Alt+Games is a blog about games by a couple of gamers. Role-playing
games , computer and console games , board games etc. Focus on games that
enable playing together , whether in the same room or over the net. We
try to feature interesting stuff you don't hear from elsewhere.
I just found out that the amazing physics based hammer-swinging game, Hammerfight by Russian Konstantin Koshutin and previously known as Hammerfall is available to purchase on Steam for €6.99. It has actually been available for a while as fun-motion.com reported it last Autumn. I'm gonna get the game so I can see how much has been improved and added to the commercial version compared to the free demo. I'll write a review afterwards, so wait for it (or get the game yourself if you are curious enough).
I did a feature on the Hammerfall demo on the old Alt+Games site, and now seems a good time for a re-run in the new site. Here you go:
I think that the FunMotion blog entry about this game started it. The Hammerfall v0.21 demo posted on a Russian GameNow.ru forum by a user with nickname GKosh has raised interest and inspired numerous blog post among indie game bloggers recently. I dl'd the demo and now it's official: I'm joining the bandwagon. Hammerfall is indeed a very promising and innovative action game demo for Windows machines.
Steampunk Action
The player controls a stempunk-style flying copter thingy which drags a massive rock on a chain behind it. The basic idea is to swat at enemies by swinging this rock-in-a-chain. The copter is controlled with the mouse; the rock follows behind following the laws of physics (yes, this game uses physics engine, too). The player can swing the rock into action with a circular flying motion.
The game has two basic modes of action: a duel with another copter or a defense against a multitude of insect-like creatures hailing from above. These are varied in different missions (for example, escorting a big air ship). The player can also equip his copter with different kinds of weapons, for example a swinging sword.
Polish
Hammerfall gets full points for presentation and style. Although the action is restricted to two dimensions the graphic engine peruses all of the visual effects available to state-of-the-art 3D games. Music and the sound effects are top notch, too. Not that there's nothing to improve; the game jammed near to halt couple of times I was playing. In addition to that, the assignment of throw your weapon away function to the right mouse button, which in itself seemed to have no use, botched my gameplay session a couple of times when I hit it accidentally.
The action is really fast-paced and addictive. A demo well worth trying by all accounts, I hope we'll see the final version as soon as possible!
Here's some gameplay video of Hammerfall to round this feature up:
