Runegate is similar in many ways – the foundation is clearer and certainly less obfuscated. The characters, including your own, feel far more established, and while exploration still has that segmented feel with some samey objectives, it’s more organic. Like you’re slowly but steadily uncovering this vast world with unique factions, but also characters with their own interesting side stories and dilemmas. It’s one thing to read about a developer wanting to take what they made before and improve it in every single way. That doesn’t necessarily make this a remake, though. If anything, Runegate is more of a revisit – a reshaping but also an expansion, one that I didn’t think would immediately grab me as it did.

"These connections between activities feel seamless, whether you’re carrying out objectives as simple as slaying wolves for a Raven Clan desertee and his family, or happening upon a mercenary who can squad up with you."

As before, you’re part of a Dwarven clan in a world that isn’t exactly all that thrilled about your existence. And while that’s outlined well enough, the circumstances are much different, jumping in right after a brutal ambush by goblins. It’s all you can do to recoup, check on the survivors, and so on. However, there’s also a mysterious structure called a Runegate underground, seemingly leading to another world. After the goblins reappear, there’s no choice but to jump in, re-emerging in the remains of the Rivenbrook Camp to rebuild. Then you’re off to Otam, a completely different world but one that’s still subject to the same dangers.

Because you have no idea what it holds, you’re essentially spending food to navigate your wagon around, unfogging the map and discovering new points of interest. There might be a location where someone needs your help in rescuing their brother. Perhaps you’ll come across a scholar who’s investigating some ruins, and by solving the puzzle, you obtain some old writings that must be translated. A base to the north holds the Rockwardens, where you can find two merchants to add to your camp when not taking on quests to hunt goblins (which then leads to a cave where an artifact hunter needs your help in return for some goodies and a grey tabby cat).

These connections between activities feel seamless, whether you’re carrying out objectives as simple as slaying wolves for a Raven Clan desertee and his family, or happening upon a mercenary who can squad up with you. Some PoIs definitely feel isolated, serving as little more than the means to recruit newcomers or earn some cash, but Regions of Ruin toes a fine line in how often they’re doled out.

As you help out people and gradually unearth more information about the world – and how your kin have fared – you’ll obtain resources to expand on Rivenbrook. There isn’t any hands-on base-building – spend whatever is required, and then spend some more for upgrades. Nevertheless, it creates a pretty addictive gameplay loop, especially as workers join your cause and start passively generating resources. You could embark on an excursion, hunting down goblins, exploring caves, and gradually collecting resources, to then return and spend it all in the camp for, say, a storehouse or a blacksmith upgrade that lets you enchant weapons and armor. Or even a refinery for producing finer metals, or even a fishing spot for passive food generation (the same currency spent for exploration).

"And it’s saying something that for as free-form as the plot can be when choosing your own path, it can also deftly loop back around to your clan and their rebuild while unearthing more details about the world and the Dwarves as a whole."

In between all of this, however, you’re also fighting, and admittedly, this is one area where Runegate isn’t the most fluid. The fundamentals are easy enough to pick up – light slash, block, heavy attack from holding down the light attack button, dashing, and so on. But facing directions, especially relative to the mouse pointer, takes some getting used to (and I didn’t especially like the alternative option). When you’re facing off against a few enemies, it shouldn’t be all that problematic; it’s when you’re swarmed by smaller foes, or reinforcements arrive from above, that things can feel a little awkward.

Even if the targeting was on point, movement can also be a bit clunky. The responsiveness of landing attacks and heavy strikes is fine, as is dashing away from any attacks that could severely injure you. It’s just the jumping attacks which don’t feel as finely hued, even though that’s technically more realistic. Regardless, once you recruit more allies and start getting into bigger battles, combat can become quite enjoyable, especially with the sheer number of weapon choices. You could frontline, blocking attacks and chaining stuns on enemies, or hang back and slowly but surely whittle them down with a crossbow. If you want to leap into the fray and start swinging with a two-hander, well, have at it. Just don’t be surprised when all those arrows aimed at your frame stick there until they’re pulled out.

The sheer number of skills to unlock that all lean into specific playstyles feels nice, whether you’re stacking bleeds or shield-bashing through multiple foes. Some battles can occasionally get repetitive, mostly due to the kinds of enemies that you’re facing, but it’s to the game’s credit that it often spices up the circumstances. One scenario could involve escorting someone back to the entrance of a mine and dealing with an ambush from goblins; another could see a giant Troll working with a gaggle of the same foes (even if it doesn’t present the greatest challenge).

And it’s saying something that for as free-form as the plot can be when choosing your own path, it can also deftly loop back around to your clan and their rebuild while unearthing more details about the world and the Dwarves as a whole. In that regard, the writing isn’t half-bad either, whether you’re dealing with Clip Lucky Shot and his plan to use you as a meatshield or joshing that artifact hunter.

"As much as it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, much less present the most complex of systems (though make no mistake – there’s plenty of depth to sink your teeth into), it succeeds in the one way that matters most: Taking everything about the original and making it bigger and better."

As for the presentation, Runegate still offers a 2D pixel art style like its predecessor, but it’s more finely detailed. The overall aesthetics and architecture convey a weathered civilization, one that suffered its fair share of hardships and harsh weather. And yet, even in a place like Rivenbrook with its various wreckage, there’s a vibrancy throughout. During the day, sunlight pours in, almost blinding you, while at night, the stars are out, and lanterns light up to subtly illuminate the surroundings. Various rocks and pillars offer their own uniquely colored glow. The music impresses with its emotional motifs, and the sound design feels appropriately grounded (barring some odd-sounding monster hits).

If you’re in the market for a side-scrolling action RPG and can deal with the various warts behind the combat, simply getting lost in the world and the lore surrounding it, then Regions of Ruin: Runegate is definitely worth playing. As much as it isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, much less present the most complex of systems (though make no mistake – there’s plenty of depth to sink your teeth into), it succeeds in the one way that matters most: Taking everything about the original and making it bigger and better. It may not make the biggest impact on new players, but there’s enough heart here to win you over.

This game was reviewed on PC.