Info about Heroes of Hammerwatch II - Celestial Ruins:

Official game description:
Celestial Ruins is the first Expansion to Heroes of Hammerwatch II, a rogue-lite action-rpg that offers extensive persistent progression.
Undertake a new mission to a holy sanctum that's fallen to corruption. Battle hordes of enemies to summon an all-new boss with five variants. Experience the holy power of the new Priest class.
Key Features:
\- Play as the Priest, a new class focused on mana powers and regeneration.
\- Tackle a survival mission set in the Celestial Ruins.
\- Battle the five Spirit bosses, each tied to your chosen divine blessing.
\- Acquire powerful Spirit Boons that open up new build opportunities.
\- Kit out your characters with new equipment: sceptres, lanterns and a plethora of new trinkets.
\- Bring the new Will O' The Wisp and Animated Candle pets along on your adventures.
Players who don't own Celestial Ruins can still play the survival mission with owners and earn rewards. However, Expansion rewards cannot be used until it is purchased.
You can enter the Celestial Ruins by going to the Chapel in your town and interacting with the five stone statues at the altar.

Release date: Jul 28, 2026

Categories: Roguelike, Action RPG, Character Progression, Cooperative Multiplayer, Horde Shooter, Procedural Generation, Character Collection, Exploration

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair monetization, no predatory practices.; summary: User feedback focuses on dissatisfaction with the DLC's content-to-price ratio, but consistently confirms the absence of microtransactions, battle passes, or pay-to-win mechanics. The game monetizes solely through a traditional optional DLC, with no predatory elements.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $2.00 - $7.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews for the DLC suggest a fair price between $2 and $7, with many users indicating that $2-3 would be acceptable and $6.99 is justifiable for fans, but also recommending purchase on sale. The negative review equating 20 yuan (~$2.78) as not worth it supports the lower end, while positive reviews accept the $6.99 price. The range captures the community's mixed sentiment, favoring a lower price but acknowledging willingness to pay up to $7 for satisfied users.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 7.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly state that each run or mission in the DLC lasts approximately 5 to 10 minutes, providing direct evidence for the typical session length. No other playtime metrics such as game completion, story completion, or endgame hours are mentioned in the provided reviews.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Player reviews consistently report the DLC as tedious, repetitive, and visually poor from the beginning, with no indicated point where enjoyment improves. The new priest class is the only sparingly liked element, but it does not rescue the overall experience.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: repetitive gameplay; tedious grinding; poor camera control (camera ripped away); getting stuck on environment geometry; hard-to-see visuals and color coding; small and uninspired maps
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: playing multiplayer (camera issue worsens); using the new priest class (only value reported); expecting progression similar to base game HoH2; need for high variety in runs; tolerance for repeated grinding
- Player Archetypes:
  - Value-Conscious Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting developers for the value delivered over many hours.
    - Playstyle: Long-term, high playtime; appreciates low-cost content and supports continued development.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Grind-Seeking Completionist (sale)
    - Motivation: Min-maxing and completing all grindable content.
    - Playstyle: Grinding and optimizing character builds; seeks efficient, profile-wide progression.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: players who like the grinding type
    - Reference games: HoH 1
  - Casual Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Getting a fresh, affordable experience without prior heavy investment.
    - Playstyle: Casual, not deeply invested in endgame grinding; enjoys fresh content at low cost.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual players; brand new player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Disappointed Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Expecting high-quality, polished content consistent with previous DLCs.
    - Playstyle: Critical, attentive to polish and design flaws; compares DLC unfavorably to past content.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


