Handball 21

About Handball 21

Handball 21 is a single player and multiplayer tactical management game. It was developed by Eko Software and was released on November 12, 2020. It received negative reviews from players.

Experience the intensity of one of the most complete sports! With accurately reproduced handball motions, the most lifelike players and tactics management deeply integrated into the gameplay, this is the most realistic handball simulation ever made.

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Reviews

35%Audience ScoreBased on 39 reviews

monetization1 positive mentions

music1 negative mentions

Official licenses and authentic representation of major European handball leagues provide a dedicated handball simulation experience.
Customization options for teams and kits, along with multiple gameplay modes including career and team-building, add replayability.
Good graphical presentation compared to predecessors with stable performance on certain systems and fun for players interested in shooting from distance.

Gameplay suffers from clunky, rigid animations and slow, repetitive mechanics, which undermine the fast-paced and intense nature of real handball.
Numerous bugs, crashes, and serious graphical glitches—especially on Nvidia GPUs—make the game unplayable for many users, with poor developer support.
Poor AI behaviour and lack of offensive dynamics reduce challenge and immersion; no effective tutorials and unintuitive controls create a steep learning curve for newcomers.

gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12% positive mentions, 76% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions
The gameplay is generally criticized for feeling sluggish, clunky, and lacking the fast-paced, instinctive flow characteristic of real handball. While the game offers a team-building mode free from aggressive monetization and some strategic depth for dedicated players, the core mechanics and physics often feel unnatural and detract from immersion, resulting in a less realistic and occasionally boring experience.
- “There is also a team-building mode inspired by collectible-card systems, notably without aggressive monetization, allowing players to unlock and assemble teams through gameplay progression rather than microtransactions.”
- “Players who invest time into understanding the mechanics may find a deeper layer of strategy beneath the rough surface.”
- “Handball lives from its fast paced gameplay; even after goals, you can make an instant counter attack and get behind the opponent defense line while they are moving back.”
- “Overall, the gameplay feels kinda sluggish and goofy, especially if you play handball you will feel the game mechanics and physics pretty weird.”
- “Attacking sequences rely heavily on set patterns, and while jump shots and tactical plays exist, they often feel mechanically constrained rather than instinctive.”
- “First they slow down the gameplay which is not improving the gameplay.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38% positive mentions, 24% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
Users report mixed experiences with the graphics: while some find the visuals and animations pleasing and improved, others highlight a significant glitch on newer GPUs that obscures the goal net, severely impacting gameplay. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate but not exceptional, with some frustration over unresolved bugs.
- “The characters, arenas, and animations are almost perfect, and graphically I find Handball 21 pleasing to the eye.”
- “Ever since, the only real change was in the graphics and animation; other than that, it doesn't deliver that authentic handball sim feel we expect from a game like this.”
- “This game literally just slightly improves graphics and kills everything else.”
- “Especially after the 10 and 16 series GPUs, there is a graphics glitch where the goal net takes up the whole court, making the goal not visible and the game unplayable.”
- “Bad customer service - horrible graphics bug which they can't seem to fix or won't fix!”
- “The graphics are adequate, but not great.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game features a team-building mode inspired by collectible-card systems but avoids aggressive monetization, enabling players to unlock and assemble teams through regular gameplay rather than relying on microtransactions.
- “There is also a team-building mode inspired by collectible-card systems, notably without aggressive monetization, allowing players to unlock and assemble teams through gameplay progression rather than microtransactions.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game offers enhanced replayability through its single-player career mode, which features three divisions to climb, providing a more involved and varied gameplay experience.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere is described as lacking polish, with animations feeling unrefined and stadiums appearing static due to limited crowd energy and little variation in ambiance.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is limited, as the sound design serves its purpose but rarely amplifies the emotional intensity of matches.
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Users find the music irritating and are frustrated by the inability to disable it, as attempting to access the option causes the game to become unresponsive.
- “What about this irritating music that you cannot stop since you cannot reach the option - the game won't respond anymore.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 100% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its strong performance and stability, ensuring a smooth and reliable experience for players.