The Dark Horde is a roguelike deckbuilder where you control the flow of time by playing cards! Summon a horde of minions at your command, harvest the Souls of fallen enemies and send your disposable Goblin Looters on the Battlefield to seize precious Gold. Lay waste and enjoy being Evil!
All Reviews:
Positive (22) - 95% of the 22 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Sep 9, 2024
Developer:
Publisher:

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Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“The core game of The Dark Horde is almost complete, but there are many important features still in development. Also, given the deckbuilding nature of the game, the many interactions between cards and the various upgrades players can acquire, I think there are probably many conflicts and balancing issues here and there. An early access release will give me the opportunity to fine tune the game while also working on other important features. I have a list of content that will be implemented to give players more options, more features, more everything.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Probably 6 to 12 months after Early Access Release, depending on how many requests for new features the fans will suggest!”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“There will be more cards, improved interfaces and graphics. I also assume the game will be more balanced, if necessary, and all the extra features developed by popular demand will be implemented. Rumors are spreading that a fourth Domain of cards (after Death, Destruction and Corruption) might surface sooner or later...”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game has 80% of all mechanics implemented and it is fully enjoyable. It requires various improvement in the graphics and interface department: these will be developed based on feedbacks from the player base.
This is the content already implemented:
- Deck Mode: 15 premade deck, each with 5 levels of difficulty
- Draft Mode: the endless mode for The Dark Horde. Play until overwhelmend by the Horde of angry Villagers!
- Leveling System: unlock features while leveling up!
- Reward System: completing Deck Mode runs will award you with the upgraded version of a card. That upgrade is permanent!
- 150+ cards divided in three Domains (Death, Destruction and Corruption), rewards for player completing Deck Mode runs and SNAGs: nasty cards that will be added to the deck to disrupt the player's game.
- 100+ Minions at your service
- a horde of Peasants, Big Wigs and Heroes!
- infinite supply of Goblin Looters. After all, they all end up dying...”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The game will become slightly more expensive as I pile up features and new elements. The final version of The Dark Horde will be more expensive.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“The community is pivotal for the final stages of development of The Dark Horde! First, the intention is to let the community design the remaining cards of the game! This will give the players a chance to be directly involved in creating the content of The Dark Horde! The player that won the contest for each card will have his/her name featured on the card, unless they prefer not to. Secondly I will implement the missing features one by one based on which one the community deems fundamental or thinks would be a fine addition to the game. Finally, any player will have the chance to report issues and bugs contributing in shaping the final product. Once the game will have all the Primary features implemented, I will add the fourth Domain: Frost. The players will then have the chance to witness the creation of Frost cards and Frost premade decks as they are developed and obviously intereact in near-real time with suggestions and opinions! Players can provide feedback directly on Steam Community Pages or via Discord server: you're suggestions will be carefully evaluated! In case of mayor improvements or contribution, I will (if you agree) add your name in the QA section of credits!”
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Reviews

“So as many of you may know, I am a bit obsessed with games. This obsession causes me to try many, many different games and I thought I might start pointing out the overlooked gems I find. Case in point: The Dark Horde. It's a unique deck builder that mixes a bunch of genres and uses time as it's main currency.”
Jesper Myrfors - One of the Authors of Magic: The Gathering

About This Game



In The Dark Horde the main resource is Time. Play cards or activate actions that cost Time Units (TUs), then wait that amount of time before it is your turn to play again!



When the action stops you will have a moment to think about what your next move will be. You can play cards and abilities only when the time is stopped: plan your actions carefully!



There are tons of minions at your disposal. Your spellbook has access to the most powerful sorceries. Experiment and find hidden combos and synergies!



Have your Ossean priests worship Death, sacrifice your cultists to summon the mightiest of all demons, discover epic allies for your quest!



The objective of the game is simple: either you plunder the enemy Village or you manage to resist for 3 days, fending off the assault of angry Villagers.
You start each Battle Round with 180 Time Units. When you play Cards or Actions you spend Time Units. You must wait that amount of time before playing your next Card or Action!



Send your Goblin Looters to seize precious Gold, grasp the Souls of slain Villagers and then raze the enemy settlement! Between each battle you can spend your loot to acquire new cards, improve your abilities or learn powerful skills!



You can plan your strategy ahead: choose how to spend your loot, which abilities to upgrade and select the best skills that suit your strategy.



For every successful run you will be rewarded with an upgraded card! Upgrades are permanent and you will benefit from them for each upcoming run in the game!

The Dark Horde will launch with these features and more:

  • 15 Premade Decks to experiment with!
  • Endless mode!
  • Permanent Progression: level up to get better starting options!
  • Permanent Rewards: complete a run to upgrade cards, forever!
  • 200+ different cards!
  • Hundreds of combos!
  • High replayability!
  • An infinite supply of Goblin Looters at your mercy!
  • Beautiful soundtrack by Alexander Nakarada

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
    Minimum:
    • OS *: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1, 10
    • Processor: Intel Core2 Duo E4500 (2 * 2200) or equivalent, AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3600+ (2 * 1910) or equivalent
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GeForce 7300 GT (512 MB), Radeon X1300 Pro (256 MB)
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
    Minimum:
    • OS: Mac OS X 10.11 or higher
    • Processor: Apple M1 or Intel Core M
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
* Starting February 15, 2024, the Steam Client will no longer support 32-bit games or macOS 10.14 or lower.

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