Gemini Rue: Verschworung auf Barracus

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 222 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 182 out of 222
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 222
  3. Negative: 10 out of 222

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  1. lutteres
    Mar 8, 2014
    6
    Gemini Rue is a 2011, point and click adventure, from the same company that brought us the critically acclaim Blackwell Series. I played those games, and although I didn’t thought much about them, I did enjoy them, specially the two most recent ones. So when I saw this game in a steam sale, I decided to give it a go, since it’s a fairly recent installment from Widjet Eye Game’s, but myGemini Rue is a 2011, point and click adventure, from the same company that brought us the critically acclaim Blackwell Series. I played those games, and although I didn’t thought much about them, I did enjoy them, specially the two most recent ones. So when I saw this game in a steam sale, I decided to give it a go, since it’s a fairly recent installment from Widjet Eye Game’s, but my experience with it was mixed.

    As I was playing this game, I was shocked to witness a pixilated sprite work, worthy of an early 90’s game that made interaction with objects a frustrating exercise in pixel hunting. Let’s just say that if you compare Gemini Rue’s visuals with Blackwell Convergence (released back in 2009), the difference is quite substantial.

    In 2011, i really can't understand this design choice, some people might call this old school or retro. I however, call this a silly gimmick that only adds unnecessary frustration to what should be a fluid gameplay experience.

    But my gripes with the game don’t end here, there is also the matter of the game’s lack of polish, like rendering glitches, graphic artifacts, menus that only open when they decide, clunky controls, horrid item interface, bad animations, trial and error puzzle solving, and general low production values, that make this game a chore to play at times.

    However, Gemini Rue does a few things right, that somewhat save it from being terrible:
    The very engrossing, and somewhat mind bending, story that makes you reflect about the meaning of human condition, the amateurish but still very well done voice acting, the fantastic soundtrack and the general art work all add in turning, what otherwise would be a mediocre game, in to something more bearable.

    In conclusion: My experience with this game was very mixed, in one hand I hated the visuals and the frustrating gameplay, and in the other, I really enjoyed the story, so in the end I can only recommend this one to a diehard point and click adventure fan.    … Expand
  2. cidgrad01
    Jan 6, 2014
    5
    I’m a bit biased since I don’t like adventure games. The stories are often juvenile, puzzle solutions defy logic and the games themselves don’t have much adventure. The best I can do is say that Gemini Rue isn’t terrible but too many people here are going way overboard on their praise of this game.

    The main reason to play adventure games (I think) is for the story. GR’s is a cut above    I’m a bit biased since I don’t like adventure games. The stories are often juvenile, puzzle solutions defy logic and the games themselves don’t have much adventure. The best I can do is say that Gemini Rue isn’t terrible but too many people here are going way overboard on their praise of this game.

    The main reason to play adventure games (I think) is for the story. GR’s is a cut above most of what you’ll find in the adventure genre but it’s still not what I’d call “good”. It’s simply okay. Nothing particularly memorable, though there are at least a few twists thrown in.

    Likewise, I loathe navigating through the UIs in these games because they often turn simple tasks into complex ones because of poor design. GR has several moments like this, too, where you’ll know what has to be done but have to figure out the exact way the game prefers you do it.

    I will give it some points for puzzles at least having rational solutions instead of falling into the trap of “adventure game logic”. When you have to reach a ledge, for example, you’ll pull over a crate to stand on instead of throwing a rubber chicken at a cat who will get a dog to chase it who will knock over a vase which will startle a mule into kicking you up to the ledge. Again, though, it’s so annoying to have to point and click around to figure out the exact right combination of menu instructions to get up on the crate & climb up to the ledge. I’d much rather have a jump or climb button and be playing a different game.

    The gunfight minigame is a nice diversion from all the pointing and clicking but is inferior to any action game. It was a fun challenge, at least, to get the Steam achievement for not getting hit once during them.

    The graphics are retro, which means they are not so great and are around mid-1990s standards. Considering this, they at least do a good job of conveying the “dirty future” atmosphere the game is going for and set an appropriate mood.

    So if you like adventure games, I’d say you will enjoy GR. If you aren’t crazy about the genre, though, you won’t find anything here to change your mind.    … Expand
  3. Metathronxyz
    Mar 9, 2021
    5
    PROS: A lovely, but gloomy planetary setting, fairly intriguing story, good voice acting from the main character and a couple others.

    CONS: Plenty of walking back and forth, riding elevators many dozens of times, a clunky interface, some visual glitches, dull "prison" setting.

