Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier's 2017 book Blood, Sweat, and Pixels opens talking about how it's a miracle that any video game manages to get made, and this is a sentiment echoed by Cuddle Monster Games founder Hannes Rahm. "Making any game is hard," Rahm said, and he primarily worked alone on his latest release, Lone Ruin. As CEO of Cuddle Monster, Rahm was the programmer, designer, and artist on this indie game; his brother Alfred is responsible for sound design and music.

Solo work can be rewarding. The Swedish action-roguelike is dripping with the kind of visual aesthetics, soundscape, and general "juiciness" that Hannes loves from prior work and myriad inspirations. However, that vision doesn't always land with audiences. Lone Ruin has a "Mixed" reception on Steam as of this writing, with nearly 100 reviews that offer a lot of "fair criticism." Game Rant spoke to Hannes about how Lone Ruin came to be, and what kind of post-launch changes are being considered.

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The House that Built Lone Ruin

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Lone Ruin is not Cuddle Monster Games' first venture. The studio's commercial debut was Hell is Other Demons, a 2D bullet-hell shooter with a focus on arcade action released for PC and Switch in 2019 with the help of Kongregate (which advertised it as a part of the Kartridge storefront). Hannes worked alone on design, but had music created by Remi "The Algorithm" Gallego and sound design by VVVVVV composer Magnus Palsson.

This latest project began about two years ago as a one-week challenge set by Hannes when he was itching to create something before a planned vacation. The limited time commitment led Hannes down the path of a twin-stick shooter, a fresh perspective given his usual leaning toward platformers. Originally titled "Robes," this experiment took inspiration from "gems" like Vlambeer's Nuclear Throne, Devolver Digital-published Downwell, and a327ex's SNKRX.

Outside observers may also draw comparisons to Hades, which Hannes said is "hard to escape" - especially following the announcement of Hades 2 at The Game Awards 2022. While Lone Ruin's "pick your exit" map design does pull from Hades, he also said he'd be surprised if visual inspiration did not seep in given his admiration of Supergiant Games art director Jen Zee. However, Heart Machine's Hyper Light Drifter was a more concrete inspiration, as its use of strong colors "left a huge mark" on Hannes.

"Cyans, pinks, and purples are definitely recurring colors in my work. They usually stand out in a crowd of desaturated thumbnails. I generally want my games to lift you up, rather than bring you down."

In terms of music, Hannes and Alfred "didn't want to do any of the regular orchestral fantasy stuff." Instead, they began with a Neuropunk/Neurofunk sound inspired by artists like Gydra and Magnetude that Alfred "morphed" into something which fit "like a glove." Working with his brother has been one of Hannes' favorite things about Lone Ruin. "Being his first game soundtrack and in a genre he's not worked a lot in before, I'm amazed how smooth the process and how good the outcome was."

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What's Next for Lone Ruin, Cuddle Monster Games

cuddle monster hannes rahm interview january 2023

It has been "a roller coaster" of emotions since launching Lone Ruin on January 12, according to Hannes. While he feels a lot of love on social media like Twitter and Discord, criticisms on Steam have also driven quick changes.

"I care a lot about how the players feel, and seeing unsatisfied players breaks my heart."

Hannes said Lone Ruin was designed with short play sessions in mind, including no meta-progression. "Your first run has the same potential as your last, and no content is locked away behind some grindable in-game currency." He points to 2022's break-out indie hit Vampire Survivors as an antithesis to his design philosophy, but recognizes that without the same tangible rewards, it can make a game feel too short. This is the main feedback Hannes has received.

Some ideas to encourage replayability are being toyed with, such as adding a checklist for which starting spells were used to reach the center of the ruins or a difficulty-boosting system akin to Slay the Spire's Ascension or Hades' Heat. Hannes is also hopeful cut ideas can arrive in future patches, from extra perks to rerolling shop items, and even a "blood orbs" spell that was so powerful it cost health to use.

Prototyping is also being done for Hannes and Alfred's next project, though it's too early to say what this might be. All Hannes knows is it will take lessons from Hell is Other Demons and Lone Ruin into account. One of the biggest lessons he imparts is that "post-release blues is real" regardless of how successful a project turns out. "Having next steps planned can really help keep your spirits up."

Lone Ruin is available now on PC and Switch.

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