Heroes of Hammerwatch II Review: A Gorgeous Roguelite With Room to Grow

Heroes of Hammerwatch II is one of those indie games that quietly pulls you in and keeps you coming back for “just one more run.”

As a fan of action-RPGs and roguelites, I had a good feeling going into this sequel and for the most part, it delivered exactly what I was hoping for.

It keeps the addictive loop that made the original fun, adds some smart new systems, and wraps everything in absolutely gorgeous pixel art.

I played the game on PC, mostly solo, with a few multiplayer runs sprinkled in with friends and I had a great time in both cases.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about venturing into a dungeon, looting everything you can, and crawling back to town battered but richer for it.

And that’s before you start upgrading your town, unlocking new tools, and building out your class.

It’s not without a few caveats, though.

The main thing holding it back right now is content. It feels like the core of something amazing that just isn’t quite fleshed out yet.

But if the developers stick with it and keep adding more content and updates, Heroes of Hammerwatch II could grow into something truly special.

If you’re looking for another pixel art action RPG with deep crafting, our Philna Fantasy tips guide covers a great recent release

Visuals and Presentation: Pixel Perfection in Every Frame

The pixel art in Heroes of Hammerwatch II is absolutely stunning.

It’s got that perfect mix of nostalgia and polish, like how you remember pixel art looking in the SNES or early PC days, but way more refined.

Every environment, character, and enemy is rendered with care, and the visual style gives the entire game world a warm, handcrafted feel.

I played on a 5K ultrawide monitor, and the game looked fantastic at that resolution.

Even though it’s not a technically demanding title, the crispness of the visuals really stood out on a large screen.

The lighting effects, weather, and environmental details all come together to create a surprisingly immersive world, especially considering its retro aesthetic.

Animations are smooth, UI elements are clean and readable, and the overall presentation is both charming and functional.

Whether you’re wandering through sunlit forests, descending into dark dungeons, or strolling around your slowly growing town, the game never stops being a treat for the eyes.

If you’re someone who appreciates good pixel art, this game delivers in a big way.

It’s not flashy, but it has a ton of personality and that goes a long way.

Gameplay Loop: Addictive, Satisfying, and Even Better with Friends

At the heart of Heroes of Hammerwatch II is a tight, rewarding gameplay loop that really starts to shine once you’ve settled into a class and unlocked a few upgrades.

You dive into dungeons, fight through waves of enemies, collect gold and resources, and (hopefully) make it back alive to cash in your spoils.

Rinse and repeat with each run making you just a little stronger and better equipped for the next.

I spent most of my time playing as the ranger, and it quickly became my favorite class.

The ranged combat felt great, and once I started unlocking new abilities and leveling up my stats, the ranger really came into its own.

I tried out the other classes briefly, and they all seemed fun in their own right, but the ranger’s mobility , versatility and pet wolves made it hard to switch.

That said, each class offers a distinct playstyle, and there’s definitely replay value in mixing things up.

The early game can feel a little slow (especially before you’ve unlocked key abilities) but once the systems open up, it becomes a ton of fun.

The combat is snappy, and the enemy variety keeps things interesting without overwhelming you. It strikes a nice balance between challenge and accessibility.

I played mostly solo, and the experience was great on its own, but the few runs I did with friends were a blast.

Co-op play adds a whole new layer of fun, and the game feels well-balanced whether you’re exploring on your own or with a group.

There’s definitely a sense that this is a game meant to be shared and diving into dungeons with a buddy, backing each other up, and scrambling to make it back in one piece is peak roguelite fun.

Town-Building and Progression: A Smart, Rewarding System

One of Heroes of Hammerwatch II’s best features is its town-building system, which gives the game a strong sense of progression beyond just leveling your character.

Every time you finish a run (whether you succeed or not) you’re likely bringing back some kind of resource: gold, ore, materials. And those can all be invested into upgrading your town.

It’s a simple concept, but it works incredibly well.

Building and upgrading shops, unlocking new NPCs, and expanding your town’s capabilities makes each run feel meaningful, even if you didn’t clear the dungeon or find a legendary item.

There’s always something to spend your haul on, and those upgrades directly affect your future adventures, from better gear to new mechanics.

It also helps ground the game in a way that a lot of roguelites don’t.

Instead of feeling like you’re starting from scratch every time, you’re slowly making your mark on the world. There’s a real sense of growth, not just in your character, but in the world around you. It becomes your home base, a place you actually want to return to, and that adds a ton of charm and motivation to keep going.

The system’s not overly complex, but it doesn’t need to be. It adds just the right amount of structure and long-term payoff to make every dungeon crawl feel purposeful.

And once you’ve invested some time into building up your town, you really feel the difference out in the field.

Length and Content: A Strong Foundation That Feels Incomplete

As much as I enjoyed my time with Heroes of Hammerwatch II, I did walk away feeling like it ended a bit too soon.

The core systems (combat, class progression, town-building) are all solid and well-designed, but just as everything started to really click, I hit the end of the available content.

That’s not to say there’s nothing to do, far from it. There are plenty of dungeons to explore, secrets to find, and classes to experiment with.

But if you’re the type of player who loves to dive deep into a game for dozens and dozens of hours, you may find yourself wishing there was more.

I wrapped up most of the game’s content in a fairly reasonable amount of time, and while I had a great experience, I definitely felt like it could have gone further.

The upside?

It really feels like this is just the beginning.

The game already has a strong base to build from, and if the developers continue to support it with updates, expansions, or DLC, Heroes of Hammerwatch II could evolve into something truly exceptional.

I’m absolutely planning to come back when more content drops.

At the moment, it feels like a well-made early chapter in what could be a long-running adventure.

If they keep expanding the world, adding more dungeons, classes, and town upgrades, it’ll only get better from here.

Final Thoughts: A Charming, Addictive ARPG with a Bright Future

Heroes of Hammerwatch II delivers a charming, pixel-perfect blend of dungeon crawling, character progression, and town-building that had me hooked from the start.

The combat feels satisfying (especially once you find the right class and rhythm) and the town upgrade system gives the whole experience a sense of momentum that keeps you coming back.

The ranger quickly became my go-to class, and leveling up, unlocking new abilities, and diving deeper into each run never stopped being fun.

Playing solo was engaging, but running dungeons with friends brought a whole new layer of chaotic enjoyment that made the game shine even more.

The only real downside is that it left me wanting more.

It feels like the game has all the right pieces in place, but not quite enough content yet to fully realize its potential.

That said, the foundation here is incredibly strong.

If the developers keep supporting it with updates, expansions, and new content, this could easily grow into one of the best indie action-RPG experiences around.

As it stands, Heroes of Hammerwatch II is already a great time and if you enjoy pixel art, tight gameplay loops, and co-op dungeon crawling, it’s absolutely worth checking out.

I’ll definitely be back for future updates.

View our full playthrough of the game with the YouTube playlist below:

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Images are from the Heroes of Hammerwatch II page on Steam and used under Fair Use.