Hammerwatch
A Gauntlet-inspired hack and slash with six classes and no skill trees.
Hammerwatch is a hack and slash action-adventure game from 2013, created by the Swedish developer Crackshell. It launched for Linux, Windows, and OS X in August 2013, and later arrived on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in December 2017. The game draws heavy inspiration from the Gauntlet series and plays similarly to Diablo, tasking players with fighting through a castle against hundreds of enemies. Unlike later Diablo titles, Hammerwatch has no skill trees; instead, players purchase abilities from merchants found throughout the maps. There are six character classes to choose from: paladin, wizard, ranger, thief, warlock, and priest.
The project was developed by Jochum Skoglund and Niklas Myrberg. It was submitted to Steam Greenlight and accepted on April 17, 2013, following a first beta release in February 2013. The full game came out on August 12, 2013, on both Steam and the DRM-free store GOG.com.
A free expansion, Temple of the Sun, was released as a patch on September 16, 2014. It adds a new desert-based campaign with fresh themes, bosses, and challenges.
Hammerwatch received a 75 out of 100 from GameFront and a 7 out of 10 from Destructoid. On Metacritic, it holds an average score of 72 out of 100 based on five critic reviews. The game had 2,500 pre-orders and sold 12,000 units within its first 24 hours on Steam. Destructoid also ranked it among the top 30 most anticipated indie games of 2013. The series later continued with Heroes of Hammerwatch and Hammerwatch 2.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Hammerwatch
- Developer
- Crackshell
- Platforms
- Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Released
- Linux, Windows, OS X · 12 August 2013 · NS, PS4, XBO · 14 December 2017
- Genre
- Hack and slash, action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hammerwatch was developed by Jochum Skoglund and Niklas Myrberg, mainly inspired by the Gauntlet games. The player navigates a castle, killing hundreds of enemies, and buys skills from traders across maps rather than using skill trees. The game features six character classes: paladin, wizard, ranger, thief, warlock and priest. It was put on Steam Greenlight and accepted on 17 April 2013, with a first beta released in February 2013. The full game launched on 12 August 2013 on Steam and the DRM-free store gog.com. A free expansion, Temple of the Sun, was released on 16 September 2014 as a patch, adding a desert campaign with new themes, bosses and challenges.
Reader's Guide
Hammerwatch holds significance as a successful indie title that channeled the classic Gauntlet formula into a modern hack and slash experience. Its release via Steam Greenlight and strong pre-order numbers (2,500) and first-day sales (12,000 units on Steam) demonstrated the viability of the platform for indie developers. The game received a score of 75/100 on GameFront and 7/10 on Destructoid, with an average Metacritic rating of 72 out of 100 based on five critic reviews. It was listed among the top 30 most anticipated indie games of 2013 on Destructoid. The free Temple of the Sun expansion added longevity without additional cost. The game later spawned sequels Heroes of Hammerwatch and Hammerwatch 2, indicating its lasting influence within the action-adventure genre.
Did You Know?
- Hammerwatch was developed by Swedish studio Crackshell.
- The game has no skill trees; players buy skills from traders across maps.
- Hammerwatch sold 12,000 units in its first 24 hours on Steam.
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