Ring Runner: Flight of the Sages

So I almost passed this game up because I thought it was another side scrolling space shooter. The first mission is exactly that and I was almost ready to turn it off because I have played so many of those "bullet-hell" games. I was glad that I stuck around. This is one of those gems that come around once every few years and it deserves to be seen and played by all. The story is fantastic (alot of reading, but that's a good thing). There is no voice acting, but I still felt something for the characters. It's also funny, it made me laugh a few times, granted that's not too hard to do. I can't speak for multiplayer because I have never seen a game up. The concepts are amazing and the combinations are near limitless... My only gripes about the game are the "cut-scenes" in the middle of combat. It will freeze the camera. I would rather there be a passive chat system that didn't freeze the intense action. I have died so many times to that. The UI needs some work, it is just too plain for this awesome of a game, or am I insane? I like rain. The reason that this might not make it is because people won't want to give it a chance. And it's a shame because they should. Also, it might be too complex for the average gamer. I am still a bit confused on the load out system for my ships. This has the makings of a great competitive game. Regardless, this is an awesome title. I would give it 4.5/5 but I round up because this deserves it.

A space shooter in asteroids flavour with interesting story and god knows what else. Unfortunately I had no chance to see the rest of the game because.... well, there is no way to say it gently... steering is HORRIBLE. I do not know, maybe with game pad it would work ok, but with mouse and keyboard it is a constant fight with aim and movement direction. In a game that is all about fast and precision movement it is a bullet in a head. I give 3 stars because I feel the game has depth, but I could not give any more because it does not gave me a chance to experience it.

The game is nearly perfect if you are into shoot-em ups. Story is a YMMV affair, I liked it, enjoyed immensely but I don't believe it will has the same effect on everybody. The skills are a breeze to use, and every ship class is very different from each other. For example you have to adjust yourself to using the environment when you are playing with the grappler class (a-la Jackie Chan) but with the caster you mainly try to dodge damage and dish out fantastic amounts of it to the bogeys. I haven't understood how Hangar works and whether there are more & better weapons (shop is still... empty curiously. Maybe I haven't unlocked it yet.). But trying to discover stuff is fun. You quickly adapt to the keyboard&mouse scheme. I don't have a gamepad so I cannot comment about it. But damned muscle memory hits. I often and occasionally hit a and d for strafing and s for slowing down. Also I found that having a gaming mouse helps, because the devs didn't limit the reticule to a certain distance from the ship, you often find it too far away from your ship and wonder why doesn't it turn that fast... Those are minor quibbles though. I am so far enjoying it as long as I am careful with those issues. Story mode unlocks hangar&missions so if you are into replayability and you have it in the scenarios->wave mode. (and this is only one of the modes).

This game is the equivalent of replacing the usual RPG characters and perks with spaceships and equipments... the result works pretty well ! The Story mode is very solid, not too short, not too long, mostly comedic with some dramatic elements, a bunch of references to other games and medias, and lots of "bonuses" to get and change (a lil bit) the story everytime. The amount of ships and equipments to can choose and combine is staggering, from the traditional fighterjets with laserbeams, to gunships with missiles, up to gladiators with flails, and if you consider the game enemies and allies are randomly generated this also gives an endless number of possible encounters. Aside from the Story there are plenty of other game modes to choose, from the more traditional deathmatch and wave survival, to the less common percint assault and "zombie" survival, up to a MOBA mode. The maps and backgrounds might be a bit repetitive, but it's the "few but good" kind, not much else to say other than each fits the tone and atmosphere of the various gamemodes and Story missions as you play thorough. The game has only two real issues: First, it seems to be optimized to play with a gamepad due to how the "abilities" are triggered, but it feels like it BEGS to be played on mouse and keyboard due to the movement/fire accuracy required by the game speed. Second, the game difficulty is less of a challenge and more of a test of patience. All you do by increasing the difficulty setting is potentially turn the puniest enemy into a massive pushover that can melt your ship no matter the "build". In conclusion, a solid space shooter with RPG elements and lots of content. Increasing the game difficulty might not lead to fun challenge, but there is an ocean of options to make up for it and give you a new experience everytime.