Hands of Necromancy screenshot (RTX 3080 Ti)

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   atomicpoet (atomicpoet@atomicpoet.org)'s status on Wednesday, 10-Jan-2024 17:31:37 JST atomicpoet

   Released in 2022, Hands of Necromancy is a dark fantasy first person shooter (FPS) with Metroidvania elements. It is highly influenced by the 90s boomer shooter series Heretic (a.k.a., Hexen), and some might even call it a spiritual successor. This is the first game in the Hands of Necromancy series.

   In this game you play a grumpy sorceror of dark magic. A whole lot of monsters decided to overrun the human realm, killing everything in their path. Typically, they don’t bother humans because magic is a deterrent. While you were gone, they wreaked havoc. But now that you’re back, it’s time to show those assholes that they made a very bad mistake.

   Okay, so the story isn’t that important, and that which does exist is only told through the intro or hinted at. Do we really need a story, though? We’re here to kill snakes and ghouls and devils – and that’s what we’ll do!

   In terms of gameplay, the mission is simple. You’re vanquishing everything that stands in your way, while figuring out how to get to the next area. But doing so isn’t necessarily straightforward.

   This is what makes Hands of Necromancy different from Heretic. You see, in the boomer shooters of yore, you were looking for key cards – and there still is a little of that here. However, this is where the “Metroidvania” aspect comes into play: you’re also hunting down new abilities which will enable you to explore a new area. For example, the golem hands allow you to punch through walls, revealing entirely new rooms.

   What about weapons? With the exception of the magic sword – which I only use when I have no ammo – everything is awesome. Even the default firestaff kicks ass. But soon, you get access to spells, and these are a ton of fun. After awhile, you start being able to shoot devastating attacks out of your hands.

   Does this kick ass? Hell, yes!

   Hands of Necromancy uses the GZDoom engine. Yes, the very same one made by Adrian Carmack for Doom. This was also the same engine used for the original Heretic.

   And it works! Even on a 1080P or 4K display with a widescreen aspect ratio, it is as good now as it was in 1993. Lighting and particle effects have been added, but Hands of Necromancy stays true to GZDoom.

   Back in the day, boomer shooters were well known for their sound design. Hands of Necromancy follows this tradition. The magic spells are “whooshy”. The medieval folksy soundtrack is a blast. And the occasional quips from your necromancer are wonderful.

   If there’s one quibble, it’s simply this: I wish there was a mini-map on screen at all times. While the original Heretic didn’t have a mini-map, I feel that this being a Metroidvania, you kind of need one. This isn’t a game-breaking annoyance, just a small complaint.

   Most modern PCs can play this game. You need a 2.4Ghz dual core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 400MB of space. Integrated graphics will do fine. This game has native compatibility with Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, while I was able to get this game launched on Steam Deck, I wasn’t able to get the controls working. Other people had success, though.

   Hands of Necromancy is a PC exclusive. It hasn’t been released on mobile or console platforms.

   There’s no micro-transactions, nor is there DLC. However, you can download and play a demo.

   Frechou Games (a.k.a., Emmanuel Frechou) developed Hands of Necromancy. This is his first commercial game. Recently announced, Hands of Necromancy II is coming to Steam this year.

   On Steam, Hands of Necromancy has a 90% positive rating based on 143 reviews, while GOG.com gives it a verified owners rating of 4.6/5. Most people agree this gets as close to a Heretic/Hexen game as possible while also praising the Metroidvania aspects. A few detractors complain about the lack of story and that this game is too hard.

   Having now played this game for hours, I personally don’t think that’s that tough – it’s certainly not more tough than the original Heretic. And if you’re feeling that the difficulty is too much, there’s no shame in playing this on easy mode. But beyond that, I think if you’re coming to a boomer shooter and expecting it to be a walk in the park, well, prepare to get good!

   Many people have wanted a new Heretic/Hexen for a long time, and one hasn’t been made since 1998. Microsoft has lately hinted that one might be coming, but I’ll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, Hands of Necromancy is truly a Heretic/Hexen successor, and the Metroidvania aspects truly enhance the gameplay.

   You can buy Hands of Necromancy on Steam, GOG.com and itch.io. Steam and GOG.com sell it for C$6.49, while itch.io sells it for U$4.99.

   I highly recommend Hands of Necromancy. Any old school FPS fan will be smiling ear-to-ear playing this one. And even if you’re a casual gamer, I think you’ll be loving the fast and frenetic action. Plus, this is an inexpensive title and it’s high quality too!