Rubinite is a fantastic first foray into the games industry from Cup Dog Games’s collaboration with GameWorks Ventures. Its gorgeous pixel style and adorably detailed animations belie a gruesome, challenging boss rush that tells a compelling story throughout the breaks in its action. Players control Ruby, the sole survivor of the Scarlet royal line after its massacre at the hands of the Witch. She is joined by Roy and Wichiwi, who aid her on the quest to reclaim the Scarlet Kingdom. Players will battle a variety of monstrosities embedded with blood crystals, which Ruby is uniquely equipped to destroy thanks to her magic eyes. 
Every fight in the game is a boss battle, and aside from regular attacks and dodges, players can make use of Focus, Rubinite’s unique mechanic. By holding the respective button down and pointing the right stick towards the enemy, a bar will start to fill up. Once it does, a mark will appear on them. An enemy can have a maximum of three marks on them, and Ruby can unleash a critical strike, consuming the marks and dealing increasing damage based on the number of marks. The caveat is that Ruby cannot move while Focusing, and taking any damage will remove the marks. However, dodging an enemy’s attack at the perfect time while Focusing will also build up a mark.
Ruby’s abilities can be adjusted by equipping different talismans. These can have a variety of effects ranging from increasing damage, movement, or Focus speed, to leaving a trail of flames after a successful critical strike or ways to replenish healing potions. These talismans can be obtained from Wichiwi during the sections between boss battles. During these parts, the player will be able to explore the church that Ruby, Roy, and Wichiwi are holed up at as new passageways open up after every fight. These new rooms often contain new items to expand Wichiwi’s talisman stock, as well as memories of events that have taken place in the church before the start of the game. These memories shed some light on the world’s history while hinting at the reason behind its current state of affairs.
The non-combat sections end with a chat by the campfire between Ruby, Roy, and Wichiwi. These are generally about their current situation, and the three are animated so vividly it does wonders for their characterisation. The conversations themselves also help as there are snippets of personality and backstory sprinkled in the lines of dialogue. Whilst the overall plot is decent, it is the attention to detail in the animations, and the interactions between the three that stand out in terms of characterisation. Ruby in particular is given lots of care in terms of small details as she slowly sips on soup or victoriously pulls out another marshmallow to toast. These made her very endearing. On the other hand, her executions of the bosses were always ruthless and the dichotomy between her brutality and her cuteness was always exciting to behold.
The bosses themselves ranged from good to great. They all felt mostly unique from each other and none of them were unenjoyable to fight. Some of the bosses were leaning a little far on the easy side but the difficulty in the later stages of the game made up for it, with the final boss being a highlight of the roster. The bosses demand quick reactions and precise timing from the player but never in a way that feels unfair. The attacks are all well telegraphed and Ruby’s flawless controls are more than enough to dance around them.
Rubinite is a phenomenal game I recommend to anyone interested in good combat. Its Focus mechanic, great characterisation, and well-designed bosses combine to create a wonderfully sweet and short experience that is well worth the price. Cup Dog Games a studio worth keeping an eye on and I will be looking out for their next project.
Rubinite
Publisher: Cup Dog Games
Developer: Cup Dog Games, GameWorks Ventures
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Release Date: 23 July 2026
Genres: Boss-Rush, Action-RPG
PEGI: N/A
