The Hand of Merlin

The Hand of Merlin may not bring anything new to the table, but fans of tough strategy games like XCOM will still find plenty to love here. The unforgiving roguelite structure and decision-driven gameplay offer up a lot of engaging content, even if these elements are held back a bit by the boring graphics and an interface that's not very controller friendly. If you can overlook those faults and you're a strategy game enthusiast looking for your next fix, we'd suggest you grab hold of The Hand of Merlin.

Overall, The Hand of Merlin is a tactical game that plays well if you can look past the long loading times and user interface issues. While it initially put me off with its complicated menus, the decent visuals and engaging battles are fun once you get the hang of them. It's possibly a tad on the expensive side, but fans of turn-based strategies will likely find some subtle enjoyment here.

The Hand of Merlin is a tough, yet enjoyable tactical RPG that tries to encourage players to play through multiple times to make up for its short runtime.

If you’re a fan of turn-based RPGs, XCOM, and games where you have to make tough choices then The Hand of Merlin will likely be for you. All of the systems at play here can be a bit much to wrap your head around at first but the more you stick with it the more you’ll enjoy it. It isn’t a very pretty game and control wise it is probably best experienced on PC but it is still perfectly playable on console.

The Hand of Merlin is a quick tactical roguelite game with enough otherworldly energy packed into it that causes the short completion time to breeze by. With each run being only a few hours, players have the opportunity to try out new combinations that combine classes with various abilities to find new ways to create unstoppable machines of destruction.

The Hand of Merlin provides an intriguing and captivating experience despite its graphical shortcomings. It's undoubtedly a challenging game while unique in many ways and an excellent take on the roguelike experience. There is a good balance between the game's fighting system and its overworld area. The plot will enthrall fans of the Arthurian legend, while RPG and strategy gamers will get engrossed by its gameplay.

The Hand of Merlin throws players deep into a retold legend of King Arthur. The king has died, failing in the mission that Merlin tasked him with. It is now up to a group of new adventures to defeat the Cataclysm. If you’re looking for a new, fresh take on the King Arthur story, this is a great place to find it.

My final thought on The Hand of Merlin is that it is a fantastic game and is executed really well. From the designs of the environments to the core gameplay. The story is riveting and is not like any other turn-based tactical RPG that I can think of. If you are a fan of this genre of video games then this is definitely one for you. Take in the story, have a laugh, and get slaying. You’ve earned it.

Feeling like a mix of the spirit of a very narratively-driven table top experience and some tactical turn-based combat, The Hand of Merlin will likely have some appeal for the proper crowd since that's a bit of a unique combination on the system...

The Hand of Merlin is an interesting addition to the roguelite genre with a turn-based RPG true to its principles. Although it doesn't take full advantage of the mythology it brings in its name, it fulfills its role with a challenging game that will please a good portion of players, whether veterans of the genre or not.