Snares of Ruin
- January 17, 2018
- Astronomic Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Snares of Ruin" is a turn-based strategy game set in a procedurally generated universe. Players must manage their resources, build and upgrade their spaceship, and recruit crew members to survive and defeat the Ruin. Each playthrough offers a unique experience with different events, enemies, and loot.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The story is well-written and engaging, with interesting characters and multiple endings that enhance replayability.
- Gameplay combines detective work with RPG elements, allowing players to make meaningful choices that affect the outcome of the story.
- The game successfully integrates romance options without feeling forced, adding depth to character interactions and the overall narrative.
- The game suffers from technical issues such as glitches, crashes, and poor fullscreen support, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Some characters and story elements feel underdeveloped, leading to a lack of depth in certain interactions and plot points.
- The gameplay can become repetitive, with a heavy reliance on reading and walking, which may not appeal to all players.
- story68 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "Snares of Ruin" is widely praised for its well-written characters and engaging plot, blending elements of crime mystery and RPG mechanics effectively. Players appreciate the depth of choices that influence the narrative, including multiple romance paths, which enhance replayability. While some critiques mention a rushed romance and a somewhat straightforward storyline, the overall consensus is that the game offers a compelling and immersive experience for fans of story-driven games.
“Well-written characters and an intriguing story.”
“The story and characters are well written and believable.”
“The overall compelling nature of the story along with the other nice touches along the path make this game a real hidden gem, in my opinion.”
“Even quite a ways in, it did not feel like I was actively solving anything, but rather just opening more and more tiny sub-arcs to the main story with no real fulfilling developments or resolution for my effort.”
“In conclusion, this is not quite up to par either on the plot hook front, gameplay front, or ease of use and game design front.”
“There are several story choices, but most of the game you're just doing what you're told.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the reviewed titles varies significantly, with some games criticized for low-quality mechanics and repetitive tasks, while others are praised for their engaging and balanced gameplay that allows for character customization and meaningful decision-making. Players appreciate the integration of story and gameplay, highlighting how well-crafted narratives can enhance the overall experience, even in simpler mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is described as immersive and enjoyable, with a focus on exploration and dialogue, though some titles fall short in execution.
“All these aspects combine for a truly enjoyable gameplay experience alongside the absolutely wonderful narrative.”
“Writing is good, sound work fits in really well and the gameplay is very engaging.”
“Like most RPG Maker shovelware and asset flips, the game features extremely low quality copy-pasted 2D retro pixel art, looks awful, and has even worse gameplay.”
“In conclusion, this is not quite up to par either on the plot hook front, gameplay front, or ease of use and game design front.”
“Gameplay consists of walking from point to point, but also making critical decisions on how to approach problems and what to do with your spare time.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Snares of Ruin" are a mixed bag; while the character sprites and artwork are appreciated, the limitations of the RPG Maker engine result in subpar fullscreen performance and a lack of HD support. Despite these shortcomings, the game's strong writing and engaging gameplay demonstrate that compelling storytelling can outweigh graphical fidelity. Overall, the visuals are competent but not groundbreaking, serving the narrative rather than impressing on a technical level.
“Snares of Ruin is a crime mystery RPG game; I really enjoyed the story, worth every bit of penny, and loved the artwork.”
“I like the style of the graphics, the characters, and the presentation as you speak and so forth.”
“While character sprites and CGs are great, the graphics in general aren't.”
“As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer.”
“It shows as a good example of how good writing, story, and good depth in gameplay will always trump graphics.”
“The writing, visuals, game feel, and story won't win any originality awards, but all are executed with professional competence.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to multiple achievements, six distinct romance paths that influence the story's outcome, and various choices that affect gameplay. While it has a linear structure in daily investigations, players can explore different strategies and character interactions, leading to multiple endings and enjoyable replay value. Overall, despite its shorter length, the game provides considerable replayability through diverse stat development and quest completion options.
“Replayability is high as there are quite a few achievements to get and some cannot be attained through merely a single playthrough.”
“One of the better games in its style, it also has 6 separate romance paths for the detective which affect the outcome of the story, so it's got some decent replayability.”
