About This Game

GnollHack is the modern way to play NetHack. It keeps the depth that made NetHack one of the greatest roguelikes of all time and adds hand-drawn graphics, full voice acting, a rich soundtrack, and an interface you can learn easily. It is free and open source, with no ads, paywalls, or microtransactions.

• Turn-based and tactical: Take as long as you need on every move. Preparation and clever thinking win runs, not reflexes.

• Deep systems, emergent play: Hundreds of items, monsters, and spells interact in countless ways. If an idea seems like it should work, it probably will.

• Knowledge is your progression: Randomized levels and unidentified items make every run different. There are no unlocks or meta-grinding, only what you learn.

• Your challenge, your rules: Choose from seven difficulty levels, from Standard to Grand Master, and play with classic permadeath or in a mode that brings you back after death.

• Made by people: Over 23,000 hand-drawn tiles, 5,000+ voiced lines by 96 actors, and a 37-track soundtrack. No AI-generated art, music, or voices.

• Native on Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck: Play with mouse, keyboard, or gamepad.

You will feel at home if you:

• Love learning how complex systems work, and then bending them to your advantage.

• Enjoy games where one clever idea can save a doomed run.

• Have played NetHack, Caves of Qud, or Dwarf Fortress, or have always wanted to.

It may not be for you if you:

• Want real-time action or a short, guided experience. GnollHack is long and demanding. Deaths are common, and most players need many attempts to win their first game.

New to roguelikes?

Start on an easier difficulty in a mode where death is not the end. In-game hints, item and monster details, and the optional Gnoll Overseer game advisor help you learn as you play.

NetHack veteran?

Most of what you know still applies. Play in Classic Mode for single-life permadeath, raise the difficulty up to Grand Master, and stumble upon the remains of other players' characters in shared bones files.

GnollHack was forked from NetHack 3.6.2 in 2019 and has grown through more than 11,000 commits since. It keeps NetHack's dungeon, mechanics, and spirit, and builds on them:

• 13 roles and 5 races: Play as a Valkyrie, Wizard, or Priest, or as the new Gnoll race with its own traits and starting gear.

• Reimagined magic system: Prepare over 200 spells across 12 schools with alchemical reagents. Spells use mana and cooldowns, and once learned, they are never forgotten.

• Deeper combat and gear: Train weapon skills up to Grand Master, swap weapon sets instantly, dual-wield artifacts, and find items with mythic and legendary properties.

• Fairer, not easier: Many instant deaths are delayed, giving you a few precious turns to react, and scaled encounters reduce unfair early-game ambushes.

• Living dungeon: Chat with NPCs, pay for identification and healing, and recruit allies with smarter pathfinding.

• Bigger late game: Reach experience level 50 and face new dungeon branches, bosses, and artifacts.

• Native Windows, macOS, and Linux: Runs natively on Windows 10/11, Apple Silicon Macs, and 64-bit Linux (X11 and Wayland).

• Steam Deck and controllers: Play from start to finish with a gamepad, using radial menus and on-screen button hints. Xbox-compatible controllers work on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

• Mouse, keyboard, or both: Use point-and-click context menus or the classic NetHack keyboard commands. Hotkeys are shown on the buttons, so you learn them as you go.

• Cross-platform sync: Continue runs, share bones files, and compare scores across Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck, iOS, and Android with a free GnollHack Account.

• Built in the Open: GnollHack is open source under the NetHack General Public License, and the code is on GitHub.

Is GnollHack really free?

Yes, with no ads, paywalls, or microtransactions. GnollHack is developed by Sound Mind Games (Hyvän mielen pelit ry), a Finnish nonprofit offering flexible internships and work trials in game development, IT, and media for people navigating mental health challenges.

Is it still NetHack?

Yes. GnollHack is a true NetHack variant that keeps most of NetHack's mechanics and its spirit. Some systems, most notably magic, work differently. The Starting Guide for NetHack Veterans on the GnollHack Wiki (under Tutorials) covers the changes.

Does GnollHack use generative AI?

All graphics, animations, music, sound effects, and voice acting are made by people. The only AI feature is the Gnoll Overseer, an optional game advisor.

See the pinned Technical Information and Troubleshooting thread in the Steam Community discussions.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

GnollHack features the Gnoll Overseer, an optional in-game AI advisor powered by frontier third-party generative AI models (with multi-provider and Bring-Your-Own-Key support). Designed to help players master the game’s deep mechanics without constantly searching external wikis or source code, the Overseer can synthesize complex rule interactions and analyze your live game snapshot or post-mortem dumplogs to provide tailored tactical advice in seconds. Game context is shared only when you actively consult the Overseer. The Overseer only generates text chat replies, and its system guardrails, spoiler controls, and provider safety filters ensure safe, on-topic responses.

Connects to 3rd-Party Service for AI Content Generation: OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google