Banners Of Ruin is Wind In The Willows crossed with Slay The Spire

After a day short of a year in early access, turn-based anthro-animal battler Banners Of Ruin has launched in full. It’s Wind In The Willows crossed with Slay The Spire, or Animals Of Farthing Wood crossed with Game Of Thrones. Check out the launch trailer below.

“House Blackfoot seeks revenge,” it says:

It’s more of an RPG than Slay The Spire. You build a party of six characters from across six animal-themed factions. As you battle, via side-on combat where positioning matters, your characters level up and unlock unique cards and passive abilities that expand your tactical options. You can pair an archer weasel with a bearserker in ways that empower both. Beautiful.

Forewarning: it’s got roguelike elements, too. You’re navigating the streets of a city rather than climbing a tower, but if you die it’s still back to the beginning with you – albeit with some tokens to spend on boosting your next run from the off.

I feel like there are a million of these Spire-buts around at the moment, but I’ve been keeping an eye on Banners Of Ruin for the past year because it looks and sounds lush. I’m not normally a fan of anthropomorphic animals – conceptually it seems a little obvious – but I like the character art and atmospheric environments here. I also appreciate the polish of the UI, and the smooth ways cards unfurl, turn over, disappear.

I like these kinds of games, and current evidence suggests this might be a slick one of these kinds of games. I’m going to give it a go. Banners Of Ruin is available from GOG, the Epic Games Store and Steam for £12.39/€14.39 with a 20% launch discount.