Half Sword
| Half Sword | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Half Sword Games |
| Publisher | Game Seer Publishing |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Platform | Windows |
| Release | January 30, 2026 (early access) |
| Genres | Fighting game, simulation |
| Mode | Single-player |
Half Sword is a physics-based medieval combat simulator, developed by Georgian[1] studio Half Sword Games and published by Game Seer. A demo version of the game is available on Steam and Epic Games Store on Microsoft Windows.[1] The game released into early access on January 30, 2026.[2]
Gameplay
In the game, the player controls a human through freeform "ragdoll" controls.[3] The goal of the player is to eliminate other fighters, using late medieval weapons and armor.[4] The game can be played in several game modes, such as the Progression mode, where the player unlocks more and more advanced challenges and items over time, starting with fists; Abyss mode, where the enemies are the vengeful spirits of the players dead opponents, ghouls; and Free Mode, where the player is free to choose their armory, weapons and opponents; the latter mode also contains a split-screen multiplayer mode.[5][6]
Reception
The game was widely described as "utterly silly", but "very realistic" and brutal.[7][8] About 10,000 videos featuring Half Sword were uploaded across various platforms, along with the game collecting over 400,000 wishlists on Steam after the first 6 months of available demo.[9]
References
- ^ a b "How Half Sword makes bloody, brutal medieval combat feel real". store.epicgames.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ @Halfsword_game (January 23, 2026). "Hello everyone! Half Sword Early Access is finally releasing!" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ Brendan Lowry (2025-01-06). "The first new PC game I played in 2025 is the medieval combat sim I've always wanted, and it's free on Steam". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ Lyons, Ben (2024-09-27). "Move over For Honor and Gorn, Half Sword is here to stay". Gamereactor UK. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ Ody (2025-06-04). "I just wanted to take a quick look at a new demo on Steam, now I've suffered in it for over 10 hours - and I love it". Mein-MMO. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ Evans, Edwin (2024-06-07). "Half Sword's demo is a chivalric edition of Gang Beasts in which people are disemboweled for hats". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ "Viral medieval combat game Half Sword just got a major new update, changing its weapons forever". PCGamesN. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ "This ridiculous, X-rated medieval combat sim is blowing up online, and you can play it now". PCGamesN. 2023-10-15. Retrieved 2025-08-11.
- ^ "The medieval combat simulator Half Sword has garnered 600,000 wishlists on Steam". WN Hub. 2024-12-11. Retrieved 2025-08-11.