Hellraid developers show off 20 minutes of monster murder in new gameplay video

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Techland recently took to Twitch.tv for a lengthy session of Hellraid that covered the entirety of the game's first level. Did you miss it? Not to worry, because the whole thing is now up on YouTube.

Have I mentioned that I'm a big fan of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic ? Probably, and probably also that it's why I'm so looking forward to Hellraid. The blend of gorgeous levels, basic character development and hordes of monsters to creatively clobber may not be the most sophisticated formula ever, but sometimes—like, say, when you're laying an axe into a dude's face—simplicity is better.

And in case there's any confusion as to exactly what type of game this is, let presenters Mike and Paul clarify the situation with a demonstration of a magical lightning staff. It doesn't just shock enemies, it actually blows off their arms and legs, because, as they put it, "The idea here is to make sure that even magic users have some fun with dismemberment." I was also heartened to see that it's possible to shove guys off of bridges and other precipices. Shades of Dark Messiah, indeed.

Hellraid is slated to launch next year, but will be available to PC gamers this fall on Steam Early Access.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.