PC Gamer - UK (2022-01)

W

ith the new Arcane
animated TV series
out on Netflix and big
events launched all
across Riot’s different
games, November might as well
have been called Lolvember. But
aside from sinking a few hours into
LeagueofLegends: WildRift, the
one Riot game I’ve been obsessed
with lately isLegends ofRuneterra,
its unparalleled card battler that’s
secretly the best game in the whole
LeagueofLegends universe

It’snot justthat Legends of Runeterra
isfilled withinnovativeideas and fun
new mechanics, but thatit slots into
mylifein a way no other free-to-play
gamereallyhas. UnlikeHearthstone
orMagic: The Gathering, Legends of
Runeterra is generousenoughwithits
currencythatevencasual players can
eventuallycollect every card
available. Thatalsomeans thateven
whenI takelongbreaks, I don’t feel
left behindby the release of new
expansions. Just start slingingcards
and, soonenough, I’m ableto afford
whateverflashy new deckI’m ogling.
Legends of Runeterra isalsosucha
lovelygamebecause it’s always

changing. Entirenew setsdropevery

few months, but I alsoappreciate

how muchRiothas investedin

fleshing out the singleplayeraspects

too. Lastyear, its Lab of Legends

modeintroduceda roguelike

deckbuildingcomponent to the game,

opening up an entireavenue of play

that doesn’t require squaringoff

against other players. And, recently,

that modewas transformed intoPath

of Champions, which expands the

roguelike elementswhile also

introducing a lot morestorytellingin

the formof littlecutscenes that

sometimes playbetween battles.

“LegendsofRuneterrafeelslikeit’sin

the midst ofits own goldenage”

WEARE THE CHAMPIONS

UnlikeLab of Legends, which was a

staticgauntlet of bossfights, Path of

Champions gives you a map witha

web of encountersyou can choose

between – similar toSlaythe Spire. It

alsoaddsa whack of new progression

systems, likebeing ableto level up

specific champstounlockpermanent

bonuses for futureruns.

I’m not sureif Path of Champions

ismy favourite iteration on this

roguelike deckbuildingideathatRiot

has beenexperimenting withfor the

past year, but it is excitingto see how

muchRuneterra is willing to reinvent

itself every few months. And it still

retains thatdistinct joy of slowly

assemblinga deckfilled withwild

synergies that, if you’relucky, turn

you intoan unstoppable force.

Coupled withhow generouslyit

doles out new cards to you and how

diverse the competitive metais at the

current moment, Legends of

Runeterra feels likeit’squietly inthe

midst of its own goldenage. In fact, I

muchpreferthismorerelaxed pacing

and the waysit’s becomesuchan

articulateexploration of Leagueof

Legend’siconicchampions – but in

cardform.

LEGENDS OFRUNETERRA isstillthe bestdigital cardgameevermade

I APPRECIATEHOW MUCHRIOT

HAS INVESTEDINFLESHING

OUT THE SINGLEPLAYER

STEVEN MESSNER

THIS MONTH

Got wrapped up in the League

of Legendsuniverse.

ALSO PLAYED

League of Legends, Final

Fantasy XIV

LEFT: (^) Each node
on the path has
new events,battles,
or shops.
BELOW: (^) Some Path of
Champion’smissions
have funnarrative
moments.
THE GAMES WELOVERIGHT NOW
NOW PLAYING
Building a powerful deck
can be a rush when luck is
onyour side.