Into the Restless Ruins

The roguelike, deck-based dungeon builder Into the Restless Ruins may not be a big budget spectacle, but strategy game fans will find it a solid addition to their game library.

84%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

atmosphere, grinding

88% User Score Based on 97 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Into the Restless Ruins is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Ant Workshop Ltd and was released on March 20, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Into the Restless Ruins is a roguelike deckbuilder where you construct a labyrinth using cards that represent rooms and corridors. Strategically build your dungeon, then auto-battle cursed residents to collect Glimour while upgrading your deck with relics and favors from characters inspired by Scottish folklore. Face ever-changing challenges and prepare to confront The Warden in this dynamic, replayable adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 97 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Innovative combination of dungeon-building and deck-building mechanics that creates a unique gameplay experience.
Engaging and addictive gameplay loop that encourages strategic planning and experimentation with room placements.
Rich atmosphere and thematic elements inspired by Scottish folklore, complemented by charming pixel art and a captivating soundtrack.

Combat mechanics feel simplistic and uninspired, lacking depth and engagement, which detracts from the overall experience.
Balancing issues and occasional technical problems, such as performance dips and crashes, can disrupt gameplay.
The game can become repetitive over time, with some players feeling that the exploration and combat aspects do not maintain their initial excitement.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The gameplay of the game released in 2025 is characterized by its innovative dungeon-building mechanic, where players use a deck of cards to shape the environment, creating a unique blend of strategy and roguelike elements. While the core mechanics are praised for their intuitiveness and engaging risk/reward dynamics, some players have noted technical issues and a lack of critical gameplay elements that could enhance the experience. Overall, the game offers a refreshing take on the genre, combining card placement with combat management and thematic richness, making it enjoyable for fans of dungeon crawlers.
- “Released in 2025, the game distinguishes itself through its unique mechanic that allows players to shape the dungeon layout itself using a deck of cards, rather than simply battling through a pre-designed environment.”
- “The gameplay revolves around nightly excursions into mysterious ruins, where players expand the dungeon by placing cards that represent rooms, corridors, and other elements.”
- “This brilliant roguelike deckbuilder stands out from the crowd with its innovative dungeon-building mechanic, which adds a highly satisfying layer of strategy to the play experience.”
- “Some have noted occasional technical issues such as performance dips and crashes, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.”
- “But as is, the game is missing a critical aspect of its own gameplay, and is fairly incapable of presenting risks to weigh.”
- “The gameplay loop consists of placing rooms from your hand like a typical deckbuilder.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The music in the game is widely praised for its thematic charm, particularly its Celtic and Welsh influences, and is described as excellent, solid, and even "banging." However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive in later levels. Overall, the combination of engaging music and appealing pixel art contributes to a captivating atmosphere.
- “The music is nice and thematic, plus it is great to have a game themed off of Celtic and Welsh lore.”
- “Great music, lovely pixel animations, and an incredibly enjoyable gameplay loop make each night on the way to the wardens nothing but fun!”
- “From the pixel graphics to that killer synth soundtrack, you'll be bopping your head along as you power-walk down the winding corridors that you yourself have placed.”
- “The music gets repetitive.”
- “This was far more obvious in later levels where I had a longer torch, thus was hearing the same song just repeating forever.”
- “And the pixel art, 8-bit music, with the nods to Scottish history, all create a nice atmosphere overall.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics are characterized by a simple yet neat art style that complements the gameplay, featuring pixel graphics that enhance the overall aesthetic. Players appreciate the engaging visuals and the depth they provide as the game progresses, alongside a captivating synth soundtrack that adds to the experience.
- “From the pixel graphics to that killer synth soundtrack, you'll be bopping your head along as you power-walk down the winding corridors that you yourself have placed.”
- “It is a neat concept, with a cool art style and soundtrack.”
- “Easy to get into, love the art style, plenty of depth as the game progresses.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is richly immersive, blending folklore-inspired elements with pixel art and 8-bit music that evoke a sense of Scottish history. Players experience a mysterious and gloomy environment, enhancing the feeling of unraveling an ancient Celtic curse throughout their challenging roguelike adventure. Despite some flaws, the thematic depth and abundant content contribute to a rewarding atmospheric experience.
- “Though not without its flaws, the game’s strong foundation, rich thematic world, and abundant content make it a rewarding title for players seeking a challenging and atmospheric roguelike adventure.”
- “The atmosphere is mysterious and gloomy, as if you are unraveling an ancient Celtic curse step by step.”
- “These elements enrich the atmosphere, making the journey through the ruins feel like a true folklore-inspired adventure.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game increasingly frustrating and tedious as they progress, particularly due to the lack of character upgrades and the need to rebuild decks for each stage. While the game's vision is appreciated, the execution leads to a repetitive and unenjoyable experience, especially as dungeon exploration expands.
- “But it gets more and more frustrating and tedious as you progress.”
- “I see the vision, and it's definitely an interesting one, but the execution is tedious and not very fun.”
- “Exploring your dungeon becomes tedious as it gets larger and larger.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as fascinating and funny, complemented by its simple graphics, which enhance its charm and appeal.
- “It is fascinating and funny, with simple graphics that add to its charm.”
- “The humor in this game is clever and keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game uses witty dialogue and absurd situations to create a lighthearted experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the strong replayability of the game, driven by a meta-progression system that introduces new relics and cards, enhancing future runs. The game's numerous twists and turns ensure that players remain engaged and invested over time.
- “The meta-progression system adds further depth, rewarding players with new relics and cards that can shift how future runs play out, maintaining long-term engagement and replayability.”
- “Into the Restless Ruins can eat up all your free time, because there's endless replayability with many game twists and turns...”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance and reliability. Overall, it is well-optimized for this platform, enhancing the gaming experience.
- “Also runs great on a Steam Deck.”
- “I've not got a lot of time on this yet, but I can see this featuring heavily on my Steam Deck (on which it runs great, too!)”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story enhances the roguelike experience by providing motivation and context, transforming it from mere dungeon crawling into a more engaging narrative-driven adventure.
- “This storytelling framework provides motivation and context that elevates the roguelike experience beyond simple dungeon crawling.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting occasional performance dips and crashes that can interrupt gameplay.
- “Some have noted occasional technical issues such as performance dips and crashes, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.”