Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel

I got Hordes of Hel thinking it’d be a little roguelite throwaway—y’know, something to crack open on the Steamdeck while I decompose on the porcelain throne. A couple of runs, a couple of wipes, call it a day. I was wrong. This game is NOT poop-tier. It is poop-enhanced. What started as a casual “lemme see what this is” has turned into “babe I’ll be out in a bit, I’m… uh… busy.” I have completely restructured my digestive rhythm to maximize time spent playing this chaotic, crunchy, violently satisfying gem of a game. You like roguelites? Good. You like fast runs that make you say “ok one more” fifty-seven times? Good. You want a game that feels like Diablo but strips out the spreadsheet crap and leaves you with just the good slashy-slashy dopamine? HEL yes. The controls are tight, the upgrades feel meaningful, and the combat absolutely slaps. You want a game where every run feels like a punk rock Viking fever dream and somehow never gets old? This is it. It's like the devs put actual effort into it or something, which is suspicious, but appreciated. Plus they keep updating it. Like… more than they should? It's getting new features, polish, love—hell, even the bugs feel charming. I’ve played AAA games with less soul than this. If you’re into: Tight combat and buttery movement Dying stupidly and immediately doing it again Supporting devs who give a damn Sitting way too long and realizing your legs are asleep Roguelites that don’t waste your damn time Then Hordes of Hel isn’t just worth it—it’s a lifestyle choice. This isn’t bathroom gaming. This is throne-based domination. 10/10 would ruin my lower back again.

Game has potential but as of current version (0.4) it's a clear no from me, it's just not fun. And I'm saying this ater spending hundreds of hours in similar games such as Hall of Torment, Rogue Genesia, Soulstone Survivors, Conquest Dark, Vampire Survivor, Brotato, Deeprock Survivor, Yet Another Zombie Survivors, etc. If you're looking for a VS-like game to play next, any of the games I've named is worth it (YATS is mid though). The Good: - Art design - Animations The Meh: - Having objectives popping up during a stage is an interesting feature, it gives something to work toward to. I like the fact that I can pick what vent will be next. However those objectives are mandatory and should be made optional instead. Some of them are pretty boring as well: "collect 30 mushrooms" and each mushrooms requires standing on top of it for 1sec... Bro, it's a bullet hell / heaven, locking players movements to a tiny area, even for a short amount of time, feels like shit. Just let the mushrooms be picked up magnet style like gold / xp crystals. Another example of an event was "survive 1min with a debuff that reduces your movement speed", which feels really, really bad. The Bad: - It's boring. The skills feel un-impactful, the talents upgrades feel un-impactful, leveling up feels un-impactful, the loots feel un-impactful, the buffs feel un-impactful... I see lots of skills being cast by my character on my screen but everything is taking ages to die, and I was only in easy/normal. There's zero feeling of power in the difficulties where we should be oneshotting mobs with just auto-attacks for FUN. Like I said, HoH has potential, so wait & see.

I got this game on a whim and wound up really liking it. The art style is good, mechanics are interesting and considering I sunk roughly 10 hours into it the first day I played it, would recommend.

Coming from games like Soul Stone Survivors, Deep Rock Galactic Survivors, and Risk of Rain 2, this game feels right at home. I especially enjoy its unique twist on the genre of an epic nordic theme. It is a solid beginning, and I am excited to see how this game evolves over time. Give it a chance, you will enjoy it!

That my kind of game.. of shorts. Beautiful graphic, easy to learn game-play, a lots of content for an early access game.

core mechanics. turned up to 10. +amazing graphics,framerates +polished missions: objectives, monster types, monster waves, time constraints,traps +difficulty just right. +music -long loadtimes.

Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is a gripping roguelike arena slasher that throws players into a vivid and brutal reimagining of Norse mythology. Developed with high production values and a clear appreciation for both action and atmosphere, it places players in the role of warriors battling across mythic realms like Niflheim and Muspelheim, fighting off relentless hordes and towering bosses in an attempt to hold back the forces of chaos. Though still in Early Access, the game already delivers a compelling loop of survival, build-crafting, and god-powered carnage that makes each run feel intense and rewarding. Each level immerses players in an environment steeped in thematic detail. Niflheim, for example, offers blinding snowstorms and skeletal enemies, while Muspelheim is a realm of flowing lava and fire-born beasts. These visual backdrops aren’t just cosmetic—they shape how players move and fight, adding danger and strategy to each zone. Though only two realms are currently available, they provide enough variation to keep the action feeling fresh, especially as different enemy types and arena hazards emerge with every wave. Combat is the core focus, and it’s executed with polish and flair. Players choose from a growing roster of unique hero classes, such as the shield-wielding Berserker or the long-range Seeress, each with distinct skills and playstyles. As runs progress, players collect god blessings—passive and active abilities granted by figures like Thor, Loki, or Freya—that drastically alter how each character handles the escalating threats. These divine powers combine with relics and skill modifiers, allowing for deep build customization. Whether you’re summoning lightning wolves or detonating healing explosions, each run becomes a new strategic experiment in destruction. The gameplay loop thrives on its balance of moment-to-moment action and long-term progression. Gold collected during a run can be spent on upgrading classes and gods, while rarer crystals unlock new weapons and blessings. Even failed runs push the player forward, giving each session a sense of purpose. Timed objectives and boss encounters break up the standard enemy waves, requiring quick thinking and adaptation as the pressure steadily ramps up. Visually, the game impresses with sharp, stylized character models and detailed effects. Attacks feel weighty, skills explode with color and force, and the environments are dynamic without becoming overwhelming. The audio work complements the visuals well—gritty battle sounds, otherworldly music, and ambient effects all contribute to the immersion. That said, some areas suffer from minor performance hiccups, especially during large-scale battles or graphically intense events, and these technical bumps occasionally pull you out of the otherwise immersive flow. While the game currently lacks the full variety expected from a finished roguelike—only two realms are playable, and god skills are limited to specific builds—it lays a solid foundation. The path forward looks promising, with additional realms, gods, and multiplayer support already confirmed for future updates. Community feedback has been mixed in tone but generally positive, with many praising the visuals and customization while calling for better balance and performance tuning. Overall, Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel stands out in a crowded genre by combining deep build systems with an artfully realized mythological setting and strong combat mechanics. It’s not yet a fully complete experience, but what’s available offers a solid blend of chaos and strategy that rewards both action fans and theorycrafters. For players who love roguelikes with style, weighty progression, and a mythic edge, this game is already a worthy addition—and it’s only going to get better. Rating: 8/10

After 2 hours play this game, i feel this game's not terrible, it has potential, but im not excited in the system. - Art design -> Beautiful! - Animations -> Better than many games in same Roguelike genre! But the big problem is when the countdown timer ends if you don't summon the boss you will be considered a loser. -> If so why doesn't the system automatically summon when the time is about to run out? The design of the skill tree feels unapproachable and sketchy to me personally. It is a bit disappointing compared to other games in the Rouguelike genre because the cost is higher but perhaps it is just used to invest more in the game's graphics. Hope the game gets more updates, also have some expectations in the future, I'm willing to pay extra for any DLC if the system is improved more.

Mediocre. There's some things it does well such as the various the character + god skills. But overall the character balance is awful, the scaling is bad, the maps are very small, aren't well designed or laid out, and they are chock full of annoying areas with terrible collision aspects that get lost in the visual clutter. Speaking of clutter, the Rune Puzzle is the dumbest thing they've "added". They just posted that v1.0 is launching soon with a price jump to $14.99 and I cannot recommend the game without fixing all the glaring issues first, especially if they want to consider that the full release.

Fun game with nice visuals, nothing groundbreaking but a decent take on the action rougelike.

I'm posting a review because I'm tired of seeing this get review bombed by people with 1 or 2 hours played saying its hard, not much content, and skills/upgrades do nothing. This game can be as easy or as difficult as you make it. Read the multipliers on the maps and modifiers. Yes it can scale up quickly and catch you off guard if you're not paying attention. Skill points are essential to gaining power; giving new abilities, upgrades to current ones, and tons of passive buffs. Also, if you actually pay attention to what you're upgrading, both in game and in the skill tree, your decisions have huge affects on your abilities. Every point actually matters. Build variety is plentiful, I tried each character a couple times, but I've mained one character most of my time playing and I've never played them the same each time. You can reset the skill trees for free, allowing you switch up your style at any time. I have a certain path I take when doing easier maps, for grinding out skill points. Another for pushing max damage to get access to a higher difficulty/map. Different damage builds for AoE burst, DoTs, CC focused, auto attack focused, you get the point. The skill tree expands a decent bit as you play, it affects the game, and your play style, greatly. You also unlock different weapons that can change the way you want to build your character. Maps looks great, enemies look great, graphics are amazing and well optimized. This is a great game as it is, and I hope the devs continue adding to it because it has potential to be the best in it's genre.

I didn't want to give a negative assessment, but I have to. The game has a good art design. It's an average soundtrack (but there's very little of it yet). But there is no main feature of games of this genre - the variability of the passage. Skills are boring, locations are boring, bosses are boring. It's a pity, but 3 out of 10.

