**Architect of Ruin: A New Fantasy Colony Simulation Game from Dead Money LLC**
Was your New Year resolution to rebuild an evil temple on behalf of a baleful god? Great news awaits you! Former Epic and Valve developers from Dead Money LLC have forged a wicked alliance with the strategy game illuminati of Hooded Horse to bring forth “Architect of Ruin” – a visually striking, completely hand-drawn fantasy colony simulation game. Imagine the charm of *Dwarf Fortress* twisted and infused with *Dungeon Keeper* DNA, and you’ll gain an insight into this exciting new title.
The game introduces a world where players can embrace the dark arts. According to the Steam blurb, “The old temple lies in ruins, its power dormant, its faithful scattered.” As the new master of this once-mighty sanctuary, players will guide a growing cult through various challenges while competing against meddling heroes. Success depends on balanced resource management, construction strategies, and survival skills as players seek to glorify their dark gods. Untomb forbidden knowledge, perform sinister rituals, and gradually rebuild the sanctuary, one blood-soaked stone at a time. Thus, the age of darkness begins.
In Architect of Ruin, players will have access to a range of constructions for their eerie lair. These include turrets, tanning racks, storehouses, bedrooms, chimney stoves, and butcher blocks. Additionally, players can conjure or enlist various beings to do their bidding, such as irascible sorcerors, unstable zealots, goblins, and reanimated thralls. While deer appear in the game, they don’t seem to possess any malevolent tendencies and likely won’t be recruitable.
Players will also need to defend their cult from angry mobs, rival cultists, and interfering heroes. The game encourages a pragmatic approach to dealing with enemies, as players can repurpose the bodies of fallen foes to create walking skeletons, a resource that doesn’t grow on trees—even dark, sinister ones.
Dead Money LLC comprises three core members, including co-owner Brandon Reinhart, whose credits include *Half-Life: Alyx*, *Counter-Strike: Global Offensive*, *Artifact*, and *Dota: Underlords*. While there is no release date yet for Architect of Ruin, fans eager for an engaging dark simulation experience can stay active and indulge in other titles like *Timberborn* in the meantime.
Architect of Ruin promises to be a unique addition to the strategy game genre, blending elements of colony simulation with a dark fantasy aesthetic, capturing the imagination of players looking to embrace their wicked side.
