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Book 1: Prologue
Upon booting up the game, the first thing that happens is the game's title appearing with a resounding thrum.
Then comes the company logo. My recording software can't shut off the mouse no matter what settings I put it on, so it's coming along for the ride in this LP as well. I'll try and keep it out of the way.
Then, a loading screen. This takes a bit to get through, so let's talk about it. This initial load screen changes throughout the game to show the CG of the last level we've played! It's a neat touch, and now that I've mentioned it here I will never have to show it off.
Music: Title Ambiance
Once it's loaded, we hit the title screen. From here, our options are New Game, Continue, Options, and Quit. Given that we don't have anything done yet, the only thing we really need to choose is New Game.
Each of the main chapters of the game begins with a screen like this one. Canard means "an unfounded rumor or story," which may or may not be important.
Music: Canard 1 Ambiance
Unlike its prequel, Library of Ruina's scenes are all completely voiceacted in Korean. I'll be putting video versions of any scenes we see at the end of each update for those who want to give it a listen. Because it's voice acted and we'll be hearing her again in a few minutes, I'll be using her icon rather than playing it coy.
Even at the end of all this, I cannot be free… Am I not allowed to have a dream that is beyond my means…?
The scene changes after this. Each time that the scene changes to a new one, the game plays a distinctive page turning noise and a diagonal wipe effect to make it seem like turning the page in a book. It's a nice touch-Project Moon is very good at the little aesthetics.
Music: Entrance
It seems the Library has a visitor. Unlike in Lobotomy Corporation, there's no cognition filter to make everything look cartoonish.
Can’t believe this is how she handled it…
What the hell happened? What’s with all this smoke?
Sigh… Guess I’ll have to trust her…
The screen wipes to black here, and we hear a distinctive SNAP before the transition is fully completed. Get used to that sound, we'll be hearing a lot of it.
Our mysterious visitor is busted, it seems.
So don’t try to get wordy. Just answer my questions. You don’t get to question me, either. Where did you come from, how did you enter this place, and for what purpose?
Our mysterious man's title has been updated! This happens very rarely, and I'll try to point it out when I can. There's also a location listing in the upper-right if you hadn't noticed it yet.
Ugh, boy… I’m suddenly getting all nauseous…
Our new friend is not screwing around. This moment is accompanied by a very visceral sounding noise.
AHHHHHH!!! My leg!!!
I warned you, and you crossed the line. Let me ask you one more time. Where did you come from, how did you enter this place, and for what purpose?
…I was just walking around, and ended up here before I even realized it. I have no idea how I got here. Dammit, blood’s gushing outta my right leg… I swear I wasn’t trying to trespass, I don’t even know where this is.
HamHamPangPang is a real-life cafe run by the Project Moon staff. This is not the last time it will be mentioned in this game.
Anyway, I had bills to pay, got no jobs, had to make a living somehow as a one-man Offi—
ARGHHHHH!!!!!
You dragged on too long. I’ll be taking your left arm and left leg next. You have no purpose, and you don’t even know how you got here… Just who are you?
Just an ordinary Fixer who’s hit rock bottom. What the hell is this place? And who are you?
She did say no questions.
Grrhhhhrhghh!!! Come on, taking two limbs at once is cheating…
I’m the one asking questions. Your name?
Good. Welcome to the Library. We’ve yet to serve any guests, but then you suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It took me quite a bit of effort designing this Library to ensure that no uninvited guest could enter, you see.
…Dammit, these limbs were all I had… I don’t have any cash or mortgages to get new ones anymore…
SNAP
Music: Lobby
Oh hey, guess Roland's not dead yet! Get very used to this song, by the way. We'll be hearing it for a long time to come.
Gasp! Huff, huff… My legs! My arms!!
…Wait, they’re all intact again?
You should be able to swing your arms and walk again. And I made a few readjustments to your body to make it a bit easier to use. Although you did trespass on my Library, I also took your limbs away without your consent, so I’m giving you these as an apology.
Patient, my ass… Am I really supposed to be thankful for this?
And the, uhh… your warning isn’t in effect anymore, right?
Nope, not anymore. I had a few thoughts while you were knocked out. And here’s my conclusion: You’ll help me out here.
I heard rumors that they abduct test subjects from here and there for Singularity research. An acquaintance of mine apparently began jumping between dimensions as a side effect of one of those experiments…
Sigh… My life really is an unlucky mess.
This is a library. I don’t know the “Syndicates” you’re talking about, but this place isn’t a Wing at least.
Doesn’t really matter. Whatever the case, I’m trapped here and you’ll exploit me, right?
First, I need an analysis of how you could enter this place uninvited. Sending you back or neglecting you without knowing the reason could pose a significant threat to the Library.
