Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a game aimed at the fans of the franchise.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last decade, chances are you know what League of Legends is. Regardless of whether you have played it or even if you like it, the fact is Riot has managed to make its MOBA a household name not only within the genre but within gaming itself.
2021 has been the year in which Riot has made tremendous efforts to expand the universe of League of Legends beyond the titular game, such as with Arcane, the Netflix animated series that has rippled throughout the entertainment landscape and has become the most successful series on the platform. And, in this case, with the first game outside of the MOBA that started it all, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story.
This title departs from the MOBA genre and opts instead for a turn-based combat RPG that delves much deeper into the narrative aspect of the in-game world. Is Ruined King: A League of Legends Story destined to become a success, just like its predecessor, or is it just a game aimed towards hardcore fans of the series? Let’s find out.
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a turn-based RPG set in the world of League of Legends, specifically, in the pirate-dwelling city of Bilgewater, and the Shadow Isles, a region plagued by the ominous black mist, a corrupting force able to destroy the world.
In the game, the player gets to control a party of six League of Legends Champions, Ahri, Braum, Illaoi, Miss Fortune, Pyke, and Yasuo, although only three can be in combat at the same time. And while story and lore building are supposed to be key elements within the game, the bottom line is that the overarching story is clichéd and painfully uninspired, with a run-of-the-mill trope of a group of unlikely heroes banding together to prevent a world-dooming event.
Such a simple narrative is extended for up to 30 hours, and while interactions between characters and character development are where the game shines best, the truth of the matter is that only fans of the franchise will truly appreciate the story. For the rest of us, the narrative will feel flat and severely disappointing, as one will not feel lost in the plot but will fail to appreciate all the nuances that call back to the original League of Legends.
Now, Riot Games has money, a lot of money. So, it is truly a crime that dialogue and interactions between characters are fully voiced, with superb voice acting, but not fully animated. Although the artwork is gorgeous, as always, it is hard to be invested in the story of a static cutout, as if they were the cartoon avatars of low-tier YouTubers.
The contrast between the talented voice actors, who reprise their roles from the original League of Legends, and the low-effort, almost visual novel-like standees is criminal at this point, considering the amount of money we know Riot can invest in its properties. Just take a look at Arcane, for instance. The animation in the series is magnificent, rivaling even heavy-hitters such as Into the Spider-Verse or any Pixar movie. This game feels lackluster in comparison.
But in the end, it feels like a League of Legends game, mostly because the artwork, the level design, and even the movement in the overworld during the exploration part of the game are just taken straight out of the MOBA, including the obnoxiously slow movement speed. In the MOBA, champions move slowly by design, but in an RPG, slow character movement is not only unnecessary but annoying. Fortunately, and this is a significant point, the combat system compensates for all the flaws mentioned so far.
The turn-based combat system is a staple of the genre, and it’s very hard to improve it significantly. In this case, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story manages to create an engaging and fun combat mechanic that takes some inspiration from the MOBA itself.
You get two types of moves: instant moves, which are free to use, and lane moves, which can be faster if set in the speed lane, more powerful if set in the power lane, or balanced if set in the mid lane. These lanes are part of a timeline in which you can see upcoming enemy attacks and, depending on what you choose and where you choose to use your attacks, you can influence the timeline.
You can even knock back your enemies and set their moves further back in the timeline by staggering them. It is a not-so-complex mechanic for seasoned RPG players, but one that tries to create a name for itself by incorporating, at least in concept, elements present in the League of Legends MOBA, in this case, the use of lanes.
The real problem is that the game is just too easy. It is very hard to be in a position where you will lose several combats or get stuck in a single part. Yes, you will probably die from time to time, but the game does not feel like a challenge once you get accustomed to the combat system, which is a real shame, because combat is fun and there is a lot of room for improvement.
One constant in these types of RPGs is that encounters tend to become repetitive and boring, just look at Pokémon and their infamous Zubats. However, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story has an interesting take on turn-based combat that wants you to want to come back for more. That is, until you realize the game is just too easy and there is a limit on the challenge outlined in front of you.
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a game aimed at the fans of the franchise. There is no doubt about it. It is possible that if you don’t care one bit about League of Legends, you will overlook this game completely, and you wouldn’t be missing anything of significance in your life as a gamer. However, if you are into League of Legends or want to know more about this world, the Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a game you will enjoy.
