Ruins of Albion

About

Ruins of Albion is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by The Caecus and was released on September 15, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

Explore the procedurally generated world and test your skills in a fast-paced combat combining ranged and melee attacks. Defeat a variety of different enemies and bosses, fight in the arena, collect upgrades and unlock different arrow and trap abilities in this small rogue-like action-adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The combat is fast-paced and satisfying, with a unique sword and bow mechanic that adds depth to gameplay.
The game's audiovisual presentation is impressive, featuring a charming low-poly art style and enjoyable music.
As a free game, it offers a solid experience with good replayability, making it a worthwhile distraction.

The game is quite short, leading to a lack of content and potential for repetitive gameplay.
Combat can feel unbalanced and frustrating, with issues like unavoidable damage and inconsistent enemy behavior.
There are technical issues, such as bugs, lack of controller support, and no option to save progress, which detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of satisfaction and frustration, with many players enjoying the fast-paced mechanics and unique sword-to-bow transitions. However, issues such as repetitive combat, control binding limitations, and a lack of meaningful progression detract from the overall experience. While the game offers engaging mechanics and a visually appealing style, players express a desire for more variety in levels, enemies, and gameplay options to enhance longevity.
- “The gameplay was satisfying and it was a fun experience.”
- “I love the unique mechanics; it forces you to switch from range to melee on the fly, since it was the only way of getting back ammo, thus giving it extra depth.”
- “Fast-paced gameplay! Love the bow to melee mechanic; the controls may need some work, but other than that, it's hard and fun. Thanks for this challenge!”
- “The developer chose not to do the job of a real game developer and create meaningful bespoke levels, narrative-based gameplay progression, and so on.”
- “The only downside I would say is the game becomes repetitive really fast because of the gameplay; it doesn't change much once you start to know some patterns: you will find yourself basically running in circles around enemies and waiting for the right time to shoot, and the dash becomes an emergency mechanic since you can dodge everything just by running.”
- “In a game with mechanics like this, all damage should be avoidable, but you cannot avoid having the bad RNG of having the boss teleport right on top of you with no telegraph; also, the dash ability is bound to the worst keybind possible and you can't rebind it.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them passable and reminiscent of low-poly mobile games, while others praise the stylish art design and appealing visuals that enhance the overall experience. Many appreciate the fluid combat and unique enemy designs, noting that the graphics contribute positively to the fast-paced action. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the visuals are considered good for a free game and complement the gameplay effectively.
- “I love the fast-paced action and the art style of this game.”
- “Absolutely amazing game, graphics are great, movement is spot on and overall feeling of the game is great.”
- “If you like roguelikes, hell if you play anything, give this game a try. The graphic design of this game feels really unique and the game looks beautiful; the combat is smooth and fast-paced and the enemies are all unique down to the most common mobs.”
- “The graphics in this game are passable, but could be better.”
- “They look like low poly/cartoony mobile phone game graphics.”
- “Even with high-end graphic cards, you'll still experience some hiccups.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
24%
13%
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with comparisons to nostalgic titles like 'Spyro: Dawn of the Dragons.' While many players found the soundtrack to be unique and well-suited to the game's environment, some noted that the initial tracks could become monotonous over time. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's polished feel and immersive atmosphere.
- “The music was much better than I had thought, reminding me a bit of 'Spyro: Dawn of the Dragons' at times, which is one of my favorite childhood games.”
- “The art style is beautiful, the music is awesome, and I really enjoy the power-ups and effects you can get from collecting items.”
- “And lastly, the music is amazing! All themes played are unique and go well with the environment, bringing the whole game to life.”
- “My only gripe was the base initial soundtrack getting monotonous fast, backtracking, few enemy population, and getting stuck at the entrance occasionally.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around a simple objective of collecting keys and defeating a boss, which some players appreciate for its focus. However, many users express a desire for deeper narrative elements and character backstories to enhance the experience, suggesting that while a complex story isn't essential for a roguelike, it could add significant value. Overall, the moral of perseverance resonates with players, highlighting the potential for growth and development within the game's framework.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “I really liked this game with the roguelike elements (I love these types of games), and there is a lot of potential that can be added, like more items and more characters. The characters look really cool and could have an actual story.”
- “There isn't a story here beyond 'collect three keys and defeat the boss', but I would say that allows the game to be very focused in what it aims to achieve.”
- “The only thing I find lacking is a story, which I feel is not really always required for this type of game, but it would be cool if there were some story elements added along the way.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Players highlight the game's high replayability, noting that it remains engaging and challenging, particularly for those aiming to achieve 100% completion. Overall, it offers a fun experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Fun little game, keeps you on your toes, good replay value!”
- “The replayability is very high, especially if you aim to 100% it.”
- “The replayability is very high, especially if you aim to achieve 100% completion.”
- “Once you finish the game, there’s little incentive to play through it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some bugs, which is typical for a new indie release, but overall, the stability is generally acceptable.
- “A little buggy, but as much as you'd expect with a new indie game.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I encountered several glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received negative feedback, with users reporting issues such as unresponsive melee attacks and significant stuttering despite high frame rates, leading to an overall unplayable experience.
- “Sometimes my melee won't work; it's not very optimized.”
- “Unplayable... more than 300 FPS and it is stuttering like crazy... my eyes hurt.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players are pleasantly surprised by the game's monetization model, noting that it is free to play and completely devoid of advertisements.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the varied enemies in the game, as they encourage tactical changes and help prevent the grinding from becoming tedious.