Introduction

I haven’t played a horde game in what feels like years. During my teen years, when I was bored or in school (don’t follow my example here), I’d boot up some horde-like game online and spend hours just trying to kill orcs, zombies, or some other form of enemy. Now in 2025, horde games have evolved, and Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a perfect example of this evolution. A fusion of a roguelike game and action horde game, it sounds weird, but after just a single round, I was hooked. Let’s check out why you should download Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel as soon as it releases! Here’s my review without further ado!

Watch the Official Trailer

Gameplay

Sit down for a moment, because explaining Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a bit strange, but I promise it will make sense quickly. Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a mix of roguelike gameplay and horde survival. You’ll choose from several classes, each with unique starting abilities and traits. At the start, you have two unlocked classes: the Berserker, who hacks at enemies up close and personal, and the Seeress, who curses enemies with long-range magical attacks. As you progress, more classes unlock, such as the Revenant, the game’s archer. Personally, I enjoyed the Berserker and Revenant the most, but each of the four classes offers a distinct playstyle.

Your goal is to survive and complete challenges, such as collecting a certain number of mushrooms or defeating specific targets. What makes it harder are the overwhelming enemies and the ticking timer. As you unlock higher difficulties, the timer gets shorter, forcing you to complete missions quickly and efficiently. Your ultimate goal is to complete enough missions to summon and defeat a boss. It might seem daunting, but fear not—several Norse gods are here to assist you.

The roguelike element comes into play when you defeat enough enemies or gain experience to level up. At this point, you’ll choose one of two gods who offer you various powers to enhance your character. For example, you might choose Freya and gain her giant sword, which launches periodically to strike enemies, or you could choose Loki’s illusion magic to aid your dodges. As you level up, you can also enhance these skills, though the choices are randomized. Be cautious, as you can only reroll or banish skills a limited number of times per round. Some rounds went south for me because I focused too much on upgrading my skills without using the extra attack abilities.

As you play, you’ll earn currency to upgrade your classes with stat boosts, which carry over between rounds. These upgrades help, but don’t expect them to make every round a cakewalk. I do wish the skill system had more depth and flair, but it does the job.

For review purposes, I played the first map on easy and normal difficulties. There’s a noticeable difficulty spike between these two levels, and normal is no joke. I came close a few times to reaching the final boss, but I often died from being overwhelmed. There’s an easy mode where your attacks go off automatically, but I turned it off as it made the game too easy.

Graphics

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is visually stunning, despite the focus being more on survival and combat. The visual effects, from flashy attacks to the characters and enemies, are top-notch. I especially enjoyed watching my various powers tear through hordes of enemies. The environments, though simple, look great, and I’m excited to see what the completed build will look like. I expect the developers to impress me further as they continue working on the game.

Sound

Roguelike game soundtracks can be either amazing or generic, and Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel definitely leans toward the former. The soundtrack is dynamic and fitting, making the gameplay feel even more intense. The in-game sound effects also add depth to the action, with satisfying audio for attacks and abilities. I do wish there were more voice acting or some story elements spoken out loud, but this is a minor gripe that doesn’t detract from the overall experience.

Story

There’s not much focus on story in Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. You play as various souls on a mission to rid worlds of dangerous entities. Using the power of the Norse gods, your character becomes a fearsome warrior, eventually rising to the title of Jotunnslayer. It’s not overly complicated or original, but fans of Norse mythology will find it engaging. The game’s focus on action, exploration, and combat is where it truly shines, leaving the narrative as more of a backdrop to the chaos of battle.

Overall Impression

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is the kind of game you boot up when you need to relax and destroy hordes of enemies. The variety of classes gives the game nice depth, and while I personally preferred some classes over others, I’m sure other players would have different favorites. That’s where Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel shines—the variety of classes and skill upgrades offer players the freedom to experiment and find their ideal playstyle. While I do wish the environments had more depth and the skill system was a bit less generic, I still think the game offers a fun experience that stands out from other roguelikes.

Conclusion

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel might not appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy frantic, fun, and simple horde-based action, this is a game you should definitely try. The solid gameplay and intriguing roguelike elements surprised me and made every round enjoyable. I had a blast playing the early access build of Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, and I can’t wait to see the final build when it releases. If anything changes in that version, I’ll be sure to review it again and let you know!

—Aaron