Hand of the Gods: Smite Tactics is out now on Steam Early Access

Hi-Rez’s deck-building tactics game, Hand of the Gods: Smite Tactics, launched on Steam Early Access yesterday, after 3 months in open beta. It’s free-to-play, too, so you can take it for a spin right now if you fancy battering some deities.

“In conjunction with our community, we’ve implemented several requested features, and expanded upon the core experience that players enjoy every time they log in,” said Scott Lussier, lead designer on Hand of the Gods. “Bringing Hand of the Gods to Steam is a major step for us, and we’re excited for new players to discover their personal playstyle.”

These new features arrived in a patch earlier this month, including the ability to join clans and participate in weekly clan quests; a deck tracker, which makes it easier to see what cards you’ve played, what’s in your hand, and what your opponent has played; along with a slew of balance changes and new cards.

Being a F2P card game, there are of course several starter packs that you can purchase through Steam. A new pack has been released to coincide with the Early Access launch, containing 7 core packs and a skin for the Egyptian god, Ra. The two other bits of DLC, the Founder’s Pack and the Venus Competitor’s Pack, have both been discounted by 25% until September 19.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.