RUIN FRONTIER

Ruin frontier is a mission-based, short game made for the 1# McBacon Jam featuring mechas, robots, and a sci-fi world which is run by money and power.

First of all, I myself am no fan of the usual sci-fi. Nor of robots. Nor of mechas.
This game however manages to pull it off fresh and enjoyable.

Nothing in this game is new by itself, we got a desolate, greed-driven world where a few companies rule over the vast masses of people. People without any real hope in Hope Station. Your group is just one among other mercenaries and you are just doing your job.
While it seems you are on a side not worse than others, following the good-willed Goodman, you may question your role in this world to play and question the party you are working for.


I'm just finding that out myself.

Your team itself is split, but is kept together by good leadership - Lucinda is just accepting this world for what it is and enjoying the fight. Antonio is trying to find a way to better it and Phosfor keeps out of any moral discussion and instead keeps up his business like a professional. It is a job, a mission, not a choose-your-adventure.
So on it is to you to fight your way through hordes of robots to do accomplish your mission. For it brings money, and fighting brings joy.



The pleasure is all mine!


Like any games featuring robots, overly complicated, but not so important upgrades are needed! You have a different assets of active weapons to use, passives and support skills to equip.
You find tons of those and can cheaply buy more - I had more healing repair items I could ever need as well as a wide range of equipment .. additionally to all the money I can use to buy specific ones. like heal-support, the only one I continously used and the only equipment I found really useful to buy.

Nevertheless, it offers a wide range of playstyles - you regenerate mana continously and can either save up for strong special attacks (or a 100% shield for Antonio), or use it for smaller attacks as well as buffs and debuffs.
It is a little bit unfortunate you have so little need for tactic building. This game is on the easy side of difficulty, you need to be a bit careful and you will be worryfree.

It is a little repetitious, though, as you play merely for the story and will have little to explore aside your battle areas.


.. cute!

A real strength is the sheer polish of it all - your mission levels, the spriting, the environments and the soundtrack are all absolutely gorgeus. Especially the soundtrack got me. It conveys the atmosphere of a desolate world, but keeps the upbeat technology-driven vibes in there.
The only sound I found a little bit jarring was hitting something, it did not divert from my enjoyment.

The battle screen even has a turn order displayed for your convenience, and there is an encounter-meter which when filled allows access to treasure chests with more valuebles. It serves as both a guideline on how much you may want to kill, as there are no random encounters, but also gives a disadvantage to just rush ahead.

All in all, this is a very polished and enjoyable experience - a simple idea very well executed and I can recommend it without any worry.
It is just too bad it is not finished yet.