Well, it’s not like you can leave without my permission anymore.
And I want you to help me with this process. Since you are a resident of the City, I expect you to be helpful in various ways.
…I knew this would happen to me someday. People would disappear without a trace, only to be found as chunks of flesh much later… I used to laugh at those poor folks for being careless and unlucky, but now I see it has nothing to do with carelessness or anything, huh. Just happens without a moment’s notice…
Don’t be too concerned about your life. You are not allowed to die here unless I permit you to.
Dammit, so this was a crazy laboratory sort of deal.
In his defense, this is probably a valid question.
This has got to be the worst… I’d much rather die and be over with it all…
If you spout such nonsense one more time, I’ll gladly turn you into a human popcorn machine as you so wish.
Sorry, ma’am…
What a pleasant smile. Here's our first CG-during these parts there are no faces, so I'll be using the icons I have to match the tone as best I'm able.
Ange…la… That’s a good name.
This is actually the end of the scene, and the next line is a completely new one. In my first recording, I definitely didn't let the game hang for about twenty seconds before realizing this.
Your role is to “welcome” the guests invited to the Library. I will carefully determine what guests to invite and write an invitation accordingly, and you will entertain the guests once they accept the invitation and arrive at the Library. Since you have actual experience working as a Fixer, I am sure you will be able to give the various types of guests a much better reception than I could.
I’m just a washed-up Grade 9 Fixer, though…
What’s this “reception” all about anyway? Do I catch their eyes, or be a waiter for them or something?
The Library presents the guests with an ordeal, and books will open up in the process. The guests who have overcome the ordeal will be deemed worthy to earn their books. There is the possibility that you may die in the process of reception, but it’s only temporary. You’ll get back up when the Library closes. No one here may rest without my permission.
That’s none of my business. I have prepared a manual for you, so go ahead and figure things out yourself.
Originally, the manual for the game would pop up here. That's since been broken up and moved throughout the early parts of the game. Project Moon's gotten… somewhat better about tutorials since their first game. Don't worry, there's still plenty of weird jank to get used to! :lobcorp:
I think I get the gist of it now. So, how does this invitation exactly work?
Open up the invitation, and register the books you wish to serve to your guests.
And next?
The invitation will be naturally sent to those who need the books.
That’s it? Sounds a bit too easy.
Yes, think of it as a compass. It would be easier to understand that way.
Ah~ A compass? As in the tool that tells directions?
That’s right. The invitations will guide me towards the one book that I truly wish to obtain. And sometimes, the invitation may turn red according to the books you’ve registered. A red invitation indicates that it can be sent to the special guests who will unravel the next part of the story. Until we register the books that match what the red invitation wants, our journey will be halted for a bit.
But there’s no guarantee that the guest will always respond to the invitation, right?
In fact, there is. They’re destined to come. And the guests will accept the invitation of their own will and enter the Library.
Most of the time, people’s lives are taken away by others without any consent or agreement.
Well, anyway, once we get those books, what comes next?
The Library is a place of limitless possibilities. Even I cannot fathom the infinite space and power of this library just yet. That’s why I wish to complete the Library by filling that space with books.
The perfect book, huh… I suppose those “books” are different from the ones I know.
And with that introduction, the game takes us to the introduction. I could not possibly do it justice in screenshot-and-text format, so without further ado:
VIDEO: Library of Ruina OP - String Theocracy (If you're going to only click one video in the entire LP, make it this one. Trust me.)
From now on the opening will automatically play each time we boot up the game, so I can confirm that it never gets old.
Once the opening is done, it's time to get to gameplay.
Music: Lobby
This is the Invitation screen, where we send out the invites that bring guests to the Library. As the tutorial says, we need to click on the ? to continue.
This brings up the episode select. Most later-game nodes have only one chapter, but if there are multiples they can be seen and selected here. For now, we only have one option.
This takes us to the book selection screen, where the game tells us what books to place into the invitation to trigger the episode. Eventually we'll be able to use up to 3 books at once to find opponents, but for right now we're stuck with only one.
Clicking on one of the book slots on the right side brings us to this menu, where we can see all the books we have so far. Again, we've got a very limited supply to choose from. Hopefully, that will change.
Once selected, the entire invitation turns red. We don't know who we'll be facing, so all that's left is to hit Send Invitation. When we do this…
All that's left is to stamp the invitation, and send it off to its destined recipient.
The invitation itself is written at the top. It's pretty standard stuff, we're just turning people who lose into books. No big deal.
Wait, what?!
Next time, on Library of Ruina
Always check the organs before harvesting them.
Videos
Canard 1
Canard 2
Canard 3