Does Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin Stay Faithful to the Tabletop Experience?

| Tags: | Author
Does Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin Stay Faithful to the Tabletop Experience?

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin releases on November 17th – how much of Age of Sigmar can you find in the newest Warhammer RTS?


Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin is the newest entry in the long list of Warhammer videogames. While the game received some mixed reviews at first, Realms of Ruin is a great real-time strategy game, which could be a good bridge for players of the tabletop wargame looking to get into a more digital side of Warhammer. This is because Realms of Ruin understood the assignment and stayed true to one of the most popular tabletop wargames of the world.

Is Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin Like the Tabletop Game?

Visual and Thematic Faithfulness

Realms of Ruin is like AoS came alive and marched from the tabletop to your screens. The game’s graphics and attention to detail in animations and environments are commendable, not just in their quality, but also in the way they make known and loved characters move and fight like you would expect when you look at them in your AoS games.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin

Gameplay Mechanics

Obviously, an RTS won’t be able to replicate a tabletop game, but Realms of Ruin comes pretty close. You have to manage your resources in order to win – this means units, their abilities and the Command (points) and Realmstone. Army composition and picking your fights well is still very important, and using the right skills (which are often the same as in Age of Sigmar) is they key to victory.

Combat System

The combat system is built upon a rock-paper-scissors type system: you have Shield, Sword and Bow units, which are stand-ins for Tanks, Fighters and Rangers. Shield beats Sword, Sword beats Bow and Bow beats Shield. The 4th class, the Heroes can beat anyone, but they cant be taken in units, only by themselves. This is also a great representation of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, as you have units that are good at one thing while another thing might not be their strongest suite – and heroes (can) beat all!

Single-Player and Multiplayer Experience

The single-player campaign and other solo modes capture the essence of Age of Sigmar. While there are blazes of glory, ultimately it’s a game about war. The story mode also stayed true to the feeling of AoS, so players can immerse themselves in the world of the Mortal Realms.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin

While Realms of Ruin is mainly a single-player game, developers Relic did a great job at creating the multiplayer modes for the game. This is where the RTS comes alive, as playing against another player is much more exciting than playing against AI – just like in AoS. The point of tabletop wargames is always the social aspect, having fun with people that enjoy the same hobby as us.

Conclusion

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin does an excellent job of visually and thematically capturing the Age of Sigmar universe. While a game like this can’t be a 1 for 1 translation of the tabletop wargame, it is a great game if you’re looking for some AoS action outside of your FLGS. The game succeeds in bringing the vibrant world of Age of Sigmar to life in a new format, offering an RTS experience that is both familiar to genre veterans and inviting to newcomers to the Warhammer universe.

 

Does Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin Stay Faithful to the Tabletop Experience?
Bence Loksa
Bence "Atreus" Loksa is a freelance journalist and League of Legends shoutcaster, covering all things esports and gaming, also yelling loudly at big plays happening on the Summoner's Rift. While his main focus is Riot Games' hit MOBA, he also dabbles in Call of Duty, VALORANT, and as of recent, the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000 - where he looks to make some grudges with his Leagues of Votann army.