Info about Hand of Fate: Hordes:

Official game description:
HAND OF FATE: HORDES is a dark-fantasy bullet heaven auto-shooter powered by your strategic deckbuilding mastery. Survive the horde, forge your build, and unleash devastating attacks to escape a netherworld beyond the 13th Gate. Thrive in chaos!
*   Beyond the 13th Gate, you are imprisoned within the Shadow Vaults where the banished Dealer devises your demise. Unravel his dark designs as you carve through endless hordes, deadly quests, and fearsome bosses to break free.
*   Master four heroes – Trickster, Goblin, Warrior, and Rebel – each with distinct ranged, melee, and magic fighting styles.
*   Outnumbered but never outplayed, build your deck to empower your heroes and twist the dungeon to your advantage.
*   By the original indie designers of Hand of Fate™.
*   Starring Hand of Fate's Anthony Skordi as the Dealer.
*   Battle through waves of enemies strategically wielding tools shaped by the deck you've built.
*   Hone your skills as your deck expands. You choose the cards that define your run and stack the odds in your favor.
*   Build your powers with every run. Unlock new rarities, story Encounters, fantasy melee, ranged, and magic weapons, treasure-filled events, and powerful blessing modifiers.
*   Experiment and perfect your build for each hero and new challenge. Choose wisely. Every card shapes your run - for better or for worse.
*   Win powerful boons and buffs through card shuffle and dice minigames.
*   Earn Tokens that unlock game changing rewards at the end of each run.
*   New Heroes, Quests, Dungeons, Bosses, and Weapon updates dropped throughout the year.

Release date: Jul 22, 2026

Categories: Bullet Heaven, Deckbuilding, Roguelike, Auto-shooter, Dark Fantasy, Character Progression, Survivor-like


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews report cumulative playtime ranging from 90 minutes to 8 hours, but none indicate a completed game or story. Session length is not clearly separated from total playtime, and no endgame content time is mentioned. Therefore all playtime metrics are set to null due to insufficient evidence.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with boring meta-progression and weak upgrades, but becomes highly addictive after about 5 hours as unlocks and progression systems kick in.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Hours of play and unlocking more content
  - Time to anchor: 5h 0m
  - Friction: boring meta-progression with small incremental stat boosts; weak and unexciting upgrades during runs; enemies scale fast, making early power fantasy weak; poor tutorial and unintuitive UI
  - Unlock drivers: unlocking blessings and weapon rarities; permanent progression systems providing incentives; addicting gameplay loop with rarity and slot machine elements; improving skill and understanding of the game
  - Conditions: first few hours may be unengaging; enjoyment increases with more unlocks; game may click after several sessions; tutorial death and early mistakes are possible; metaprogression is grind-heavy and may require external help
- Player Archetypes:
  - Chill Bullet Heaven Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxed exploration and tactical route planning within a bullet heaven setting
    - Playstyle: Methodical, gathers items and plans paths while avoiding enemies, prioritizes discovery over combat speed
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Vampire Survivors; Hand of Fate
  - Frustrated Series Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Desire for faithful evolution of Hand of Fate mechanics with precise controls and meaningful progression
    - Playstyle: Expects manual aiming, dodge rolling, and varied skills; critical of streamlined progression and recycled content
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: old player; original fan
    - Reference games: Hand of Fate 1; Hand of Fate 2


