It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a game releases that feels like it was made just for me. Now based on our own unique tastes I’m sure we’ve all experienced something like this, where certain genres you love crossover in a unique way that just speaks to you on an almost personal level. The latest to join this elusive club for me though is Into the Restless Ruins, which blends Vampire Survivors combat, Roguelike deck building, and dungeon creation to create a ridiculously compelling game.
Despite having Roguelike elements, Into the Restless Ruins is split into distinct levels. For this preview I was able to play the first two of these, which meant two Wardens to take on. There’s a whole Scottish folklore theme going on in the background, but all you really need to know is that the aim of each stage is to beat up a boss and that to reach it you’ll need to break some seals. This is easier said than done though, because to start with there isn’t even a level to explore.
Before you head off into the titular ruins, you’ll need to build them. Before each trip you head out on you’ll draw a selection of cards, which have different shaped rooms on them and cost a certain amount of points to play. You’ll need to slot these onto a grid so the doors line up, and so you can get to the clouded rooms dotted around the map. These rooms might have the seal in, and when you find and activate that the grid will expand and more mysteries will be waiting to be uncovered. This sounds pretty complex, but it’ll take no time at all for it to click.
Once you’ve placed a few corridors, hallways and shrines it’s time to get exploring, which means actually controlling your character and navigating through your creation. Progressing to the foggy rooms is usually the priority here, but all sorts of extra collectibles that’ll help you on the run will be littering the ruins too. You only have a limited time to grab these though, as the torch you take on your expedition will constantly drain and eventually leave you in the dark and taking damage. This becomes more of an issue as you expand further with more rooms, because without a map you’ll need to remember the layout you’ve created so you can rush back to the start before the lights go out.
It’s not just the dark that’ll kill you in Into the Restless Ruins though, there are also a load of enemies to deal with. You can’t actually control your attacks against these foes, and will only auto attack when close enough in true Vampire Survivors fashion. There are a few different weapons that’ll help you along the way too if you find them, helping lay waste to the bats and beasts and allowing you to grab the experience they drop. With enough of this you’ll level up, which will allow you to draft a new card to the deck.
Having the right cards is the key to success in Into the Restless Ruins, because some rooms are far superior to others. The most important of these for me were campfires, which allow you to add fuel to the torch when you pass them so you don’t die in the dark. Training rooms allow you to boost your strength in combat, shrines allow you to gain HP (which is especially important as you don’t heal between runs) and forges grant you extra points to build with next time you’re placing rooms. This gameplay loop is so satisfying, as every system just feeds effortlessly into the next and makes for a seriously compelling experience.
It would completely spoil this loop if death meant you failed a run and had to start again, which I must admit I was expecting would be the case. Thankfully it’s not, because of the curse meter. This looms at the top of the screen, and if it fills your run is over. It builds for a few reasons, all of which you’ll want to avoid if you can. Each adventure into the dungeon adds a single curse point no matter what, but if you die you’ll be given three more. This means you need every trip to count, while also balancing out the risk of dying which is always very real. Certain thresholds on the curse meter will grant you punishment cards too, which you’ll need to play to get rid of or you’ll get more cursed over time. It’s such a clever system, which never feels too unfair while providing plenty of challenge.
I’m absolutely in love with Into the Restless Ruins, and I’ve not even scratched the surface of everything it has to offer. Characters in the dungeon can upgrade or remove cards to make that deck a bit more sleek and impactful, special buff cards are granted that can be saved to play at pivotal moments, and there are even boss fights waiting at the end of each level. I was having such a good time I even replayed the available stages with some bonus effects I unlocked to make the game harder, which I imagine will add some longevity and brutal difficulty to those seeking it.
Into the Restless Ruins has its hooks deeply embedded in me, and it’s not going to let me go any time soon. Putting the game down to write this preview was legitimately tough, and when I’m done I might just jump straight back into dungeon building. I wasn’t expecting to be so taken with this game, but how it pieces together so many wonderful genres I love is just magical.
Into the Restless Ruins is coming to PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and Switch on May 15th.