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:
- Priest class is well-received (weight 0.56): The new Priest class is consistently praised as solid, enjoyable, and worth the money. Many players find the class and its subclasses fun and powerful, adding significant replay value.
- New content enriches the experience (weight 0.43): The DLC adds new classes, bosses, equipment, pets, and missions, providing fresh content for players. This expansion is seen as a meaningful addition to the base game.
- DLC is affordable and worthwhile (weight 0.37): Multiple reviewers highlight that the DLC is fairly priced, costing around 3-4 dollars and offering good value. The low cost combined with the content provided makes it a worthwhile purchase.
- New trinkets are interesting additions (weight 0.34): The DLC brings new trinkets that players find fun and interesting, enhancing build variety. These items contribute positively to the gameplay experience.
- Developer support is commendable (weight 0.26): Players appreciate that developers continue to support the game with updates and new content. This ongoing effort is recognized and encourages further support.
- Combat and bosses are satisfying (weight 0.21): Combat feels satisfying early on, and new bosses require tactical positioning and observation of mechanics. Boss fights are decent and engaging.
- Celestial Ruins is a great addition (weight 0.2): The Celestial Ruins area is considered worth the price and adds an interesting new dungeon with nice visuals. It enhances the overall content.
- Base game provides great value (weight 0.17): Reviewers note that the base game offers many hours of entertainment at a low price. The game is considered cheap and enjoyable for a long time.
- New equipment enhances build variety (weight 0.16): New equipment, including main hand and offhand weapons, enriches build experimentation. This loot expansion is a positive aspect of the DLC.
- Statue buffs are a positive feature (weight 0.12): Statues provide five different buffs from which players can choose one, adding strategic depth. This mechanic is viewed positively.
- Roguelike looting is fun (weight 0.12): The roguelike looting system with gear and materials is enjoyable, encouraging experimentation and variety in builds.
- Lantern beam is a cool addition (weight 0.11): The lantern beam is considered a cool and useful tool. Players enjoy using it in gameplay.
- Game has heart and charm (weight 0.11): Reviewers mention that the game possesses heart and charm, making it enjoyable and endearing. This quality sets it apart from other titles.
- Map design is more complex and rewarding (weight 0.07): Map design in the new content features increased hidden paths, traps, and treasure chests. This complexity adds exploration depth and reward.
- Customization and subclass depth appreciated (weight 0.07): Multiple classes with customizable appearance and subclass depth are well-received. This feature enhances character building and replayability.

Common complaints:
- DLC content is too limited (weight 0.75): Many players feel the DLC offers very little content for its price and long wait. It is described as lacking meaningful playtime and feeling like a free update rather than a paid expansion.
- Pets are nearly useless (weight 0.53): Pets are widely considered useless, with poor AI, slow looting, and a tendency to get stuck in walls. They fail to effectively collect items, making them feel purely cosmetic.
- Visual clarity is poor (weight 0.49): The new area is described as too colorful and oversaturated, making it difficult to distinguish enemies, chests, walls, and other important elements. This causes eye strain and gameplay frustration.
- Buffs and boons are unbalanced (weight 0.43): Players find that the spirit boons and statue buffs are poorly balanced, with one option being clearly superior and others too niche or weak. The system feels poorly designed.
- Repetitive content and bosses (weight 0.43): Players report that the DLC's content quickly becomes repetitive, especially the five bosses which share similar movesets and are fought on the same map. The lack of variety leads to boredom.
- Priest class is disappointing (weight 0.4): The new Priest class is widely criticized as underwhelming, clunky, and too similar to the Priest from the first game. Its support abilities are hard to use effectively in combat.
- Short and shallow new mode (weight 0.37): The new arena or trial mode is considered very short (5-10 minutes) and uninteresting, lacking depth and replay value. It fails to provide a meaningful experience.
- Priest skills are buggy and weak (weight 0.33): The Priest class has skills that are buggy, such as the beam being too wide to pass through corridors and knockback that pushes the orb away. Several skills deal low damage and drain mana quickly.
- Overhyped and misleading marketing (weight 0.3): Many players feel the DLC was overhyped by the developer and marketed deceptively as an expansion. The actual content is seen as a small update, not worth the price or wait.
- Recycled assets and enemies (weight 0.29): Many assets in the DLC are recycled or reskinned from the base game or Heroes of Hammerwatch 1, including enemies and environments. This gives a feeling of low effort.
- Enemies stuck in environment (weight 0.26): A recurring bug causes enemies to spawn stuck inside trees or walls, making them unreachable and causing players to miss rewards. This issue disrupts gameplay.
- No campaign or new map (weight 0.25): The DLC lacks a proper campaign and does not add a new explorable map as expected. The main content is a survival mode set in a small, repetitive area.
- Progression is per character (weight 0.22): Progression from the DLC, such as boons and buffs, is tied to individual characters rather than being account-wide. This forces repetitive grinding and feels like artificial content padding.
- Sound and UI bugs persist (weight 0.19): There are annoying sound issues like portal sound spam, and UI bugs such as the confirm button not working without moving the cursor. These detract from the experience.
- Boss spawn mechanic is broken (weight 0.17): The boss entrance mechanic freezes teammates during combat, and the camera pulls away from the player while enemies continue attacking. This leads to unfair deaths.
- Paladin outperforms Priest as support (weight 0.16): Players note that the base Paladin class provides better support with powerful burst healing and utility, making the Priest feel redundant and less effective in comparison.
- Level cap and NG+ issues (weight 0.16): The level cap of 20 with NG+ adding only 5 levels per cycle leads to long periods where EXP does nothing. Gear found in NG+ often has unrealistic stat requirements.
- DLC has no new traps or mechanics (weight 0.12): The DLC adds no new traps, mechanics, or interesting gameplay features. It is seen as a simple addition that does not expand the game's depth.
- Only 2 new equipment items (weight 0.12): The DLC includes very few new equipment pieces, with only 2 new items and a few trinkets. This limits build variety and character progression.

