically it could use some work and there are quite a few bugs that cause me to crash.”
    • “The graphics are bad.”
    • “The graphics, animations, music, and gameplay feel like a flash game or run-of-the-mill dungeon crawler created by some guy in the late 90s at Game Maker because it's his first 'real game'.”
  • replayability
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by a vast array of 285 spells, diverse classes, and customizable rune combinations that encourage experimentation. Players appreciate the random generation of levels and traits, which enhance the experience with each playthrough, making it a compelling choice for fans of rogue-likes. Overall, the combination of challenging gameplay and extensive content ensures that players will find plenty of reasons to return.

    • “It has lots of replay value... as stated, there are 285 spells to discover and I haven't even discovered them all.”
    • “They weren't kidding about the number of unique spells and the variety of classes and races available. The game definitely has replayability thanks to the random generation of floors and the different traits available on each level up.”
    • “Loads of classes and attributes that will give you loads of replayability. Stack that on top of a Magika-like spell system with 160 spells, and you have a great little roguelike that you won't get sick of.”
    • “Challenging to find good combinations that then can make it through to the end, and replayable by trying for a different build.”
    • “The combinations of those and your starting spell tends to define a run, for better or worse, lending replayability.”
    • “Back to this specific game, the replayability factor is huge, due to the previously mentioned customization options, as well as the leaderboards.”
  • music
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its atmospheric and beautiful qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, while others find it forgettable or too quiet. Despite the availability of a purchasable soundtrack, many users express disappointment that the in-game music does not stand out or significantly impact their experience. Overall, while the soundtrack has its fans, it seems to lack the memorability and prominence that some players expected.

    • “Lgk blew my mind on this one, great game, better soundtrack, DLC is worth every penny!”
    • “The music is completely beautiful, atmospheric, and brilliant.”
    • “The soundtrack is pretty good, and there seems to be unique death/spell sounds so you aren’t just hearing that one sound over and over.”
    • “You can buy the soundtrack from Steam, but I don't remember one single track, so I don't know why you would.”
    • “The mechanics are interesting, the game is challenging, and as I came to the store page to write this review, I was thinking to myself, I wish the soundtrack was DLC.”
    • “A gripe worth mentioning here is the forgettable music, which ranges from alien space tunes while fighting in old ruins to bass-heavy tunes in the depths of hell.”
  • grinding
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and unfulfilling, with players noting the lengthy processes required to unlock spells and level up. Many find the experience frustrating due to constant crashes and a lack of rewarding progression, while a few appreciate the grind as part of the roguelike experience. Overall, the consensus leans towards grinding being a significant drawback that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The combination of a grindy game with lots of disappointing spells and constant crashes makes this game terrible, and you should avoid it even if you are a fan of rogue-likes.”
    • “The primitive art style, tedious rune gathering, and the frankly poor level-up bonuses make the game a painful, unrewarding slog.”
    • “It is tedious, complicated, and as far from intuitive as you can get without just outright lying to you about how to play the game.”
  • story
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, focusing instead on a score-attack gameplay style where players collect items and survive rather than following a traditional narrative. While there are hints of a storyline involving fairies and a quest for a book of secrets, it is not central to the experience, which prioritizes action and gameplay over plot development.

    • “Actually, the goal might as well be to collect flowers for the kingdom of fairies whilst searching for the book of secrets that reveals the actual story.”
    • “Obviously, the story isn’t important, and the whole point is to decimate your way through the floors while hopefully piecing together some deadly spells to further decimate.”
    • “With cheats, I found it ends at level 10... seemingly prematurely, without finishing the game's storyline. Maybe this is because I've only tried the 1st and 2nd difficulty levels; maybe the 3rd, 4th, and 5th will go beyond level 10?”
    • “There's no drawn-out plot or complicated goals present here; instead, the game takes a more score-attack oriented approach, testing the player's ability to survive and make the best use of their findings.”
    • “Obviously, story isn’t important, and the whole point is that you decimate your way through the floors while hopefully putting together some deadly spells to further decimate and so forth.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is derived from its poor sound design, which can be amusing at first but ultimately becomes unbearable during gameplay. Additionally, players find themselves laughing at previously frustrating enemies once they become familiar with their quirks, adding a lighthearted element to the challenge.

    • “Once you get to know the majority of the mob types, you will find yourself laughing in the face of enemies that you used to curse for their ridiculous difficulty!”
    • “It's almost funny, actually.”
    • “The sound design in this game is so bad that it's funny, until you're actually playing it and have to turn off the audio because it's hurting your ears.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautiful and atmospheric music, which significantly enhances the overall experience. The light and wonderful soundtrack adds depth to the dungeons, contributing to an immersive environment.

    • “The music is completely beautiful, atmospheric, and brilliant.”
    • “The soundtrack (which is also available for purchase on Steam) is light and wonderful, and adds so much to the atmosphere of the dungeon you're in.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report significant stability issues, describing the game as "bad and buggy," with many features deemed useless and prone to glitches. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern for players.

    • “The game is butter-faced, bad, and buggy.”
    • “Some perks are just useless and buggy.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is mixed; while it generally runs smoothly with minimal crashes, some users report poor performance even in low settings. Overall, the experience can vary significantly depending on system specifications.

    • “It runs smoothly, and it only crashed once in several hours. I was able to return to the level I was on after restarting, so no real harm done.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized, even in low performance mode.”
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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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96h Median play time
66h Average play time
6-126h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Runers is a role playing shooter game with fantasy theme.

Runers is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 66 hours playing Runers.

Runers was released on September 2, 2014.

Runers was developed by LGK Games.

Runers has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its graphics.

Runers is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Caveblazers, Ziggurat, Wizard of Legend, Starward Rogue, Overture and others.