Hordelord Review - Thrilling Arena Style Spinoff
8Hordelord is a fast-paced arena-style shooter that feels like a natural offshoot from Gravelord, its boomer-shooter roots showing in every frantic moment of gameplay. I absolutely love how it keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, with high mobility, intense encounters, and wave-based structure. The game takes that familiar Gravelord formula and trims it down into a tight, score-chasing experience that feels sharp and rewarding.
-Steam Curator: store.steampowered.com/curator/36307721-Healthy-Criticism/
The gameplay is relentless in the best of ways. You face waves of ruthless enemies, using powerful weapons and agile movement to stay alive and rack up points. There are two modes: Horde Mode, with fixed waves you can learn and master, and Endless Mode, which throws in randomized enemy patterns that force you to adapt on the fly
The weapons feel impactful, each serving a purpose, and you unlock alt-attacks to keep combat fresh. The inclusion of tarot cards, drawing from Gravelord lore, adds an additional layer of strategy. They act as powerups and stack if you draw duplicates, which means every run can feel subtly different depending on the cards you pull
Levels are compact but cleverly designed to keep the action flowing. They evolve as you progress, especially in Horde Mode where each arena forces you to adapt your strategy wave after wave. There’s a precision to how rooms and obstacles are laid out that emphasises learning and mastery rather than luck. In Endless Mode, the unpredictability of enemy placement keeps you alert—it doesn’t let you settle into a routine
The audio design elevates the entire experience. Music is intense and driving, placing you squarely in survival mode. Gun sounds and enemy cues are satisfying and help you understand your surroundings instantaneously. It doesn’t let up, and I found myself truly immersed, my pulse syncing with the pounding beats and explosive action.
Hordelord distils the thrill of Gravelord into razor-sharp, wave-based action that works brilliantly in a quick-session format or when chasing high scores. While it shares many design DNA with its predecessor, this title stands on its own through tight gunplay, memorable enemy variety, and clever power-up systems. It rewards quick reflexes, smart card management, and map memorisation.
As a fan of boomer shooters and arena shooters alike, I found it hard to put down. If you like the frantic feel of Quake-style combat mixed with modern roguelite progression, Hordelord is a gem worth exploring.
00:00 Intro
00:50 Settings
03:28 Wave 1
05:33 Wave 2
07:25 Wave 3
09:23 Wave 4
11:21 Wave 5
13:43 Wave 6
15:23 Wave 7 and AVOID THIS
18:10 Wave 8
20:00 Wave 9
23:50 Wave 10
26:20 Wave 11
28:23 Wave 12
30:43 Wave 13
32:58 Wave 14
36:15 Wave 15
38:09 Wave 16 LAST WAVE
41:04 Ending and final thoughts