2023-08-15 16:23:02
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the original release of the first episode, the Hammerwatch license returns with a real sequel that shakes up the formula. If the previous titles were relatively simple proposals, this new opus pushes the concept further and is more ambitious.
If you’re a fan of hack’n slash and you’ve been around productions of the genre, the names “Hammerwatch” and “Heroes of Hammerwatch” may be familiar to you. It is a series of indie games developed by the Swedish studio Crackshell. It’s been (within a few days) ten years since the release of the original title, the opportunity to offer a real sequel on PC. Consoles will have to wait a bit longer as Hammerwatch 2 is slated for other media for release later this year. If the first game and its spin-off were modest productions, this new opus quickly shows that it is a more complete experience.
In Hammerwatch 2, we embody a character previously customized by us. The title takes place right following the events of the first game, when we were sent to Fort Hammerwatch to save the world from a terrible Dragon. This second episode teaches us very quickly that the situation is more complex and that our characters were only one of the teams sent to defeat several threats. Hammerwatch 2 then picks up directly following the end of the first, as we exit the fort. We embark on an even greater adventure, with the aim of aiding the resistance and freeing the world from the yoke of Lord Archibald, the brother of the former king, who has fomented a coup d’etat by allying himself with evil creatures.
Just like its predecessor, Hammerwatch 2 is a title that is ideally played by several people, up to four people can form a team. It is recommended to go on an adventure with friends, even if it is quite possible to play the entire game alone. An adventure whose difficulty can sometimes be a bit steep, even in the “normal” mode, especially when played solo. The title still offers several options to make the adventure less spicy, but these must be selected before creating our character. In standard conditions, it is not uncommon to die in this title that gives us a lot of freedom.
Hammerwatch 2 is a rather classic hack’n slash, but which offers to explore large open areas. If the first two games were pure Dungeon crawlers, the latest addition to the franchise offers a much larger universe, but whose exploration is marked by the levels of the enemies. Just like in a certain Diablo IV, these areas are freely explorable and offer cities, side quests and a whole bunch of entries to more classic dungeons. Crackshell’s new title obviously can’t compete with the means of a developer like Blizzard, so don’t expect a massive open world. The latest Hammerwatch features more compact, but very satisfying areas to explore.
Classes allow the use of different abilities.
The principle of the game does not go off the beaten track. Of course, you have to face a ton of creatures and bandits to progress, earn new pieces of equipment and improve your character. The first moments of the game ask us to choose from five different classes which, here too, do not really come out of what is usually done in the genre. The principle remains the same for each class, they have different skills that change the way we approach the gameplay. The progression of our character is also done very simply, assigning points in three statistics and improving our skills with each level acquired.
The formula is very classic, but just as pleasant. The game suffers a bit from slow progression, especially in solo play, and requires us to think a bit and explore to figure out how to progress through the storyline. The proposed adventure is very complete, with many possibilities to take into account, a day/night cycle, and even a tower defense mini-game to vary the pleasures. Hammerwatch 2 is primarily designed to be played with keyboard and mouse, but controllers are well supported despite some inaccuracies in the controls.
Dungeons are often long and labyrinthine.
The presentation also takes a definite step forward from the last games. The staging remains minimalist, but the visuals are very successful. The whole thing is done in very detailed and well-animated pixel art. These animations allow the sets to come to life, and the many meteorological and light effects bring a real “modern” touch to this style. The soundtrack is also a success, offering several themes that remain in our minds.
Proposed around 25€, Hammerwatch 2 is a nice improvement compared to its predecessors. If the title offers a classic formula, this does not detract from the effectiveness of the latter, and the game quickly turns out to be addictive. It also offers a good dose of content thanks to its open areas and, if the success is there, unofficial campaigns may come to feed the game which is very open to modding. This Hammerwatch 2 can assert itself, on its scale, as a lighter and less expensive alternative to the last episode of Diablo.
Conclusion
Ten years following the original release of the very first episode, the Hammerwatch license returns with a real sequel. The independent hack’n slash series from Swedish studio Crackshell is growing with a new, more ambitious opus. Hammerwatch 2 takes place directly following the first, offering us to resume as our character leaves the dungeon that gives its name to the license. We then learn that the scenario is more complex, and that our character must take part in a larger quest to save the world from evil creatures and a tyrannical king. Playable entirely in cooperation up to four, Hammerwatch 2 then offers to browse large open explorable areas where there are enemies, but also cities and their many characters and side quests. Much like a certain Diablo IV, the open areas contain entrances to more classic dungeons with lots of enemies and a labyrinthine structure. If the gameplay remains relatively classic, it is also very effective and offers a good dose of difficulty, even if it is configurable at the start of the game. The slow progression and the small problems of maneuverability on the controller are regrettable, but we console ourselves with the excellent artistic direction of the title. The new production from the Crackshell studio offers a long and complete adventure that does not have to be ashamed of the competition.
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Hammerwatch 2
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On aime :
A compelling proposition
Playable solo or cooperatively
Many things to do
Visually very successful
A good soundtrack
We like less:
Adjustable difficulty
Gameplay maybe too classic
Slower solo progression
Some inaccuracies when playing with the controller
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#Test #Hammerwatch #convincing #independent #hackn #slash
