Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem
Formerly known as Umbra, this hack ‘n’ slash is already playable in an early access version and immerses you in a beautiful but also dark fantasy world. This world is open and not divided into levels. In this open world, you will encounter plenty of monsters and challenges. You create your hero not based on classes, but through skills that you unlock. You are completely free in how you develop your character.
Your playstyle also determines your apocalyptic form. Your hero can transform. If you play more as a warrior, the character grows a third arm in the transformation, allowing you to wield an additional weapon. As a fire mage, however, you get a lava-like skin that causes fire attacks to heal you.
During battles, you collect plenty of loot and can customize and modify weapons. There is a housing system through which you can design not only a house but also a dungeon. In this dungeon, you invite other players to face your challenges.
In the multiplayer sector, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem aims to offer a co-op mode at release, although it is still unclear how many players can embark on adventures together. If you expect a bit more from a hack ‘n’ slash, want to explore an open world, and experience an engaging story, you should keep an eye on this action RPG.
Next up is Seven: The Days Long Gone
Seven: The Days Long Gone
Seven is an action RPG from former The Witcher 3 developers. Accordingly, the story and decisions take center stage here. Seven offers a uniqueness for a hack ‘n’ slash, as battles are optional. You can play the game like Diablo 3 and attack all opponents. However, it is also possible to sneak through the areas and try to eliminate as few enemies as possible. In the levels, all objects and even vertical differences are important. You traverse chasms, use crates to reach rooftops, jump from house to house, and then pounce on unsuspecting enemies to surprise them.
There are quests and a narrative, but the story unfolds non-linearly. You operate in a sandbox world, and every situation can contribute to revealing the story to you further. You will constantly have to make difficult moral decisions that affect the course of the story. You can develop your hero in various directions using skills. Even magic plays an important role, although the action RPG is set in a post-apocalyptic world.
Currently, no multiplayer mode is planned for Seven, but the developers leave this option open for an expansion. The focus is on an intense single-player experience. This stealth hack ‘n’ slash is expected to be released later this year.
