Build Your Own Dungeon in Into the Restless Ruins – Demo out Now on Xbox

Hi everyone, I’m Ben, part of the publishing team and all-round dungeon master here to introduce you to Into the Restless Ruins—a roguelike deckbuilder where you create the dungeon you fight through. Our Scottish friends at Ant Workshop have crafted something truly unique, blending strategy, deckbuilding, and dungeon crawling into one addictive package. And the best part? The demo is available right now on Xbox!

Build Your Dungeon, Then Battle Through It

In Into the Restless Ruins, you don’t just explore dungeons—you create them. Every room, corridor, and connection is determined by the cards you play. You’ll expand the ruins using a deck of cards, strategically building out the best path to survive the dangers that await.

Your starting deck includes a mix of cards, including:

• Rooms – Create the layout of your dungeon and uncover strategic advantages.
• Corridors – Shape the flow of the dungeon and connect key areas.
• Boosts – Temporary buffs to help you survive each night.
• Curses – Dangerous cards that can increase your corruption or weaken your deck if left un-played.
• Boons – Special bonuses that reward risk-taking and smart planning.

Once you’ve laid down your cards, it’s time to dive into the dungeon and see how your creation holds up. The game’s auto-battle system allows you to focus on positioning and strategic decisions while your character automatically attacks enemies. But don’t get too comfortable—each night introduces new challenges and enemies as you try to reach the Warden’s lair.

Track Your Progress with the Compendium

As you explore the ruins, the Compendium will keep track of everything you’ve discovered—cards, enemies, relics, and more. It’s not just a record; it’s a strategic tool that helps you plan better for future runs.

For example, if you unlock the Portal Gate card, you’ll gain the ability to place teleporters in the dungeon—critical for quick escapes or navigating large layouts. The Compendium also reveals how to unlock new cards and upgrades, helping you refine your strategy with each run.

Friendly Faces in the Ruins

Not everyone in the ruins is hostile. Characters from Scottish folklore, like the Hen Wife, can help you on your journey. The Hen Wife allows you to trade relics to upgrade your cards, which can make all the difference when things get tough.

You’ll also meet the Wulver, a helpful werewolf who trades boost cards for relics. Boost cards offer strategic advantages, such as increasing your attack damage, reducing torch burn rate, or boosting your health regen. Making the right upgrades at the right time could be the difference between success and failure.

Push Your Limits with Cantrips

If you want to challenge yourself, you can apply Cantrips—special modifiers that make the game harder but increase your score multiplier.

Here are a few examples:

• Infinite Build – No limit on build points each turn—but enemies spawn faster.
• Sudden Darkness – Torchlight burns out twice as fast, shortening your time in the dungeon.
• Blood Price – Boosts your attack power but reduces health gained from relics.
• Chaos Draw – You draw your entire deck each turn—but all cards have Purge, meaning they vanish after use.

Stacking Cantrips allows you to create a custom challenge, with bigger risks leading to greater rewards.

Soundtrack by Russell Nash

The game’s Scottish roots extend to the soundtrack, composed by Scottish synthwave artist Russell Nash. The music creates a mysterious and tense atmosphere, perfectly complementing the dungeon-building and auto-battle action. The full soundtrack will be available alongside the game at launch.

Full Release Coming Soon

The demo is just a taste of what’s to come. The full release of Into the Restless Ruins launches on Xbox on May 15 and includes:

• 116 cards across seven categories (Rooms, Corridors, Curses, Boons, Herbs, Trinkets, and Injuries).
• Six twisted ruins to master.
• 62 creatures, including 6 bosses.
• 40 passive charms to shape your strategy.
• 38 Cantrips to customize your challenge level.
• 12 weapons to discover and upgrade.
• 22 echoes of the past and future to uncover.

So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to build and survive your own dungeon, give the demo a go today! Be sure to follow us on Bluesky // X/Twitter // TikTok // Instagram // Reddit // Website for the latest updates and announcements.

Into the Restless Ruins Demo

Wales Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆ 8

★★★★★

Get it now

Into the Restless Ruins is a roguelike deckbuilder. Use your deck of cards, representing rooms and corridors, to grow the labyrinth of the ruins. Then auto-battle your way through them, harvesting as much Glimour as you can from the cursed residents before darkness overcomes your torch. Earn favours from the Harvest Maiden, find Relics to trade with the Hen Wife, Wulver and other characters from Scottish folk lore to upgrade and curate your deck, and hope you are strong enough to face The Warden when you can finally reach it. Features • Dynamic Deck and Dungeon Building: Create your dungeon as you play, using a variety of cards to place rooms, corridors, and more. Modify your deck by earning the Maiden’s favour or interacting with characters within the ruins. • Strategic Room Synergies: Place rooms like campfires, libraries, and portals strategically to unlock powerful effects and adapt your approach to every challenge. • Endless Replayability: Each run offers a new dungeon layout, fresh challenges, and evolving strategies. Unlock rule-changing modifiers, discover hidden echoes, and expand your card pool with every victory. • Rooted in Scottish Folklore: Explore a world inspired by Celtic legends, from witches and faeries to the eerie Maiden and her connection to the Harvests, with the option to immerse yourself in the experience by playing in Scottish Gaelic. • Evolving Challenges: Confront new dangers with every attempt, from procedurally generated ruins to powerful enemies and artifacts that redefine your strategy. • Unlock Hidden Treasures: Discover rare charms, weapons, and lore fragments to shape your journey and uncover the secrets of the Restless Ruins.

The post Build Your Own Dungeon in Into the Restless Ruins – Demo out Now on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.