Hammerwatch

Hammerwatch
72
Metacritic
88
Steam
83.097
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$1.99
Release date
12 August 2013
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
88 (3 554 votes)

A hack and slash action adventure, set in a fantasy pixel art environment. Play solo or co-op in this adventure from bottom to top of Castle Hammerwatch. Kill hordes of enemies with varied looks and features through four unique environments with traps, hidden secrets and puzzles.

Show detailed description

Hammerwatch system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
  • Processor: 1.8 GHz
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 1.4 Compatible
  • Storage: 300 MB available space
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encephalon9
encephalon9

I am probably being overly critical here, but I would like to point out one issue
I have on Steam Deck. On the main screen, if you accidentally get the "Workshop" or "WWW" icons to highlight, there is absolutely no way to get back to the center buttons. You have to force close the game.

Otherwise, the game runs fine and is quite enjoyable, if you like Gauntlet style games.

SauronMustDie
SauronMustDie

Loving the art style. Had quite some fun with this game.

HAcoreRD
HAcoreRD

unfortunately, it's a dead game, multiplayer wise

S†rider
S†rider

Ignore what Steam is saying because this works on Catalina and newer. I'm playing Hammerwatch on my Mac M1 with Big Sur OSX perfectly fine!! Brilliant game :)

Joe
Joe

It's a decent co-op game and the free 2nd campaign added a lot of value. There's also a bunch of free content online with mixed quality. I wouldn't recommend it for single player. Also ranged classes are just much easier than melee.

sayaandtenshi
sayaandtenshi

This is a fun dungeon crawler, especially if played with friends. Optimizing your character and just tearing through enemies as you improve gives a lot of satisfaction. There is the downside that each time you play, the dungeon rooms are the same layout but the game heros of hammerwatch has procedural generated rooms if that's what you prefer. The game workshop also has some fun mods to install. The graphics are fun to watch and the gameplay itself isn't bad at all.

calthaer
calthaer

This game was a lot of fun when I played it. It's cheap, so every now and then I think about getting a few copies for my buddies and going through it again. But then I try to run it, and it doesn't work: the music plays but the program stays minimized or something and the game never comes up. It just plain doesn't work - even with Compatibility Mode turned on. Doesn't matter if it's $5 or $2, don't buy this piece of software - it's obviously not supported on modern operating systems.

Snowy-Ashter
Snowy-Ashter

A great dungeon crawler. Fun, Fast paced, difficult yet not punishing.

rotcarnage
rotcarnage

Old school fun. I'd still be playing it if I hadn't discovered Heroes of Hammerwatch

Kid in the background goin CRAZY
Kid in the bac…

Great game. Play with friend(s).

totorotipping
totorotipping

loved the feel and execution of this game.

Kid Kolumbo
Kid Kolumbo

Very simple game to play with your friends. Reminds me very much of old Gauntlet with modern sensibilities. Online Co-op is so clutch.

Megadeath
Megadeath

For my taste this game and it's mechanics are too old. It seems like someone wanted to make a game oldschool and fairly succeded in this, but i don't like it. It feels somewhat empty and hard to progress ...
Most times i feel, like i wouldn't progress at all and that i'm dying before getting anywhere near a point, where this game would be fun for me.
If you like oldschool games, that are missing QoL improvements and are somewhat puzzlelike ?, then this game will be fun for you.

TonkaTank342
TonkaTank342

game is just so much fun for $10.00. I highly recommend this game for friends to play

tigromvivo
tigromvivo

For me, the gameplay is too arcadey, simple and repetitive. I think it is a little overrated.

Juibly
Juibly

I've never watched a hammer in such high quality.

mia
mia

it's absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

GoodSpirit
GoodSpirit

Played through this game with my wife to completion... but OMG THOSE PLANKS!!!! Multiplayer is where this game is at
https://youtu.be/5phC0Z120_8

Rushional
Rushional

I've played through this game in co-op with a friend, and it was still kinda boring.
The fighting isn't deep at all, and is very repetitive. The exploration isn't that compelling either.
The game feels empty

Xero the Hero
Xero the Hero

This game is extremely addictive! It has a great old school feel.

Inno
Inno

A super fun dungeon crawler / hack-and-slash game with pixel graphics. Good in singleplayer but way better in co-op. People who look for an old-school game like Gauntlet from the NES era will love this game. I especially liked the challenging boss fights and I was positively surprised by the length of the campaigns.