    When I first played it many years ago, I gave this a 9, but now a 5 is a more realistic, if somewhat harsh, rating.
  4. hlavko
    Dec 11, 2013
    7
    What to say about Gemini Rue… after Black Mirror saga I wanted to fall in another awesome story. When I read some very positive reviews on Gemini Rue it was clearly that this adventure will be great, so I bought it and started to play. After all I do not regret this decision. Old school graphics with sci-fi atmosphere like in the Blade Runner. Mysterious story which is absolutelyWhat to say about Gemini Rue… after Black Mirror saga I wanted to fall in another awesome story. When I read some very positive reviews on Gemini Rue it was clearly that this adventure will be great, so I bought it and started to play. After all I do not regret this decision. Old school graphics with sci-fi atmosphere like in the Blade Runner. Mysterious story which is absolutely intertwined and surprising. Yes, it is common point-and-click adventure but for me this is not a problem.… Expand
  5. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    5
    2D point-and-click noir adventure game about the nature of man. I can't say much else about the game without spoilers, but it is a dark and gritty space tale that jumps between two characters. Definitely worth checking out If you enjoy older adventure games like King's Quest & Monkey Island.
  6. hfffoman
    Jun 29, 2012
    5
    The graphics are very very pixellated. I simply don't understand why a modern game didn't use better quality rendering. I also don't understand why everyone has voted against Dantheman's review. His comments are spot on and the recommendation to check out the demo is essential advice to all prospective purchasers
  7. GolovA
    May 8, 2017
    7
    Solid Adventure.

    Somewhat simplistic in puzzles and at times extremely annoying in their implementation. Here's an example: :[SPOILER FOLLOWS - Example taken from actual game]: You click on glass door. Door is closed. You punch it. No, says the game. Can't do it. You use a stick on the glass door. Excellent! Now there is a hole in the glass door, but the stick is stock in it    Solid Adventure.

    Somewhat simplistic in puzzles and at times extremely annoying in their implementation. Here's an example:

    :[SPOILER FOLLOWS - Example taken from actual game]:
    You click on glass door. Door is closed. You punch it. No, says the game. Can't do it. You use a stick on the glass door. Excellent! Now there is a hole in the glass door, but the stick is stock in it (I know - what?). You use the stick and pull it out. Now you use the hole in the glass, reach through it and unlock the door. You click on the handle and FINALLY (oh, thank the Adventure Gods!) the door opens.
    This could all be accomplished by figuring out that the stick should be used on the glass, and i thought we were passed that stage in Adventure Game Design where artificial time stretch was necessary to such a barbaric extent.

    Nonetheless, even though Gemini Rue uses these heavy handed gimmicky mechanics throughout its entirety, they do not go very often to such extremities as described in the above example.

    Story wise - nothing new, still pleasant. Good sci-fi, post revolution, semi-dystopic, pseudo-freudian, penopticon of a setting, which creates a good atmosphere throughout. Good mechanic of playing for two characters, which in this game works very well dues to a good cohesive glue of the main story.

