Into the Restless Ruins

[i]---See where this game landed on my Rogue-like/lite Deckbuilder Tier List beneath this rec!---[/i] This has the deckbuilding room mechanic that was also used by [b]Blue Prince[/b] which released around the same time. I much prefer this game to that one, as it’s far more gamey. [b]Into the Restless Ruins[/b] reminds me quite a lot of [b]Dungeon of the Endless[/b]. That game was a bit harder and slightly more complex to grasp, and has very different mechanics, but the result of everything both games do ends up being quite similar. Both games have a planning phase where you’re deciding which way to branch out followed by a phase where you fight and explore. This one doesn't really have meta progression, just unlocks which don't necessarily make you stronger, so the roguelite tag that players have given this is misleading. Combat is pretty basic, you autoattack in the direction you’re facing like in many bullet heaven games. It’s quite easy to accidentally take damage by misjudging your distance from enemies while trying to keep close and in attacking range of them. I think the hitboxes could be tighter, but it wasn’t enough of a gripe to stop me having fun with it. Yo…

A fun roguelike that is a mix of deck builder and dungeon crawler. You have a deck of cards that represent dungeon rooms and when you start a run, you will build a basic three room entry dungeon, then once you run out of build points you will enter your new little dungeon and explore it for loot and fight some monsters. The longer you can stay in there and earn XP the better as every time you level you will add a new room for your deck. The idea is to last as long as possible then escape using the entrance portal. Once you have escaped, you can use your new rooms to build more of the dungeon. As the game goes by, the game adds little curse skulls, one after each run, more if you die, when the skull curse bar reaches a certain point you will get a curse which will make your runs harder in some way. So you are encouraged to try and escape rather than die in the dungeon. As you slowly build more you will finally access the rooms dotted around the map that are covered in mist. Once you make a path to those rooms you can go there to uncover them and see whats in there. It might be an NPC, a room with a bit of loot, or if you are lucky a Seal room. In the Seal rooms you activate the sea…

This is a neat little game that incorporates Scottish folklore as you create your own dungeon. There's lots of replayability here, with your character leveling up as you play through scenarios, unlock new cards and cantrips, and interact with characters during your run. I didn't expect to enjoy this game as much as I did, as I primarily bought this game to support developers who are willing to put in the extra effort to include minority languages like Scottish Gaelic and Welsh. I would definitely recommend this game for anyone who wants to try a new take on roguelike deckbuilders. Chòrd e rium gu mòr - tha e glè spòrsail! :)

Surprised that the top reviews for this are so negative; have had a lot of fun with this, a really well designed mashup of genres that when you average out enjoyment by price is a steal. Closest comparison I can think of is Blue Prince mixed with Vampire Survivors but it has its own vibe and feel that is pretty unique. Complaining about the combat seems to miss the point of the game; its closer to a speed run that you build yourself than a dungeon crawler or action RPG. Likewise the issues surrounding lack of difficulty seem a little overblown, while the game balance is not perfect it has an light arcadey feel where the point is not about whether you will win but how well you will win (this may change, I haven't cleared all the dungeons yet) Great to pick up and play and dive into every now and again. If you think there's a chance you will like this then you should definitely pick it up its the definition of a hidden gem.

A nice rogue like game with "build your dungeon twist"

So far having a half dozen maybe hours, it's alright. I like the overall gameplay concept of placing the tiles to make your dungeon rooms you then traverse... In terms of moment to moment gameplay though for a roguelike, it can't really touch something like Megabonk for instance or something similar in moment-to-moment interest/gameplay. Earning the various tiles through the leveling, feels a bit slow. And some of the cantrips you choose before runs don't seem seem to align with what you think they'll be doing, based on the description. The one that says your torch starts the run empty for instance, does not also say it burns down in like 5 seconds, despite filling it at campfires. So, some tiles/or cards do not have adequate or even accurate descriptions. That's not to touch on the music, which although is fine enough, it's very repetitive. aside from these complaints, I like the game overall, it's just not all it could be for the concept, I'd like to see run with in a future game by someone. I wouldn't buy at full price, but in a bundle for cheap it may be an okay buy as something to play.