While many players are currently navigating the latest season of Diablo 4 or diving into Path of Exile 2, there is another title demanding attention. Hell Clock, the run-based roguelike from developer Rogue Snail, has just received its Cursed War expansion. It is a release clearly timed to cater to action RPG fans who cycle through games seasonally, and it succeeds by offering a tight, visceral experience that respects your time.
Refining the Loop
If you haven’t checked in on Hell Clock lately, the game has undergone significant mechanical shifts. Movement feels much more responsive now, with support for full WASD or click-to-move controls. The bosses have also received a tuning pass, making them notably more aggressive and demanding than they were at launch.
The core gameplay remains a satisfying blend of roguelike randomness and ARPG loot systems. You don’t need a manual to figure out your gear; the loop is simple: clear a room, stack damage bonuses, and watch the screen fill with exploding monsters. However, the Cursed War expansion introduces a new set of crafting mechanics inspired by Path of Exile. These tools are vital for beefing up defenses, especially if you want to survive the game's higher difficulty tiers where enemies begin stacking elemental resistances.
A Darker Origin Story
Beyond the mechanical polish, Cursed War adds a fourth act that dives into the backstory of Pajeu. The game is framed as a fictionalized revenge story based on the real-life War of Canudos in Brazil, where the First Brazilian Republic decimated a town. The expansion rewinds the narrative to show Pajeu’s recruitment into the Brazilian army as a slave during the Paraguayan War, providing context for the relentless fury seen in the base game.
This narrative weight makes the act of clearing dungeons feel less like a generic grind and more like a targeted campaign of vengeance. The expansion also introduces Tupã’s Wrath, a powerful new skill that unleashes a storm of lightning bolts. When paired with the right relics—such as one that empowers skeletal minions—it can turn a run into a screen-clearing power fantasy, provided you’ve built your defenses correctly.
Is It Worth Your Time?
Hell Clock is currently in a sweet spot. It offers three acts in the base campaign and now a substantial fourth act via the $10 expansion. While the normal difficulty is forgiving enough to allow for experimentation, the game provides two harder modes for those looking to hunt for top-tier items and test their builds against more resilient threats.
It is the kind of game that doesn’t require a massive time investment to feel rewarding. Whether you are looking for a break from heavier ARPGs or just want a 20-minute rampage, Hell Clock provides enough variety in its boons and build combinations to keep each run feeling fresh without overstaying its welcome.