If you love Hades as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to keep an eye on Sworn. The upcoming action roguelike trades the Greek pantheon for medieval fantasy, and it’s shaping up to be one of the best-looking entries in the genre this year. Set in a fallen Camelot where a corrupted King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table reign supreme, it’s up to you to craft the best builds to take on the land’s royalty. We really don’t have long to wait either, as the early access launch and an open demo are mere weeks away.
While there are many great roguelike games built in the Hades mold, Sworn sets itself apart with co-op. Either alone or in a group of up to four, you can fight through King Arthur’s hordes. You can even combine your builds and strengths with your buddies, which will give you the slight edge you need to get through unscathed. Ken’s very own Sworn preview from last year dives into exactly how the game plays, with plenty on offer to set it apart from the genre stalwarts you already know.
Just like Hades features Greek heroes and gods, Sworn focuses on characters surrounding the British folk hero of King Arthur. That means Merlin, Lady of the Lake Nimue, and more will turn up during your runs. You’ll also encounter a variety of Fae Lords during your travels, who can offer over 200 unique blessings between them – think the boons from Hades.
Sworn also has an avalanche of build variety. There are so many character, weapon, and ability combinations that you’ll end up spending hours trying to find them all. Each playable character has multiple weapons and spells to choose from, giving you plenty of options before you even start finding those build-defining upgrades. Each of these weapons can then be upgraded, too, so you’ve got plenty to get stuck into with every run.
I’m a huge fan of isometric action roguelikes, and Sworn is already looking like one of the best. It’s a genre that’s gotten exponentially busier since Hades arrived, but every single entry tries something thematically and mechanically different. For Sworn, that looks like a medieval setting and co-op.
Windwalk Games will release Sworn in early access on Thursday February 6, with an open demo coming to Steam at the same time. You can wishlist the game here.
We’ve also got all the best co-op games and action games you need to try on PC if you want even more than just Sworn.
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