Snares of Ruin Reviews

Snares of Ruin is a crime mystery RPG game, I really enjoyed the story worth every bit of penny & and loved the art work.

It's a nice short detective game with sci-fi elements. Writing is good, sound work fits in really well and the gameplay is very engaging. You won't regret it :)

[b][i]Snares of Ruin[/i][/b] is a nice and decent adventure game, on the investigation field, superbly using the RPGMaker programming. [u]The storyline and the gameplay are good and solid.[/u] The story is interesting and manages to leave room to suspense till the end of the game. There's a bit of politics in it, through the city council. Not too much politics, but enough to give some depth to the storyline. Various endings await, giving the game replayability value. As well as going for the 100% achievements requires at least 2 or 3 playthroughs, you can go through them without the burdensome feeling to play the same exact story since you're free to make different choices here and there, all the way. At the same time the gameplay is pretty entertaining, not too hard but neither too obvious : rather well balanced actually. This is not a RPG with battles per se (although you'll encounter some fights), it's more of an adventure/point 'n click game. The game also provides a dating feature. The main character is a male detective. Many women (not necessarily humans) are gravitating around him (boss, collegue, victims, witnesses and so on). It is to the player to chose the kind of relationship he wants to have with each of them, from plain friendship to dating and even more.. Be aware you might face their relentlessness and/or jealousy ! .. While flirting with others might turn to be difficult, at least at first glance. It requires you to pay attention to details. That dating aspect was somewhat funny :D The pace of the game is very good too. Day after day the character faces new challenges and twists, making the whole inquiry progressing smoothly. [u]Tremendous background.[/u] Wherever or whenever it is supposed to take place, I loved the semi-dark atmosphere and the soundtrack fits adequately the whole ambiance. Main characters and NPCs are sympathetic (even bad ones!), as if the game was sending some kind of message saying, like in real life: [i]"nothing is ever black and white"[/i]. The background theme is quite a hot topic involving environmental care and social diversity. [u]To achievements hunters :[/u] [b][i]Snares of Ruin[/i][/b] achievements are working fine and in accordance with their description. Definitely a must-have ! Last but not least, game support is efficient. As far as I have seen, the developper ([b]Astronomic Games[/b]) did answer all gamers' concerns, remarks and suggestions. That's very much appreciated !! I do recommend [b][i]Snares of Ruin[/i][/b] to anyone and especially to dark adventure games lovers. To me this game is one of those gems you stumble upon and feel so happy you did !! Considering the low price it's definitely worth a try. If you're too low on money wait for a sale but don't walk by it !

I just played through this game, and completed it. My current "playtime" as of this review is 8.8 hours, but some of that time, I was away from the keyboard. So the game COULD be completed maybe 1 time through, in a single sit down session after a day of work. Don't think though that the game's story or gameplay element's wont' stick with you though, because I intend to go back and play again, choosing different options and also to see the various ways your characters stats can impact the story. There are only 3 stats that govern your character in this game, those being Athletics, Charisma and Erudition. As I beefed up my strength at least 1 npc I chatted with noticed and told me I was looking hot because of it.. which is nice that the game keeps track of your choices in more than just standard don't got enough of a stat, can't do this or whatever. There's a library that helps your character to have a broader range of knowledge if you can keep enough points in erudition to read the books that will help when those situations arise. The romance is there for you either to partake in or be a bitter and cynical loner, that spurns the affections of the romance-ees. Some situations led to getting a bonus in a stat or finding a few valeracs laying around, that more commonly happens when you take the initiative to go off the beaten path. That being said, there isn't a lot of wandering around to do, which for this game worked out wonderfully. The main character chimes in from time to time to keep you from going to an area that isn't relevant for the day's tasks. Don't worry though, what you get to do is plenty enough to keep you entertained for several play throughs. I picked it up on sale recenlty, and for the pittance I paid for it, I'd say I definitely achieved the feeling I got what I paid for and then some. Whatever hype this game has received was earned. It is a casual kind of experience, I wish there were more types of casual'esque games like this, somewhere between a visual novel and a bonafide sci-fi thriller. Another thing I like about the game is even when I felt like I screwed up my "build" and put a stat in something I regretted like 5 minutes later, it panned out and was worth it. I only reloaded to avoid consequences of my actions 1 time, because what happened just kind of came out of no where, but um, yeah I guess that's something else to like about the game. Also the developer is extremely responsive and has listened to advice and critiques from just about every angle there is. If you're on the fence about it, hop on over and give it a try, especially if it is on sale. Or ask in the forums if you need further coddling into a decision.