It's not terrible, it has potential, but in it's current state, it's just not very exciting. Gameplay feels slow and basic, I feel it simply doesn't get exciting, your build doesn't really go anywhere. You have such a limited amount of skills/passives, of which most feel unimpactful. Most skills are just a trade off, level a skill, to improve one stat, but nerf another. Most "Evolves" (It's just level 4 a skill, instead of level 3), are the same, slightly more damage, but lose all AoE capabilities, or something like that. Passive pool is bloated with useless garbage, many of which can't even be leveled. Meta talent tree, is also pretty boring, kinda small, with few options, but with ramping costs, progression is slow and grindy. And it's all just for mostly very tiny, passive improvements, or unlocking "Evolves" (Level 4 of a skill, instead of level 3).

1. Game is extremely hard. Characters are very poorly balanced. Some are much stronger than others. Higher difficulties are nearly impossible without having all meta progression unlocked. 2. Game is badly optimized. Long loading times(for stages so small), fps starts to drop noticeably as soon as there's more action on screen. 3. Too early even for early access. Lack of content mostly. Played roughly 12h and got everything unlocked/completed. Cost/Time spent ratio is very low compared to some similar games on same genre. TLDR.: Game looks beautiful and is on the right path. Bit too early to try though. Skip for now.

Honestly wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It's just pure fun if you like hack and slash with a Norse mythology vibe. Combat feels really solid, hits have weight, and clearing out huge groups of enemies never gets old. It gets pretty intense at times, but in a good way. The atmosphere is dark and gritty, which fits perfectly. Boss fights are also a nice challenge without being unfair. There's no story or anything, but it doesn’t really need one. You're here to wreck Hel’s minions, and the game lets you do that in the most satisfying way possible. If you're into fast-paced melee combat and Norse settings, definitely give it a try. Totally worth it.

Muito bom. Bem mais dificil que a media dos survivors, mas mesmo assim muito bom.

I was thinking that adding item loot and customization will add some excitement to the game. You know, the changes in appearance and adding some effects to the skill through item like plus 5 or 10 to the damage or less. All in all the game has a lot of potentials. Just add more customization and it will be best.

This game plays very similarly to Vampire Survivors. This game however has more expansive ability and upgrade system with skill trees for each class, as well as skill trees which apply to all characters. If you understand that this game is not story-driven at all and instead is like something you can kick back and kill time playing (I recommend using a controller), and if you enjoy Vampire Survivors or other similar games, you will likely enjoy this game.

Easily the best looking bullet heaven/hoard survivor game out there. Great aesthetic, variable differences in characters and great levels of difficulty options available. Recommended!

Absolutely loving this game. Plays like Vampire Survivors but with better level progression and MUCH better graphics. Graphics are Diablo V like, and animations are amazing. Keep it coming! I want those last 2 levels!

great game. love the style and the mechaniks. 100 percent recommend

A fun game that can be played for a few hours or just one raid in 15 minutes. Highly recommended at $10.

Great game. Only issue is no time rush on world 4. Sped up rounds make these games easier to get through when the rounds are long.

It's worth the $10 they're asking for in its current state but not much more. Many of the autocast abilities are practically useless (anything close range or AOE is completely outclassed by your primary attack and they never ever hit where you need them to) and only gum up the works when you're trying to create your build each run. That said there's a decent amount of fun to be had with it and if the devs follow through on their EA goals it could be one of the better survive-em-ups

Truly addicting, very well done and will be returning to play it.

really fun upgrades and characters to power up. Norse theme is a fantastic setting for a horde survival game.

Find this game fun and engaging. Learning which build out works for each character type is nice. Game can get very fast paced and hard to not keep playing over and over again. Well worth the time and money. Updates have been welcomed and are more and more getting the balance and gameplay fun.

This one is amazing and doesn't feel near as grindy as some of them. It can seem like a lot to unlock at first, but it isn't bad and really fun. This is one of my favorites of this genre. I will say Thor's sentinel is op, but still great lol. (I used it as a crutch too much,)

Fun game, nice graphics and gameplay.

game crashed twice now during loading screen all within 30 minutes and i absolutely despise the skill selection/god system. The choices are so bloated with random things, individual skill upgrades feel very weak like they do next to nothing. The game looks pretty cool and the idea is nice but that´s about it. I cannot force myself to play this game in its current state but I will definitely come back at some point.

The best horde survivor I've played so far. Incredible aesthetic and great gameplay. Absolute steal for the price it's sold.

Great Game !. Each character is unique and the extra challenges /difficulties make this game a lot of fun .

Awesome game! Could only get better with multi-player imo. Love swarm survivor games!

Jotunnslayer is a visually impressive and engaging roguelike with strong potential—but as an early access title, it still needs more content, technical polish, and meta depth. If that aligns with what you're looking for, it’s a solid pick—just be prepared for some rough edges.