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Classic Hand of Fate atmosphere (weight 0.6): Players frequently praised the return of the classic Hand of Fate atmosphere, characters, and tone. The familiar vibes and systems from the original games are consistently highlighted as a major positive.
- Deep strategic and meta-progression (weight 0.44): Players enjoy the strategic depth from deck building, event choices, resource management, and permanent upgrades. The meta-progression provides strong incentives to keep playing.
- Good value for price (weight 0.42): Multiple reviews mention the game is affordable and offers good value for the price. Players consider the cost appropriate for the content provided.
- Unique and varied gameplay loop (weight 0.42): The fusion of Hand of Fate mechanics with a Vampire Survivor-style loop is seen as innovative and successful. Each run feels different due to cards, events, and character variety.
- Great art and sound design (weight 0.4): The dark fantasy aesthetic, art style, and soundtrack receive consistent praise. Players find the visual and audio presentation pleasing and supportive of the mood.
- Card system fits perfectly (weight 0.39): The card system is praised for fitting seamlessly into the survivor genre and offering high replayability. It adds strategic depth and novelty.
- Unique survivors genre entry (weight 0.38): Players appreciate that the game avoids monotony and grinding common to other Vampire Survivors clones. It offers unique elements and a refreshing twist on the genre.
- Addictive and replayable experience (weight 0.35): The game is described as addictive with high replay value. Players report being hooked for many hours and looking forward to unlocking more content.
- Solid and stable performance (weight 0.35): The game runs well, with mentions of stability and no bugs or performance issues. It also performs well on low-end PCs and handheld devices.
- Excellent voice acting and narration (weight 0.32): The narration, especially the performance of Anthony Skordi as the Dealer, is repeatedly highlighted as a standout feature. The voice acting elevates the atmosphere and immersion.
- Successful blend of genres (weight 0.26): The combination of Hand of Fate's card and narrative elements with the survivor genre works surprisingly well. Players enjoy the mashup and find it fresh.
- Content-rich for early access (weight 0.25): Despite being in early access, the game offers a lot of content, including maps, objectives, cards, and unlocks. Players are impressed by the amount already available.
- Strong developer support and trust (weight 0.23): Players express confidence in the developers, noting the team's resilience and past quality. Some mention receiving free keys as a gesture of goodwill, fostering positive sentiment.
- Appropriate and balanced difficulty (weight 0.2): The difficulty is considered appropriate and fair by several reviewers. The game provides a challenge without being frustrating.
- Good Chinese localization (weight 0.19): The Chinese dubbing and voice acting are specifically noted as being of high quality and showing sincerity. Localization efforts are appreciated.
- Good for handheld and low-end PCs (weight 0.14): The game plays well on handheld devices and runs smoothly on low-end PCs, making it accessible to a wider audience.

Common complaints:
- Missing mouse aiming support (weight 0.59): Players report that mouse-based aiming for shooting, jumping, and skills is not supported. Some note that keyboard-only directional controls make aiming difficult, and developers refuse to add manual aiming.
- Uninspired metaprogression (weight 0.58): Stat upgrades are described as boring +1%, +2% increments that feel outdated and grindy. Permanent upgrades are not meaningful.
- Disappointing franchise departure (weight 0.48): Fans of the Hand of Fate series are disappointed because the game changes genre to a survival auto-battler, losing the unique elements they loved. Some expected a hack-and-slash or HoF3-style action.
- Frequent gameplay interruptions (weight 0.48): Players complain that events, narration, and card mechanics constantly interrupt the core gameplay, breaking the flow. Some note there are too many long interruptions and never-ending text.
- Deck building unavailable (weight 0.42): Multiple players are disappointed that deck creation and editing are not yet available in Early Access. Unlocking more cards dilutes the pool and reduces build consistency.
- UI and graphics criticized (weight 0.29): Graphics are described as ugly, UI is unintuitive and primitive, and the camera is too close with no zoom adjustment.
- Controls not customizable (weight 0.26): Players report that keyboard keys cannot be rebound, and they are forced to use a controller. Voice and UI languages cannot be set independently.
- Enemies scale too fast (weight 0.26): Enemy scaling over time adds pressure, forcing constant running. Monster HP is too high, and early game difficulty is too high.
- Movement speed too slow (weight 0.21): Character movement is reported as too slow, and some mention that curses like -25% movement speed make runs unwinnable.
- Lack of dodge or roll (weight 0.2): There is no rolling or dodge mechanism, and melee characters have shorter range than enemies. Getting blocked by enemies causes death.
- Event interruptions punish players (weight 0.2): Events often lead to major failures with dice roll penalties, and curses like slow speed make runs unwinnable. Mimic chests can cause chain critical failures.
- Bomb monsters overused (weight 0.14): There are too many bomb monsters, and there is a reliance on their self-destruction to clear enemies.
- Knockback on melee problematic (weight 0.14): Knockback on sword attack forces the player to fight different enemies than intended, and the game chooses the wrong target for aiming.
- Inconsistent dice mechanics (weight 0.14): Dice rolling rules are inconsistent, and the event deck setup is not yet in the game.
- Flame enchantment is negative (weight 0.14): Flame enchantment super weapon is a negative upgrade that removes all magic bonuses. Enchantment changing attributes removes bonds.
- Class skills feel mismatched (weight 0.14): Mage class gets physical weapons, warrior gets magic weapons, and shield damage card is useless because mage shield has no damage. Skills are fixed and identical between unlocked classes.
- In-run upgrade reroll costs high (weight 0.14): In-run upgrade reroll costs are too high, making it hard to optimize builds. Numbers are too conservative.

