14 DAY TRIAL // I dash, getting out of the way of a massive green beetle and the green cloud he’s propelling toward me. Unfortunately, that brings me in the path of a bolt launched by a crossbow, wielding pirate. I retreat from the middle of this fight and hope that the beetles and the humans will focus on each other and leave me alone for a while.
An apple brings my health back up and I have enough time to get some stamina back. My bow quickly eliminates two enemies that are closing in as I continue to move back, aiming for already cleared areas of this dungeon. Another pirate comes in close and my blunt sword kills me quickly, although he manages to get a swipe in.
I have a good handle on the tactical situation. I draw a group in and then use my special ability to bleed them all, before using a combination of arrows and sword swings to eliminate them. Their lair is large and more big battles await before I find the three artifacts they’re hiding.
Hammerwatch II is developed by Crackshell and published by Modus Games. I played a preview version on Steam on the PC. The full title will also arrive on the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X and S, and older devices from Microsoft and Sony. Launch date is set for August 18, 2023. The title is a throwback to classic action role-playing games, with a heavy dose of nostalgia.
The game will follow the heroes of Herian, tasked with killing the dragons of the aptly named Blight the Horrible. Doing so will allow the rightful King Roland to restore the kingdom. On the way there, the player’s chosen hero will interact with plenty of characters who need help with simple tasks and with grander quests.
The preview is limited to the starting island and, so far, the NPCs are pretty uninteresting, a way to deliver quests and offer trading to the player. They don’t have much in the way of personality, although I quite liked a little girl with a talent for drawing maps.
Hammerwatch II is very action focused. Playing as the Ranger, I had to constantly worry about my stamina as I dashed my way around enemies to pepper them with arrows. Some quick healing was required when facing big groups and backpedaling is a good strategy, if there’s space for that. I love that different types of enemies are eager to battle each other.
There’s a big upgrade tree, giving players options to suit their combat style. Death is not the end, although it costs players quite a bit of money. Up to four players will be able to join in cooperative multiplayer. The game should find a few ways to innovate on the classic structure of the action RPG.
Hammerwatch II deploys a pixelated look that is a good fit for its fantasy world. The island has a nice variety of environments, although a few extra color for some of the dungeons would be a good idea. Combat sounds fine, within the classic fantasy parameters, with the main character always explaining verbalizing when unable to perform a move. The soundtrack fails to stand out.
Conclusion
But classic action RPG experiences probably need more to capture the attention. Fans of the original will like the expanded world and familiar mechanics. But Hammerwatch II should find ways to innovate on this formula to attract a wider audience.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