Gameplay feedback:
- Priest class with subclasses (weight 0.39): The game or DLC features a priest class with multiple subclasses, including a Crusader summoner variant. This class is a notable addition.
- DLC expands core gameplay (weight 0.26): The DLC expands on the core gameplay loop with instance-based gameplay, boss fights, and challenge content like an arena. This provides additional content.
- Survival mission mode (weight 0.24): The DLC adds a survival mission where players fight enemies until a boss spawns. This is a core addition to the game.
- Pet system for looting (weight 0.23): The game includes a pet system that picks up materials and gold, though the pet's looting behavior can be inconsistent. This is a key quality-of-life feature.
- New trinkets and items (weight 0.22): The DLC adds new trinkets and items, including a trinket system that activates on mana use. This expands build options.
- Town upgrades and builds (weight 0.21): The game features town upgrades and character builds, including relics and gear rarity colors. This adds depth to customization.
- NG+ and statue system (weight 0.21): The game features a New Game Plus ladder with increasing difficulty, and statue bonuses as a DLC progression system. NG+ scaling affects statue effectiveness.
- New class, bosses, equipment (weight 0.19): The DLC introduces a new class, new bosses, equipment, and pets, significantly expanding the game's content. This is a major update.
- Grinding and progression (weight 0.18): The gameplay involves grinding gear and materials with a fixed level progression, including a level cap of 20 that increases with NG+. This is a core loop.
- Trinkets and passive upgrades (weight 0.17): The DLC features trinket collection, passive upgrades, pet looting, and the priest class. This is a package of new systems.
- Exploration and secrets (weight 0.16): Exploration involves searching for secrets and hidden rewards, including levels with traps and copy-pasted L-shaped houses. This encourages thorough gameplay.
- Roguelike looting elements (weight 0.13): Gear can be taken out of runs, and there is a roguelike looting system. This is a key feature that rewards player progression.
- Multiple classes with skills (weight 0.13): There are multiple classes, each with 2 active and 2 passive skills, plus 3 subclass options. This provides variety in gameplay.
- Combat and boss mechanics (weight 0.13): Combat requires positioning and skill adaptation, while boss fights require observation of mechanics and timing. This adds tactical depth.
- Pixel art style (weight 0.11): The game features pixel-style visuals, which is a consistent artistic choice. This is a defining aesthetic for the game.
- Simple controls (weight 0.07): The controls are simple, using WASD and mouse for attack. This makes the game accessible to a wide audience.
- Multiplayer support (weight 0.07): The game supports up to 4 players in multiplayer mode. This encourages cooperative play.
- Gear upgrading randomness (weight 0.07): Upgrading gear to rare changes its perks randomly, adding an element of unpredictability to loot progression.
- Dark Citadel progression (weight 0.07): The game has a Dark Citadel for progression, likely a hub or level area. This is a notable game structure element.
- EXP items exist (weight 0.06): Items that give experience points are present in the game, aiding in level progression.

