Ru Lin Wai Shi Fan Jin

Ru Lin Wai Shi Fan Jin

Released May 2024

Fan Jin, who has failed in the exam for decades, has only one way to change his life - to pass the exam and become a successful candidate.

94% positive · 146 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence

Where to buy

Steam $5.99
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Evaluation

Ru Lin Wai Shi Fan Jin launched on May 14, 2024 as a complete story-based adventure game. In the weeks following launch, the developer shipped a series of updates: a patch on May 16, 2024 added sedan bearer fast travel and difficulty tweaks; a patch on May 26, 2024 added online leaderboards; a major "Homecoming Mode" update on May 29, 2024 added post-game content including four mini-games, new NPC dialogue, and an imperial examination audio game; a patch on June 3, 2024 added more images and a convenience fast-travel point; and the final logged update on June 20, 2024 added another mini-game and a new task to Homecoming Mode. That June 20, 2024 post is the last developer communication on record. Before launch, the developer stated that post-release updates would be free — but all of the promised additions (free mode, continued optimization, new content) appear to have been delivered through the Homecoming Mode and subsequent patches. There have been no developer posts since June 20, 2024, no unreleased DLC listed on the store, and no outstanding content commitments referenced in any post after that date. The one DLC listed (the official soundtrack) was released on launch day. The game shipped as a short, self-contained narrative experience (~4–5 hours), and the post-launch update burst that followed appears to represent the complete scope of planned additions. The developer has not announced any further content.
Evidence
Update 1.04 adds another mini-game and a new task to Homecoming Mode. This is the last developer communication on record.
news post · Jun 20, 2024 source content shipped
high
Major 'Homecoming Mode' added post-game content including four mini-games, new NPC dialogue, and an imperial examination audio game — the primary post-launch content addition.
news post · May 29, 2024 source content shipped
high

Content

1 of 1 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Publisher
小矩工作室
Achievements
21
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player

About this game

Game Story

Adapted from the third to seventh chapters of the ancient Chinese chapter novel "[/b] Scholars[/b]", the original work by Wu Jingzi.
In the mid-Ming Dynasty, [/b]Fan Jin[/b], a Tongsheng in Guangdong, took the imperial examination from the age of 20 to the age of 54. He took the exam 20 times, but still failed once.
He is the laughing stock among neighbors and villagers, living in a simple thatched house outside the town. The only old mother in the family, a wife, and Fan Jin struggled to survive. His father-in-law, Hu Tuhu, often abused and scolded him, and his life was tortured.
Despite being ridiculed by others, Fan Jin still studies hard and fights at night with the lights on. Although he is often dizzy from hunger, he still does not lower his ambition.
Soon the 21st imperial examination will begin, what will be the fate of Fan Jin this time?

Game introduction

This is a story-based adventure game. Players will play Fan Jin and experience the bitterness of the imperial examination life in the middle of the Ming Dynasty.
In the game, Fan Jin will go through several important stages in his life: a poor scholar preparing for exams, Fan Xianggong, who accidentally won a scholar, or a master who has made a fortune, and later became an official in the court and held power. Everyone's attitude towards you will also change as you advance step by step.
In different chapters, players need to complete a series of tasks before they can continue to advance the game: find money and food for the next meal at home, find suitable four treasures of study for the imperial examination, and serve as patrons of powerful squires from time to time, and then share the worries of the Ming court solve problems.
Changing your destiny is not your only goal. Follow Fan Jin, we will see through the hypocritical nature of the imperial examinations, find out the process and reason of the corruption of human nature, and protect the goodness and sincerity in the world.

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Main features:
  • Become Fan Jin, change fate against the heavens
  • Re narrative game experience, restoring classic novel segments
  • Exquisite pixels, realistic antique style, perfect fusion of music and visuals
  • The duration is about 4~5 hours, relaxed and enjoyable
Last evaluated Jun 21, 2026
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