Among the many high games I checked out during Gamescom last year was Hordes of Hunger, a unique blend of mechanics lifted from Vampire Survivors, Hades, and hack-and-slash games. Though my test session was short, I was immediately captivated by the smoothness of the gameplay and the character-building possibilities the game seemed to offer right from the beginning. Though it seemed to lack a bit of polish compared to other similar games, I felt the game had a ton of potential with its relatively straightforward formula almost reminiscent of an arcade game that made it very easy to get into.
Following the release of a demo version that was generally very well-received, Hordes of Hunger is now available as an Early Access release on Steam. After spending a dozen or so hours with the very first public release of the game, I can only say that my expectations after trying the game for the first time last year were almost completely met.
The "3D action survivorlike" developed by Hyperstrange doesn't waste any time getting the player into the thick of the action. After starting the game, main character Mirah awakens in the Sanctum, the only safe haven for humanity after the Beast and its ravenous hordes have stripped the land bare, ready to take on these hordes and save the world. Much like in the aforementioned Hades, the story develops as Mirah completes quests set in several different locations and rescues other central characters that will also offer additional services to help the warrior overcome even more challenging enemies. These services are generally standard fare for the genre, such as purchasing permanent perks from the Father, buffing meals from the Mother, or crafting new weapons at the Workshop, and they are extremely easy to understand and take full advantage of.
This simplicity works quite well in the context of Hordes of Hunger, as the game wants the player to constantly be out and about to fight the hordes of the Beast, hordes whose strength changes depending on the location and how many quests have already been completed in it. For example, the Main Square will be the starting point for all players, as it features the easiest enemies, while the Watermill and the Forest feature from the very first Horde Extermination quest some advanced enemy types that require players to be at the very least familiar with the different weapon types, which range from the basic all-rounder sword to the hard hitting hammer and the mobile spear, their heavy attacks, which require Focus built by fighting enemies, special attacks and the general use of the skills learned as Mirah levels up during quests.
As I highlighted last year, the skill system, along with the smooth, fast-paced, satisfying gameplay, is the feature that best defines Hordes of Hunger. The first public version of the game features a nice selection of skills that range from simple stat buffs to unique abilities like auras that deal elemental damage, additional attacks with phantom weapons, dodge and parry enhancements and so on that can not only be enhanced multiple times, but that also synergize well, and unexpectedly in some cases. As Miriah levels up reasonably quickly, and can do so even faster by acquiring certain perks, it doesn't take too long for the warrior to get powered up and see all sorts of special elemental effects go off at once, which, to be honest, tends to be a little distracting and often makes it difficult to understand what is going on amidst all the chaos. This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest issues found in Hordes of Hunger in its first Early Access release, alongside the unpolished and somewhat clunky menus that don't feel designed for controllers, especially the weapon crafting interface, where it is difficult to see which element is highlighted.
With so many combat options at the player's disposal right from the get-go, varied quests that range from simple extermination of enemies to simple escort and target destruction quests, and the promise of bigger things to come down the line, Hordes of Hunger is a well worth purchase even in its current state for players looking for a game that is highly addictive, feels great to play and doesn't require tens of hours to get going. While the experience could become a little repetitive after a few hours, its solid direction is remarkable, and I hope developer Hyperstrange will continue to spice up the experience ahead of its 1.0 release, which has yet to be dated.
Early Access code provided by the publisher.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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