Now playing: HammerWatch

Sometimes its good to be wrong. I remember quite a while back I had my eye on this game. I was thinking "is this for me" and was concerned about its co-op emphasis and RPG-like look. It turned out not to be quite what I imagined. Yes its co-op bait, telling you the experience is best with buddies and building a game with that in mind (not to be confused with forced all4one style puzzle gimmick co-op though). However RPG is pushing it. Its more like modern day indie gauntlet, which for the record is a series I've never played. Its a top down beat 'em up that plays out more like a top down hexen than it does a real RPG. I played the beta since I heard that was basically the free demo and... didn't quite like it. Nice at first, but it quickly fell into a boring slog through enemies. Run around in some maze, beat that guy with a sword, and find your way to the next piece. That was the game. Yeah not so great at the time and I passed. Now with the recent GOG sale I felt a weird pull to look into this game again. I felt I just needed a good run in a gauntlet style game now more than ever, and when I checked the page it just so happened to be on sale for $1.50 for the day. Screw the beta impressions, this is mine. ...and man I'm so glad to have been wrong about my 1st impressions.

I loaded up the main campaign, ran as a wizard on easy (don't judge me, its a co-op game), and I've been having a good time. Maybe the wizard was the key, because I think last time I played either as a thief or paladin, either way not nearly as fun as casting fire balls and full flamethrower type mana ability. Kiting enemies, digging up secrets, looking to get around traps, finding merchants and 1-ups, its all good fun in a strange old-school way I don't usually see. I also started up an archer on custom difficulty, and tossed them into a hexen mod I found which is absolutely amazing (though stingy on lives, I'm running on my last and I've only found 1 pick-up). Its all really great. Oh I also love that there are vendor coins in this game. Its just a neat little concept where you collect coins that supposedly build up a special discount you get at any vendor. Nothing major as its never that easy, but it still feels so good to a money hoarding shop planner like myself to come across what is basically a power-up dedicated to merchants.

I don't really know how long this'll entertain me. I still kind of note my bad beta time, and I think the complaint of simplicity + repetition is a valid one. Still its alright to keep this game on the side as one for a certain mood that comes and goes. It had its place, its values, and its really fun. The night I first got it I was sitting there in the dark by a candle, headphones plugged in, and a good cup of coffee, and it was just one of those moments you're enjoying things so much you just take a mental step back and say "life is great!". If a week from now I haven't finished the game and just put it down, bored or frustrated with it, well it would have still been worth the trip from day 1. Sometimes you just need a simple dungeon crawling beat 'em up, and Hammerwatch scratches that itch and lets me just run around as a wizard shooting fireballs just because... well video games, no other reason required. On the flip side though, I might become a level maker and get big into the online MP scene. Yeah I have my doubts, especially since I'm still playing Witcher 3 daily, but I've taken a brief enough look into to say I'd try them. So here's to hoping I found a new game in years that made me actually decide to create in its editor.

Focusing on the present though, I just killed my first boss (after 2 deaths), and I'm working on the 2nd chapter. Having an... intresting time. Keep getting mana buffs that I don't need as loot drops. Oh well, got to get back to shooting enemies that lure themselves into the corner, because wizards do that kind of thing of course.

Bam! Got him!