Reikon Games announces Ruiner 2

Polish developer Reikon Games has unveiled Ruiner 2, the sequel to its 2017 cult-classic twin-stick shooter. While the original was a focused, brutal blast of cyber-violence, the sequel is aiming for a broader scope, shifting into a cyberpunk action RPG.

Returning players will find themselves back in Rengkok, but this time the gameplay is built around the Shell System. Rather than being locked into a single class, you play as a hacker capable of hijacking the bodies of fallen heroes. These bodies, also known as Shells, allow you to swap between different combat styles on the go, adapting to every situation.

The depth of the RPG systems in Ruiner 2 appears to be a love letter to theory-crafters. Each Shell comes with four unique skills, each featuring branching progression nodes that fundamentally alter how the ability functions. Balancing your build is a game of logistics, as every piece of equipment draws from a dedicated resource pool of power, CPU, and memory. With no “free” gear slots, every upgrade is a direct trade-off. This is further supported by the Neural Network, a persistent hacker-level passive tree that provides buffs across your entire roster of Shells.

Combat has been redesigned to favour high-speed synergies, whether you are playing solo or with friends. In single-player, you control a team of three Shells simultaneously, switching between them to chain abilities into devastating loops. The sequel also introduces three-player online co-op, where a full team can bring up to six Shells into the fray, creating screen-clearing combos that wouldn't be possible alone. For those who live for the grind, Reikon has confirmed an “endless endgame” featuring escalating tiers of difficulty and loot, ensuring that the only ceiling on your progression is the efficiency of your build.

The minimum system requirements have already been published and can be found below:

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel Core i5-8400
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB) / AMD Radeon RX 580 (8GB)
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 10 GB available space

KitGuru says: Reikon Games is taking a bit of a gamble by pivoting from a twin-stick shooter to an ARPG, but the Shell System looks like a good fit for the franchise. Have you played the original Ruiner? Were you hoping it would get a sequel?

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