Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 72 | 50 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 65% | 63 | 100 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 1.6 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (46)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Overall, Lone Ruin is a tough twin-stick shooter that hits the spot. The runs are quick and satisfying, with leaderboards and multiple weapons to encourage replay. It looks great and plays smoothly; just don't get too comfortable because it will all be over soon. Until you play again.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Those of you who just want a straight, no-nonsense twin-stick shooter will find a lot to love about Lone Ruin, while those looking for a more ambitious project may want to look elsewhere. Tight controls, dark aesthetics, tough-but-fair gameplay, and a diverse collection of weapons and upgrades all come together to make this one a worthwhile purchase, with the caveat that it's also about as basic as a twin-stick shooter can get, which limits its staying power somewhat. We'd give Lone Ruin a light recommendation for anyone who considers themselves a twin-stick fan, though this may perhaps be one to wait for a sale.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“While I like the low poly X pixel graphics style and think that the pulsing (albeit limited) soundtrack is great, I didn’t fall in love with Lone Ruin. Despite marketing itself on replayability, the main problem is that it didn’t do enough to make me want to keep coming back for more. The rapid-fire spell slinging is pretty good fun and there’s plenty of variety, but the short run length and lack of plotline or overarching upgrade systems makes Lone Ruin feel more like an arcade game than a roguelike. I’ve no doubt that the pick-up-and-play style will appeal to coin-op fans who like short-burn, intensive action, but I think traditional roguelike fans might lose engagement after just a couple of runs with the lack of a long game on offer.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Lone Ruin is a game all about replayability that I saw little reason to replay after the credits.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“This roguelike twin-stick shooter has its own sense of style, but its somewhat vanilla arcade-like grind detracts from its long-term viability”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s not hard to recommend Lone Ruin, particularly if you are into the genre. It’s a good price, atmospheric and a lot of fun. It’s not the longest game you will play this year. but you will still find yourself coming back for another go. Definitely check it out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“But beyond that, Lone Ruin is a beautiful game with a fun combat system. And fun is the highest compliment I can give to any game. There’s something addictive about trying to craft the perfect spell-build and seeing how far into the ruins you can get.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Lone Ruin is a solid addition to the roguelike genre, especially for those in need of a challenge. It’s got a strong art direction that enhances the darker mood the game is going for. The boss fights are an easy highlight as the developers really get to flex their muscles with those but the gameplay loop isn’t quite good enough, or long enough, to thrive otherwise. The weaker abilities and items render some attempts futile without me even doing anything wrong and success largely feels down to luck rather than my own choices for the most part.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A Rogue-like game that gives the sensation of shooting powerful bullets. The fast-paced gameplay provides a great experience when played on handheld consoles, but the overall playtime is unfortunately short.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Lone Ruin is a game with a lot of style and potential but lacks the content necessary to foster the replayability critical to a roguelike. In simpler terms, there’s a fun game here, just not a lot of it.”
read full review ↗ - 74
“Lone Ruin does have great music and it is a game with a fantastic central loop that is fast, satisfying, and full of variety. It’s just a shame that the game has so few additional options and no persistent progression.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“"Lone Ruin" hits the important notes of the rogue-like genre, but it ultimately suffers from stripped-back features and a barebones experience.”
read full review ↗
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SVG…and 34 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- LONE RUIN - Bug FixesApr 21, 2023
- LONE RUIN - The Fool's Errand UpdateMar 6, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- LONE RUIN - What's Next?Jan 16, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- LONE RUIN - Scoreboard Competition & UpdateJan 13, 2023
- Lone Ruin Demo Patch Notes 2022-06-17:Jun 17, 2022
- Patch notes Lone Ruin Demo 2022-06-13Jun 13, 2022
- Demo Patch Notes for Lone Ruin 2022-06-10:Jun 10, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Demo Patch Notes 2022-06-09Jun 9, 2022significant · resets scoring window