Movies Games and Tech has reviewed Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Review: Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

For over 10 years, Riot Games had exclusively focused their developmental efforts on creating and maintaining League of Legends. This paid off massively for them as League rose to unfathomably heights, and still remains today as the most concurrently played title worldwide.

However, on League’s 10th anniversary, Riot announced that they were aiming to expand their catalogue, and were going to put the S back into Riot Games. They began with the launch of the competitive FPS Valorant, and followed up shortly thereafter with the digital collectible card game, Legends of Runeterra. They also branched out of the gaming space late last year, when they partnered with Netflix to release the hit animated series, Arcane.

In the midst of this, they also created the publishing company ‘Riot Forge’, allowing them to outsource their IPs, and collaborate with various indie studios. This is what led developers Airship Syndicate into creating the ‘Ruined King: A League of Legends Story’, and it is that which we will be discussing today.

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Final Thoughts

The Ruined King is varied enough that it kept me entertained throughout the majority of my playthrough, but combat fatigue eventually left me feeling a little exhausted by the end of it. While the story is fairly simplistic, the charming characters, mixed with the sublime art style, made it a fun jaunt overall. If you are a fan of League of Legends and turn-based RPGs, then this is the game for you. Otherwise, I’d recommend waiting until this goes on sale before picking it up for yourself.

Score: 7/10

Slandered Gaming checked out Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Ruined King Review (2022) - A Surprisingly Well Made RPG

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Mortismal Gaming has reviewed Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Ruined King - Review After 100%

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RPG Site reviewed Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story Review

I am squarely in one of (I imagine) two very distinct camps of players when it comes to playing Ruined King: A League of Legends Story after it was shadow dropped unexpected. That is, there's one group of players that are League of Legends veterans who are eager to engage with the IP in new avenues such as this, alongside another who instead sees it as a sort of gateway to the franchise while having little prior exposure to League itself.

Admittedly, I am a League of Legends neophyte.

I've picked up a few details over the years through general osmosis. I've seen fanart of characters like Jinx and Lux. I know what a Yordle is, kind of. I know the layout of League's main map and the general objective. But I've never played a League game and likely never will. However, I am a fan of RPGs (clearly) and have enjoyed some of Airship Syndicate's previous work such as Battle Chasers: Nightwar.

When Ruined King was the first title announced under the Riot Forge publishing label two years ago and was slated to be developed by Airship Syndicate, I was immediately interested despite my lack of League knowledge. A turn-based RPG from a developer who had succeeded in the framework before was enough to get me on board, and I was always tangentially interested in learning more about League of Legends anyway. In a way, this seemed like a perfect opportunity. 

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Despite being woefully ignorant of most things about League of Legends going in, I found myself at no real disadvantage when it came to enjoying most aspects of Ruined King. A distinct and deep combat system with a unique mechanical hook, interesting puzzles and stylish art, and a well-defined cast of characters and setting were enough to get me invested in an IP I had largely ignored up until this point. Despite some issues with a lack of polish, Ruined King deserves a look-in for any fan of RPGs, independent of how familiar they are with the source material.

Score: 8/10

IGN has reviewed Ruined King: A League of Legends:

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story Review

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Ruined King: A League of Legends Story reviewed by Jada Grifin on PlayStation 5. Also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC, and Switch.

The Escapist checked out Ruined King: A League Of Legends Story:

Ruined King: A League Of Legends Story | Review in 3 Minutes

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Twinfinite checked out Ruined King: A League of Legends Story:

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story on PS5

For an IP that is well established in the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) space, it has been clear for some time now that League of Legends needed to branch out to bring in a bigger audience to its colorful universe. That desire to conquer more genres gave birth to Riot Forge, Riot Games' publishing arm, and in turn, Airship Syndicate's turn-based roleplaying game, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story.

