Hammerwatch

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 114 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 114
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 114
  3. Negative: 13 out of 114

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  1. Boonah
    Aug 15, 2013
    8
    This is very much like the old game "Gauntlet" roam around a dungeon killing monsters and opening chests. It's not particularly deep or complex but what do you expect from the price?

    Solid value for money.

    8/10
  2. furl
    Jan 14, 2014
    9
    There are quite a few games that are valued not for their modern graphics or epic storyline, but purely for their gameplay. Hammerwatch is one of them. It's gameplay is very similar to Mage Gauntlet's on iOS, so if you like that game, grab Hammerwatch without even thinking.

    The fighting mechanics in the game can be described as something between those of Crimsonland and Rogue Legacy.    There are quite a few games that are valued not for their modern graphics or epic storyline, but purely for their gameplay. Hammerwatch is one of them. It's gameplay is very similar to Mage Gauntlet's on iOS, so if you like that game, grab Hammerwatch without even thinking.

    The fighting mechanics in the game can be described as something between those of Crimsonland and Rogue Legacy. Hammerwatch's difficulty is adequately challenging and somewhat similar to aforementioned games, but can still be configured to make the game easier or even harder.

    Personally, I like the game a lot. Tomorrow is a working day and I should have been in bed for a couple of hours now, but I keep playing. This game deserves 10 points, but I'll give it 9 solely because of Mage gauntlet, which is - just a bit - but better.    … Expand
  3. BigMike
    Aug 26, 2013
    9
    It's hard, and it's fun. Sometimes it makes you mad, but I think that's not a bad quality in a game at all. It's frustrating, but it certainly doesn't end up feeling any more monotonous than any game it resembles.
  4. jefflaydenrocks
    Dec 1, 2013
    10
    I try out tons of games and rarely do I find one that can capture me the way Hammerwatch did. Indie games are an interesting breed. Most of them are a waste of time but every now and then you get something special. Some examples are FTL, Rogue Legacy, Super Meatboy, and Limbo. This one is definitely on par with those. I'm not sure why this one isn't as popular but don't miss it. Now ifI try out tons of games and rarely do I find one that can capture me the way Hammerwatch did. Indie games are an interesting breed. Most of them are a waste of time but every now and then you get something special. Some examples are FTL, Rogue Legacy, Super Meatboy, and Limbo. This one is definitely on par with those. I'm not sure why this one isn't as popular but don't miss it. Now if you'll excuse me... back to it.… Expand
  5. T-1001
    Aug 18, 2013
    8
    It is a lot like Gauntlet, as some others mention here. Seriously, If you hate Gauntlet, you might as well not play this. Personally, I don't love Gauntlet, I just think it's alright. But this I really like!
    Hammerwatch plays pretty much exactly like the old Gauntlet games with some improvements to the formula and great additions like upgrade stores scattered about, online and offline 4    It is a lot like Gauntlet, as some others mention here. Seriously, If you hate Gauntlet, you might as well not play this. Personally, I don't love Gauntlet, I just think it's alright. But this I really like!
    Hammerwatch plays pretty much exactly like the old Gauntlet games with some improvements to the formula and great additions like upgrade stores scattered about, online and offline 4 player co-op, the challenges and crutches system and really nice looking, tweakable old-school graphics.
    I love that it has a level editor because it really increases the value a lot once all the level editor enthusiasts and pros gets their hand on it.
    To sum things up: It is a great co-op arcade hack & slash game. I absolutely fully recommend this if you've played any of the Gauntlet games. If you haven't, I still recommend it because it's only 8 dollars on the Humble store.
    Ps. To the people saying that this isn't hack & slash: remember, Gauntlet was one of the first (if not THE first) to innovate the genre. This is true hack & slash.    … Expand
  6. Hallz
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    A great dungeon crawler with plentiful multiplayer options, including both online and very much appreciated local mode. Best played with a controller. Well worth the $10 price tag!
  7. Zero_Tactics
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    Hammerwatch is a really fun, really beautiful title. It's a neat Gauntlet style game that is perfectly enjoyable alone but immensely better when playing with friends. Some small but fun puzzle change the pace of the game, giving a small 'Zelda' dungeon vibe. The classes are fun and everyone will find one that match their play style.
  8. wyzeguyy
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    Saw this game on sale for cheap, picked it up, and it has been nothing but addicting thus far. If you have a few friends and love dungeon crawlers this game is definitely a good time sink; especially for the price! Just expect a few deaths before you get the hang of things.
  9. ImJustaGlitch
    Oct 21, 2013
    7
    Hammerwatch is a blast from the past and brings back the retro feel of Gauntlet. The game comes with it's own editor which is a bit rough around the edges but is fun once you get the hang of it. The online features could use some work like including resuming games and allowing new players to join once others leave. The campaign takes about 3-4 hours to complete on medium so for the price IHammerwatch is a blast from the past and brings back the retro feel of Gauntlet. The game comes with it's own editor which is a bit rough around the edges but is fun once you get the hang of it. The online features could use some work like including resuming games and allowing new players to join once others leave. The campaign takes about 3-4 hours to complete on medium so for the price I would have to say it's worth giving it a try especially if you have friends with you.

