If you loved Bungie's Myth games from the '90s and early 2000s—think combat-focused strategy with no base building—then you're probably going to enjoy Deadhold, a tactical RTS that charges into Early Access later this month.
Inspired by the Myth titles, the units you start a match with are the only ones you can use. The emphasis is on manoeuvring small groups, or even individual units, into the right position and then micromanaging them to avoid oncoming attacks.
The combat is physically modelled, so arrows will embed into a specific part of a unit, be that their head or arm, and they will react accordingly. The bombs thrown by the ranged Sapper can dismember your enemies, painting the ground red. And a line of shield-wielding warriors can act as a physical barrier to stop the progression of the other team.
You and up to three friends can fight through a story-driven campaign, or you can pit your skills against up to eight players in competitive multiplayer. The Early Access version releases on August 25 and comprises the first segment of the campaign, one single-player horde mode map and parts of the competitive multiplayer mode. More campaign missions and horde maps will be added as and when they're finished.
As you go through matches you'll pick up loot and level up your units. So, there's a lot going on, but the combat definitely looks interesting. Here's a quick video of it in action: I particularly like the way those bombs send groups of units flying in all directions.
Dark Quarry says the game should be in Early Access for around a year but that it's not in a rush to ship it. There's no price listed on the Steam page but I've asked the team to confirm the cost and will update this article when I hear back.
What do you make of it?
