With me being a 1993 baby, I missed out on the 1980s, but the tech from the era has always been a source of fascination for me. Giant, bulky CRT monitors, floppy discs, and gaming PCs with adjustable knobs and dials – there’s just something so charming about this now-primitive technology that I strangely find myself connecting to.
SPELLHACK!!! is a game that transports you back to this beloved era, with it playing out on the monitor of a classic Commodore 64 PC. Its colour palette and blocky visuals pay homage to this formative period in gaming and its artwork screams edgy too. As you can see below, it shows a man in pink sunglasses firing a laser gun and casting a spell, whilst a roaring gorilla, cobra, and cougar stand behind him.
What is SPELLHACK!!!?
SPELLHACK!!! is a fast-paced, real-time survival deck builder from solo developer, Computer Dream. In Story Mode, you play as a Spellhacker who has been dragged out of retirement for one last crucial job – to protect a mysterious portal until enough doomdata has passed through it. Each night you survive an onslaught of animal attackers, the portal will increase its upload speed, and once you reach 100%, your mission will be complete.
The action in SPELLHACK!!! is split into two cycles: day and night. During the day, you have just 12 hours to explore Doom City and prepare for the night ahead. Every action from finding new spells, to buffing existing ones, and healing the portal – costs precious hours, so you need to think carefully about how best to spend them. Alternatively, you can choose to sleep in to receive more energy, which you’ll need when casting spells in battle.
Nighttime is where the real action starts, as you’ll need to protect the portal for 12 hours against incoming waves of Summoned Beasts. The action unfolds on a eight-tile grid and after each passing hour, enemies will advance one step closer to the portal. Using the collection of spells in your deck, you’ll need to hold off their advancements by laying down barriers, dealing direct damage, or inflicting status conditions. You need to be strategic as each spell has an energy cost attributed to it and your energy supplies per turn are limited.
Spellbinding battles
The combat’s fast pace forces you to think on your feet and creates a sense of stress and urgency. Unlike traditional turn-based titles that slam the brakes on the action whilst you ponder your next move, there is a ticking timer here and the next hour will advance whether or not you’ve made your move. This means that hesitation can be deadly, and I lost count of the amount of times I hastily selected the wrong spell in an effort to escape the ticking clock.
Another aspect that keeps the combat feeling fresh is the enemy variety. Birds, for example, can move two spaces at a time; rhinos can’t be pushed back with spells; dolphins can dive underwater every other turn, preventing them from being hit. There are also stronger boss-like enemies that emerge during key story beats which are capable of causing some serious damage if you can’t eliminate them swiftly. This ever-changing roster of enemies forces you to build up a versatile deck of spells to counter each of their specific quirks.
An added dose of challenge
Whilst the Story Mode is a little short, with it taking roughly five hours to complete, there is a Challenge Mode to extend the fun and keep players hooked. The Challenge Mode puts your skills to the test with five progressively more different levels. The first level, for example, increases the threat level and limits the number of explorable daytime locations. The final and most challenging level continues to ramp up the threat level and ensures that players will encounter three of the game’s most difficult enemy types per run.
Along with the short run time of the Story Mode, the only other criticism I can level at SPELLHACK!!! is its simple and repetitive nature. The core gameplay loop, whilst spiced up with plenty of variety, essentially remains the same throughout, and I can see why some players might begin to lose interest over time. I also think the text-based prompts and minimalist visuals, which might be deeply nostalgic for some, may not resonate with younger gamers who aren’t familiar with its retro influences.
The Verdict
SPELLHACK!!! is a lightning-fast and engaging deckbuilder that’s a must-play for fans of roguelikes and retro games. The game’s simplistic and brightly colourful visuals just ooze charm, and the core gameplay loop whilst repetitive, never feels too stale due to a diverse enemy roster and a catalogue of more than 150 spells. Its Story Mode is a little short, but the Challenge Mode offers an added dose of difficulty, encouraging extra replayability.
SPELLHACK!!! is out now on PC via Steam. Thank you to Computer Dream for providing us with a code for review.