Gameplay feedback:
- Event system with dice rolls (weight 0.54): Random events use dice rolls and card draws to determine outcomes, including curses, penalties, mimic chests, and critical failures. Narrator adds depth.
- Maps with objectives and bosses (weight 0.5): Maps include objective-based gameplay, terrain, enemy collision, portals, and final boss encounters. Short challenging levels with timed extraction.
- Unlocking tokens and chips (weight 0.48): Progression includes unlocking tokens, chips, and permanent upgrades tied to character levels. Metaprogression uses shards and numerical upgrades.
- Bullet heaven combat escalation (weight 0.46): Combat starts simple and escalates to screen-filling chaos with weapon enchantments and super weapons. Autoshooter survivor mode with bullet heaven style.
- Deck building mechanics (weight 0.45): Core progression revolves around deck building and card-based systems, with planned deck creation feature. Influences encounters, blessings, equipment, and modifiers.
- Hand of Fate universe integration (weight 0.45): Game uses assets, adventure cards, narrator, and quest chains from the Hand of Fate series. Familiar universe with modified gameplay loop.
- Quest system and narrative progression (weight 0.44): Quests drive progression, uncovering hidden stories and new cards. Core questing with chance minigames and exploration elements.
- Roguelike survivor progression (weight 0.4): Roguelike mechanics with card-based progression and survivor gameplay loop. Random events affect upgrades, dice, cards, and money for high replayability.
- Card system and encounters (weight 0.4): Card system determines encounters, bonuses, and luck-based minigames during runs. Cards have tokens that unlock build-enhancing content.
- Hero and class variety (weight 0.37): Players choose from asymmetrical classes like mage, warrior, dwarf with unique dice rules. Different heroes, weapons, skills, and goals per run.
- Vampire Survivor style fusion (weight 0.36): Game combines Vampire Survivor style bullet heaven mechanics with card and deck building elements. Clusters highlight a hybrid genre approach.
- Minigames of chance and skill (weight 0.34): Minigames including haggling with dealer, token breaking, capture points, and dice rolling add variability to runs.
- Dark fantasy art and audio (weight 0.29): Game features dark fantasy art style, specific color palette, narrator with deep mocking voice, and optional Chinese voice acting.
- Metaprogression and permanent upgrades (weight 0.26): Out-of-run growth includes permanent upgrades, blessings, weapon rarities, and light metaprogression. Grind-based numerical improvements.
- Survivor genre with unique features (weight 0.23): Game is labeled a unique survivor approach with features like route planning, resource management, and dungeon bullet heaven style.
- Early access content (weight 0.17): Game is in Early Access with limited content. Feedback indicates planned features and ongoing development.
- Deck editing limitation (weight 0.16): Card pool is unlocked over time, but deck editing is not currently available. Feedback notes desire for more deck building depth.
- Borrows mechanics from survivor projects (weight 0.14): Game borrows mechanics from other survivor projects like DRG Survivor, but attempts to differentiate with card systems.
- Mouse only for card selection (weight 0.08): Mouse is used exclusively for card selection, not for aiming. Indicates specific control design choice.
- First run heavy on reading (weight 0.08): First run involves reading encounter menus about 80% of the time, which may impact pacing.