    Hammerwatch supports Windows, Mac, and Linux    … Expand
  10. Samnater
    Dec 2, 2013
    9
    Easy to learn, difficult to master. This game is fun with friends (you won't find me playing it solo) and provides an excellent challenge to any gamer. If you don't take your time to look around and think about how to engage mobs, then you will die fairly early. Even playing on the easiest setting, it took me and three other veteran gamers a few attempts just to get to and kill the firstEasy to learn, difficult to master. This game is fun with friends (you won't find me playing it solo) and provides an excellent challenge to any gamer. If you don't take your time to look around and think about how to engage mobs, then you will die fairly early. Even playing on the easiest setting, it took me and three other veteran gamers a few attempts just to get to and kill the first boss.

    Drawbacks
    -No mouse support for aiming
    -Lack of storyline (if you're into that sort of thing)
    -Class progression somewhat linear

    Overall, its definitely worth getting if you've got a group of friends to play it with over skype/vent/etc, or want a REALLY challenging dungeon crawl, but otherwise I would avoid it.    … Expand
  11. Supagoat
    Dec 31, 2013
    5
    When you look at it you think to yourself, "Wow! Cool! This is like Gauntlet!" But it's not. The dungeon is the same every time, there's no urgency/hunger clock, and the enemies are incredibly repetitive. OK, well Gauntlet has repetitive enemies, too.

    But without the hunger clock the player is free to sit around and let their mana restore, which is boring but advantageous, which is    When you look at it you think to yourself, "Wow! Cool! This is like Gauntlet!" But it's not. The dungeon is the same every time, there's no urgency/hunger clock, and the enemies are incredibly repetitive. OK, well Gauntlet has repetitive enemies, too.

    But without the hunger clock the player is free to sit around and let their mana restore, which is boring but advantageous, which is bad game design.

    The levels are too big. They try to have some puzzles but they end up feeling tedious.

    2 of the classes have ranged attacks and most of the enemies do. The game is balanced towards ranged combat, with the 2 melee classes at significant disadvantages in several ways. Though the melee classes have more HP, they don't have enough that they can charge into combat blindly so they need to hang back dodge the enemy shots then charge in and try to kill the enemies quickly. That'd be OK but there are monster generators pumping out these bad guys, so in the time the player needs to spend dodging, more enemies spawn The ranged classes don't have this issue. The melee class warlock is particularly bad since his attack is very short range and has a very small swing arc, so you really have to run into enemies to hit them and then they hit back.    … Expand
  12. Thorstoned
    Aug 15, 2013
    10
    A blast from the past!

