Undead Horde Review

Raise the Chicken!

What could be more fun than traveling around, wielding a sword and slaying a multitude of foes? Well, doing it alongside everyone you’ve already hacked apart, of course. Undead Horde is a 2019 overhead-style RPG with RTS and hack and slash elements developed and distributed by 10tons. You play as Orcen: a necromancer who has been trapped away in an urn by a Paladin named Benevictor. After centuries of imprisonment, you are unintentionally freed by a chicken after it decides to peck at your encasement unwittingly. That’s right, a chicken. And how do you reward this poultry savior? You murder it…right before you raise it from the dead to enact your will against some pesky pottery. Thus begins your quest for revenge and redemption against Benevictor and, well, pretty much everyone.

Raise Everything!

You are tasked with freeing the imprisoned Crypt Keeper to exact vengeance upon all mortals. But before you can crack some peasant skulls, you are teleported to The Crypt of the Necromancer (cue maniacal laughter). It’s the game’s central hub that allows for fast traveling, healing in the Pool of the Undead, and respawning. It’s also the place where you utilize the Summoning Statues and continually equip your initial unit (army) of undead and angry peasants. I’m not sure of the difference.

Eventually, you’ll have access to other groups—such as chickens and archers and dire wolves. After you’ve defeated a number of their kind, they become unlockable via their individual Summoning Stone. Each unit has a command value, meaning a more powerful army has a higher command value and vice versa. After your character levels up, a card (soul) may be selected that universally raises the player’s stats in all areas (Health, Damage, Command Cap, and Mana). Depending on which card you chose, one stat will raise higher than the others. For example, the Emperor card will increase the Command Cap the most, while the Magician card will raise Mana the most. It’s a fun feature, and I enjoyed picking and choosing each card and playing around with different stat levels.

Kill ‘Em All!

You begin your world conquest in Undead Horde by destroying everything and killing everyone in the village of Kinhamo, the first location in a vast area map. It’s not Skyrim, but the scale of the game is more significant than one might think, featuring a vibrant open-world design that allows streamlined access from one area to the next.

The primary gameplay mechanic is to defeat as many foes as possible, claim their land and resurrect them, creating an army of undead minions to fight at your side. This is an enjoyable element, but I wish the initial combat had required a bit more strategy other than repeatedly tapping the attack button. This makes it easier at times, just to hang back and allow your army to do all the work. Once other items and weapons are acquired, however, more options open up. This eventually allows for an exciting variety of combat—which may or may not include transforming your enemy into a clucking chicken. Also, give the Fine Hammer a shot, you’ll probably regret it.

Wrap it up, Stupid!

I had a blast playing Undead Horde and felt a sense of power as I progressed. Raising the dead is fun! This is an enjoyable little game with a reasonable $7.99 price-point. The premise is unique with hours of entertaining gameplay for any RPG and RTS fan, or anyone who enjoys mass slaughter. Let the killing begin!