Heroes of Ruin

Action-RPGs reward players willing to spend countless hours grinding mobs and farming loot, but we can’t drag our game consoles and PCs around with us. Heroes of Ruin let’s players customize their characters’ skills and appearance, trudge through randomly generated dungeons, and team up with friends – all on the go. This deep 3DS title may be just the large-scale adventure the handheld’s lacking library needs. I got my hands on Heroes of Ruin last month at GDC, and what I played has me excited to be a 3DS owner all over again.

Players can choose from four classes, each sharing the goal of saving a ruined kingdom by awaking its cursed leader, a sphinx named Ataraxis. The Vindicator character is a lion knight who employs attacks with his huge sword, restorative magic, and tank-based abilities. Gunslingers are nomadic tricksters who rely on long-ranged attacks and traps. The Alchitect is a wizard that casts spells to uses items to deal damage to multiple foes or inflict status ailments. The Savage is a fierce warrior who uses brute force to crush his enemies on his never-ending hunt for glory.
I went with the Vindicator, mostly because of his majestic mane. I was plopped into a coral dungeon with crab monsters and other goons ready to taste my sword. Hacking and slashing through droves of enemies is as easy as mashing a button. I never get sick of watching enemy health bars deplete as the damage I deal ticks away above their heads. The rhythm of combat involves weaving powerful skills and healing spells into your base attacks.

Developer n-Space is doing a good job with the user interface, considering Diablo-like games usually have a whole keyboard at their disposal. Players can hot-key abilities like the charge attack or healing spell to the face buttons and touchscreen, and being able to quickly equip or sell gear without wading through menus keeps the game moving.

The addictive hook of the game became immediately apparent as soon as I cleared my first dungeon. Players gain levels, explore three different skill trees to customize their characters, accept quests in town, then return to dungeons to do it all over again. Randomly generated dungeons and a good variety of enemies also promises that revisiting a haunted crypt or dank cave will feel different the second or third time around. It may sound simple and familiar, but it’s a reliable formula that’s just as addictive on a handheld as any other system. Crafting my Vindicator to become a heavy damage-dealer and a healer was a satisfying experiment even in the character’s infancy.

I only got to team up with one other adventurer during my time with the game, but if our cooperative dungeon raid is any indication, adding more players should make the game merrier. Players can make offers on one another’s loot during at any time, which can be easily compared with existing gear. I can’t wait to team up with three other players and discover how the classes’ strengths play off one another. The Vindicator I played was on his way to becoming a capable paladin-type who could tank, heal, and deal respectable damage.

The 3DS is in dire need of more worthwhile games, and Square Enix is positioned to deliver with Heroes of Ruin. Being able to quest at home, on the go, and with friends gives gamers more opportunities to play than your average Diablo clone. I enjoyed my brief time playing as the Vindicator, and I’m excited to play around with the other classes and explore their skill trees. Keep Heroes of Ruin on your radar leading up to its June 26 release date.