    This game has kept me in front of the screen for far too long. I don't understand the negative reviews; it's obvious what kind of game this is, even before you buy it an old school, pixelated action RPG. The controls are perfect in my eyes, WASD to run and arrow keys to do everything else. Now I've never played Gauntlet, nor have I played any other game that    A blast from the past!

    This game has kept me in front of the screen for far too long. I don't understand the negative reviews; it's obvious what kind of game this is, even before you buy it an old school, pixelated action RPG. The controls are perfect in my eyes, WASD to run and arrow keys to do everything else.

    Now I've never played Gauntlet, nor have I played any other game that is even remotely close to this, all I know is that this was BOUNDS of fun. There's never a dull moment. It's an intense, unforgiving hack and slash jewel. Finding secret areas in a game has never felt so rewarding (keep your eyes open!).

    The game is challenging, especially while you get used to it. Unless you turn on 'crutches' like infinite lives, you only have a set amount of extra lives before it's game over. This just makes it that much more rewarding to finally beat that boss and progress into the next level.

    Complex level design, exhilarating puzzles, fast-paced action, online co-op (personally only played single-player) and hours of focus makes this one a must-own in my book, especially considering the cheap price tag.

    I'm sitting here trying to think of cons, to create a more balanced review, but I'm honestly struggling to find any. I'll let other users take care of that part, it seems like that is something people like to do. I'm going to play some more.    … Expand
  13. Cloud73
    Aug 15, 2013
    7
    I saw this game being advertised on Steam, and decided that I liked the immediate aesthetic vibe I got from it. The sprite work and gameplay video impressed me. Therefore, I went ahead and purchased it.

    My only experience so far in this game is with the singleplayer mode, but I've come to the conclusion that this is not the optimum method of playing the game. I say this because    I saw this game being advertised on Steam, and decided that I liked the immediate aesthetic vibe I got from it. The sprite work and gameplay video impressed me. Therefore, I went ahead and purchased it.

    My only experience so far in this game is with the singleplayer mode, but I've come to the conclusion that this is not the optimum method of playing the game. I say this because progression in this game is largely dependent upon slaying enemies who come in massive droves, and upon the time-tested "find the key" method of exploration. The second problem actually would not be a problem for singleplayer, if only the keys weren't made of buttons placed at opposite ends of the absurdly large maps. Normally, every door needs four buttons to be pushed, and guess what? This game supports four player coop!

    Now, that's not to say that the movement speed was an issue. In fact, I found the general control of the game to be rather smooth and enjoyable. Controls are mappable to keyboard or controller, and I would personally recommend a controller to get the most from it. Keyboard is certainly functional, but this is almost certainly a game for abnegating and relaxing with, at least until you reach a boss. I'll talk about the first boss I fought in a moment.

    When choosing a character, I played a paladin, one of four classes that can be selected and the only one that appeared to be a melee user. The game is not particularly suited to melee users, or at least it wasn't in my limited experience. Many enemies I confronted either charged immediately onto my sword or shot so many projectiles that I might have just as well been holding a stick. Your shield is supposed to protect you from "most" projectile attacks, but I found myself hurting for a health snack every time one of their particular spawn points needed destroying. I would suggest for you to use another character, but I don't know for certain how the other characters are balanced out, so go with what you think you'd prefer.

    The weaknesses of the character I chose were also apparent after the first boss I fought. Without giving too much away, the fight largely consists of running behind pillars every time the boss uses his own attack, but since I had a melee character, I had to watch carefully for the boss to give his "I'm about to really hurt you" tell. If I missed the tell, there wasn't nearly enough time for me to run away. Again, I'm led to believe that a different character would have been more fortunate in this fight, but so would having three other team members been to help me blast his face in. I actually think that the boss fight was rather fun, despite how my description might paint it, but if I haven't made this completely clear yet... THE GAME... IS... MULTIPLAYER. Grab your friends, family, or even the dog, but don't play this game alone!

