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
- Great level design with intricate and interconnected maps that encourage exploration.
- Unique transformation mechanics that add variety to gameplay and combat strategies.
- Atmospheric music and sound effects that enhance the overall experience.
- Combat can feel underwhelming due to weak weapon feedback and inconsistent damage.
- Some players may find the level navigation confusing and frustrating, leading to backtracking.
- The necromancy mechanic is underutilized and often not effective in combat situations.
- gameplay44 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, highlighting a blend of unique mechanics like shapeshifting and necromancy, but also noting issues such as slow pacing, technical problems, and repetitive boss encounters. While some players appreciate the exploration and level design reminiscent of classic titles like Hexen, others find the mechanics simplistic and frustrating. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience with creative elements, though it may not fully satisfy all players.
“The soundtrack is quality, the gameplay and mechanics are solid, and the most important factor with games like these, the atmosphere, is gorgeous.”
“Amazing retro-shooter with creative mechanics, such as transforming, amazing maps, and fun encounters.”
“Gameplay-wise, the game manages to remove all of those annoying mechanics of Hexen (the puzzles) while keeping its formula of exploration, and as a Heretic clone, it does an awesome job at keeping a well-paced action momentum.”
“I really wanted to get into this, but right after episode 1, the gameplay drops down to infinity.”
“On the other hand, the gameplay has the pacing of a frozen snail: both you and your enemies are armed with slow projectiles, and there aren't too many of them anyway.”
“It's an exercise in frustration more than actual gameplay.”
- music35 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, fitting well within the dark, magical world and enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as epic, catchy, and reminiscent of classic titles like Hexen and Heretic. However, some critiques mention that certain tracks may not suit the action during combat, leading to mixed opinions on its effectiveness in all scenarios.
“The music is fantastic as well.”
“I have to give a special shoutout to the music.”
“The soundtrack is quality, the gameplay and mechanics are solid and the most important factor with games like these, the atmosphere, is gorgeous.”
“Terrible music.”
“Music is very bland and generic, it doesn't really match the action and atmosphere of this game.”
“Ultimately, it's just a big sprawling Hexen clone with pastiche music and graphics and fresh gameplay that stays true to the spirit of the original.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic titles like Hexen and Heretic, with pixel art and varied environments that some players find charming. However, opinions are mixed; while some appreciate the nostalgic visuals and level design, others criticize the graphics for being sterile, inconsistent, and lacking cohesion, with a few noting that the darker chapters can feel overwhelming. Overall, the visuals are seen as fitting for the genre but not groundbreaking, with a blend of good and bad elements that may appeal to fans of old-school shooters.
“Good graphics for this style of game.”
“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.”
“The graphics look sterile and cartoony, nothing like the gloomy, misty environment of Hexen.”
“Although I liked the art style, the game looked pretty bad in my opinion, no matter how much I tinkered with the settings.”
“The texture quality is all over the place, no matter the graphical settings.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, featuring a blend of dark magic themes, colorful art, and a strong soundtrack that enhances the experience. While many reviews highlight the atmospheric music and level design, some criticism is directed at the blandness of certain musical elements. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating environment that encourages strategic gameplay.
“On one hand, it's atmospheric, set in a gloomy world of dark magic, with nice art and music.”
“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).”
“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.”
“Music is very bland and generic; it doesn't really match the action and atmosphere of this game.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story in the game is largely considered weak and almost nonexistent, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a driving force. Players embark on a quest as a necromancer to defeat three undead kings, but the narrative is delivered through exposition dumps that feel disconnected from the action. While the game features complex map layouts and a quest log to guide players, the overall storyline lacks depth and engagement, making it less appealing for those seeking a strong narrative experience.
“There is a story and the map layouts are deep, complex, and realistic in the fantasy world context.”
“Featuring a medieval fantasy theme from games such as Heretic and Hexen, you follow a necromancer on his quest to defeat the 3 undead kings who are, as they do, wreaking havoc over the land.”
“I've been on a mission to play every retro FPS and 'boomer shooter' on Steam and I have to say that Hands of Necromancy has become one of my favorites.”
“Story is almost nonexistent.”
“The story is given as an exposition dump between chapters, and they're just totally tossed aside when you actually get into the gameplay.”
“Storyline's a bit weak on the chance that's what you're looking for.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance, with significant frame rate drops even on capable hardware, particularly in large areas and during the final boss encounter. While the aesthetics and some gameplay elements are appreciated, the overall experience is hindered by these performance issues.
“The game runs smoothly without crashes, although there are some performance issues in larger areas.”
“I appreciate the optimization efforts, as the game performs well in most situations.”
“The developers have done a great job optimizing the game, making it enjoyable even in demanding scenarios.”
“Performance is terrible; a GZDoom game should not drop to 20 FPS on hardware that runs 2016 Doom with better framerates.”
“There are no crashes, but there are performance issues in large areas.”
“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.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky details, such as amusing interactions with enemies and the playful design of weapons and environments. Players appreciate the comedic elements, like the idea of squishing vipers and the humorous effects of kicking zombie heads, which contribute to an overall fun and lighthearted experience.
“Kickass weapons, big open maps connected by portals, some nice level design, really fun enemies, secrets, and a lot of funny little details.”
“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.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong sense of nostalgia, highlighting how the game's authenticity to its era evokes feelings of youth and fond memories, making the experience emotionally resonant.
“Made me feel nostalgic.”
“Everything about it felt true to that era and made me feel 20 years younger playing it!”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious than traditional key-and-switch hunts seen in similar titles like Hexen and Heretic, although some encounters are criticized as creatively lacking. Overall, the level design is praised, with only a few short missions feeling overly drawn out.
“Other than these tedious and creatively bankrupt encounters, and one dull but relatively short mission towards the end, the level design is mostly great.”
“The grinding feels repetitive and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“The constant need to grind for resources takes away from the enjoyment of the gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users frequently encountering bugs that affect gameplay.
“The game can be quite buggy.”
“I frequently encounter crashes that disrupt my gameplay.”
“There are numerous glitches that make it hard to enjoy the experience.”
