Dungeon crawler roguelike with a twist
Into the Restless Ruins is a premium action game for PC developed by Ant Workshop Ltd. It's a 2D roguelike dungeon crawler adventure featuring deckbuilding gameplay mechanics. In it, players will delve into an ancient ruin to search for a mysterious entity that will grant their wishes.
Like Balatro or Slay The Spire, Into the Restless Ruins features tactical card-based combat that lets players strategize and plan their moves during battle. What sets it apart is a unique mechanic that has them design the dungeon layouts themselves and a vast, open world to explore in the early game.
Fulfill your wishes
Into the Restless Ruins tells of a Scottish legend about the Harvest Maiden who can grant any wish of those who are brave enough to overcome the challenges to seek her. You play as one of those individuals who has found the entrance to the ruins where the goddess resides. However, you will need to defeat The Warden and various other enemies to reach your prize goal.
The highlight aspect of the gameplay in Into the Restless Ruins is the ability to design the dungeon layouts as you slowly lay down sections and elements piece by piece. Consider Room Synergies, which have various effects on how you approach your runs and discover faster ways to get around. Encounter witches, faeries, the eerie Maiden, and her Harvest connection. The game even offers the option to play in Scottish Gaelic.
You can enable auto-battle during enemy encounters and employ various tactical cards. You can also uncover rare charms, cantrips, weapons, lore fragments, and relics to be found on your runs, the latter of which can be exchanged to acquire new cards for your deck.
Further features with notable flaws
As you venture deeper into the ruins, you will face evolving challenges. The procedurally generated nature of the ruins ensures that each attempt presents new dangers, from varied enemy encounters to powerful artifacts that can significantly alter your strategy and forces you to approach each map differently. The game's unique blend of genres, combining deckbuilding with roguelite and corridor-connecting elements, is also well-received.
The strategic depth of organizing room layouts and the "just one more run" addictive quality is also notable within the current player base. The game's pixel art style, synth soundtrack, and nods to Scottish history contribute to its overall atmosphere. However, its combat system is unsatisfying and lacking depth. The enemies and bosses are also lacking in variety and challenge, making the game feel too easy for some.
Shape the ground you move on
If you like roguelike deckbuilding games and are looking for something new to try, Into the Restless Ruins introduces a nice twist to the formula by literally letting you shape the ground you're walking on. Despite some issues regarding its combat system, story depth, and difficulty balance or lack thereof, it is a game that will hit more pros than cons if given a chance.