“Although the game is fairly short, replayability is considerable - you have four ways to develop your stats, several ways of completing every quest, as well as six ladies, all with their own personality, interactions, and optional quests.”
“Although the game is fairly short, replayability is considerable - you have four ways to develop your stats, several ways of completing each quest, as well as six ladies, all with their own personality, interactions, and optional quests.”
“Various endings await, giving the game replayability value.”
“One of the better games in its style, it also has six separate romance paths for the detective which affect the outcome of the story, so it's got some decent replayability.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in "Snares of Ruin" is notable for its catchy soundtrack and impressive end credits song, which cleverly references game mechanics. The sound design enhances the overall experience with high-quality audio effects, contributing to a semi-dark atmosphere that complements the game's ambiance. However, some players expressed disappointment that the music isn't available as downloadable content.
“I liked the aural quality in this game, from cell phones ringing and knocks on a door to the sounds of combat. It all sounds wonderful, but I really enjoyed the soundtrack as it had some catchy tunes. However, it's a shame that the music isn't available as DLC.”
“Wherever or whenever it is supposed to take place, I loved the semi-dark atmosphere and the soundtrack fits the whole ambiance adequately.”
“Snares of Ruin has its own song that plays over the end credits, and there wasn't a good place to mention this in the review itself, but the song seems to have been written specifically for Snares, and it references game mechanics in the lyrics.”
“It tries maybe slightly too hard, but it's an impressive amount of extra effort to write and record a song for an RPG Maker game, and I think it's genuinely cool the devs went the extra mile.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly in the witty and sometimes rude dialogue from NPCs, which adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. The comedic elements extend to various interactions, including a humorous take on sound effects, contributing to an overall enjoyable and amusing atmosphere.
“While I wandered about the city, I really enjoyed talking to various NPCs, as some of them have funny or rude things to say to you.”
“The sound is perfect, but not the kisses... Oh, is it so hard to make a sound of a kiss? At least a whisper would be better; the one in the game was so funny! The developer is thinking of making a new chapter of this story, and it would be really great.”
“That dating aspect was somewhat funny! :D”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively engages players emotionally through well-written characters and impactful dialogue options, creating a compelling emotional tug-of-war that influences the overall narrative. Players find the interactions to be deeply moving, with certain decisions leading to heartbreaking outcomes.
“Watching the emotional tug-of-war was kind of fascinating as I went along - there are a few intriguing spots in the game where decisions can really impact the overall conclusions of said parameters.”
“Some heartbreaking dialogue options...”
“The characters are mostly well-written, and interaction with them is an emotional experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While many users have had positive experiences with titles from Astronomic Games, this particular game has been reported to have frequent glitches, random crashes, freezing, and occasional lag, which is unexpected for a RPG Maker title that typically demands less from hardware.
“I've played quite a few titles from Astronomic Games and haven't had issues with any of them whatsoever, but this game had some glitches, random crashes, and freezing that occurred regularly. Not to mention the occasional lag, which is weird because this is an RPG Maker title and they aren't particularly taxing on your hardware.”
“The game is plagued by constant crashes and freezes, making it nearly unplayable at times. I expected better stability from a title released in this era.”
“I encountered numerous stability issues, including frequent lag and unexpected shutdowns. It really detracted from my overall experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, suggesting that it detracts from the overall experience. Many would prefer a more engaging format, such as a visual novel or text adventure, that minimizes repetitive travel and incorporates puzzles or combat.
“I would gladly recommend this game if it was a visual novel or text adventure, where the traveling was less tedious, or if it had puzzles or combat.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find myself spending more time grinding for resources than actually enjoying the story or gameplay.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a captivating semi-dark setting that enhances the overall experience, complemented by a fitting soundtrack that aligns well with the ambiance.
“Wherever or whenever it is supposed to take place, I loved the semi-dark atmosphere, and the soundtrack fits the whole ambiance perfectly.”
“The haunting visuals and immersive sound design create an atmosphere that pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
“Every corner of the game world is filled with detail, making the atmosphere rich and engaging, drawing players deeper into the experience.”