Performance notes:
- Portal sound spam issue (weight 0.07): Players report that portals generate excessive or glitched sound effects, which can be annoying or immersion-breaking. This may indicate an audio bug or unintended behavior in the game's portal mechanics.

Recommendations:
- DLC is worth buying (weight 0.4): Multiple reviewers recommend purchasing the DLC, citing it as a worthwhile addition that supports the developer. The positive sentiment is reinforced by several clusters highlighting the value and enjoyment.
- Deceptive marketing and lack content (weight 0.19): A few reviewers criticize the DLC for deceptive marketing practices and insufficient content, leading to a negative recommendation. This sentiment is echoed in clusters that express disappointment with the overall value.
- Not worth for returning players (weight 0.18): Some reviewers advise that the DLC offers little value for players who already have significant experience with the base game. The content may not provide enough novelty or depth to justify the purchase for veterans.
- Priest class is a key draw (weight 0.18): The DLC introduces the Priest class, which appeals to players interested in Holy DPS, Laser Mage, or Summoner roles. However, it may disappoint those seeking a dedicated healer or top-tier co-op support.
- Ideal for grinding and looting fans (weight 0.07): Players who enjoy grinding and looting mechanics are likely to appreciate the DLC, as it adds more content for these playstyles. The recommendation is targeted at a specific audience.
- Low cost but minor stat boost (weight 0.07): The DLC is cheap at 20 yuan and can be considered a minor paid stat boost, making it a low-risk purchase for those seeking a slight advantage. However, the value is limited.
- Not recommended for maxed out players (weight 0.07): Players who have fully maxed out their characters may find the DLC unappealing, as it is designed as a bonus for normal runs and expanding builds. It does not cater to endgame content.
- Report bugs on forums (weight 0.06): One reviewer suggests that players should report bugs on forums instead of leaving negative reviews, indicating a desire for constructive feedback over criticism. This approach aims to improve the game.