Well written characters and intriguing story. A full playthrough is about 5 hours. It's a point and click game, and it has stats that alter how you resolve the mission events depending of how you manage them.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to play this game but I must say I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this game. It shows as a good example of how good writing, story and good depth in gameplay will always trump graphics. It also feels as long as it should be, and not padded with mundane side stuff. My only constructive piece of critiscism would be a lack of male characters, after a while you know that there is a dating sim clearly here, but I think that may have been the developers goal. But until that realisation, it was standing up perfectly fine as an interesting story, and still did after, though a small bit of the immersion was lost. If a sequel(direct or indirect) was made to this game, I would definitely pick it up on release.

Snares of Ruin is a mystery/detectiv story driven game, which uses the rpg-maker software in a quite interesting and unique way. It's also one of my favourite games (and currently has a heavy discount) so maybe it's a good chance to check it out. - There are no random battles or level ups. You solve your fights using either of three skills that you're able to increase during the course of the game, which leads to different results and possible endings. So it has quite the replay value. - The story is really well written and even contains three different romance options (and two very minor ones, while you don't have to romance anyone at all if you don't want to). While these romances turned out great imo, the focus lies more on the mystery, and it kept me interested until the very end. - No pre-used character pictures and sprites! Well, if you like rpg-maker games, detective & mystery games or story driven ones, you can't do anything wrong with this one. It also has a very nice main theme. There is also a prequel of Snares of Ruin, which can be played before, but it's recommended to play the original Snares of Ruin first, because of some possible spoilers. Snares of Ruin 2 is in the works and looks really promising so far!

There are droves of utter crap RPG-maker games... This one is a cut above the rest, from the little I've played so far. First, it runs at native hz, 75fps for me. Scales to fullscreen well (just press F3, and F4 to stretch or center the image). Story is well written, gramatically correct, and interesting! You can walk fast, so its not mind numbingly slow like other RPG-makers. Yay! Props to this dev :)

