Into the Restless Ruins is a game of luck, judgment, and skill. Furthermore, this fantasy title has a dark edge that haunts and hunts you until you die! Death, failure, and loss are at every turn. Accordingly, you must have a thick skin if you wish to succeed.
This rogue-like deckbuilder was developed by Ant Workshop and published by Wales Interactive. It is a single-player game with a mysterious edge. Each map hides its key elements behind a fog of war. This sneaky move leaves you guessing and praying that every risk has an almighty reward.
Into the Restless Ruins is a cursed game.
The warrior moves through a labyrinthine world. Armed with a torch and a weapon, they must find every seal to remove the magical wall. If they are successful, they will come face to face with a demonic being. This wretched soul wishes to smash you into oblivion. However, skill, cunning, and tactical nuance will keep you ahead of the game.
The warrior isn’t your normal hero. They are armed with a deck of cards that comprises different rooms. Corridors, fires, altars, armouries, shops, and more must be used to create pathways. As you explore, you will find parchment and a resource called Gilmour. This valuable commodity blesses you with new cards and more ways to escape your destiny.
Basic combat.
Unlike other rogue-like titles, Into the Restless Ruins uses automated combat. This basic approach leaves the hero somewhat vulnerable. However, swift movement and understanding your surroundings keep you ahead of the game. As you progress, you must manage a handful of stats. Health, your curse meter, and the all-important flame timer.
As you explore, your torch slowly fades. If it runs out, the darkness harms you, and you must run for your life. Alternatively, if the monsters hunt and catch you, you’ll die and your run will end. As you respawn, a new day begins, and your curse meter is increased. This enhances the difficulty and punishes you further. Consequently, you must balance your time in the dungeon and how courageous you are feeling.
Into the Restless Ruins looks incredibly old-school.
I adore pixelated games. However, I found Into the Restless Ruins to be incredibly old-school. The colour palette was grim, and the earthy tones enhanced the sense of oppression. Moreover, the monsters look similar, and this makes it hard to plan your approach. Yet, once you get used to the dated appearance, you’ll love the sinister setting, simple design, and mind-boggling mazes.
The audio is wonderfully retro. Shrill notes and dramatic tunes dominate proceedings. Alongside this, you enjoy annoying sound effects, rudimentary background noises, and other unnecessary sounds. In short, it is loud and perfect if you are seeking a sense of nostalgia.
Simple controls.
Automated combat makes this an easy game to understand. Furthermore, placing each card to create a crazy and large maze was straightforward. As such, once you know the core mechanics, you will not struggle.
I was surprised by the layers of longevity and replay value. The 1st map is completed in no time at all. Subsequent levels take considerably longer to tackle, and that was fantastic. Though its cruel ways may annoy some gamers, I enjoyed the brutality and the constant feelings of failure.
Into the Restless Ruins was unbelievably harsh.
I lost count of how many times I died and failed. Furthermore, poor planning led to numerous problems. However, once I mastered each mechanic, I could piece together every element with ease. Though Into the Restless Ruins is harsh, I loved its old-school ways. Accordingly, I think it’s great and recommend buying it here! Can you create a dungeon and remove the curse? Gather your cards, activate the seals, and keep your flame alight.
