Ruff Trigger: The Vanocore Conspiracy

« Sure, it has a few nominal quirks, but when push comes to shove, this game puts on an entertaining show with value that far exceeds its budget pricing, thanks to a sizeable campaign and a fun selection of eight unlockable arcade-style mini-games. »

« Ruff Trigger's budget price is just about its only saving grace, because any neat mechanic in the game is met on all ends by the boring and sometimes frustrating gameplay. »

« A mediocre actioner that's probably best ignored. For what it is, though, it's surprisingly good. If you're willing to give him some time and earn him some cool guns, this budget bounty-hunter has some fun to offer. »

« It's hard to recommend a game that's rough on the player. A fierce challenge is rarely turned away, but how can anyone – kids of all people – overcome the lack of a steady shooting mechanic? I honestly doubt that gamers of any age will be accepting of this flaw. »

« The graphics are definitely dated, and look more similar to an early PlayStation 2 game, but as it is a value title, one can look past some of these graphical flaws. »

« The key word here, of course, is "rough." »

« More than anything it's just that the characters don't have any pizzazz. They are dull and uninspired. »

« Unfathomably derivative. [Aug 2006, p.90] »

« To tell you the truth, I enjoyed this game when I was a little younger, and some friends did too. It's only when you become a little older and you read critics when you begin to notice the flaws in it. I played few R&C games, but maybe the similarities between both games annoys people. For what I think, this game lacks on the story most of all, and the characters. Ruff is an interesting character though, but badly developed in the game. The others are just fillers I believe, we don't know anyone's past. I can't remember the story at all, because it's nothing memorable, it's not shocking or dramatic, and I must say that the jokes look REALLY forced (that boss laugh saying "you crack me up" feels like they're saying "you must laugh now"). As for the gameplay, I find it too easy now. I remember finishing this game 9 times and then I stopped counting, but I'm pretty sure that by the 5th time, at the end of the game, I had something around 50 lives. This game doesn't always offer a challenge, unless you want to count the piglot minigames. In fact, you can defeat a boss with a single shot of a certain gun (and I'm not even joking or exaggerating). The fighting system is... well, Ruff's melee attacks are really good, the guns too (the Lightwave Gun is really great, however it doesn't take you too much to buy the weapons and armors). But I find it ridiculous how the werewolf is weaker than Ruff. I only use it for running faster and nothing else, because it takes too much time to use the genetic powers and even its melee attacks are weaker than Ruff's. I'm okay with the levels though. And now, to be fair, I think the best thing about this game is the soundtrack. In fact, I'm listening to it right now. I'd like to point at a certain song, the level where the fat piglot appears, and that made me realize what a great soundtrack this game has. I would've liked a more epic song for boss battles, and it would've been better if they didn't reuse songs from previous levels for the last ones, but I won't deny that, for me, the soundtrack saved the game. I think that if they started all over again with Ruff Trigger, it would be a really fun and interesting game to play. As for what it is right now, it can be somewhat interesting to play the first time; listen to the music like I'm doing right now, which I must repeat that's beautiful, collect some cool weapons and armors and meet cute piglots. But don't even think on playing it if you're looking for an amazing story. For my score, as I keep liking this game after all this time, I will give a positive. »