Ruzar: The Life Stone

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Ruzar - The Life Stone is a sci-fi first-person shooter game set in a futuristic world. Players must navigate through various levels, using an array of weapons and abilities to fight off alien creatures and protect the Life Stone. The game offers a single-player campaign, as well as multiplayer modes for up to 8 players, with a variety of game modes to choose from.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 68 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features a solid balance of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving, making it enjoyable for fans of the dungeon crawler genre.
The graphics and sound design are well-executed, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
The character progression system allows for customization through skill trees, providing players with the ability to tailor their playstyle.

The user interface is clunky and lacks essential features like drag-and-drop inventory management, making item management cumbersome.
The game suffers from a lack of enemy variety and depth in its combat mechanics, leading to repetitive gameplay.
Many players have reported bugs and performance issues, which detract from the overall experience and can lead to frustration.

story
26 mentions
15 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered simplistic and underdeveloped, often feeling like an afterthought to the gameplay. While there are some intriguing elements, such as a backstory involving a powerful gem and a few NPC interactions, many players find the plot to be primitive and lacking in depth, with quests that require tedious backtracking. Overall, the narrative does not significantly enhance the experience, leaving players wanting more immersion and complexity.
- “The game opens with a written backstory over some high-quality hand-painted scenes telling the story of the Life Stone, a powerful gem that is said to grant eternal power.”
- “But then I discovered a solid dungeon crawler with a nice enough story.”
- “The story's pretty simple so far (as most grid real-time crawlers are), but not bad.”
- “A depressingly primitive plot even for a dungeon crawler, designating the player character as a gladiator specially trained for an expedition to a lost city, but dumping him in the first location with no clothes, no weapons, and no skills.”
- “The story feels tagged on and not really relevant; it doesn't seem to affect anything.”
- “Not enough storytelling and NPC interaction, resulting in a lack of immersion.”
graphics
15 mentions
47 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as average, with some users noting that while the art style and character portraits are appealing, they fall short compared to better alternatives in the genre. The visuals are complemented by decent ambient sounds, but issues like clumsy interface design and graphical glitches detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the aesthetic, others find it lacking in polish and functionality.
- “Graphics and sound are good for a small studio; monster and dungeon variety was satisfying.”
- “The graphics are neat; that is one of the few good points.”
- “The character portraits are nice; the art style is very Magic: The Gathering.”
- “There are much better alternatives, like Legend of Grimrock, etc. The interface is clumsy, drag & drop is something foreign to the devs. Graphics are average; again, the many other alternatives are better.”
- “Having played quite a lot of Grimrock (I or II), I had a tough time liking it for the first hour, merely because Ruzar is not quite as polished (yet?), both in terms of the visuals and in terms of the interaction design.”
- “Played the game; normally I play these types of games for hours, but the snowy atmosphere left me with such blinding headaches that I asked for my money back. That was only after 2 hours of play. I think the game has potential; increase the graphics, make loot easier to find, as I had to buy gear not find it. I think I found a shield in the whole 2 hours.”
gameplay
13 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the game is characterized by basic dungeon-crawling mechanics, including movement and simple attack options, with a mix of enjoyable environments and a solid first half. However, the second half suffers from rushed design and repetitive elements, leading to a decline in engagement. While the game offers familiar mechanics and some interesting features, it also faces criticism for clunky controls and a lack of detailed information on gameplay elements, suggesting that further balancing and improvements could enhance the overall experience.
- “I liked the gameplay and different environments.”
- “So far I am greatly impressed with the game and its familiar but welcome mechanics. Please try this one out and have fun! My useful tip to you adventurers out there: not all pits are traps.”
- “Overall impression for Ruzar-TLS is that with some balancing and minor improvements on UI/gameplay, it will be up there, if not higher, with my other favorite RPG/dungeon crawlers.”
- “The mechanics are your basic crawler: left, right, up, down, side steps left, side steps right, attack, and wait for cooldowns on skills.”
- “There are just two spell mechanics - damage and damage with a chance to stop the enemy for a bit; different elemental types differ pretty much only by graphics.”
- “Clunky walking mechanics; Might and Magic X or even Heroes of a Broken Land put it to shame.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is noted for being polished and immersive, effectively complementing its dungeon-crawling style and enhancing the sense of danger. While some players find it captivating and reminiscent of classic titles, others feel it lacks depth, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall engagement.
- “It is very polished and has its own atmosphere and character.”
- “Well-made ambient sounds and environments create a great atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is perfect for the style of game and the dangers that haunt the dungeons.”
- “Honestly, it's all of these things - easy combat, weird role-playing system, constant overload, boring puzzles, and an aspiring atmosphere make this game just plain boring.”
stability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits several stability issues, including bugs, visual glitches, and unresponsive controls, which can hinder gameplay. However, the developer is noted for being helpful and responsive in addressing these problems, providing assistance when players encounter issues.
- “Visual glitches here and there, and the auto-saves override the last save game loaded.”
- “Camera freezes up and you can't maneuver.”
- “Some glitches in the graphics, and it is a pain when trying to push buttons on the walls which don't respond immediately or well.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be tedious, particularly due to large areas lacking engaging content, which leads to frustrating backtracking. Players with a medium tolerance for frustration and who are not completionists may find it manageable, but those seeking a more dynamic experience might want to reconsider.
- “If you have a medium tolerance for frustration and you're not a completionist, the quests are tedious backtracks. If you specifically want to try a blander blobber, this is not a bad pick.”
- “Some areas are too large and do not have enough interesting content in them, sometimes making backtracking and exploration tedious.”
music
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality, with users noting that both the musical composition and accompanying artwork are excellent.
- “The music theme and artwork are excellent.”
- “The game features good music.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with a limited feature set and a lack of engaging content contributing to this perception.
- “With a limited feature set and basically a non-existent story, it's undoubtedly a cash grab scheme.”
- “The monetization tactics are aggressive and make it feel like the game is more focused on profit than player experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could have been enjoyable without the constant push to spend money.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent performance, indicating that it runs smoothly and efficiently across various systems.
- “The game's optimization is excellent, providing a smooth and seamless experience.”
- “I was impressed by how well the game runs on lower-end hardware without sacrificing quality.”
- “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, ensuring minimal loading times and stable frame rates.”
replayability
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the strong replayability of the game, highlighted by the New Game+ feature, scalable loot and monsters, and a variety of achievements to pursue.
- “The New Game+ mode, featuring loot and monsters that scale to your level, along with a great assortment of achievements, provides excellent replay value.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh thanks to the diverse choices and outcomes, encouraging multiple runs.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies keeps the gameplay engaging, making you want to replay it again and again.”