Hand of Fate: Hordes

About Hand of Fate: Hordes

Hand of Fate: Hordes is a single player arcade role playing shooter game with fantasy and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Spitfire Interactive and was released on July 22, 2026. It received positive reviews from players.

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!

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Reviews

83%Audience ScoreBased on 143 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Unique blend of Hand of Fate's narrative and card mechanics with bullet heaven/survivor gameplay offering a fresh twist on the genre.
Strong atmosphere and presentation including excellent narration by the Dealer, immersive art style, and fitting soundtrack.
Varied heroes, fun upgrades, quests, and unlock systems that add depth and replayability even in early access.

Progression and metaprogression are slow and grindy, with many upgrades feeling like minor percentage increases, reducing impact and player power fantasy.
Gameplay pacing is frequently interrupted by narrative events, dice rolls, and card minigames, breaking flow and reducing adrenaline typical of the genre.
Maps are often cramped maze-like corridors with frustrating enemy spawn and pathfinding, making maneuvering and crowd control difficult.

gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16% positive mentions, 77% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions
The gameplay of this Hand of Fate installment blends vampire survivors-style bullet-hell action with the series' signature card mechanics and narrative pauses, creating a unique but sometimes jarring hybrid experience. While the card-driven progression and metagame add depth and replayability, many players find frequent narrative interruptions disrupt the flow and adrenaline typical of survival games. Despite some criticism of pacing and grind, the core gameplay loop is regarded as compelling and promising, especially as ongoing updates aim to refine and expand the experience.
- “An unusual hybrid of vampire survivors-like action gameplay interbreeding with the calm events of Hand of Fate.”
- “Rather than abandoning the franchise's identity, Hand of Fate: Hordes cleverly integrates its signature card mechanics into the fast-paced gameplay loop.”
- “If you haven't played the rest of the Hand of Fate series, what sets this apart is that every upgrade has a quest (read: gameplay style) associated with it, some easy, such as just play the game, and some harder where you need a specific unlock in a specific situation which adds a fair amount of replayability - I've completed all of the basic stages of early access without too much grinding (13 hours) and I think that I've already had my money's worth and look forward to it being fleshed out more.”
- “The game constantly interrupts your core gameplay. Every event, card, shrine, or however you call it interrupts the flow of the game; you have to read it, make a choice, and sometimes do a luck-based minigame (roll dice, draw cards, etc.). In a slow-paced RPG I wouldn't mind this mechanic, but this genre really lives from the flow of killing stuff and adrenaline, at least in my opinion.”
- “They mixed probably two of the most incompatible gameplays ever, and didn't quite grasp the successful formula of the bullet heaven.”
- “In the first run, 80% of the gameplay time is spent reading encounters menus, not the gameplay itself, and I personally think that's too much.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22% positive mentions, 61% neutral mentions, 17% negative mentions
The story in this game uniquely integrates storytelling with gameplay, rewarding narrative progression through quests that influence combat and upgrades, offering good replayability and varied challenges. While the concept and polish are praised, repeated playthroughs can make the story feel tedious, and some quest-related bugs have impacted pacing, though recent updates have improved these issues. Overall, the blend of deckbuilding, roguelite elements, and atmospheric storytelling creates an engaging, distinct experience that balances narrative with challenging gameplay.
- “An adventure where power is rewarded for storytelling, where solving narrative powers fuels your martial prowess and vice versa.”
- “If you haven't played the rest of the Hand of Fate series, what sets this apart is that every upgrade has a quest (read: gameplay style) associated with it, some easy, such as just play the game, and some harder where you need a specific unlock in a specific situation which adds a fair amount of replayability - I've completed all of the basic stages of early access without too much grinding (13 hours) and I think that I've already had my money's worth and look forward to it being fleshed out more.”
- “Its blend of deckbuilding, roguelite progression, atmospheric storytelling, and satisfying combat creates an experience that feels both familiar and refreshingly distinct.”
- “(Your weapon is death hens that are basically landmines.) I'd say the gimmick stuff mostly works, but as with the original Hand of Fate games, after you've seen the story a few times, it just gets kind of tedious and you just button mash through them.”
- “Bugged quests in the final level.”
- “While it is great to see the developers actively patching softlocked quests and polishing the UI, the forced portal ending mechanic still needs a rework to give players a true endless survival option.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54% positive mentions, 23% neutral mentions, 23% negative mentions
The graphics across these games vary from basic and generic to beautifully polished, often emphasizing strong thematic aesthetics like dark or high fantasy that enhance immersion. While some titles feature clear, well-designed visuals and distinct art styles, others struggle with readability or performance issues, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the visuals effectively support the gameplay and atmosphere, though their appeal largely depends on personal taste and preference for specific aesthetics.
- “The aesthetics and visuals are amazing, the narration is excellent, the controls are responsive and the collectibles are clearly differentiated and identifiable at a glance, letting you make sense of the unfolding chaos.”
- “Its dark fantasy aesthetic complements the source material, and the various magical effects, enemy designs, and environments contribute to an immersive experience.”
- “Nicely polished with some lovely graphics on max settings too.”
- “Aesthetics are basic, nothing particularly standout, generic fantasy plasticine models.”
- “It can't even maintain a stable 60 fps on the Steam Deck at low graphics settings, despite looking far from impressive.”
- “Not good enough visuals, but Hand of Fate games are not about this anyway.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding in the game is generally seen as tedious and repetitive, with slow progress often marked by minimal incremental upgrades (+1-2%) that can sap pacing, especially in later stages. While some players appreciate quest-related upgrades adding variety and replayability without excessive grinding, many find the overall progression formula outdated and grind-heavy.
