Colossal Ruin

 

Colossal Ruin
First appearance	Deluded Depths
Series	Alice: Madness Returns
Statistics
Melee attack	Grab, Flamethrower
Ranged attack	Doll Head Cannon, Bombardment
Image gallery (2)

The Colossal Ruin is a Ruin subspecies and the largest Ruin enemy with strong defenses and lethal attacks. It primarily attacks with fiery projectiles and attempts to grab Alice Liddell with its doll-arm mandibles. Upon taking significant damage, it reveals nozzles in its "mouth" and breathes massive gouts of fire. It has multiple doll heads throughout its body, and will die when all of the doll heads have been destroyed.

History

Alice: Madness Returns

The first Colossal Ruin is encountered near the end of the Deluded Depths, guarding a back entrance to the Dreary Lane Theatre. After weakening the monstrosity enough, the sound of the Infernal Train approaching makes it retreat back in to the ground. This caused the blockade of Ruin preventing access to the Threatre to vitrify, allowing Alice to destroy it easily.

After obtaining the Teapot Cannon, another Colossal Ruin materialized from the ground and attacked Alice, where it uses its flamethrower ability for the first time. Utilizing the new weapon, she dealt significant damage with its body heads to defeat it. The Ruin wall that was blocking her way dried out and became brittle, enabling her to use the Cannon to destroy it. Another Colossal Ruin is encountered not long after this one.

In the Oriental Grove, one Colossal Ruin is encountered in the Oriental Frog's arena together with a few Samurai Wasps and Ink Wasps. They must be defeated in order to awaken the Frog.

Colossal Ruins are never fought again until the very last one encountered in the Dollhouse, shortly after Alice leaves the underground. This one proves to be one of the toughest ones of all as it is accompanied by a constant spawn of Slithering Ruin.

Appearance

The Colossal Ruin is made up of Ruin, machinery, and doll heads and arms. Its huge doll head is located behind its machinery and will appear once the Ruin will use its flamethrower attack, while smaller doll heads appear around its body. Four doll arms act as its feet, and another four doll arms are around its mouth.

Attacks

The Colossal Ruin has a variety of attacks which are displayed depending on the current state of the enemy.

• Bombardment – The Colossal Ruin spews out a clump of fiery doll heads that fall over an area around it. It does not cover much range, so staying back is the best defense.
• Doll Head Cannon – The Colossal Ruin spews a single doll head that explodes on impact or after a given time. This tends to be used two or three times in a row. Simple dodges can evade the projectiles, but care must be taken to clear their blast range or potential rebound trajectories.
• Flamethrower – This attack is only seen when the Colossal Ruin's body heads are destroyed. The top part of the ruin releases three pipes and a large doll head above them. It then leans forward and spits out a wave of flames some distance in front of itself while slowly moving towards Alice. The duration of the attack is for several seconds, but Alice can cut it short by damaging the doll head with her ranged weapons.
• Grabbing – The Colossal Ruin lumbers towards Alice, head lowered and doll-arm mandibles grasping for her head. If it catches her, it briefly swallows Alice and spits her out, inflicting heavy damage. The hands near its mouth will close in five times before it gives up.

Tactics

Using the Pepper Grinder from long range to attack the small heads can help kill it faster. At sufficient range, Alice should be in no danger of its bombardment attacks and able to easily dodge its conventional projectile. If it hunches over and advances, run away (using dodges as necessary), or use the umbrella shield until it gives up (indicated by a distinct gurgling noise). Even more useful, shrinking makes you invulnerable to the advance and grab move.

When it gets tired after the "flamethrower" attack, using the Hobby Horse or Vorpal Blade can kill it easier than a Pepper Grinder or Teapot Cannon, as it misses sometimes and takes time to charge up. Using the Hobby Horse and Vorpal Blade combo will help.

Some of the fights include obstacles. Alice can use that to her advantage when the Colossal Ruin attacks her in close range. Another good thing is that some obstacles in the fight include places in which Alice can shoot through with the Pepper Grinder.

If the Colossal Ruin has backup from lesser foes, it is often effective to deal with the latter first. Either distract them with Clockwork Bombs (especially handy with the infinitely-respawning Slithering Ruin) or lure them away from the main enemy and take them down as normal; but always watch for the Colossal Ruin's attacks while beating its backup.

Alice Madness Returns - Fastest Colossal Ruin kill

Alice quickly killing a Colossal Ruin.

The easiest way to kill it while it uses its flamethrower attack is to shoot the Teapot Cannon at its head before it begins the attack. This stops the ruin from attacking with the flamethrower, causing it to collapse with its final doll head exposed. In this state, it can easily be attacked by the Hobby Horse, Pepper Grinder, and Vorpal Blade.