From the moment I stepped into the frostbitten world of Jotunnslayer, I was hooked. This game is a thrilling blend of intense action, atmospheric storytelling, and jaw-dropping visuals that immerse you in a brutal Norse mythology-inspired landscape. Every moment feels purposeful, from the haunting soundtrack to the gritty, satisfying combat mechanics. The combat is a standout—fast-paced and brutal, yet deeply strategic. Each encounter with the towering Jotunn feels epic, demanding precision, patience, and skill. I loved how each boss had a unique personality and fighting style, making every battle feel like a meaningful achievement. The worldbuilding is equally impressive. The environments are stunning—frozen wastelands, ancient ruins, and mystical forests that beg to be explored. The lore is rich, woven seamlessly into the world through runes, NPCs, and subtle environmental storytelling. What really elevates Jotunnslayer is its polish and attention to detail. The game runs smoothly, the controls are tight, and the UI never gets in the way. The upgrade system and character progression are rewarding without feeling grindy, and there's a real sense of growth as you carve your way through the mythic foes. Whether you're a fan of Norse mythology, action RPGs, or simply love a beautifully crafted challenge, Jotunnslayer is an unforgettable experience. It’s one of those rare games that sticks with you long after you’ve put down the controller. 9.5/10 – A must-play for action fans and mythology lovers alike.

Very uninspired. The evolved weapons don't really pack a punch and in the meta trees there is little to look forward to, it's just very incremental slow progression.

I really like this game. I think it is a nice evolution on the vampire survivors mechanics. Enough of an original spin with good optics and very satisfying sound design and effects.

Addicting and fun! So worth the price tag.... hours will go by without you noticing it! And its still in early access which means it will just keep improving!

Controls and animations feel janky. Refunded here. might come back later.

Not bad at all, needs more content but very entertaining, music is great and the artistic style is sweet.

It is a really good game of it's type. Controls well. looks good. Only complaint is that some terms and game systems are not explained at all. edit 6 hrs in. Just a grind on same 2 maps. Yawn. Nope. edit 2 - A mew map! Guess they ARE still working on it, COOL!!!

Changing my review to no longer be negative based on the recent 0.4 patch, many many issues were addressed. I hope the trajectory continues!

I love this game, I don't care what anyone else says. Its got the best graphics out of any other in the genre but more importantly its just so relaxing. I look forward to more content and updates and I hope it doesn't end up being one of those EA games that gets abandoned. I never write reviews, but I just had to get this off my chest. I love this game, I love this game, I love this game.

Great game, and i like the viking style of it. Makes it fun and interesting. Its a slower pace then others in the genre but thats not a negative. It can have a slower pace then one wrong move and it gets frantic as Hel.

I pirated this game and then decided to support the developer. It is a great game. I prefer this approach to bullet hell than any other. The thing that I hated the most about Soulstone Survivor is that it becomes a thing of "numbers go brr". That won't happen here. You can't just melt things, kill them fast sure, with the right build but nothing braindead. It has a nice mix of rpg, and the missions or sub-objectives keep things entertaining, in some cases it just gives you the need to walk around with purpose -like with the pick up mushrooms-, which I think it's lazy but at least it's something, you don't get bore while waiting for the countdown, which is something that happened to me a lot while playing vampire survivors. The other thing is the pacing, I really enjoy the slow, more strategic pace of the game. And if you think it's too slow, just pick up the modifier and things get more dynamic and rewarding. The game also looks gorgeous, and the maps are quite diverse in the challenges and scenery they present. Same with the effects and all that. In terms of builds and balance, each character has their own play-style and they're all fun and balanced with their own focus. The class skills are all interesting and worth trying, and you can mix things a bit with any character. Now, the issue comes with build diversity, which is very poor. Because each character has an specific focus, only a few gods work well with each character. There only a few skills available for each god and they do not synergise with each other, only with their specific god's passives. Maybe this will change in the future. Finally, the game is challenging but not hard, just distribute your skill points wisely and that's it, you can beat any map in insane difficulty with any character. This game could easily become the best in the genre, if enhanced appropriately. Hopefully it won't take soulstone survivors path.

Seems all right to be fair. Revenant was easy game after other characters.

I'd like to make a positive review for this game, but the way this game is build right now is really bugged. Unbalanced damage and HP progression of the enemies by quest and getting stuck with a enemy while moving makes you die A LOT. Niflheim map is TOO white that you can't see the ice blocks in the middle of the map, what makes you lose get stuck and lose a lot of health. Please devs, fix this issues.

Incredibly addictive gameplay. Short, singleplayer game sessions (~10-15m each). And some of the most replayable content I've enjoyed in years. PSA: Dark Conquest (created by a solo developer) is essentially a low-grade remake of Jotunnslayer that borrows ALL of its gameplay and much of its content, just FYI.

You can save 50-80 hours of grind by spawning in gold coins to upgrade everything, and then go do the hard levels without cheating. Thanks, WeMod.

its fun and really really HARD on Normal Dificulty