- “The game has nothing new nor does it try to do anything new. The progression is grindy and flavorless with upgrades giving you +2% movement speed or +2% attack damage. You just run around the map in every game, waiting in little circles to unlock things; we've seen it thousands of times.”
- “Late game drag - the game gets grindy after 7 hours and later levels feature some pace-killing curses.”
- “The game is also super grindy, giving you 1% or 2% increments in progress.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's music and soundtrack are consistently praised for their quality, immersion, and ability to effectively support the mood. Users highlight the pleasant and polished audio experience, which, combined with the art style and narration, significantly enhances the overall gameplay and atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack supports the mood effectively, while the overall presentation demonstrates a level of polish that is impressive for an early access title.”
- “Can't think of many games with better immersion apart from late 90s RPGs with presentational and musical precision.”
- “The dark fantasy art style, the colour palette, the music, and especially the dealer’s narration immediately pulled me in.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere blends mystery, magic, and swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of classic titles, enhanced by strong narration and voice acting that add depth and character. This unique ambiance combines well with the game's deckbuilding and roguelite mechanics, creating a familiar yet fresh experience. Despite some roughness in the build, the atmospheric storytelling and engaging commentary greatly enrich the overall mood.
- “Atmosphere - Hordes returns to the classic Hand of Fate style tone that melds mystery and magic with swashbuckling adventure.”
- “His narration lends weight to the proceedings and elevates the atmosphere considerably.”
- “Plus, the dealer's voice acting and commentary are brilliant as always and add so much atmosphere.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions
The game offers substantial replayability through varied upgrades tied to unique quests and diverse card mechanics, making each run feel fresh and engaging. Although a frustrating level-ending mechanic detracts somewhat, the abundant content and enjoyable gameplay provide strong value and encourage repeated play.
- “If you haven't played the rest of the Hand of Fate series, what sets this apart is that every upgrade has a quest (read: gameplay style) associated with it, some easy, such as just play the game, and some harder where you need a specific unlock in a specific situation which adds a fair amount of replayability. I've completed all of the basic stages of early access without too much grinding (13 hours) and I think that I've already had my money's worth and look forward to it being fleshed out more.”
- “It's incredibly replayable, every run feels different, and it's just a genuinely fun game to keep coming back to.”
- “There's a lot of content for early access and the card mechanics certainly give the game quite a unique feel and lots of replayability.”
- “In the end, considering the amount of content, gameplay, and overall replayability, for now this game is worth around $10.”
- “If you haven't played the rest of the Hand of Fate series, what sets this apart is that every upgrade has a quest (read: gameplay style) associated with it, some easy, such as just play the game, and some harder where you need a specific unlock in a specific situation which adds a fair amount of replayability - I've completed all of the basic stages of early access without too much grinding (13 hours) and I think that I've already had my money's worth and look forward to it being fleshed out more.”
- “However, the game is still held back by a frustrating level-ending mechanic that hurts overall replayability.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 17% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions
The game demonstrates surprisingly good optimization, running smoothly even on the Steam Deck with numerous enemies and effects on screen. Performance is generally stable without noticeable bugs, marking a significant improvement over the developer's previous titles.
- “It runs like a dream on the Steam Deck, maintaining excellent performance even with hundreds of enemies on screen, tons of visual effects, and smooth animations.”
- “So far, I ran into no bugs or performance issues.”
- “To make matters worse, the optimization is terrible.”
- “It actually runs surprisingly well, considering how poorly optimized their previous games were.”
- “Performance is generally stable, and the game's interface does a commendable job of communicating large amounts of information without overwhelming the player during combat.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The monetization is praised for being fair and not exploitative, reflecting a genuine effort to enhance the series. However, the game suffered from a lack of promotions and advertising.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's humor is appreciated for its playful and clever use of traditional Hand of Fate mechanics, making it an enjoyable and amusing experience for players.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game runs smoothly and stably even on a minimal PC setup with an i5 CPU and a GTX 1650 Super GPU, indicating good optimization and performance.

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Play Times

50h Median play time

50h Average play time

50-50h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Game News

Hordes of Fate Announced

December 17 on bluesnews.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Hand of Fate: Hordes is a arcade role playing shooter game with fantasy and dark fantasy themes. Common tags for Hand of Fate: Hordes include indie, roguelite, magic, early access, action roguelike and others.

Hand of Fate: Hordes is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 50 hours playing Hand of Fate: Hordes.

Hand of Fate: Hordes was released on July 22, 2026.

Hand of Fate: Hordes was developed by Spitfire Interactive.

Hand of Fate: Hordes has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Hand of Fate: Hordes for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Hand of Fate: Hordes is a single player game.

Similar games include Arms of God, Jotunnslayer Hordes of Hel, Halls of Torment, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Yet Another Zombie Survivors and others.

Hand of Fate: Hordes

Platforms

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Reviews

gameplay

story

graphics

grinding

music

atmosphere

replayability

optimization

monetization

humor

stability

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