Hell Clock, the indie roguelike action RPG that has drawn comparisons to genre titans like Hades and Diablo, has received a significant expansion titled "Cursed War." This new content adds a fourth act to the game's narrative, delving into the origin story of the protagonist, Pajeu.
The expansion's narrative is rooted in historical events, specifically the War of Canudos in Brazil, where Pajeu witnessed a massacre. The game frames Pajeu's revenge quest against the undead soldiers haunting the tormented town as a fictionalized retelling of this tragedy. The "Cursed War" expansion further explores Pajeu's past, depicting his recruitment into the Brazilian army during the Paraguayan War as a slave, which forged the fury present in the base game. This narrative context reportedly intensifies the impact of the game's existing acts, which illustrate how the atrocities have persisted into the present day. Unlike other action RPGs where demons are fought purely for thrill, Hell Clock's enemies wear names and uniforms, lending a distinct historical weight to its combat.
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Gameplay in Hell Clock is characterized by its run-based roguelike structure with an underlying action RPG engine. Players progress by clearing rooms, collecting loot that enhances damage, and watching enemies explode. The game offers depth in its buildcrafting, though the notes suggest that for normal difficulties, simply combining items on the fly is sufficient. Higher difficulties, however, are said to necessitate more focused item min-maxing. Significant updates since the game's initial release have refined movement controls, allowing for both WASD and click-to-move options, and have introduced tougher bosses.
Refined Mechanics and New Abilities
The expansion introduces a crafting system, inspired by elements of Path of Exile's crafting, which players can use to create items that bolster defenses. This system is presented as crucial for surviving multiple hits, particularly during challenging boss encounters. Among the new skills added is "Tupã's Wrath," described as a powerful ability that unleashes a wave of lightning bolts. Players can discover various ways to scale this skill's damage, with one noted combination involving relics that empower skeletal minions, creating a defensive layer that allows for spamming lightning bolts with little risk from non-boss enemies on normal difficulty.
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Beyond the new narrative act, "Cursed War" also introduces additional gameplay challenges. Hell Clock features two higher difficulty modes that offer opportunities to acquire the game's most potent items. These modes are designed to test even optimized builds, as monsters gain elemental resistances and other bonuses. The roguelike randomness extends to mid-run boons and a variety of skills introduced in the expansion, many of which remain unexplored by the player.
The expansion, priced at $10, is seen as a valuable addition that provides new gameplay options and replayability, fitting into the seasonal rotation common among action RPG players. The game's design allows for both intensive play sessions and shorter, more casual engagements, appealing to players looking to fill gaps between other titles.