Oh... and don’t forget the planks!

Romalllka
Romalllka

Really good place to spend your 10+ hours in day and don't stop trying to find best route to finish the game
I myself played more than 100+ hours but not on steam, so all i can say you just need a good couple of friends
and this game will shy with you

ZSCHEIGWAI
ZSCHEIGWAI

Very fun hack and slash style dungeon crawler. it satisfies my need for slaying evil monsters and skeletons, this game doesn't have any sort of gearing or equipment, but there are numerous upgrades you can purchase and a good variety of classes. very very worth the price point.

cashew
cashew

:| Watcher mang? like little wormy guys fuck em i dont like the fish watermoelons

Bored Already
Bored Already

Fantastic game, horrible control scheme

Sensei
Sensei

!!!! dont buy this game !!!!
enemies are not creative and repeat itself

Roughbark
Roughbark

If you kill the Frost Wizard too fast he monologues as a flayed corpse

Fps
Fps

It's a great time sink that still holds up. I played it way back when steam greenlight was still a thing and had a great time. Now it's been polished, has added replay value with achievements and difficulties, and a workshop for creating and sharing custom campaigns. Just the perfect mixture for dungeon crawling fun.

Basseman
Basseman

Had this game for years.. decided to try it again. Not a bad game as such. just repeats, and enemies kind of samey. But one part that is important. change the controls. THe original controls is keyboard only. just use mouse, and change so you don´t have to click. have not tried co-op i think there is where the potential lies. and somewhat high difficulty. so do i reccommend?

Hmm, not sure. gonna press yes but, yeah. This review system need s more then just yes and no..

SonicOnLaxatives
SonicOnLaxatives

Imagine this:
It's a rainy day, you and your two other friends have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do and you stumble on this gem... You're feeling rich (and since your other friends are strategy geeks you have to sponsor them the game via the 4-Pack. Well it is not money wasted.
The game is on another level of simple rouge-likes. Being able to pick from a roster of class - my favourite being the healer for how annoying your beam of healing is - you are launched into a dungeon or if you prefer play one of the free content expansions. The game doesn't have much to it other than dodge, attack and special attack. With it's simplicity comes the bullet hell/plethora of enemies and the clown fiesta of fun.
Having played 6 hours of it I wish I played it more... But I joined my friends a week later right before they were about to kill one of the last bosses in the game. Having done that I've never really found the time to play the game properly but would still recommend it to anyone looking for that little hidden gem.

Hyborian King
Hyborian King

Better than the Gauntlet reboot.
A bit repetitive though

SirMacBravePoo
SirMacBravePoo

If you are cool with backtracking and down with some deaths. Then this is a good dungeon crawler. Im 4 hours in and still in the addictive phase where you look for the next upgrade. Heard other people say 10 hours is the max fun you can have...we will se.

Toast :)
Toast :)

Hammerwatch is a very enjoyable dungeon crawler with careful thought put into every floor, with plenty of secrets to find along the way. There are 2 campaigns to be enjoyed with 7 different classes, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, although some are a bit more balanced than others. There are also a few extra game modes that can be played, such as a survival mode and a defense mode, as well as an editor to be played with to make your own maps, or enjoy someone else's. The coop is fun, although it can be very chaotic as the camera tries its best to keep everyone on the screen.

Although the game is great content wise, it can be a bit messy as far as settings and the like are concerned - for example, I could not play the game in fullscreen, as it did not have my resolution available (although I do not exclude me being too incompetent to find the available fix). Once you've got that figured out, however, the game is a joy to play all the way through both campaigns.

-𝕽𝖊𝖋𝖑𝖊𝖈𝖙-
-𝕽𝖊𝖋𝖑𝖊𝖈𝖙-

Played with my cousins, amazing game, very fun! :)

Twinscr3w
Twinscr3w

Love this game. Need more games like this with 4 player couch co-op.

kitsune8181
kitsune8181

This game is so addicting, it has fun graphics and a lot of replay to it. Its great fun with friends.

Walter das Trevas
Walter das Trevas

Classic minimalist gameplay.
Looks like Gauntlet.
I really liked it.

