Half Sword

I woke up to a very excited text message from a buddy telling me I had to download Half Sword, play it and text him back right away what I thought about it. What we have here is a medieval combat game that is all about being as realistic and as bloody as can be and it delivers on both counts! Trust me when I tell you that I had a blast playing this. It has a bit of a learning curve, but it is easy to see why there are so many streamers freaking out and having fun with this game.

Shining A Light On The Dark Ages

Look, I am not a history buff and I have no idea if the dark ages and the medieval times are the same thing, but here we are. Basically, Half Sword takes place during the 15th century in Europe. A day and age where brutal battles were fought in an arena with weapons and armor made with steel and forged by master craftsmen. There is no big story to play through here, you are basically just trying to prove your worth as the most badass warrior the land has ever seen!

Feel My Blade

I will admit that the mouse based combat that Half Sword took me a little while to get used to so there is most certainly a bit of a learning curve at play here with this game. However, that is not a bad thing, the game is very physics-based based and your movements are all ground in reality, forcing you to think and not just start moving around the mouse like a maniac. There is a real level of skill at play here. Of course, things can get heated and you are then just swinging for your life, but that level of unpredictability and not knowing how a fight can go is a huge part of the fun.

Death Is The End

This is a very bloody and gory kind of game with heads getting crushed, and limbs getting hacked off and Half Sword is not scared to do the whole “off with their head” thing either. I loved this part of the game as there were some fights where I felt in full control, only for my opponent to nail me with a perfectly placed shot, cause major damage, and have me on the back foot, just trying to survive. This is a very, very addictive kind of game and even when I would lose several games in a row, I was still having fun and wanted to jump back in, I can see a real community building up around this with people getting super serious about being the ultimate warrior, not The Ultimate Warrior from WWF WrestleMania…. Even though that would be awesome!

Fit For A King

So what do you get for all your victories in the arena in Half Sword? Well, the progression in the game is all about getting better armor and weapons that will suit your playstyle and make you a much more dangerous competitor. What I liked about this was that you could come up against someone who in theory has far better gear than you, but one lucky swing or one well timed strike can still make it so you can beat them. I was honestly surprised at how the battles managed to walk the fine line of being a random mess of fun while also being skill-based.

Pros:

• There are many types of armor and weaponry you can use
• I liked the thought of getting new gear to improve my warrior with
• Combat is fun, but there is also the option to really become skillful at the game
• I found it to be a very exciting and addictive experience

Cons:

• The first few fights may not click with you, this is a game you have to stick with!
• The game is not fully complete as I write this so it could be a bit buggy in places

Medieval games are incredibly popular but often don’t come with a dose of reality. Half Sword is pulling back the curtains of what medieval combat was like. This game is meticulously detailed with realistic armor, weapons, and yes - gore.

The goal is to ascend the ranks to become the champion of the arena. The game features realistic gore, with gurgling sounds when a throat is cut, dismemberment and visible entrails possible. The game holds nothing back and tries to be as realistic as possible. The game is physics based and has a combat system on par with Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - but somehow even more realistic.

Crashing Issues

The game is yet to be released, but it’s already getting popular with streamers due to the generous demo. Unfortunately, the game does have issues with crashing, especially at the higher ranks. The solution to it, at this time, is to switch to the “Gentle” setting. This reduces blood and gore, which appears to help resolve the crashing issues. That being said, the settings are no joke. If you plan on having it at the highest gore setting, make sure any kids are in bed and unable to see before starting the game. The highest gore settings allow viscera, bone crunching, and a lot more realistic blood. The gentle setting simply adds little blood splashes, which is both kinder to your computer and to any youthful eyes that may be watching.

Intuitive but Difficult Gameplay

The game is mouse based, with players swiping with their mouse to land punches or weapon attacks. While it’s intuitive to play, your blows don’t always land the way you planned them. When faced with multiple players, you have to not only attack the person ahead of you but try and watch your back as well.

Weapons can be random, giving you anything from fist fights to wacking someone with a giant candlestick. Death happens often. When you die, you are given one last chance to prove yourself in a place called the Abyss. If you die there, you are sent all the way back to the beginning, but live and you can keep your progress.

It’s nice that they aren’t hardcore as far as being forced to start over, but the Abyss itself is not a cakewalk, so losing all your progress happens often. This can make trying to ascend the ranks very frustrating but also wins more satisfying when you finally make it past a difficult boss. If you’re easily frustrated, this probably isn’t the best game for you. The game is punishing, and makes medieval combat as real as it gets.

Rating: 8/10

Half Sword is a surprisingly addictive game that lets you try a variety of different weapons in multiple combat. It features realistic gore, physics that react appropriately to weapon blows, and more.

Pros:

• Realistic gore
• Physics based combat
• Challenging gameplay

Cons:

• Some crashing
• Dying can be frustrating

Half Sword is a medieval knight simulator that will fully realize your dream to feel like a real warrior of the 15th century for once. The elaborated physics of the body, realistic resistance and brittleness of armor, as well as realistic damage of weapons will give you the most advanced experience of knightly battles. The arena welcomes all brave men ready to step on the path of knighthood and sacrifice their lives for the title. That's right, fight to the death in realistic sword fights and watch the real wounds and abrasions that all kinds of weapons of the past can leave a man with.

Pros of the game:

• Create your own knight and decorate his armor
• Realistic physics of knights' movements
• Damage system