Hands of Necromancy
- June 20, 2022
- frechou_games
- 25h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Hands of Necromancy" is a dark fantasy action RPG where you play as a necromancer with the power to raise the dead. Use your abilities to control undead minions, cast powerful spells, and defeat evil foes in this immersive, atmospheric world. With diverse character customization options and challenging combat, players will need to strategize and adapt to survive.
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Reviews
- Hands of Necromancy offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic FPS games like Hexen and Heretic, with modern mechanics such as shapeshifting and a well-designed hub system.
- The game features impressive level design with a variety of environments, encouraging exploration and providing a good balance of combat and puzzle-solving.
- The transformation mechanic adds depth to gameplay, allowing players to utilize different forms for combat and navigation, enhancing the overall experience.
- Some players find the level design confusing and maze-like, leading to frustration when trying to navigate and progress through the game.
- The combat can feel unbalanced at times, with certain weapons lacking impact and enemies being described as bullet sponges, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- Lighting issues in some areas make it difficult to see, leading to a frustrating experience when trying to locate key items or navigate dark environments.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of retro shooter and metroidvania mechanics, featuring unique elements like shapeshifting and necromancy, which add depth and variety to the experience. While the level design and atmosphere are praised, some players find certain mechanics, such as the necromancy, underwhelming or poorly implemented. Overall, the game offers a sprawling exploration experience with solid combat mechanics, though it may not appeal to those seeking more complexity.
“The gameplay and mechanics are solid, and the atmosphere is gorgeous.”
“It's got a good set of weapons, and has a unique transformation mechanic where you can turn into some types of enemies.”
“Amazing retro-shooter with creative mechanics, such as transforming, amazing maps, and fun encounters.”
“It's an exercise in frustration more than actual gameplay.”
“I don't need a ton of depth in terms of gameplay, but the level design isn't fun.”
“Whereas the mechanics are somewhat original, I feel like the game is somewhat simple in comparison to other contemporary retro-scene pieces of the similar genre.”
- music29 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its quality, atmosphere, and ability to enhance the gameplay experience. Some users describe it as catchy, epic, and fitting for the game's theme, while others find it bland or unsuitable for combat. Overall, the soundtrack is generally appreciated, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in matching the game's action and ambiance.
“The soundtrack is quality, the gameplay and mechanics are solid and the most important factor with games like these, the atmosphere, is gorgeous.”
“The music is fantastic as well.”
“Fantastic, atmospheric music from Luke Jansen that's very reminiscent of Kevin Schilder's work.”
“Terrible music.”
“Music is very bland and generic, it doesn't really match the action and atmosphere of this game.”
“+- the music was kinda ok for ambience, but absolutely non-suitable for fights, so I played with my own.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Hands of Necromancy" embrace a retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic FPS games, featuring pixel art and a nostalgic design that appeals to fans of the genre. However, the visuals are criticized for lacking cohesion and texture quality, with some elements feeling generic and poorly optimized. While the art style and level design receive praise for their authenticity, the overall graphical execution leaves much to be desired, failing to impress compared to other indie shooters.
“Hands of Necromancy is an indie, retro FPS with pixel graphics, channeling the old school shooter fun of gaming gems like Heretic or Hexen.”
“The art style and level design are superb as well.”
“Aesthetically, the game sticks very close to its inspirations, keeping a very basic old-school feel to the sprites, environments, animations, and sound effects.”
“Graphically, it looks less cohesive; it feels a little bit like Witchhaven as it tries to have realistic graphics but fails on both look and feel.”
“The texture quality is all over the place no matter the graphical settings.”
“Although I liked the art style, the game looked pretty bad in my opinion, no matter how much I tinkered with the settings.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its gorgeous and immersive quality, enhanced by a strong soundtrack that evokes a mystical feel. While many reviews highlight the effective level design and atmospheric music, some criticism is directed at certain tracks being bland or generic. Overall, the game successfully creates a vibrant and engaging environment, blending colorful art with complex gameplay elements.
“The soundtrack is quality, the gameplay and mechanics are solid and the most important factor with games like these, the atmosphere, is gorgeous.”
“Great hub-based level design with some truly massive levels and creative atmosphere (dungeons and castles abound, but there are also neat volcanic and woodland areas).”
“Really good soundtrack as well, great mystical atmosphere within the game.”
“Music is very bland and generic; it doesn't really match the action and atmosphere of this game.”
“The atmosphere is a little less serious (maybe closer to Doom/Heretic) and the art is fairly colorful, but the arsenal and progression through the levels (structured around hubs) have the kind of complexity that you'd expect from something inspired by Raven's classic.”
“The atmosphere feels lacking and fails to immerse the player in the game world.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story of "Hands of Necromancy" follows a necromancer on a quest to defeat three undead kings in a medieval fantasy setting, reminiscent of classic titles like Heretic and Hexen. While the narrative provides some context through exposition between chapters, many players find it weak and overshadowed by the gameplay, with level design being more engaging than the storyline itself. Overall, the story is seen as a secondary element, with mixed opinions on its depth and execution.
“Featuring a medieval fantasy theme from games such as Heretic and Hexen, you follow a necromancer on his quest to defeat the three undead kings who are wreaking havoc over the land.”
“There is a story and the map layouts are deep, complex, and realistic in the fantasy world context.”
“I have to vote negatively, but like many reviews on Steam, it's kind of a toss-up and not a black-and-white story.”
“Storyline's a bit weak on the chance that's what you're looking for.”
“The story is given as an exposition dump between chapters, and they're just totally tossed aside when you actually get into the gameplay.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting features like squishing vipers with a comedic screech and the amusing act of kicking zombie heads, which adds a lighthearted and entertaining element to the gameplay.
“I think it would be cool if you could just run over vipers and instantly squish them, with a funny final screech for confirmation.”
“Talking about funny features like kicking zombie heads in blood.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game "Hands of Necromancy" faces significant optimization issues, particularly with a confusing layout and a poorly optimized final boss, which detracts from the overall experience despite its appealing aesthetics and decent weaponry.
“Many of the weapons are okay, and the aesthetics are great, but with a rough start, a confusing layout, and a poorly optimized final boss, Hands of Necromancy really struggles.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times that detract from the overall experience.”
“Despite its interesting mechanics, the lack of proper optimization makes it frustrating to play, as performance dips can occur even on high-end systems.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking creativity, with some encounters feeling repetitive. However, they note that the overall level design remains strong despite these shortcomings.
“The grinding feels tedious and creatively bankrupt, making the experience more of a chore than a joy.”
“The repetitive nature of the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I found myself stuck in a loop of grinding that felt more like a time sink than a rewarding experience.”