Incognito
Incognito

If you love the old skool Hack & Slash game like Gauntlet (the original), than this is an absolute must!
The first time i discovered the hidden (deliberate puzzle) Gauntlet level within the game, everything came flooding back to me. The nostalgia, the cabinet arcade in the corner of the store, the bottomless hell the game would gobble up the quarters.
Seriously, I was absolutely giddy.
And for those haters, saying things like "they don't get it". I was in your shoes when i first saw this game. I've watched several previews and Let's Plays, and my reaction was the heaping spoon of groans and eye rolling. "Not another crappy pixel game!" But when it was on sale, "oh, what the heck" and the only regret has been, not buying it sooner.

At first, the levels seem small. But as you traverse the steps leading up and down, and down and up, you start to realize how expansive each levels are. And each level has several secrets, buttons, puzzles, and hidden areas you've definitely missed the first time you've beaten the game. At least I got tired of rubbing against all the walls by the third level.

The Ranger is still my favorite and the easiest character to start out with (the game even recommends as a starter).
It took me maybe 5-6 hours to finish solo, but even than, like i mentioned, I was looking for all the hidden gems.
The game would be much shorter if your just speed running. But then, I would say you're definitely missing out.
I've finally been able to play in a co-op recently, and it was a blast.
Really, it's on sale. No regrets!

Prince Vegeta
Prince Vegeta

Awesome action RPG with really great co-op. My friend and I had a good time with this one. It has a good variety of characters, plenty of things to upgrade, and a lengthy campaign mode.

There's some enjoyable puzzles and a bunch of different enemies to deal with. It's a bit difficult at times but worth the challenge. If you enjoy games like Gauntlet you might like this too! :-)

TTV/RS_Catherby
TTV/RS_Catherby

Very great game. Should also check out the second one if you enjoy this. Great with a controller and I love how I can play 1 copy with 3 friends on 1 screen using usb controllers.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Great Gauntlet style co-op. Simple, fun.

Altricad
Altricad

Very very fun roguelite for the price tag its at. If you're apprehensive about this game's follow up (Heroes of hammerwatch) play this first to see if you like the mechanics

The fun is quadrupled if you have friends to play with (and convince them to buy it during its 80% off sale, its literally 2$....)

I'm not gonna ruin the story but if you do play it, explore EVERYTHING, you'll thank me after you finish the last boss. This game is a bit silly at times, but it rewards patience and every single boss has a pattern that you can pseudo-play around

Co-op is infinitely more fun/easier though

Fedor
Fedor

Only two controllers working at the same time. Graphics looks very primitive.

Herói
Herói

Duuuude, seriously, play this game. I've no words to describe how good is this fu#%k game.
Enjoooy it ~)

ageconfirmmm4483
ageconfirmmm4483

Every time I attempt local co-op, the player using the keyboard can no longer aim. Even without the bugs, the game has failed to keep my interest.

sergykid
sergykid

Classic dungeon crawler. The campaign is generic, but the survival mode is fun.
It has nice gameplay but is too simple.

Pretentieux
Pretentieux

I had a great time going through this solo.
This game is worth both the money it costs to purchase and the time spent to play it.
I imagine playing through it co-op with a friend or two would be lots of fun as well.

If you try this and enjoy it, check out the 2nd title from this studio "Heroes of Hammerwatch" which is an exceptional rogue-lite experience crafted in the same engine.

Vhrolok
Vhrolok

This Game is a Lot of fun, specially with friends.

deathsminnion
deathsminnion

very fun solo or with friends, diablo meets gauntlet perfectly

Shuffleblade
Shuffleblade

Great game to play with friends, this is my third time playing through it with different friends. So far I have had no one that doesn't like it. Playing it on hard can get frustrating but also makes it very challenging, the secrets are fun to find and not too well hidden.

In my opinion there is only one negative, for everyone that is not the host the enemies will at times "teleport"/take a different pathing than what it looks like. Which is something you will need to play around if you are not the host. For example, enemies are supposed to path towards the closest player, if the enemy is not doing that its probably a pathing error on your screen. The same can happen around obstacles, where the enemy looks like its running around it towards the right but is actually going left.

The Fox
The Fox

This game is harder than a horny guy's cock on viagra.

Khalthehunted332
Khalthehunted332

Great game! This isn't a roguelike BTW its a hack n slash kinda like Gauntlet or Demon Strike But it comes with a level editor and the custom levels are awesome!

