Hexxen: Hunters

Hexxen: Hunters is a tactical RPG with roguelike elements. It was developed by Ulisses Digital and published by Hooded Horse.

Plot

Hexxen: Hunters is set in an alternate, fantasy history, in which the gates of hell opened in 17th century, in Schwarzwald, southern Germany. A century later, the world is being plagued by demons and monsters. To make matters worse, an even worse threat lurks somewhere far away. The team of witch hunters decides to face it.

Mechanics

Hexxen: Hunters makes use of the top-down perspective. The gameplay loop consists of various missions on procedurally generated maps. We play as a squad of four adventurers, chosen out of eight playable characters, traversing different locations, completing objectives (story quests and side missions) and facing enemies.

Combat is turn-based, requiring skillful use of the party's abilities and moves. Each hunter represents a different class, has unique strengths, weaknesses and equipment. Goetz wields a blunderbuss, keeping foes at a distance, Franziska specializes in close combat, while the white witch Irina dispatches foes with powerful magic. The player will face many regular enemies and powerful bosses. All bosses have strengths and weaknesses we must discover and adapt to.

We'll encounter not only hellish creatures, but also devil-worshipping cultists. There are eight cults total, each worshipping a different devil, four of those being randomly chosen each playthrough to oppose us. The cults fight in different ways, have different allies and unique quests tied to them. They also oppose each other, so we can take advantage of their mutual hatred.

The moments of downtime between our adventures will be spent in one of the nearby villages. Gathered resources can be spent to expand the place, letting us prepare better for any future adventures. Upgrading the forge grants us better gear, while the alchemy lab lets us brew advanced potions. We can also conduct research to increase our combat capabilities. Though we can only take four people into battle, the remaining heroes remain in the village, supporting them from afar.

Technical aspects

Hexxen: Hunters makes use of a cartoonish, colorful yet grim artsyle, somewhat reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon.