Sometimes casting an ability in the Speed Lane may move your character up just enough that they’ll beat an enemy to the finish line and eliminate them before they can even act. Sometimes enemies will cast a passive buff that can only be deactivated by hitting them from a certain Lane, requiring you change your attack on the fly to disable a suicide bomb or evasion buff. In practice, this means that there’s a lot to consider even when selecting a single action for a single team member. You can even get a first strike on them if you’re quick enough to slash them before they get to you, and the effects of this initiative attack will differ depending on who your party leader is. There are no random battles to impede your journey either, every enemy is displayed on the map and can be avoided or engaged at will. Each setting is packed with detail and character, and there are plenty of little rabbit trails you can take off the beaten path that reward your exploration with new loot, sidequests, and enemy encounters. Some may scoff at that relatively short runtime considering the genre, but rest assured that Ruined King is a tightly paced experience that makes the most of every hour. Gameplay follows the structure of a typical JRPG, as you collect party members, explore dungeons, and level up your characters across a twenty or so hour adventure. Seeing all these different types come together to form a brief, dysfunctional fellowship to overcome the horrors of the mist makes for some great storytelling, and one where the important character moments feel earned. Braum, for example, plays the affable and lovable brute, while Illaoi has a much more intimidating and serious demeanor. Perhaps most importantly, this cast of characters proves to be quite likeable and their differences make for some great team dynamics. All the characters are introduced in a way that makes sense for this story, and we encountered no confusing moments where it felt like there were important relationships or histories that weren’t being explained well enough. We feel special mention needs to be made here that you need no knowledge of the League universe to connect with this story.

Ruined king a league of legends story