I recommend starting out with the wizard. Feel free to start on standard difficulty! Dont worry you'll learn faster.

Also there's multiplayer which is awesome! Playing with other people!

Spaghetti
Spaghetti

One of the best throwback dungeon crawlers. Co-op is a must.

🐭
🐭

I used to play this solo a long time ago and it was... okay-ish. It was a grind and the levels went on for way too long. But I assumed it would be a better experience if I wasn't a friendless loser and had someone to play with, and thus share the workload with.

The long, grindy levels, lack of enemy variety, and lack of ways to fight the enemies proved it's clearly not designed around the single player experience. So I put it down and didn't bother with it for years.

Almost a whole decade went by. Then recently, I found someone to play this game with; my daughter.

We couldn't even get through the first level. I admit she's not great at it and ate through the lives, but it highlighted a major problem:
Even for experienced players, sooner or later the lives will run out, they will die, and then it becomes the worst version of itself: the long, grindy, boring single player experience it wasn't structured around.

So when everybody else in the room is dead, all they can do is watch Hammerwatch's worst gameplay experience take place.

Is there any reason the other players couldn't at least be a ghost? Or take control of one of the enemies? Or something? Why not give respawning a cool down timer? Something needs to address this because the whole experience dive bombs into a Let's Play and all fun comes to a grinding halt, slamming the faces of everyone involved into the exact opposite of what this game is supposed to provide; a fun experience.

So okay, who's this game for then? Clearly this isn't for the solo crowd. Clearly it's not for the casual co-op crowd. Who's left after that? The min-maxer crowd? I would almost say yes, but they don't make couches big enough for two sets of testicles that large.

Hammerwatch is for you IF:

    • You like retro games.
    • You have friends.
    • You have the amount of free time required to beat a single level of this.
    • You're a gaming veteran.
    • Several of your friends are also gaming veterans.
    • Those several gaming veteran friends also like retro games.
    • Those several gaming veteran, retro game loving friends also have the amount of free time required to beat a single level of this.
    • Those several gaming veteran, retro game loving, lots of free time having friends are also willing to pay $10 for this specific Gauntlet clone, let alone any.

If you happen to fit inside of the tiny gap in all of those overlaps, then hey, great for you! Congratulations on not living in normieville! But if you live on normie street, down by normie station, across from normie junction, on the normie side of normietown, then you're shit outta luck. You've been hard locked out of Hammerwatch, and for no reason other than because of your lack of choices in friends.

tl;dr:
It seems like a great game, but if you're the only gamer in your group, then don't waste your money.

Slayer_22
Slayer_22

Great game to play for dungeon crawlers and nice for friends to teams up for the singular goal of just doing mindless monster slaying

Anthrasite
Anthrasite

This is an entertaining dungeon crawler which gives you a neat selection of characters and abilities to unlock while throwing hordes of different types of enemies at you, as well as a number of interesting, unique bosses. I played through the main campaigns by myself and with a friend, and enjoyed it both times. It's very satisfying to tear through the massive crowds of enemies, especially once you've unlocked more powerful abilities. The game can be a bit challenging, as some secrets are difficult to find, some traps are very punishing, and it's fairly easy to run out of lives early on in the main campaigns if you aren't careful, but it isn't too bad once you get later into the campaigns and you've collected more lives. My only complaint is that it can be a bit tedious to find the location of secrets, as the game doesn't tell you where they are when you unlock them, so you sometimes spend a long time combing through a level looking for some new hidden passage somewhere. There's a couple of longer campaigns that come with the game which are pretty good, a survival and a tower defence mode which aren't quite as good, and a map maker and workshop support with a good number of fan-made campaigns, so there's lots to do. It also has a great pixelated aesthetic and runs well, with no issues encountered during my playthroughs (other than the game sometimes forgetting the controller or key bindings), so I'd highly recommend picking this game up if you're looking for a challenging but fun dungeon crawling experience either alone or with friends.

umehara_ga
umehara_ga

I found this to be one of the blandest games I've ever played

Hank the Zombie
Hank the Zombie

I'm on my second playthrough now and it's just as much fun as the first time.

twist
twist

Got this from sale after playing "Heroes of Hammerwatch" through couple of times.
Highly recommended, the base game and expansion "Temple of the Sun" are refreshingly different in gameplay mechanics, and both are enjoyable at this price range.

solemonkey
solemonkey

well I liked the game but I didn't want to go on about it. it's a fun game and it's been out for a while after all these years my wife and i still play it occasionally.

