I’ve written about Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel quite a few times since I first tried it earlier this year, which it turns out is actually a good indicator that I’ve been enjoying it throughout its time in Early Access.
However, the final version of the game is upon us – including an endless mode, new characters, and more – which means that it’s time to dive back in for another round and then take stock of what has finally been delivered on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.
What is Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel?
If you’re familiar with Vampire Survivors then you’ve got an idea of how this works already, but just in-case: Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is an auto-shooter RPG wherein you level up a character over the course of a battle, unlocking new abilities in quick succession, which then fire out automatically and hit any enemies that attack you.
Hordes of Hel also has a bunch of action-RPG elements, and it plays from that familiar isometric perspective. From start to finish, you’ll be dodging the attacks of monsters of all shapes and sizes, from giant insects to skeletons and flaming demons, with an emphasis on beasts that have appeared in Norse myths. There’s decent variety, too, with new monsters appearing the further you progress.
Across a selection of increasingly challenging levels that are all steeped in the mythology, you have to blend the abilities of your chosen character class with a series of god-like powers. There are loads to discover, from Thor’s bolts of lightning to Loki’s tricks and Odin’s ravens – on that front there is much to discover.
In between the battles, you can spend the points that you’ve earned on new powers and passive buffs, increasing your overall strength over time with passive upgrades and new tactical options. It’s a fairly standard setup, to be honest.
Get the Hel in there
What I really like about Jotunnslayer is the challenge that it offers. This isn’t a game that you’ll breeze through, rather you’ll have to level up your characters over time, spending your points wisely as you try and push your build in different directions. This applies in-game, too, as you’ll have to work up a self-sustaining build that has the legs to push through until the end – which is a giant boss battle.
Another smart feature is the ability to reset your meta progression on a character-by-character basis. This means that you can put a bunch of points into a certain class, explore their skills and how they interact with the different god powers, and then when you’re done you can reset the points and try a new one.
There are objectives to complete during each stage, and they’re a bit more nuanced than you’ll usually find in the genre. That said, we’re not talking about anything too complicated either. At least they keep things fresh and drive the action forward, which stops the player from aimless strafing; a common affliction among auto-shooters.
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel also looks pretty good, I have to say. There’s great detail in the environments and across the enemy designs. Best of all, there a lot of spectacular attacks fizzing about the place, although some of them are a bit samey. While I’m being critical, your avatar’s movements can feel a bit jerky at times, too.
I don’t have too many more concerns, though. Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a challenging and engaging action-roguelite, and the auto-shooter elements are well-integrated. I think the latest round of changes has improved the game and its overall pacing, but I still think you should be given access to more toys sooner – that’s personal issue I have with the whole genre, though.
All told, Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is one of the better auto-shooters that I’ve played in the last couple of years. There’s potential for tons of build variety, the level design is a cut above, and the whole thing feels pretty well balanced. In fact, I like it enough to have just added it to my round-up of bullet heavens, auto-shooters, and games like Vampire Survivors!
And now for the fine print: Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is out now on PC (Win), PS5, and Xbox Series, and I played the game via access kindly provided by the publisher and their PR buds!