Performance notes:
- Excellent performance on handhelds (weight 0.1): The game plays great on handheld devices. This suggests good optimization for portable hardware.
- Stable overall performance (weight 0.1): General feedback indicates that performance is stable across multiple setups. Users report no major issues.
- No performance issues reported (weight 0.1): Multiple users explicitly state they encountered no performance issues. This aligns with the overall positive technical feedback.
- Runs smoothly on high-end hardware (weight 0.09): One reviewer achieved 5K native resolution at 144fps with maxed cinematic settings. This demonstrates excellent high-end performance.
- Great performance on minimal specs (weight 0.09): The game runs well on a minimal PC configuration with an i5 processor and GeForce GTX 1650 Super. This indicates broad compatibility.

Recommendations:
- Game is worth playing (weight 0.36): Multiple players agree the game is worth purchasing and offers good value for the experience. This is a common positive sentiment.
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.3): Fans of previous Hand of Fate games are encouraged to play this title as it fits the series. It is particularly recommended for those who enjoyed the first two games.
- Manual aiming required (weight 0.16): The absence of manual aiming is a dealbreaker for some, leading to a negative recommendation until this feature is added. Aiming mechanics need improvement.
- Do not buy at full price (weight 0.16): Several reviewers advise against purchasing the game at full price on day one, suggesting a discount is necessary for fair value. Pricing strategy is questioned.
- Wait for Early Access completion (weight 0.15): Some reviewers recommend waiting until the game leaves Early Access for a more polished experience. Current early adopters are willing but advise patience.
- Good for survivor and bullet heaven fans (weight 0.15): Players interested in survivor games or the bullet heaven subgenre will likely enjoy this title. It offers a new experience for those genres.
- Consider as spin-off, not mainline (weight 0.09): If viewed as a spin-off, the game has merit, but it is not recommended as a mainline Hand of Fate entry. Genre and scope differ from expectations.
- Not recommended for HoF3 expectations (weight 0.08): One reviewer advises that this game should not be approached as Hand of Fate 3. Managing expectations regarding the franchise direction is important.
- Needs controller and rebinding (weight 0.08): A player found the keyboard controls problematic due to the lack of key rebinding and suggests using a controller instead. Control customization is needed.
- Grind issue, trainer suggested (weight 0.08): One reviewer recommends using a trainer to bypass the excessive grind in the game. Progression systems feel tedious to some.
- Narrator adds value (weight 0.08): The game is considered worth the price because of the quality of the narrator. The narrative delivery is a standout feature for some.
- Must-play best in genre (weight 0.08): One reviewer considers the game a must-play and one of the best within its genre. High praise for quality and enjoyment.
- Positive for early access momentum (weight 0.08): Some players give a positive early review to help the game's momentum on Steam, while still acknowledging its Early Access state. They suggest waiting for more development.
- Buy to support series (weight 0.08): Fans who loved the first two Hand of Fate games are encouraged to purchase this entry to show support for the franchise. Community backing is a motivation.
- Boring before deck building (weight 0.08): One player found the game engaging initially but expects boredom to set in before deck building mechanics are added. Content pacing is a concern.
- Worth keeping, no refund (weight 0.07): Despite some flaws, one reviewer decided to keep the game rather than refund it. It held enough value to retain.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Players are frustrated by movement speed being too slow, enemies attacking from behind, and controls that are not keyboard and mouse friendly, causing missed shots and difficulty with skills. Constant narrative interruptions disrupt the gameplay flow, and the high early difficulty combined with tedious grinding and high upgrade costs further compounds the frustration. The enchantment system removing carefully built bonds and the inability to configure keys or use manual aiming are also significant sources of frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Players are disappointed by the lack of Spanish translation, narrative interruptions, and a game that borrows mechanics but lacks cohesion and fails to engage. The game feels too generic with no standout features, scarce content, boring upgrades, and enemies that scale too fast, breaking the power fantasy. Fans of previous games also miss the narrator and tabletop atmosphere, and find the new vampire-like style a letdown.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.12): Players feel satisfied because the game successfully retains core elements of the series while adopting a new style, with satisfying and chaotic combat and meaningful choices. It provides a good early access experience with a classic Hand of Fate atmosphere, strong first impressions, and many possibilities. The unique atmosphere, interesting mechanics, good amount of content, and affordable price further contribute to satisfaction.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): Players are excited about the unique environments, fantastic art, soundtrack, and gameplay, finding the card system from Hand of Fate a fresh addition to the survivor genre. The game combines elements players love, like vampire survivors, cards, and tokens, in an innovative way that works well. The addictive gameplay loop with rarity colors and slot machine elements pulls players in immediately.