Other player notes:
- Comparison to Heroes of Hammerwatch 1 (weight 0.36): Reviewers compare this DLC unfavorably to the first game's DLC, such as the Pyramids expansion. They note that the first game's DLC included a campaign and an arena at the same price.
- DLC less content than expected (weight 0.32): Some reviewers feel the DLC contains less content than previous DLCs or updates from the same developer. It is considered less content-rich than past expansions.
- DLC adds new class and missions (weight 0.24): The DLC introduces a new class, multiple missions, and various equipment. Players report that it includes survival challenges, pets, and spirit blessings as well.
- DLC is a small expansion (weight 0.23): The DLC is described as a small expansion pack to the base game. It is advertised as an expansion but priced low and is an optional purchase.
- DLC should add campaign or paths (weight 0.2): Players expected the DLC to add new campaign areas or branching paths, similar to Bandit Keep. Instead, it adds a survival scenario as indicated by the roadmap.
- DLC development was delayed (weight 0.18): The DLC took a long time to release and was delayed by the developers. The team was silent for months before announcing the delay.
- Negative reviews seen as entitled (weight 0.11): Some reviewers describe negative feedback as having unrealistic expectations, being entitled, or expecting large free seasonal updates typical of games with microtransactions.
- Developer is a small team (weight 0.1): The developer is a small, non-AAA studio, which may explain the scope and pacing of updates.
- DLC owners host survival for friends (weight 0.07): DLC owners can host the survival mode for friends who do not own the DLC, allowing multiplayer access without requiring everyone to purchase it.
- Future updates and DLC planned (weight 0.07): The developers have planned future updates, including more DLC and Japanese voice acting, indicating ongoing support for the game.
- Developers improve based on feedback (weight 0.07): The developers have made improvements to the gameplay based on community feedback, showing responsiveness to player concerns.
- Developers gave free epic missions (weight 0.06): In the past, the developers provided free epic missions to players, which may set expectations for content value.
- Wiki has not been updated (weight 0.06): The game's wiki has not been updated, potentially leaving players without up-to-date information on mechanics or content.
- Arena step back from HoH1 (weight 0.06): The DLC's arena is considered a step backwards compared to Heroes of Hammerwatch 1, which had rapid-fire challenging encounters and handed out trinkets.
- New class copied from first game (weight 0.06): The new class introduced in the DLC is directly copied from Heroes of Hammerwatch 1, offering no originality.
- Game has weird Team17 jank (weight 0.05): The game exhibits some jank typical of Team17-published titles, affecting overall polish.
- Developer doesn't explain mechanics well (weight 0.05): The developer does not explain game mechanics clearly, such as how upgrading gear changes perks, leaving players confused.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.32): Players feel the DLC offers very little content for its price, with missions feeling like free updates and no new maps, enemies, or mechanics. The priest class is underwhelming and lacks unique skills, while the pet system is broken and downgraded from the previous game. Overall, the DLC fails to meet expectations for a substantial expansion after a long wait.
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Bugs such as boss entrance freezing teammates, enemies stuck in walls, and unclear tooltips hinder gameplay. The visual clarity is poor due to high saturation, and the pet AI is broken, making pets ineffective. Progression is not account-wide, and the map layout is tedious, with unplaytested survival missions and unfair enemy spawns.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Some players find the DLC worth the price, particularly enjoying the priest class and new pets. Combat feels satisfying early on, and the Celestial Ruins mode adds a fun quick game mode with hidden rewards. Supporting the developers who provided hundreds of hours of entertainment is also a positive factor.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): The priest class, especially the Crusader summoner subclass, is fun to play, and new equipment supports build experimentation. Survival missions, biome visuals, and spirit bosses provide entertainment, making the DLC an enjoyable addition to the base game.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Content becomes repetitive after a few runs due to limited variety and a barren map. The arena is grindy, and waiting for enemy spawns before bosses feels tedious. Grinding buffs per character to rank 5 adds to the monotony, leading to long-term boredom.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Players are angry about the wasted opportunity after a long wait, citing half-baked DLC with little new content. Negative reviews calling the cheap DLC a scam and persistent bugs from the publisher exacerbate frustration. The long silence from developers during delays also fuels anger.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Game mechanics like upgrading gear changing perks are not explained, leaving players confused. The functionality of pets is unclear, making it difficult for players to understand how to use them effectively.
- Approval (weight 0.03): The new class, boons, and weapons are well-received by players, who approve of these additions to the game. The content that is present is considered good, even if the DLC overall has shortcomings.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players hope that developers will listen to legitimate criticism and improve the DLC, believing it has potential. They expect future updates to address issues and enhance the overall experience.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Reviewers express affection for the base game, which is a strong foundation for their interest in the DLC. This positive sentiment towards the core game colors their overall experience.
- Love (weight 0.01): Some players love the priest class, finding it a standout feature of the DLC. This positive response is focused specifically on the new class.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy to pay for more content from a developer they consider good, showing support for continued development. This positive attitude reflects a willingness to invest in the game's future.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Some players are annoyed by negative reviews they perceive as entitled, feeling that criticism is excessive. This annoyance targets the community reaction rather than the game itself.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): As fans of the series, players feel sad that the DLC missed the mark and did not live up to expectations. This emotional response reflects disappointment from a place of caring about the franchise.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): New exploration areas and secrets restore freshness for players who completed the base game, generating excitement. The return of mana shield and the ability to heal other players also excite the community.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Boss fights that require tactical thinking and mechanical observation engage players, providing a rewarding challenge. This depth keeps players invested in the gameplay.
- Tedium (weight 0.01): Grinding through multiple stages in a row becomes tedious, as the repetitive nature of the content wears on players. This feeling reduces the overall enjoyment of the DLC.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players look forward to new runs and classes, anticipating future content and experiences. This positive outlook keeps them engaged despite current issues.
- Support (weight 0.01): Some players are willing to support the developer with the DLC purchase, even if the content is lacking, as a gesture of appreciation. This support is driven by a desire to see continued updates.
- Acceptance (weight 0.01): Despite the DLC's flaws, some features like the priest class and trinkets are still enjoyable, leading to a sense of acceptance. Players find value in what works, even if the overall package is disappointing.}