Top-down shooting dynamic in ‘Ruiner’ is bolstered by its grimy backdrop

Ruiner will finally bring its stylish, synth-backed shoot and slash gameplay to PC, Xbox One and PS4 in late September and will support Microsoft’s Play Anywhere initiative, too. Set in a grim and dark future, Ruiner will blend high-speed, isometric action with a gritty tale of virtual reality and digital excess, in an age where the real and digital worlds blend together in intriguing ways.

Developed by Polish studio Reikon Games, Ruiner has been in the works for several years at this point, with a team of professionals behind it who have some previous experience working in the cyberpunk genre. The game is set in 2091, where the protagonist is framed for an attempted murder of a high-profile businessman, and with the hero’s brother kidnapped, it’s down to the players to fight for their lives in a world of blurred realities.

Ruiner offers different playstyles and weapon choices for those taking the fight to the corporate mobsters who seem to be behind the protagonist’s recent downfall. There are sonic guns, lightning guns, flame guns, and unique upgrades for all of them, letting you augment your arsenal as you play. With the ability to pick up and overhaul the guns of your enemies, you’re always powering up your available firearms.

With bio-mechanical augmentations of your own, you’re able to produce shields and dash at inhuman speeds to avoid damage and put yourself in the perfect position to kill the hordes of “third-children” that attack you.

A progression system should allow for some nuance in how you play the game, and will cater to players’ preferred styles. You can opt for a more stealthy approach; a tactical, surgical strike capability, or simply mow down enemies with masses of firepower. Ruiner will give you the tools, it’s up to you how to use them.

If all of that has you excited for Reikon Games’ first official release, you don’t have long to wait. Although it has been teased a few times over the past couple of years, Ruiner is now just a few weeks away from release. It will debut simultaneously on PCs, Xbox One, and PS4 on September 26. And thanks to Microsoft’s PlayAnywhere program, you can even jump between PC and Xbox and maintain your save if you like.

If you want to learn about Ruiner’s backstory while you wait, there’s an official prologue comic available on the main site.