Normal and Survival Mode Differences in Lone Ruin

Roguelikes, as a genre, have evolved to include all kinds of ideas and permutations. The core tenet is progress and perseverance, but that can be adopted into a variety of different frameworks. Case in point, Lone Ruin features both a normal progression mode and a separate survival mode. Here are the normal and survival mode differences in Lone Ruin.

Normal and Survival Mode Differences in Lone Ruin

Lone Ruin features two gameplay modes, which you select from the game’s title screen. While the general control scheme and moment-to-moment gameplay are identical between these two modes, the overall goal and progression are different.

Related: How to Unlock Toastie in Vampire Survivors

In the normal game mode, your goal is to fight your way to the bottom of the city to clear a run. There are 21 levels to go through with a boss on every seventh level, and the rewards you get, including upgrades, spells, and blessings, are forecasted to you on each level’s exit door. When you enter a level, the indicator on the top-right tells you how many waves of enemies will come at you until the room is clear and you receive your reward. It’s a similar framework to Hades if you need a comparison.

Survival Mode

Survival Mode, on the other hand, works a little more like Vampire Survivors (appropriately enough). At the start of survival mode, you’re dropped into a single large room with no exits and are given a randomly-drawn selection of three spells to choose from. You can only take one, and after you pick, a timer will appear in the top-right. As the timer ticks down, stronger enemies will gradually begin to appear, and in greater numbers. If you can survive until the timer ends, you win.

At the top of the screen is an experience bar, which fills up as you collect dropped items from the enemies you defeat. Coins are only worth one point, but health pickups are worth several. When the bar fills up all the way, you’ll get another randomly-drawn selection of new spells, upgrades for your current spells, and blessings. You may also get the option for a big heal. Leveling up like this is the only way to get more items, so you have to choose carefully.

As an aside, the difficulty slider on the main menu affects both normal and survival modes, and the difficulty you play on determines which leaderboard your run is placed on. Lower difficulties start you with more health and make enemies weaker and slower, while higher difficulties start you with less health and make your enemies stronger.

For more exploits in the realm of roguelike survival, check out our guides on how to enable Twitch mode in Vampire Survivors, as well as a full item evolution chart for that game. Visit our Facebook page as well for more guides and info.