Gray The Pickle
Gray The Pickle

The re-bind option, for your keyboard controls at least, is currently broken and I cannot rebind keys when the "press a key" prompt comes up. This is incredibly frustrating as the default scheme does not work with mouse and keyboard setups.

baolpst321
baolpst321

this game is so fun, especially great when playing with friends!!!

FudoAkira
FudoAkira

I kind of forgot I had this game and wanted to play something like OG Gauntlet. So, I fired it up again and played the first act or whatever it's called. It's not really all that hard and the rewards come way to infrequently to keep my interest. I'd rather just play old arcade Gauntlet or Dark Legacy.

RM67
RM67

Great game, easy to pick up and get into while being challenging enough to stay engaging

Supa
Supa

Unbalanced classes. Paladin and warlock are so broken you can turn your brain off and still win, any other class is bad because paladin and warlock have basically everything they have but better (except for ranger because of his long range but at that point your gameplay is as fun as watching paint dry). Priest is a laughing stock.

The first campaign is grindy and repetitive, the enemies are just the same but stronger and the bosses are dull.

The second campaing strays so far from the style of the first one that i almost didn't play it. At the end of the day it was shorter but i will say, the bosses there were cooler.

Defense mode was a mistake. Period

Survival mode is so bad. I was playing with 2 friends on normal mode for the achievements and it was tough. The enemies were too tanky we could barely kill them. Camping on 1 room was a viable strat. The falling stalagmites were so bad, if you were cornered by enemies you'd die, if you were too slow you'd die, if 3 or even 2 stalagmites decided you were not worthy of having a good day you'd die. Playing anything but paladin was a pain because of the amount of projectiles. The final boss was ridiculous, if you don't play paladin, thief or priest you stand a chance against him, if you do play paladin, thief or priest you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ die.

Also i'm so happy i didnt play alone, the levels would take so long and also my class would have weaknesses that i can't cover (except for paladin and warlock but it wouldn't really be a weaknesses, more like an annoyance).

The music is also repetitive and you should probably put some other music on top of it.

TL;DR: repetitive, unbalanced, bad campaigns, bad alternative gamemodes and you should NEVER play alone unless you like pain

loki1213
loki1213

I can't figure out why there is so many positive revievs of this game.. I love indie & rogue like games, but I can't find any advantage of Hammerwatch. It is boring. I haven't found anything interesting in it. Maybe I played it too little, but I don't know why I should spend any more time on this game.

Botany
Botany

Ingredients
150g salted butter, softened
80g light brown muscovado sugar
80g granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
225g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
200g plain chocolate chips or chunks
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 190C/fan170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

STEP 2
Put 150g softened salted butter, 80g light brown muscovado sugar and 80g granulated sugar into a bowl and beat until creamy.

STEP 3
Beat in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 large egg.

STEP 4
Sift 225g plain flour, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda and ¼ tsp salt into the bowl and mix it in with a wooden spoon.

STEP 5
Add 200g plain chocolate chips or chunks and stir well.

STEP 6
Use a teaspoon to make small scoops of the mixture, spacing them well apart on the baking trays. This mixture should make about 30 cookies.

STEP 7
Bake for 8–10 mins until they are light brown on the edges and still slightly soft in the centre if you press them.

STEP 8
Leave on the tray for a couple of mins to set and then lift onto a cooling rack.

RECIPE TIPS
FREEZING THE BISCUITS
If you’ve frozen the biscuits, take them out and arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Once defrosted, pop them in a medium oven 190C/170 fan/gas mark 5 and heat for 2-3 mins to crisp up. Don’t leave them too long or they’ll dry out.
STORING DOUGH
You can keep the uncooked dough in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Simply take some out, dollop on a lined baking tray and allow to come up to room temperature for 5 mins before baking

𝓰𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶
𝓰𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶

ook me a few runs to figure out what this game was. found myself on a 4+ hour run with a permadeath character and i know im nowhere near the end. the game requires you to take your time, unless you're very good at it, i guess. the floor layout is complicated and there is no way to zoom out the map as far as i know, which is really annoying at times. fun to play with friends