    I actually think this game does not deserve any of the bad ratings it's getting. The game's options are available and comprehensive enough for what the game demands, and the gameplay is well made. The graphics are nicely done, though I hope you have other people to help you speed through the levels because they are slightly repetitive for the size of each map. There's a level editor for people who like that sort of thing, and the leveling options are each useful in their way. You have my sincerest recommendations.

    Grab this game to enjoy with friends and for the last time, I'm serious. Play it with friends.    … Expand
  14. Conny
    Aug 15, 2013
    2
    This is an awful game.

    It is obvious that they tried to go with a simple game mechanic but it falls short because the core mechanics are not fun or well done. It feels as if all content added to the game are just fillers. But it's just polishing something that's completely broken. Everything feels overly repetitive and not rewarding in the slightest. Hammerwatch does not live up to    This is an awful game.

    It is obvious that they tried to go with a simple game mechanic but it falls short because the core mechanics are not fun or well done. It feels as if all content added to the game are just fillers. But it's just polishing something that's completely broken.

    Everything feels overly repetitive and not rewarding in the slightest. Hammerwatch does not live up to it's presentation.    … Expand
  15. Dziver
    Oct 15, 2014
    6
    If you buy the game I recommend playing the second campaign(Sun Temple) first as it's way better than the main campaign. If you play the main campaign first the second campaign won't feel as fresh since it reuses some enemies. There is no story connection between the two. Actually, you might as well skip the main campaign entirely. It's godf***ingawful, just a collection of "activate allIf you buy the game I recommend playing the second campaign(Sun Temple) first as it's way better than the main campaign. If you play the main campaign first the second campaign won't feel as fresh since it reuses some enemies. There is no story connection between the two. Actually, you might as well skip the main campaign entirely. It's godf***ingawful, just a collection of "activate all thingys to get to boss" labyrinths filled with infinite enemy spawns. If you still crave more after Sun Temple the best option is to check Steam workshop for mod campaigns. The best of them are on par with or even better than Sun Temple and have new enemies too.… Expand
  16. Thicky
    Aug 14, 2013
    4
    This is written as the game is just released. It's a gauntlet type game on the pc. Unfortunately the game doesn't play well when using a keyboard, you really need a controller.

    But right on the Steam page for the game it states "Partial Controller Support". My controller doesn't even work yet.

    TLDR; wait until this game makes some hefty patches.
  17. Noqrax
    Aug 21, 2013
    6
    I think it is a good time killer and it has a Linux compatibility.
    But after one hour game usually became boring and monotone. Nothing new and creative in the game. Only four classes, massive time of the game you have only one ability, boring puzzles, easy-to-find secrets, and annoying challenges. Nothing creative.
    Game is hard, really hard, and it makes game a little more interesting    I think it is a good time killer and it has a Linux compatibility.
    But after one hour game usually became boring and monotone. Nothing new and creative in the game. Only four classes, massive time of the game you have only one ability, boring puzzles, easy-to-find secrets, and annoying challenges. Nothing creative.
    Game is hard, really hard, and it makes game a little more interesting for single, but in multiplayer your team will quickly spend all lives.
    And at last too many for these game. Hope this game will become better and developers continue to work.    … Expand
  18. NikKotovski
    Feb 11, 2014
    1
    The game is rather good itself despite old-looking graphics, but thx to constant save crashes it is unplayable in CO-OP. So for me it basically ended up in a waste of money, because I wanted to play with my friends.
  19. xolve
    Oct 22, 2014
    3
    Poor graphics and visual acuity - screen judders every so often like it's been hit by tiny rocks -
    Poor sound and music - ruined by overcompressing and/or overlimiting, clipped and distressing to listen to -
    Lousy gameplay - if you want something genuinely interesting along the same lines - Diablo 1. It's almost twenty years old and it's much, much better than this.
  20. 123456
    Mar 10, 2016
    7
    A really fun multiplayer game.

