[EARLY ACCESS] Be My Horde – The More The Merrier 

If you ever came across a production known as Vampire Survivors, then you are probably familiar with the basic rules of games that combine survival and roguelite elements. No place to hide, timer above your head, countless foes flooding your screen – just to name a few. Be My Horde utilizes these characteristic mechanics, but also enhances them with a dark twist. And even though the game is still in Early Access, it’s already showing potential to become one of the most distinguished titles in the genre. 

You are the villain in this story

Be My Horde is a survivor roguelite in which enemies are not obstacles, but your resources. You follow Moriana, a seductive and ruthless necromancess who above all desires to dominate the world. In order to achieve this goal, you need to harvest souls, raise evil structures and unlock new, terrifying ways to expand your army of undead minions. No corner of the world is safe from you, after all, you are the villain in this story. 

The gameplay itself is quite simple: you walk around and resurrect enemies by holding space button. What at first seems like a repetitive and tedious task quickly becomes a challenge, as surviving consecutive waves of attacks and reaching final boss require strategy. Failing at some point is inevitable, but with each run you gain more souls and unlock new benefits in a true roguelite fashion.

“No corner of the world is safe from you, after all, you are the villain in this story.”

Managing permanent enhancements and perks acquired during runs is the key to victory, however there are many ways for achieving powerful combinations – you can boost Moriana’s abilities, upgrade skills of her minions or even use the environment to your advantage. Thanks to that, you get a chance to test out different set of benefits each time, which makes every playthrough an unique experience. 

Easy to learn, difficult to master gameplay 

As for now, there are only two maps available: Kingdom and Hell, which can be played on normal or hard difficulty. What I found interesting is that while the same basic rules and mechanics apply to both of these levels, the method for making progress is different in each case. In Kingdom the main focus is on fighting in close range and surviving periodic waves of enemies.

“Gameplay is easy to learn, but difficult to master.”

Hell poses a bigger challenge, forcing players to learn how to attack from a distance, and at the same time putting them in bullet hell scenarios with meteors, bombs, volcanic eruptions or fire tornadoes. It really shows how the gameplay is easy to learn, but difficult to master, especially when you are presented with new settings and obstacles.

Another thing that evolves is the music – not only does it fit the wicked overtone of the game, but also responds to your current situation, for example by intensifying when you’re in trouble. Although the soundtrack is alright, it is definitely overshadowed by the graphics. The characters’ designs are clean and eye-pleasing – that is until they start to decay upon meeting their gruesome fates.

“I really do hope that with full release we will get more of Moriana, especially regarding her backstory and relations.”

Blending charm and gore works pretty well in this case, since they are presented in equal measure. However, the most interesting aspect of the graphics has to be the fact that this hand-drawn 2D art was made in Unreal Engine – unique choice which helps the game stand out from the rest.  

Moriana steals the show

Speaking of distinctive features, let’s acknowledge the main advantage of this title: Moriana herself. She is mesmerizing, powerful and quick-witted. She breaks the fourth wall to interact directly with the player, commenting on their progress and decisions. She gives the game what it needs the most, which is personality. I really do hope that with full release we will get more of Moriana, especially regarding her backstory and relations with other characters.

While we don’t know the exact release date yet (it is planned for the last quarter of 2025), the devs already teased the theme of the game’s final level. With that also came a promise of enhancing the existing gameplay and introducing more content, which will play crucial role in defining replay value of this title. For now, Be My Horde manages to deliver intriguing concept that provides both challenge and entertainment for hours – definitely worth a try if you’re a fan of wreaking havoc and dominating the world. 

Review copy provided by the publisher