Snares Of Ruin is a independent story-rich R.P.G. developed by Astronomic Games and published by New Reality Games. As ace detective Hank Anderson, you find yourself along with a new partner Gwen transferred to the city of Cromford in order to solve a particularly mysterious series of crimes that have the local authorities baffled. Being an experienced gumshoe, you'll have the opportunity to investigate crime scenes, follow up leads and examine evidence as you try to determine the answers to this perplexing thriller while also finding the time to expand your social life. [h1]GAMEPLAY[/h1] In my opinion, the bread and butter of Astronomic Games titles are the engrossing stories which always go hand in hand with the terrific gameplay elements. I just really find the gameplay in all of this developers titles alot of fun and this offering is no exception. Firstly, this title does a wonderful job of putting you in the shoes of a detective. You'll have a chance to visit a number of locations throughout the city and speak to an abundance of different people while you search for clues and try to solve the mystery at hand. Being a R.P.G., Hank gains experience as tasks are completed and when enough XP is acquired you receive a skill point that you can then apply to a limited skill tree consisting of Athletics, Charisma and Erudition. Athletics adds interactions with the environment as well as physical feats usually involving strength, Charisma adds dialogue options and chances to persuade people as well as earn their trust and finally there's Erudition which brings additional dialogue options and technical knowledge that deals with science and computers. With these gameplay aspects you can easily tailor the character of Hank Anderson to your preferation be that a fighter, a negotiator, a computer geek or an amalgam of the attributes. Exploration is encouraged as you can locate some extra skill points and currency hidden in different areas throughout the city just by going off the beaten path and looking for them. I'm happy to report that there is some lite character customization as you can choose from a small list of options for the preferred look of your version of detective Hank Anderson which is a nice addition. Also, while I wandered about the city I really liked talking to various N.P.C.'s as some of them have funny or rude things to say to you. Others talk about current events going on in the city or just have idle chit-chat that you can listen in on at your leisure. Yet another terrific quality of this title is the non-linear way that you can complete the investigations. Most of them can be accomplished in different ways depending on the choices that you make as well as the skills that you employ. All these aspects combine for a truly enjoyable gameplay experience alongside the absolutely wonderful narrative. [h1]VISUALS[/h1] This of course is a RPGMaker title so it has the look and sound that people who have played these types of games before will expect from the software. I however like the fact that many of Astronomic Games RPGMaker titles don't follow the typical "chibi" style when it comes to the characters and objects in the game. They tend to opt for a more realistic look which I prefer immensely. With that said, Snares Of Ruin has a number of detailed environments that you will visit throughout the metropolis from the City Center to the Slums, the Docks and beyond as you conduct your investigations. Also, the art on the character portraits during dialogue is beautifully illustrated. In my overall opinion, as a RPGMaker title this game manages to provide a terrific visual presentation definitely one of the best in the RPGMaker genre. [h1]SOUND[/h1] I liked the aural quality in this game from cell phones ringing, knocks on a door to the sounds of combat, etc. 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 D.L.C. or in the game files for listening at my pleasure. Nevertheless, I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the aural presentation of Snares Of Ruin. [h1]CONCLUSION[/h1] I truly loved the adventure that this game takes you on from the investigations involved in Hank's work to the pursuit of romance in his personal life as well. This title does a great job of balancing both and keeping them interesting while also tying them into the compelling storyline. Replayability is high as there are quite a few achievements to get and some cannot be attained through merely a single playthrough. Your choices also affect current events and the stories ending so you may want to make alternate decisions next time to see how differently things end? On a sidenote, I have to mention the technical issues that I had with this game. 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 which occurred to me on a regular basis not to mention the occasional lagging which is weird because this is a RPGMaker title and they aren't particularly taxing on your hardware? Nevertheless, I had so many technical issues but hopefully no one else will. As far as options go, there are a number of Steam Achievements to hunt down but sadly no Steam Trading Cards to collect. In summary, with a thought provoking narrative, wonderful R.P.G. elements and very fun gameplay Snares Of Ruin is a title that any fan of the roleplaying game genre or anyone looking for a nice engaging story will enjoy so it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Completed this game in 4.4 hours. Very good mix of detective game with interesting plot and dating game with several women to romance. +Interesting story. +Very good looking CG's. +3 abilites to level up (Strength, Charisma and Intellegence) which give quite a lot of additional actions and options in dialogs. +Good and plausible characters, liked and believed all of them. +/-There are no "RPG Maker fights" at all. There is action in game, but all action sequences are contextual. -Only male hero (not a problem for me, personally, but for some people it might be) with 4 available face versions. -Quite linear (which is, again, not a problem for me, but some people may find it too limited). There are several story choices, but most of the game you're just doing what you're told. -Ending was a bit... weak for my taste, but it was improved with first patch, which added more esplanation at the end. -Out of 6 female characters to romance (according to Steam page) only 3 feel realy developed: Gwen, Alzyra and Miroslava. Elyssa has too little events and all of them happen near the end of the game. Medina was my pesonal choice during my first walkthrough and I was quite dissapointed - helping her few times during game and quick kiss in the end do not count as romance rout in my book, although, after first patch, she got more content which is very good. Solane's "romance" is the least developed because basically there are no romantic feelings between her and hero. I've completed the game 6 times with all women possible, so now there's nothing left for me to explore. As result, I can say, that it's a good game (especially for it's price), I do not regret buying it and I hope there will be more simular games.