Thank you to the Developer and Publisher Act Normal Games for creating a rare piece of entertainment that I am still thinking about days after completion.

Rauniot(pronounced somewhat like Rawl Knee Knot) which simply means rubble is an isometric post apocalyptic point and click(P/C) game set in Northern Finland. While the game will not convert players into P/C fans, it provides a masterwork in story telling and direction that is not to be missed and one of the best of 2024.

In the game you play as Aino where we are introduced to her driving her Mad Max looking vehicle discussing her mission with someone from “The community”on a CB. Simply, she is to catch up to her partner Tavio who has been in search of a nuclear powered train and is missing. The adventure begins at an abandoned gas station and it doesn't take long to be immersed in this world. The game is not very long, maybe 4-5 hrs depending on your puzzle solving skills. However, each interaction with the few survivors is tense and beautifully showcased in side by side portraits. Each look of the characters, the environments and some graphic imagery is well done. But it is the story which is more realistic than most and done with great Finnish dialect that raises it to another level. There are two possible endings which can leave some questions unanswered and there are also some other situations you would not even convey unless you look at the achievements. Avoid those until AFTER your first play through as they include MAJOR spoilers.

As a P/C game, Aino is simply controlled by clicking on the screen and interacting with objects to use or solve problems. Your map will keep track of notes, characters, locations and will be used as fast travel. While fast travel is a Godsend as you will be bouncing around for clues, there is no hint system or highlight objects in the area tab which is sorely needed. The game is not littered with a thousand items luckily but you can easily miss one, two or three you need for progression. The actual puzzles involve more observation and are pretty easy but the last 1/3 are really confusing and why P/C games are not one of my favorite genres.

The look of Rauniot is absolutely gorgeous with a dusty brown, green and yellow tint that cascades across the land with beautiful lighting which adds a touch to realism in every scene. Locations vary from a gas station, abandoned homes, bunkers and train stations all which include small environmental details that tells its own story.

While Rauniot is a P/C game for entertainment the team behind the game definitely has a bigger vision. The art direction, the writing and voice acting makes it feel like an indie movie at times. It made me think of the movie The Road which also encapsulates a more realistic version of a post apocalyptic world in which there are no heroes or villains, just animals trying to survive.

Even if you do not like P/C games, I highly recommend just playing the game for the story using a guide if you like dark post-apocalyptic stories.