Snares of Ruin

About

Snares of Ruin is a single player role playing game with drama and mystery themes. It was developed by Astronomic Games and was released on January 17, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

story18 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Well-written characters and an intriguing story that keeps players engaged.
Gameplay features meaningful choices and consequences, allowing for multiple endings and replayability.
The game successfully blends detective work with RPG elements and light dating sim mechanics, providing a unique experience.

The graphics and tilesets can feel generic and reminiscent of typical RPGMaker games, which may detract from immersion.
Some characters and story elements may feel underdeveloped or shallow, lacking depth in their interactions.
Technical issues such as glitches, crashes, and lag can disrupt the gameplay experience.

story
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The story in "Snares of Ruin" is well-crafted and engaging, featuring well-written characters and a compelling crime mystery narrative that incorporates RPG elements and decision-making. Players appreciate the integration of romance paths that influence the storyline, enhancing replayability despite some critiques about the pacing and depth of certain plot elements. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of story-driven RPGs, offering a mix of detective work and character interactions that keep players invested.
- “Well written characters and an intriguing story.”
- “Snares of Ruin is a crime mystery RPG game; I really enjoyed the story, worth every bit of penny, and loved the artwork.”
- “The story is well written, the pace feels right, and is well balanced between investigation phases, emergencies, and hanging out with the characters.”
- “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.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of exploration, decision-making, and character customization, allowing players to approach challenges in various ways. It strikes a balance between being entertaining and accessible, with mechanics that enhance immersion through dialogue and exploration. Overall, the gameplay is well-received for its depth and integration with the narrative, making it enjoyable for fans of the roleplaying genre.
- “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.”
- “All these aspects combine for a truly enjoyable gameplay experience alongside the absolutely wonderful narrative.”
- “At the same time, the gameplay is pretty entertaining, not too hard but neither too obvious: rather well balanced actually.”
- “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.”
- “All of that is done through exploration and dialogues and revolves around two mechanics - caffeine and stats.”
- “Don't think though that the game's story or gameplay elements won't stick with you though, because I intend to go back and play again, choosing different options and also to see the various ways your character's stats can impact the story.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The graphics in "Snares of Ruin" are generally considered competent but not groundbreaking, with character sprites and CGs receiving praise while the overall visuals are seen as lacking. Reviewers emphasize that the game's strong writing and engaging gameplay overshadow its graphical limitations, demonstrating that a compelling story can enhance the experience regardless of high-end graphics.
- “Snares of Ruin is a crime mystery RPG game; I really enjoyed the story, worth every bit of penny, and loved the artwork.”
- “While character sprites and CGs are great, the graphics in general aren't.”
- “It shows as a good example of how good writing, story, and good depth in gameplay will always trump graphics.”
- “Snares of Ruin shows that you don't need AAA graphics or a high budget to make a game that is enjoyable and fun to play.”
- “The writing, visuals, game feel, and story won't win any originality awards, but all are executed with professional competence.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers high replayability due to multiple achievements, six distinct romance paths that influence the story's outcome, and various endings. Players can explore different character interactions and quest completions, enhancing the overall replay value despite the game's relatively short length.
- “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 six 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.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in "Snares of Ruin" is notable for its catchy soundtrack and impressive attention to detail, including a unique end credits song that 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.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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, such as the portrayal of kisses. Overall, the dating aspect is noted for its amusing qualities, contributing to the game's charm.
- “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”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the emotional depth of the game, noting that the well-written characters and heartbreaking dialogue options create a profoundly impactful experience during interactions.
- “Some heartbreaking dialogue options that truly resonate.”
- “The characters are mostly well-written, and interacting with them is an emotional experience.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While many users have had positive experiences with titles from Astronomic Games, this particular game has been reported to have frequent glitches, random crashes, and freezing issues, along with 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.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, suggesting that it would be more enjoyable if it focused on visual novel or text adventure elements, or incorporated puzzles and combat to break up the monotony of travel.
- “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.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is praised for its semi-dark setting, which effectively 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 perfectly with the whole ambiance.”