Rubinite endings: how many, and how to get the true ending
Rubinite has two endings — and the first one is designed to fool you. If you just beat Alcina and watched the credits, you have not finished the game. Here is the exact structure and what triggers each ending.
The two endings
| Ending | When it plays | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Fake ending (illusion) | After defeating Alcina, the Witch in the Illusionary Realm — a full credits roll plays | Maybe the End |
| True ending | After defeating real Alcina at the end of the Real World | Kingdom Reclaimed |
Step by step to the true ending
- Clear the Illusionary Realm. Fight the 10 illusion bosses in order (the four-way branch after Faye can be done in any order) and beat Alcina, the Witch in the Throne Hall.
- Watch the credits. They are not real. The game hands you the Maybe the End achievement for returning to the main menu here — a deliberate wink.
- Re-enter the same save file. This is the trigger. It starts the White Space sequence and then wakes Ruby up in the real world (Escape the Illusion).
- Play the Real World. Rules change: one hit kills Ruby, potions are gone, boss healthbars are hidden, and health upgrades are replaced by Mastery (damage).
- Beat the four exclusive bosses — The Tree?, The Puppet Master, Shadow Ruby, and the real version of Alcina — plus repeat fights against the illusion roster.
- Defeat real Alcina. That is the true ending (Kingdom Reclaimed). The save then rolls back to before the final level, and Recall Battle plus the Gallery unlock.
What changes in the Real World
The second half is the same game with the safety net removed. Worth knowing before you walk in:
- Any attack kills Ruby. Fire damage is the exception — it takes five ticks, so fire is survivable, but only just.
- Healing potions and the healthbar are gone, so health-related talismans become dead weight.
- Boss healthbars are hidden. Against the Ghost you also lose sight of what soldier corpses it has available.
- Chests stop giving Damaged Talismans and start giving pigments for recolouring Ruby. Turquoise is sold by Wichiwi for 9,999 Blood Dust.
- Memories and their puzzles are sped up or skipped so you do not repeat the first half's content.
True Difficulty explained
"True Difficulty" is not a menu setting — it is the Real World ruleset itself, and the achievement True Difficulty unlocks the first time you kill any boss under it. If you are looking for a harder mode after the true ending, Recall Battle is it: every boss can be re-fought in either the Illusion variant (healthbar and flasks) or the Real variant (one hit), with leaderboard ranks based on clear time and damage taken.
Frequently asked
How many endings are there?
Two: the fake credits ending after illusion Alcina, and the true ending after real Alcina.
How do I get the true ending?
Beat illusion Alcina, watch the credits, then re-enter the same save. That triggers White Space and the Real World; the true ending is after real Alcina.
Can I miss the true ending?
No. Re-entering the save always continues the story — the fake credits are a narrative trick, not a fail state.
Is there a harder mode?
Recall Battle lets you refight any boss under Real World rules (one hit) and ranks you on the leaderboards.