    Overall - Solid Adventure. Enjoyed. Recommend.    … Expand
  8. JimCorbett
    May 12, 2014
    6
    Gemini Rue is a Point and Click adventure game that has a great story but rather dull gameplay. Most of the time you'll be walking back and forth from area to area with a few puzzles and pixel hunting episodes. Both of which i found to be quite boring. For some reason, they also added in combat which is beyond boring. The game also suffers from numerous technical issues such as the gameGemini Rue is a Point and Click adventure game that has a great story but rather dull gameplay. Most of the time you'll be walking back and forth from area to area with a few puzzles and pixel hunting episodes. Both of which i found to be quite boring. For some reason, they also added in combat which is beyond boring. The game also suffers from numerous technical issues such as the game skipping through all dialogue for no reason, or the screen turning black upon loading a save game. Both of which are quite frustrating. However, the game as a fantastic story and was well worth playing through just for that reason alone. It takes a while to pick up, but once you get near the end you'll be wanting to find out what happens next. Recommended for point and click fans as well as those looking for a good story.… Expand
  9. Qarren
    Feb 19, 2021
    5
    You ever notice how the hardest puzzles in Adventure Games are the very first few? You know. When you don't understand the extent of it, haven't mapped out all the interactables yet, and most notably, you still haven't worked out where it sits on the scale of 1-10 of adventure game leaps of logic. Where 1 is a game that makes perfect sense and all the solutions come naturally, and 10 isYou ever notice how the hardest puzzles in Adventure Games are the very first few? You know. When you don't understand the extent of it, haven't mapped out all the interactables yet, and most notably, you still haven't worked out where it sits on the scale of 1-10 of adventure game leaps of logic. Where 1 is a game that makes perfect sense and all the solutions come naturally, and 10 is when you have to use that random piece of gum to stick the 2 halves of the moon back together. I'd say Gemini Rue is about a 4. The solutions aren't ever the first ones that come to mind, but they make sense for the learning impaired kid who was always just a few steps behind the rest of the class. This game is a Timmy.
    I'mma start with the visual because this'll be a controversial statement. This game looks like the result of a 2 Girls 1 Cup incident. I've had rectal exams that were prettier than this and I always forget that you're not supposed to eat before those and have my usual breakfast of baked-beans and All-Bran. Pixel Art is a fine line which is ironic because the style itself usually prevents fine lines. I totally understand that pixel art can be used to convey the imagery on a budget and without going all Harry Potter PS1 Hagrid; where you try to add too much detail with too little time or money. Nonetheless, the fact is, unless properly stylized pixel art looks bad. This is one of those times.
    You'd be led to believe that this is one of the times it is stylized properly considering how much the game's marketing goes on about a dark film-noir atmosphere. This is incorrect. Film noir isn't simply any film with less lighting. The key aesthetic feature of film-noir is that it is specifically very high contrast lighting, meaning the shadows are very defined as well as dark. And this can be achieved with varying amounts of light. Another misassumption is that film-noir means little-to-no use of colour, considering the movement started during black and white film which accentuated the high contrast lighting. Looking at modern and neo-noir films shows that filmmakers know this, and use colour as splendidly as any other genre. Just look at Blade Runner. This is all to say that, while the game may be noir in theme, it is not in style. The result is simply a game with dark but low contrast lighting, desaturated colours, and very unclear pixel art; the opposite of stylization. It looks bad.
    The story is indeed noir though. It explores a darker aspect of humanity or society, maintains a good level of mystery and discovery throughout, and appropriately imposes consequences on subject and action. This is good, and very noir. The dialogue can often be awkward, and clichés abound. The ending also isn't overly satisfying, but if clean resolutions are what you're looking for then noir is the genre you should ask the receipt for if given to you as a gift. You might instead be looking for The Brady Bunch, or the Teletubbies. Overall, the story is likely this game's finest feature.
    I already stated where Gemini Rue lies on the spectrum of point-n-click adventure logic. An example to explain why. Azriel is holding a plug which he needs to insert on a platform just above him. There is a hole in the floor of the platform. It's too high for him to throw the plug through, but there is a box to stand on nearby. Easy, right? Move the box under the hole, stand on it and throw the plug again. Lol no. He gets on the box and tosses that plug with all his might, and it falls over flaccid; disappointing everyone involved. It did not go any higher than when he threw it from the ground. Apparently boxes sap his strength until his best effort comes up short and floppy. Actually this is starting to make sense; and its relatable. Well played Gemini Rue, well played. I won't state the solution for spoiler's sake, but let's just say I'm starting to see a strange fascination with danglers here. The solution made sense too, but why it was needed in the first place was poorly presented. Many other puzzles have this same process. Not illogical, but hardly pragmatic. 4.
    Other gameplay includes combat which is easily won by waiting and shooting wildly as soon as the enemies stick their soon-to-be-featureless faces out of cover. The only remaining gameplay variant is 2 ventilation puzzle-book type puzzles. The first of which was my personal hell of blunt forcing your way through a puzzle, and the second which basically solved itself. Don't ask me for my analysis of what happened here. I don't know.
    So now I've played Gemini Rue, which is strange because I thought Geminis never regretted anything. If you want my unprofessional opinion then yes, you absolutely should check out that thing with your doctor. As for the game, there are P&C Adventures that do everything better, but nothing here is truly awful. It's a good stake for those who love the genre. Otherwise, maybe look into some others first.
    Oh, now I get it. I do Rue the time I dated a Gemini.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best PC Game of 2011
83
#83 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
69
#69 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. RPG Fan
    May 11, 2012
    84
    For better and worse, Gemini Rue might best be described as a "neat little game." For whatever reason, the game feels short of its potential, and every facet seems sullied by flaws both minor and moderate. Still, the cyberpunk tone, engaging story, and varied gameplay make more of an impression than those flaws.
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  2. Game Over Online
    Jan 9, 2012
    82
    Overall, Gemini Rue is a solid effort. The story is excellent, the puzzles are good enough, and while the graphics aren't anything to write home about, they score high marks in nostalgia, and they do a reasonable job in setting the mood.
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  3. Multiplayer.it
    Nov 16, 2011
    88
    With its charming atmosphere and its great storytelling, there is no doubt that Gemini Rue is one of the most elegant point-and-click adventures of the year, probably the flagship in the Wadjeteye Games' portfolio and one of the best games made with Adventure Game Studio.
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