I’ve just spent the last hour or so playing Sworn, a new action-roguelite from Windwalk Games and my old friends at Team 17. I was able to sneak into the closed playtest and take a looksy for myself, ahead of the open playtest which is due to run from March 25th until the end of the month, on March 31st.
As mentioned up top, this is an action-roguelite with an Arthurian twist. Much like Supergiant Games’ exploration of Greek myths, Windwalk has looked to the past for inspiration, in this case British mythology and the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
If you’ve played Hades before – and I’m going to assume that the vast majority of you have at this point – then you’ll feel right at home when you sit down with Sworn. However, there are some key differences between the two games, with the implementation of co-op being the main thing that sets them apart. More on that later, though.
What is Sworn all about then?
Even at this stage, there are already animated motion comic cutscenes, so straightaway I was able to into the storytelling. It’s clear that there is a going to be a strong and clearly defined narrative underpinning your time in Sworn.
It might be a playtest, but there’s already a lot of visual polish on show, and that continues on through into the game proper, which is brought to life via a gorgeous yet brooding painterly art style.
Sworn is based on a corrupted version of Arthurian legend. In this familiar-yet-strange environment, we’re being tasked with battling our way to a fallen Camelot, facing off against a bunch of ye olde myth-inspired creatures as we go.
The twist in this particular tale is that you’re trying to battle a distorted version of Arthur and his corrupted knights. Against this seemingly hopeless backdrop, it’s up to you and your band of would-be knights to defeat him and reclaim Camelot.
This story translates into an action-roguelite experience where your character is locked in smallish rooms and must dispatch any enemies that spawn in, before eventually choosing which reward to take once you’ve finished the combat encounter and move on to the next. Sound familiar?
So what makes Sworn like Hades?
It’s not long before you’re chatting away to a number of famous characters drawn from British mythology. For example, Merlin is there in your base and is on hand to help you level up between runs. Also in your home base, the place you return to after each death, is the Lady in the Lake, Nimui, who looks like a watery Cortana.
As you progress through combat encounters, you’re rewarded with new special abilities. These come via an assortment of mythological figures, including Fae Lords such as Oberon, Titania, and the poisonous Queen Mab. Each new power overwrites the standard attack you already have, and we’re promised “thousands of unique builds” in our quest to become powerful knights.
There are various resources stashed in vases and so on, and you can activate secondary challenges to gain additional resources. At first you’re very underpowered and I took plenty of hits while I accustomed myself to the control scheme, and thus searching the levels for additional health was essential. Either that or I just like smashing pots.
The whole thing is realised via an angular, comic art style. In the playtest we get to explore the game’s first biome, with its dark green tones and earthy hues. Throughout my time in the Wirral Forest I was reminded of another of my favourite games, Darkest Dungeon, which also has a distinctive, moody visual presentation, and like Sworn was inspired by artist Mike Mignola. Curse of the Dead Gods is another name worth dropping, if we’re talking about theme and art.
I could have Sworn that it was coming out this year
This game was not on my radar until this weekend, but now that I know that it exists, I’m going to keep close tabs on it. Not only am I a huge Hades fan (you can read my review here), but I love British history and mythology, and I’m keen to see how this is explored by Windwalk Games.
I’ve made a few comparisons already, so before I go I will focus on the key differences. The big one is the Arthurian setting, as mentioned, but there’s more than just that. Another differentiator is the roster of playable characters. I’ve played with the two included in the demo; one a more nimble all-rounder (Vigilante), the other a slower hammer-wielding heavy (Rook). Each of them felt suitably distinct from the other, giving me hope for further diversity in future playable characters.
I enjoyed the more nimble Vigilante, especially once I’d unlocked the bow. It felt like second nature to dash and fire, dash and fire, as I skirted around my enemies. At one point I had a companion helping out as I darted this way and that, rolling grenades at my enemies and shooting them from every angle possible.
It’s not just a solo adventure, either. Unlike Hades, where it’s just you and ol’ Zagreus, here you’ve got the option to play co-op with up to three friends.
The playtest has revealed a few unbalanced elements, and I’m sure Windwalk and Team 17 will be furiously gathering data from both the closed and public events. There’s plenty of room to tighten things up and add a little finesse ahead of the game’s release on PC and console later this year (although I’ve no idea when exactly that will be).
Sworn needs a bit more polish, there’s no doubt about it, but with a good bit of feedback and some more time in the oven, this could end up being one of 2024’s most pleasant surprises!
Sworn is heading to PC and console in 2024, however, the playtest is only available on PC. Find out more and wishlist the game here.
