It’s no secret that I love Diablo. Perhaps my favorite videogame franchise ever made, Sanctuary’s dreary hopelessness is, for some reason, my paradise – my ghoulish home away from home. But the past couple of years have seen myriad new ARPGs challenge Blizzard’s throne, with games like Path of Exile 2 and Last Epoch taking different approaches to the tried and tested dungeon crawler formula. Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel is yet another rival, and it’s just dropped a huge new update. So, whether you’re bored of Diablo 4’s Season of the Witch, or are looking for something new, now’s a great time to take to the fjords.
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel takes the traditional Diablo action RPG format, and transplants it into a Norse-inspired world. You are a long-forgotten hero that’s been cast into the annals of history, damned to an eternity of nothingness. But that’s not how your story goes. Instead, you’ve chosen to fight your way through the trials of the Gods, intent on earning yourself the title of Jotunnslayer.
The latest content drop, aptly entitled ‘Jotunheim update,’ adds a whole new zone to the game, as well as another God. As you’ve likely guessed, we’ll be able to visit the tundra region of Jotunheim, the icy home of the giants that’s plagued by high winds and raging storms. You’ll have to survive the elements, as well as sporadic tempest-centric Curses, which cause enemies to swell in numbers and slow your movements. Surviving these onslaughts completes objectives, so it’s a win-win.
But there’s a brand new God, too: Skadi, Mistress of Ice and Precision. The boons that she grants are, as you’ve likely guessed, focused around frost and wind, meaning that she has additional banishes and rerolls, as well as the new Seal mechanic, which lets you lock in skills as you level up so that you’re guaranteed to have them in the pool next time around.
Every new update needs a new villain, however, and two-headed monstrosity Stormjotunn, who makes an appearance at the end of the trailer above, looks like the perfect adversary for our heroes. I expect that he’ll be a heavy attacker given his size, but those crab-like legs hint at enhanced mobility. Either way, he’s going to be a challenge.
Since its early access release back in January, the game has achieved ‘very positive’ on Steam, with 81% of reviews being positive. As Diablo 4’s Season of the Witch rumbles on and Path of Exile 2’s 0.2.0 update is set to launch at the end of the month, now’s the perfect time to take Jotunnslayer for a spin (literally if you’re a Barbarian).
If you’re looking for even more dungeon crawling goodness, here are some games like Diablo that are perfect for whetting your blade. Alternatively, we have a list of the best multiplayer games if you’re looking for an ARPG experience that you can play with your friends.
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