Halls Of Torment stands out as one of the best Action/RPG titles in recent memory.
93
Verdict
96%
Steam
90
IGDB
Verdict score based on confidence-adjusted Steam reviews?
Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam (96% positive from 31K reviews)
Critically acclaimed (90/100 critic average)
Still in Early Access — content may be incomplete
Slay hordes of terrifying monsters in this casual roguelite action rpg. Descend into the Halls of Torment where the lords of the underworld await you. Treasures, magic trinkets, and a growing cast of heroes will grant you the power to vanquish the horrors from beyond. How long can you survive?
Runs well on modern hardware.
Last updated 8d ago
There is something about this game, which makes me love it, even though it's flaws continue to bug me. Sure, it's extremely unfriendly to beginners, and it takes a lot to get your feet moving, but once you figure it out, progress is so much more rewarding than easier/ simpler titles. *The slime enemies look like moving turds. No redeeming qualities there.
The Diablo 1-inspired pre-rendered aesthetic and atmosphere are genuinely excellent — one of the best visual identities in the survivor-like space. The early hours also deliver that classic “just one more run” pull. After enough time, though, the game reveals structural problems that make it hard to recommend over stronger alternatives in the genre. The biggest issue is pacing and agency. Runs clock in around 25–30 minutes and a large portion of that time is spent in low-decision autopilot: clearing dense packs with the same abilities while waiting for the next meaningful spike. Unlike Vampire Survivors (which offers tighter loops and turbo options) or Death Must Die / HoloCure (which keep decision density higher and runs feeling more dynamic), Halls of Torment leans into deliberate slowness as part of its identity. What starts as atmospheric becomes repetitive and low-engagement once the novelty fades. By the later stages of a run you are often just waiting for the clock or the next boss rather than actively solving interesting problems. Build variety is thinner than it first appears. A large share of the upgrade pool is straightforward stat increases. Transformative or synergistic choices exist, but they are outnumbered by incremental numbers that do not meaningfully change how a run feels. After a certain point most successful runs converge on similar solutions. Character differences matter, yet the overall decision space never reaches the depth that keeps the best games in this genre compelling across dozens of hours. Meta progression compounds the problem. Unlocking characters, equipment, and meaningful power requires a heavy volume of runs. Some of the systems (artifact acquisition especially) feel opaque, turning the loop into pure grinding rather than directed progression. When the game has also shipped balance patches that nerfed the power curve while increasing enemy durability, the sense of earned strength that makes survivor-likes addictive is undercut. Earlier versions of the game felt fairer and more rewarding; later adjustments prioritized stretching content over preserving the fantasy of becoming an unstoppable force. There is a solid core here and the presentation is strong enough that some players will still get dozens of enjoyable hours. If your primary interest is the retro dark-fantasy atmosphere and you do not mind long, somewhat autopilot-heavy runs with limited build experimentation, it can work. For anyone who prioritizes tight pacing, high decision density, and strong power-fantasy payoff, the genre already has clearer and more refined options. After 30+ hours (on another account) the limitations outweigh the strengths for me.
A Dark-Fantasy Gem I can’t say enough good things about Halls of Torment. After more than 40 hours, I’m still having an absolute blast with it. This game simply oozes charm. It feels like a genuine love letter to classic PC gaming, game development, and dark fantasy. Art Style and Atmosphere The art style is fantastic, the atmosphere is wonderfully dark, and the music fits perfectly. Its environments and character models take me back to an older era of gaming, with a dark-fantasy feeling reminiscent of Warcraft II, but without the technical limitations or performance problems of that time. Even when the late-game Torments become incredibly chaotic and the screen fills with enemies and effects, the game continues to run beautifully. In more than 40 hours, it hasn’t failed me once. Classes and Gameplay Every class feels distinct, the builds are fun to experiment with, and there’s enough variety to keep each run feeling fresh. It’s the perfect “log in, do a run, and go about your day” kind of game—although, admittedly, I’ve been addicted to the gameplay loop ever since I bought it. Storytelling and Discovery I love the game’s light but atmospheric storytelling. It never overwhelms you with exposition, but there’s still enough voiced dialogue, environmental storytelling, and visual progression to make the world feel alive. Certain changes happen naturally as you play, eventually leading you toward completely new areas and bosses. The game trusts you to notice these things for yourself, which makes discovering them feel much more rewarding. After about 20 hours, I thought I had seen nearly everything the game had to offer. Then it continued surprising me. The Bard The biggest surprise came when I finally unlocked the Bard. Until that point, the classes had mostly followed recognizable fantasy archetypes. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that—the game executes those archetypes extremely well—but it also created a certain expectation. When I selected the Bard, I honestly wasn’t expecting very much. Then I played him, and—oh my God—he was so freaking cool. Without spoiling anything, the Bard felt like the developers giving one enormous “thank you” to everyone who had stayed with the game long enough to unlock him. His presentation and gameplay were such an unexpected delight that it felt like the game was celebrating alongside me. It was one of those rare unlocks that genuinely made me stop and appreciate just how much creativity, passion, and care had gone into the experience. Final Thoughts At its current price, Halls of Torment is an absolute steal. It delivers satisfying progression, distinct classes, creative builds, excellent performance, atmospheric storytelling, and lovingly recreated old-school visuals. The ending also appears to tease some kind of continuation. Whether that means DLC, an expansion, or an entirely new game, I’ll be there for it. Halls of Torment is an absolute gem, and I’m incredibly glad I stumbled across it. I can’t recommend it enough. 10/10
Reviews sourced from Steam. All reviews belong to their respective authors.
Data sourced from RAWG, Steam, IGDB, CheapShark, Wikipedia, HLTB, and GX Corner. Sources: rawg, steam, cheapshark, igdb.
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