Taking players into the world of Runeterra, and more specifically, Bilgewater Bay, we enter a world on the cusp of annihilation due to the Black Mists. While the denizens are more than used to the creeping fog emanating from the Shadow Isles, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story magnifies the threat and puts the whole of Runeterra in danger. The only hope of stopping the unrelenting march of the Black Mists are six heroes: Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Braum, Pyke, Ahri, and Yasuo.

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It is clear that Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a work of love, combining a well-written narrative, engaging characters, and a world worth exploring and experiencing. The combat elements add to a familiar formula, and the turn-based elements are not that hard for anyone to wrap their heads around. Save for a few yet annoying bugs and glitches, it is hard not to see Ruined King: A League of Legends Story as a bonafide breakout hit for Riot Forge and Airship Syndicate. 

Score: 4/5 - Great

But Why Tho thinks Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a GotY contender:

REVIEW: Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a GOTY Contender

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a turn-based RPG based in the League of Legends' world of Runeterra. It is published by Riot Forge and is developed by Airship Syndicate. The Black Mists are returning. This haunting phenomenon periodically creeps across the water from the Shadow Isles to lay siege to the people of Bilgewater Bay. But this time, it seems the controller of the Black Mists has their eye set on more than just Bilgewater. This time, the whole of Runeterra is in danger. Can six unlikely allies manage to come together to stop this threat to their world?

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TL;DR

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story blends wonderful characters and a fascinating world with some of the finest turn-based gameplay I’ve ever experienced. Despite a few stumbles, this is a package that anyone who loves this genre should check out. While I still have to give it some more thought, this game is most likely going to end up being my game of the year.

Score: 9.5/10

Fextralife released a video sharing their first impressions and an overview of the game.

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story & Turn-Based RPG | Gameplay and Features Overview

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story & Turn-Based RPG | Gameplay and Features Overview In this Ruined King: A League of Legends Story & Turn-Based RPG article, we’re going to talk about the Champions involved, combat mechanics, and overall features of the new turn-based RPG developed by Airship Syndicate and published by Riot Forge. Ruined King came out as a huge surprise on November 16, 2021, because after the initial release was moved from early 2021, no updates were provided thereafter. The game is available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. [...]

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• 0:00 - Ruined King: A League of Legends Story & Turn-Based RPG Overview
• 0:28 - What is Ruined King: A League of Legends Story?
• 1:51 - Overview and Setting
• 3:29 - Gameplay Mechanics
• 3:57 - Champions and Party Composition
• 4:42 - Combat
• 7:05 - Abilities and Runes
• 8:07 - Exploration, Rest Points and Equipment
• 9:29 - Final Thoughts

Destructoid reports that Airship Syndicate and Riot Forge have released their previously announced title, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. The game is available on GOG, Steam and Epic Store.

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story surprise drops today

The League of Legends RPG goes live as Riot Forge shows off several of the projects it has in the works

Today, Riot’s partner publishing platform Forge showcased some of its upcoming lineup of games. And alongside one previously announced title, Riot Forge surprise-dropped Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, while giving a glimpse ahead at what’s to come for Runeterra.

Ruined King takes place in the world of League of Legends, starring a party made up of popular League champions. Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Pyke, Ahri, Yasuo, and Braum join forces to stop Viego—the Ruined King—in a single-player RPG adventure. Developer Airship Syndicate previously worked on games like Darksiders Genesis and Battle Chasers: Nightwar, and Ruined King certainly seems to take after the latter.

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Yemeth spottet Ruined King: A League of Legends Story - a turn based J-RPG that will be released early next year:

Rise Against Ruin

Unite a party of League of Legends Champions, explore Bilgewater and set sail for the Shadow Isles to uncover the secrets of the deadly Black Mist.

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Developed by Airship Syndicate and featuring the art style of legendary comic book artist Joe Madureira, creators of Battle Chasers and Darksiders, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is the first Riot Forge game that invites you to explore the League of Legends universe. In this immersive turn-based RPG, you will have the freedom to configure your party and control an unlikely group of League of Legends champions, explore the bustling city of Bilgewater and the mysterious Shadow Isles, and experience the Lane Initiative System.