Sworn
, the latest title from Windwalk Games, has officially launched after several months in early access. The 1.0 release signifies a complete game, at least for the time being. While
Sworn
offers a wealth of content, players may find it takes some time to truly progress.
Finding your stride in the game takes a few hours, largely because early enemy encounters can feel like chipping away at their health. In initial playthroughs, reaching the third area highlighted the need for more meta-progression upgrades to advance.
Those familiar with
Hades
will recognize the inspiration. Sworn is a co-op-enabled action Roguelite where players band together to battle Merlin’s forces and liberate Camelot from King Arthur’s oppressive rule. It echoes Hades’ formula with slight variations, offering a fun experience.
The game’s artistic style is appealing, but the use of 3D models for the Fae felt out of place. This was especially noticeable given the superior quality of the 2D artwork for these characters.
While Windwalk Games is a relatively new studio, publisher Team17 has backed successful titles such as
Date Everything, Dredge, and
Hell Let Loose. Having enjoyed “Date Everything” and Dredge, there was confidence that Sworn would deliver, considering Team17’s track record. While it fulfilled expectations to a certain degree, it did not exceed them.
Sworn remains a well-made game with enjoyable combat and mechanics, but it lacks a certain impactful element. It is best suited for fans of the genre seeking a cooperative experience. While single-player is an option, the game’s design clearly prioritizes co-op gameplay.
What is Sworn?
Essentially, Sworn is a room-clearing action Roguelite where you gain power-ups to progress through increasingly challenging chambers, ultimately facing a final boss. Meta-progression elements, unlockable weapons, and numerous boss encounters add depth to the core gameplay loop.
A standout feature of Sworn is its multiplayer mode, supporting up to four players. Each hero has unique weapons, spells, and stats, allowing players to fill specialized roles in cooperative play.
Players navigate chambers, eliminating enemies to earn rewards, typically in the form of upgrades. Mini-bosses appear midway through each of the first three levels. Defeating these mini-bosses unlocks new passive ability trees for meta-progression.
The game progresses through encounters with the Knights of the Roundtable, culminating in a battle against King Arthur himself. Defeating Arthur unlocks the next difficulty level, which in turn increases rewards.
Camelot Looks Good
In terms of visual presentation, Sworn is generally appealing. The environments are engaging, and the use of blocky textures complements the game’s design and perspective. The combination of subdued walkways and vibrant details contributes to the overall aesthetic.
Each level features a pleasant blend of colors and unique design elements. The environment can be used strategically, with small rivers and half-walls providing cover for ranged attacks.
All of [the characters] have actual 2D art where they look significantly better, so it isn’t a real issue, but certainly something I noticed.
This adds another layer of tactical depth to enemy encounters. Neglecting to use these features can lead to taking stray hits. Conversely, skillful utilization of the environment allows players to dodge and navigate through the chambers effectively.
Enemies are visually distinct from the backgrounds, although their designs tend to be straightforward. Some of the boss designs and mechanics are particularly enjoyable. Attacks are well-animated and logical, with the King Arthur fight being a highlight.
A minor issue is the use of 3D character models for the Fae Blessings. While not inherently bad, their textures appear somewhat strange. Given that superior 2D artwork exists for these characters, the 3D models feel a bit out of place.
Cutting Down the Forces of Evil
The combat system in Sworn is intuitive and easy to learn. Each weapon has distinct heavy and light attacks. In addition to weapons, each character can unlock four spells.
Sworn offers a variety of activities and unlockables, the core gameplay involves battling enemies through Camelot’s chambers. The combat mechanics feel fluid and enjoyable, although the pace could be faster. While some weapons are intentionally slower, the issue extends beyond that.
Enemy, player, and boss attacks feel somewhat sluggish. If you’re looking for fast-paced action, you may be disappointed. However, the slower pace has advantages. Many of the ability upgrades are powerful to compensate for their longer cooldowns.
The game features some truly unique upgrades, such as one that summons a soul-collecting urn on legs that explodes upon reaching an enemy. Many upgrades are available across weapons, spells, and passives.
The upgrade variety leads to diverse gameplay experiences across runs. Some runs may feel effortless, while others feel like a struggle. Understanding optimal builds and synergies is crucial for success.
A potential flaw in the game design is that meta-progression feels necessary rather than a beneficial bonus. Players need significant damage upgrades to progress past the second area. Although obtaining the required resources is not difficult, it can be a frustrating hurdle.
Even with effective builds, defeating regular enemies in later levels can be time-consuming without sufficient meta-progression. Weapons and passives use different upgrade materials. Passive materials are easier to obtain than weapon materials.
Holy Grail Water, needed for weapon upgrades, primarily comes from defeating major bosses. While it can appear as a room reward, this is infrequent. Special room events also offer it as a reward.
I do wish there were some more meaningful upgrades to get early on, but there’s plenty to look forward to unlocking.
Weapon upgrades offer incremental improvements that become meaningful when combined. Interestingly, weapons typically have two major abilities that can be switched between two versions based on playstyle.
This mechanic is present in all weapon and passive meta-progression upgrades. This design choice encourages players to tailor their builds each run. Furthermore, persistent passive upgrades (excluding weapon passives) allow players to fundamentally alter gameplay.
While more early-game upgrades would be welcome, there are ample unlockables to strive for. Upgrades often feel insignificant until stacked.
An Arthurian Legend
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