The Hammerwatch series consists of a pair of low-key co-op action RPGs. One of them, Heroes of Hammerwatch, is one of my all-time favorite co-op games! Seriously, these are great games to play with friends. Soon, serious fans will get the chance to celebrate the series when Strictly Limited Games releases the Epics of Hammerwatch: Heroes Edition collection for PlayStation and Switch. Available in both Limited and Special Limited Editions, this collection promises countless hours of challenging co-op action.
Hammerwatch
The first Hammerwatch is an action-adventure set in the fantasy world of Hammerwatch. It boasts both online co-op and local co-op, something that Heroes of Hammerwatch lacks. The camera is quite zoomed out, but the pixel art is still very solid. The soundtrack is good too. Check out our full review for more impressions.
Features:
- 7 classes to master, each with unique features and skills to unlock to develop your character
- Multiplayer co-op fun for up to 4 players, online and local
- How tough are you? Pick your difficulty and further customize it with several modifiers
- 2 campaigns: Castle Hammerwatch & Temple of the Sun
- 2 extra modes: Hero defense & Survival
Heroes of Hammerwatch
Heroes of Hammerwatch is the game I fell in love with. It takes place in the same world as the first title, but the game is now a Roguelike rather than just a simple action-adventure. Players will make runs in various dungeons, progressing farther and farther as their characters grow stronger. Sending resources back to town is vital because if the whole team dies, everyone loses the money they picked up during the run. Money can be spent on character upgrades, equipment, and building new structures in town.
Beating the game on each difficulty level will unlock more challenging and rewarding difficulty levels. Clearing difficulty levels with each character unlocks permanent bonuses with that character that benefit the rest of the player’s characters. Thus, players are encouraged to go through the game repeatedly with each character, adding unbelievable replay value.
Of course, beating the game on higher difficulty levels will require the help of some co-op buddies. The higher difficulties are so tough that a solo player will often have no chance of survival. Bringing in some skilled and properly leveled friends, though, greatly increases the chance of success. High-leveled players can also carry low-level players through runs of the game, speeding up the new players’ advancement.
The only downside to these co-op mechanisms is that once players progress far enough in the game, they will absolutely require quality partners in order to continue progression. Low-level or unskilled partners will only be a hindrance at higher difficulty levels. My advice is to get at least one good friend into the game so that you can always rely on each other.
Heroes of Hammerwatch features:
- Choose your own style: 9 classes available, all with unique stats, abilities and playstyles.
- Procedurally generated levels offer a high replay value and pose a new challenge with each run.
- Persistent progression: Your heroes retain the experience and upgrades gained from each run, becoming more powerful as they level up.
- Online Co-op: Play with up to 3 friends in online co-op, you can even bring your own heroes to your friend’s game!
- Includes all 3 DLCs: Witch Hunter, Pyramid of Prophecy and Moon Temple. With many additional skills, items, areas to explore, 2 new game modes, 2 new classes and much more!
- New Game Plus: Even if you beat the game, the challenge never ends!
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Epics of Hammerwatch
Epics of Hammerwatch: Heroes Edition will be available to preorder in two editions starting on Sunday, April 17. The Limited Edition, which includes both Hammerwatch games and a colorful manual, limited to 3,000 copies for Switch and 1,100 copies for PlayStation, will cost 29.99€ (~$32.48). The Special Limited Edition will be limited to 1,000 copies for Switch and 600 copies for PlayStation. It will cost 49.99€ (~$54.14) and offer the following exclusive collectibles:
- Special Limited-Edition Box
- Colorful Game Manual
- Original Soundtrack
- A3 Double-sided Poster
- 7 Character Die Cut Stickers
- Game Logo Patch
- 4 Background Art Post Cards
- Character Group Shot Magnet
If you can’t wait for the physical editions, Hammerwatch is available digitally for $9.99 on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and Steam. Heroes of Hammerwatch is also available digitally for $19.99 on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and Steam.