Hand of Fate: Hordes Review – Deckbuilding Bullet-Heaven with Dealer Charm
A dark-fantasy survivor that mixes deckbuilding with chaotic bullet-heaven combat. Atmospheric narration, four unique heroes and a few rough edges keep it interesting.
I jumped into Hand of Fate: Hordes hoping for the old Dealer’s grin and a fresh twist on survivors, and that’s exactly what I found. The game blends the card-smithing tension of the Hand of Fate series with frantic, bullet-heaven combat—so you’ll be planning builds and dodging volleys in the same breath. It’s atmospheric in a way few action indies manage, thanks to voice-led narration and a grim fantasy vibe. If you like your runs with equal parts strategy and chaos, this one’s worth a look—even if it’s a little rough around the edges.
Surviving the Shadow Vaults
Hordes drops you behind the 13th Gate into cramped, echoing arenas where every encounter feels like a tiny set-piece. The loop is simple on paper: pick a path, take cards and events from the Dealer, then survive a short but intense survivor-style combat wave. Combat mixes ranged, melee and magic depending on which of the four heroes you pick: Trickster skews nimble and sneaky, Goblin is chaotic and skirmishy, Warrior is sturdy in the frontlines, and Rebel sits between ranged and risky tricks. You’ll constantly be juggling positioning, dodging bullet patterns, and using the tools your deck hands you — bombs, buffs, temporary weapons, and luck-based minigames. Runs feel punchy because levels are short but stacked with objectives, chests and mini-quests, so there’s always a reason to explore rather than simply kite enemies.
When the Deck Shapes the Fight
The deckbuilding angle is the game's soul. You don’t just find loot; you sculpt an event-and-power deck that changes the map and your options in-battle. Cards grant weapons, blessings, encounters and modifiers, and can pivot a run from bland to brilliant if you snag the right synergies. There are also dice and shuffle minigames to win extra boons, plus Tokens as meta currency that unlock persistent rewards between runs. It’s rare to see a survivors game where narrative encounters, card choices and combat rhythm are so tightly braided—sometimes that’s brilliant (the Dealer narration sells flavor like candy), and sometimes the card interruptions can feel awkward mid-fight, splitting focus when you’re in the thick of a horde.
A Stage Built of Sound and Grit
Visually Hordes leans into gritty fantasy: muted palettes, blood-slick floors, and moody lighting that make the Dealer’s narration land harder. Animations are lively and readable, which is crucial when dozens of projectiles fill the screen. Audio is a major win—the Dealer’s voice (Anthony Skordi returns) gives the game weight and personality, and sound cues help with telegraphed attacks. Performance is surprisingly solid even on modest rigs, with multiple users reporting stable 60+ fps on mid-range hardware. Accessibility and UI are decent but not perfect: some menus and dialogue selection still cry out for keyboard navigation and clearer tutorial guidance, and the developers will need to polish flow so card events interrupt less aggressively during combat.
Hand of Fate: Hordes is a compelling hybrid: it nails voice and mood while offering deep, build-driven runs. It’s best for players who like strategic deck choices mixed with intense, arena-style action—and who can tolerate a rougher Early Access edge to meta progression and UI. Buy if you want a fresh Hand of Fate experience with real replay value; hold off if tiny percentage boosts make you twitch.
Pros
- Tight fusion of narrative cardplay and frantic bullet-heaven combat
- Outstanding Dealer narration and strong atmosphere
- Four distinct heroes and lots of build variety
- Runs are short, punchy and highly replayable
Cons
- Meta-progression feels grindy and often reduces the reward to tiny % boosts
- Card event interruptions can break combat flow
- UI/UX and tutorial need polish; keyboard navigation lacking in places
Player Opinion
Players are largely enthusiastic: common praise goes to the Dealer’s narration, the atmosphere, and the addictive loop that mixes cards and survivor combat. Many reviewers say the game captures the classic Hand of Fate tone while bringing fresh survivor/bullet-heaven mechanics—fans of the old games seem pleased. Criticism centers on the meta-progression (the much-maligned +1% style boosts), which a number of users call boring or outdated, and on UX niggles like poor tutorial pacing and clunky dialogue/card navigation. Several players mentioned Early Access gaps—deck-building features and some content teased for later updates—but still felt the current experience is fun and promising. If you loved Hand of Fate 1/2 or survivors like Deep Rock Galactic’s Survivor modes, you’ll likely find something to love here, though expect a bit of roughness that should improve with updates.