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Heroes of Hammerwatch

PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux • 2018

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Quick resume

Heroes of Hammerwatch is a rogue-lite action-adventure. Explore and battle your way through procedurally generated levels on your own or with up to 3 friends.

Global score

88/100

Genres

Action, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging cooperative multiplayer
    • Deep and rewarding progression system
    • Variety of classes and builds
    • Challenging but fair gameplay
    • Good value for price

    Cons

    • Grindy progression especially solo
    • Some repetitive dungeon layouts
    • Multiplayer connection issues reported
    • Steep learning curve for new players
    • Minimal narrative depth

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Competition, Status.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players can choose from multiple classes, customize skills and upgrades, and tailor runs with various buffs and difficulty modifiers, allowing significant control over gameplay."

    • Competence
      3

      "The game offers challenging combat and progression, requiring skill and strategy, but also involves grinding and numeric scaling that can reduce skill expression."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is primarily on personal progression and cooperative play rather than competitive ranking or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Players report long play sessions, habitual grinding, and strong attachment to progression systems that encourage repeated play."

    • Cooperation
      4

      "Co-op multiplayer with up to 4 players (more with commands) is a core feature, with mechanics like linked revives emphasizing teamwork."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players can customize characters through skill upgrades and item builds, but the game mostly uses predefined structures and repeated dungeon layouts."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Multiplayer emphasizes shared fate and cooperation rather than dominance or power over others."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a fun, engaging distraction with immersive progression and fantasy elements."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Engagement is driven by intrinsic interest and personal desire rather than obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players experiment with different classes, builds, and run modifiers to find new strategies and playstyles."

    • Exploration
      2

      "The game features randomized dungeons and secrets, but many areas and layouts are reused, limiting novelty over time."

    • Expression
      2

      "Some character customization and class variety allow self-expression, though cosmetic options are limited."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "The game is set in a fantasy world with roguelike dungeon crawling, magic, and mythical classes."

    • Fellowship
      4

      "Strong sense of community and shared experience through multiplayer co-op play."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players experience meaningful learning and character development through skill upgrades and progression systems."

    • Health
      -4

      "The game is a sedentary activity with no physical exercise elements."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires continuous attention and active engagement during runs."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Multiplayer fosters social interaction and friendship building, though emotional sharing is limited."

    • Leadership
      1

      "Some players may take lead roles in co-op runs, but overall the game promotes balanced teamwork."

    • Progression
      5

      "Central to the game is accumulating upgrades, items, and town improvements that persist across runs."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "The game balances challenge and flow, providing satisfying tension release but can also be stressful at times."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable pixel art, sound effects, and music provide sensory stimulation and emotional fun."

    • Status
      -3

      "Recognition is mostly internal or among friends; no major social status or leaderboard systems."

    • Story
      1

      "Minimal narrative elements; focus is on gameplay and progression rather than immersive story."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Players engage in tactical combat, skill selection, and resource management requiring planning and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      3

      "The game provides suspense and excitement through challenging combat and meaningful death mechanics."

    • Value
      4

      "Players perceive strong value for time and money due to extensive content and replayability."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat and destruction of enemies are core gameplay elements."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must avoid death and manage resources carefully to progress through difficult dungeons."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026