    Graphically lofi but excellent at what it does.

    Punishingly difficult with the default settings unless you have the time/skill to put into it.

    Playing with a novice gamer we eventually played it with some cheat modes on just to see it all, and it was still great fun. Would like to play it again properly.
  21. ibitato
    Dec 7, 2013
    8
    The game is a dungeon crawler with more or less big maps.
    It shines on coop specially if each player chooses a different class and there is workteam
    I've played a good amount of hours solo and with the wife, and it's much more fun on coop. Also, there is a big difference (IMO) trying to play on keyb/mouse and with a gamepad Gamepad works much better then keyb/mouse The statistics part    The game is a dungeon crawler with more or less big maps.
    It shines on coop specially if each player chooses a different class and there is workteam
    I've played a good amount of hours solo and with the wife, and it's much more fun on coop.
    Also, there is a big difference (IMO) trying to play on keyb/mouse and with a gamepad
    Gamepad works much better then keyb/mouse
    The statistics part of the game needs to be overhauled, since it's pointless ATM
    The local coop option, I think the saving does not work as it should
    Other than that, the game is fun    … Expand
  22. HELLruler
    Jan 2, 2014
    7
    The game is fairly good. It has that retro style and even though it seems simple, playing well takes some practice. A lot of stuff is hidden, so you have to pay attention to find nice things
    Playing alone is ok, but with more people it gets a lot better. So if you plan to buy this game, get some friends to buy the 4-pack
  23. SebboBastian
    Dec 24, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Lovely co-op for four players, but dont forgett the planks!!!! Messy, chaotic and fun. Hate the planks thou.… Expand
  24. raiokincaris
    Dec 9, 2013
    7
    An interesting game for what is on the surface. Exploration seems fun, and sometimes it leaves you sweating through a level if you aggro too many things at once. The only time I stop playing is when I've used up my lives!
  25. TheRedGiant
    Jan 5, 2014
    10
    Great old style game. Fast to pick up. Hard to walk away from. The game is seriously addictive and I have not had so much fun in years. Bought it in a Steam sale but would happily pay more for the hours of fun so far. Even bought a few copies for friends.
  26. Skyrimist
    Oct 30, 2014
    8
    Great Dungeon Crawler to play with friends.
    However the levels aren't randomly generated;so it does old after a while....
    Still,I think for what it's worth ,it's a great game to try!
  27. cwepahguy225
    Jul 5, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I liked the 8 bit feel and the general gameplay. I enjoyed killing larvae and knights, but I felt the later parts were very over-complicated. The multiplayer doesn't even work… Expand
  28. Minisvet
    Sep 28, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its finally game that make sense to play with friend,
    i tried more games like Serious Sam and more and more but this game is f* awesome !
    Explore dungeon full of money and monsters and make you're way for boss and new locations
    You can choose one of six heroes, Ranger is best for new players.

    9/10 Best spent money for old-stile game    … Expand
  29. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    More fun the more players you have, with smooth and functional online or local coop that allows you to save and continue your game in multiple sessions. With an emphasis on huge hordes of enemies and traps galore, there is plenty of fun to be had exploring and crushing massive swarms of enemies that fill the screen, and a variety of classes to make multiple playthroughs appealing. AnMore fun the more players you have, with smooth and functional online or local coop that allows you to save and continue your game in multiple sessions. With an emphasis on huge hordes of enemies and traps galore, there is plenty of fun to be had exploring and crushing massive swarms of enemies that fill the screen, and a variety of classes to make multiple playthroughs appealing. An assortment of workshop content can enhance your mileage even more.

