Hand of Fate: Hordes Review Summary

This fun, well-made survivors-like hybrid is addictive with solid core gameplay and good graphics, but it lacks deckbuilding and its high difficulty can feel frustrating.

Fun and well-made game: The game is super well made and very fun, with many calling it amazing. It delivers an enjoyable experience overall.

Addictive genre hybrid: Combining Hand of Fate's fighting with bullet-hell and roguelike genres is addictive. The fusion with Vampire Survivors-like action works well.

Solid core gameplay: The core gameplay is described as very good, solid, and a plus. Players enjoy the mechanics.

Good Early Access content: The game offers a good amount of content for an Early Access title, with lots of depth already. It is considered polished for its state.

Good graphics and design: Multiple reviewers praise the game's graphics as polished, beautiful, and pleasant. The visual design is a consistent positive highlight.

Missing deckbuilding feature: Many reviewers note that deckbuilding is not yet implemented despite being promised, and only default decks are available, preventing targeted builds.

High difficulty and frustration: The game is very hard and frustrating, with high overall difficulty and a tough early game for a survivor-like game.

Insufficient content: Players feel there is currently not enough content, with some describing it as lacking or too little new content.

Unsatisfying gameplay experience: Players report that playing feels unsatisfying and the game just isn't fun, lacking a sense of satisfaction compared to similar games.

Minor percentage upgrades: Permanent upgrades are mostly minor percentage stat boosts like +6% crit chance, which players find uninteresting.

Survivors-like with Hand of Fate elements: The game merges the survivor-like genre with Hand of Fate storytelling and card events. This hybrid identity is frequently mentioned by reviewers.

Deckbuilding and card systems: Deckbuilding is part of the game's systems, though currently limited to default decks. Card mechanics include shuffling, drawing, and dice rolling.

Meta progression system: The game features meta progression that unlocks higher attributes and permanent upgrades after each run. Bonuses include stat increases and unlockable heroes, locations, and cards.

Bullet-hell roguelike with RPG elements: The game is a bullet-heaven structure with RPG elements, combining bullet-hell shooting with card roguelike mechanics and dice RNG.

Complex survivor-like gameplay: Reviewers describe it as a complex survivor-like with character classes and both ranged and melee attacks. It blends survival gameplay with the series' formula.

Game runs well overall: Many reviewers state the game runs great, is well optimized, and performs better than previous titles. Some mention smooth performance on various hardware.

Steam Deck performance issues: Several users report poor performance on Steam Deck, with FPS drops and inability to reach a stable 60 FPS even at lowest settings. This suggests optimization for the device is lacking.

Frequent crashes losing progress: A reviewer experiences frequent crashes that cause lost progress, a critical issue affecting gameplay.

Performance drops in large waves: One user notes that on medium settings, the game runs at 40-45 FPS before very large waves, indicating potential slowdowns during intense sequences.

Smooth performance on Steam Deck: Contrary to other reports, one user finds the game runs smoothly and fluidly on Steam Deck, suggesting varied experiences.

Appeals mainly to Hand of Fate fans: Many reviewers recommend the game primarily to fans of the Hand of Fate series, with some saying it is not worth choosing over other games in the genre even for fans. A subset suggests trying Hand of Fate 2 first or recommends the original games instead.

Positive overall recommendation: Numerous reviewers give a straightforward recommendation, saying the game is worth playing, definitely recommend it, or give a thumbs up. Some describe it as fantastic or great so far.

Worth the low price: Many reviewers consider the game worthwhile at its modest price point, with some calling it an absolute must-have for the price or worth buying despite the grind. A few note it is cheap or not expensive.

Not recommended in current state: Several reviewers explicitly do not recommend the game in its current version, citing its early access state and refunding or requesting refunds. Some say it should not be bought or tried at this stage of development.

Appeals to bullet heaven and roguelike fans: Reviewers recommend the game to fans of bullet heavens, roguelikes, deck builders, and games like Vampire Survivors or Brotato. Some note it is a good crossover for fans of both the series and the bullet heaven genre.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $30.00.

Game completion: 12.0h.

Story completion: 12.0h.

Session length: 0.5h.

Endgame: 50.0h.

Reports are mixed, but the strongest direct evidence shows the game becoming addictive after further play, especially once a synergistic build clicks. Early play is often slowed by weak upgrades, grind, repetition, and pacing friction.

Reported time to anchor: 5h.

Hand of Fate Loyalist: Card-driven adventure/ARPG veteran who compares systems to Hand of Fate 1 and 2 and resists survivor-only combat. Motivation: Nostalgia and continuation of the Hand of Fate franchise. Stance: no buy.

Bullet Heaven RPG Seeker: Survivor-style combat, map exploration for chests and upgrades, build crafting, and light meta progression. Motivation: A chill bullet heaven with RPG, card, and loot progression. Stance: buy.

Progression-Focused Grinder: Repeats runs to earn meta currency, evaluates upgrade cost and impact, and is sensitive to grind pacing. Motivation: Long-term goals, unlocks, and meta progression. Stance: sale.

The 16GB+ and 12-15GB Windows cohorts report good performance with caveats, the 8-11GB cohort is split on stability, and the <8GB cohort has limited positive evidence.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. One review says the game runs great and is well optimized, while another notes controller recognition issues and a 2K resolution limit without 4K.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. The only included review recommends the game but cautions that the older system generally cannot handle new games.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: mixed. Reports are split: one user had no crashes or softlocks, while another experienced at least 10 crashes in six hours and lost significant progress.

Steam Deck: The audit finds mixed Steam Deck feedback. Some users praise smooth performance and enjoyable gameplay, but impactful reports of FPS drops, inability to hold 60 FPS at low settings, poor optimization, repeated crashes, and missing FSR/DLSS indicate significant friction. Because frequent crashes are present, the experience falls in the broken range.

Linux and Proton: Linux/Steam Deck feedback is mixed but not broken: the game is reported to run smoothly by one user, while two users report poor optimization and unstable frame rates on Steam Deck. No Proton version changes, launch options, anti-cheat blockers, crashes, or native Linux port issues are mentioned. The game appears playable on Steam Deck, but performance is a notable caveat.

Frequent comparisons to Hand of Fate: Reviewers often compare the game to the original Hand of Fate and its sequel, noting similarities in mechanics and vibe but also differences. Some wish for a proper Hand of Fate 3 instead.

Game is in Early Access: Many reviewers note the game is in Early Access and still has features to tune and expand. Despite that, some say it already offers substantial content and is pretty good even in its current state.

Strong foundation for Early Access: Reviewers describe the game as a strong foundation for Early Access, with a solid base to build upon. They see it as a promising start despite missing features.

Blends Hand of Fate with bullet heaven: The game is described as a blend of the Hand of Fate series and bullet heaven or Vampire Survivors-style gameplay. It combines deck-building and narrative elements with survivor-like action.

Favorable comparison to Vampire Survivors: Several reviewers compare the game favorably to Vampire Survivors, highlighting its similar style and charm. It is often described as a bullet heaven with Hand of Fate elements.