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the game for its fun roguelite mechanics with card upgrades, story focus, and exploration, as well as the emphasis on route planning and collecting cards. The game captures the Hand of Fate vibes and is well animated and balanced, with card mechanics and portal transitions adding to the experience. Even those not normally fans of the genre find it entertaining and fun.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the immersion and presentation quality, enjoying the return of the Hand of Fate series and how random events change the game. The game has an addictive charm with interesting mechanics like unlocking chips and enchanting weapons, and the Chinese voice acting shows sincerity. Players also appreciate the studio and the unique features.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.04): Players feel nostalgic because of the memorable and missed narrator, with the BGM making them feel younger and references to Hand of Fate 1 and 2. The return of favorite characters, especially the bitterly sarcastic Card Dealer, and seeing the original style and characters feels familiar. This nostalgia is a key emotional driver for returning players.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game for its core questing, mini-games, vibe, and survivor approach, finding it more than just a bullet heaven game with a great card mixture and performance. The card system is incredibly replayable and fun to come back to, providing a deep and engaging experience. This strong emotional bond is expressed through high praise for the game's design.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Players are anticipating future updates and more content, noting what improvements are needed for a better experience. They are looking forward to the final result and the continued development of the game. This forward-looking excitement drives continued engagement and support.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players hope that the developers can make enough money to eventually create Hand of Fate 3, with some having bought the Supporter Pack specifically to support this goal. They have confidence that the developers will iterate and improve the game over time. This hope reflects a desire for the long-term success of the series.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Players experience boredom due to few weapons and repetitive runs, with skills that feel repetitive and conservative numbers. The lack of variety in gameplay leads to a sense of monotony. This boredom undermines the replayability of the game.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Players are annoyed by the inability to reconfigure keys, frequent pauses with text that interrupt gameplay, and the grindy progression combined with awkward 8-direction keyboard aiming. These UI and control issues detract from the overall experience. The annoyance is compounded by the feeling that these problems are easily fixable.
- Addiction (weight 0.03): Players find the game pretty addictive, keeping them up late, and note that players of previous games will easily get addicted. The engaging gameplay loop and compelling mechanics drive long play sessions. This addiction is a sign of strong game design that hooks players.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Players are confused by inconsistent dice rolling rules between characters and actions, as well as too many mechanics thrown together that make the game confusing. This lack of clarity hinders understanding and enjoyment. The confusion suggests a need for better tutorialization or UI explanation.
- Concern (weight 0.03): Players express concern about potential bait and switch and hope not to introduce modern politics, while also worrying that deck building not yet implemented may lead to boredom. They also fear the game might fail due to lack of advertising. These concerns reflect anxiety about the game's future and direction.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised that the game is different from series expectations but works so well, with genres mashing up together effectively. This positive surprise enhances their appreciation for the game's innovative approach. The unexpected quality of the genre fusion is a highlight.
- Contentment (weight 0.01): Players are content to see the Hands of Fate universe and hidden stories, finding happiness in the continuation of the series' lore. This contentment arises from the fulfillment of their desire for more narrative from this world. It reflects a deep emotional connection to the game's universe.
- Freshness (weight 0.01): Players without expectations find the game feels fresh, appreciating it as a novel experience. This freshness is a direct result of the game's unique combination of genres and mechanics. For newcomers, the game stands out as innovative and engaging.
- Acceptance (weight 0.01): Players accept the game for the low price, indicating that while the game may not be perfect, it offers adequate value for its cost. This acceptance is pragmatic, based on the price-to-content ratio. It suggests that the game meets minimum expectations for its price point.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Players feel immersed due to the narration and atmosphere created by the Dealer and the dark fantasy aesthetic. This strong sense of immersion draws them into the game's world and enhances their overall experience. The atmosphere is a key strength of the game.}