    By default, it can be quite challenging, but there are plenty of options to customize your experience and make it easier or harder depending on your tastes. Infinite lives, no lives. Regenerating health, 1 health. The extra options add some spice and make it a good candidate for multiple sessions even after you finish the main campaign. It's all built on top of a game whose core combat feels fast and satisfying, and that's always bombarding you with rewards just as much as it is with enemies. Well, maybe a few more enemies than rewards.    … Expand
  30. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    6
    Its been done a million times before, but nobody can deny that it's fun! And hammerwatch is definitely one of the better iterations of this cliched formula.
  31. tarmatar
    Sep 10, 2020
    2
    The main task is endless swotting of jugs and boxes, over and over again...
  32. TheLinkgirl
    Jul 16, 2023
    6
    Metacritic refuses to allow me to put a decimal, and if I could I would give this game a 6.5 instead.
    Hammerwatch is a decently enjoyable retro dungeon crawler, with a simple yet effective premise and cast of characters. The gameplay is quite shallow and repetitive, but it doesn't take long to go through a full campaign so it doesn't quite have the time to get dull. That being said, some    Metacritic refuses to allow me to put a decimal, and if I could I would give this game a 6.5 instead.
    Hammerwatch is a decently enjoyable retro dungeon crawler, with a simple yet effective premise and cast of characters. The gameplay is quite shallow and repetitive, but it doesn't take long to go through a full campaign so it doesn't quite have the time to get dull. That being said, some design decisions in this game really bring it down, most egregious for me being the strange planks. While I won't spoil it for people that don't know, I feel this system ruins the main campaign for me. Hammerwatch is fun, and definitely a good time with friends, but I feel little desire to go back to it often when Heroes of Hammerwatch is a far better game in every regard.    … Expand
  33. LT_Gruber
    Dec 11, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing classic retro Hack and Slash RPG with high replay value.

    When I first played Hammerwatch, I did not expect much. Another indie game for a quick cash grab (yeah, I was that skeptical). But that soon changed the minute I advanced through the first level.

    Hammerwatch is a simple yet fun Hack and Slash game. You kill monsters, collect copper, silver and gold pieces, level up your skills and defeat bosses, you know, classic stuff. Its fast gameplay is addicting, and I played half the game in my first session.

    The game has challenging enemy encounters and mini bosses and a ton of stuff to kill and collect. The secrets are well hidden and reward you well for finding them. The Easter eggs are fun and refer to other games, my favorite being the Serious Sam Easter egg.

    Hammerwatch is well balanced in terms of difficulty. It can be challenging, but it is not impossible to beat it (except for the survival mode with the Crystal Lich).

    The graphics are nice, classic 8-bit style with a modern twist. The music is awesome, it fits perfectly in the levels and plays nicely in the background. The sound effects are satisfying and gives the feeling that you actually hit something or break something. For me this is important.

    The added DLC level Temple of the Sun is also a ton of fun. In this small campaign you fight your way through a temple while avoiding traps. Also, you need to think more carefully which vendor you want to upgrade to higher levels to get the next tier upgrades because, there is limited ore you can distribute among them, a nice new mechanic. The new enemies are fun too and, in my opinion, harder than the original ones.

    I enjoyed playing the game and earning the achievements. The only negative aspect in the game are, like some other games, the extreme grinding achievements where you need to kill or collect a sh!tton of beings taking you hours and hours.

    But that aside, I certainly recommend Hammerwatch to anyone.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. PC Gamer UK
    Nov 6, 2013
    70
    It's great to revisit the dungeon crawler genre's crude beginnings, but don't go alone. [Dec 2013, p.89]
  2. Eurogamer
    Sep 24, 2013
    70
    There's precious little depth lurking in Hammerwatch, then, but if you've got a few friends handy or are willing to wait around online for the worryingly small community to make itself known, this is genuine old-fashioned skeleton-bashing with a gloriously tidal approach to chucking in the enemies.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    Sep 18, 2013
    77
    Exploring dungeons, gathering loot and puzzling your way through the provided arenas is banter baiting fun, however. [Nov 2013, p.75]
See all critic reviews »