Curse of the Deadwood
Curse of the Deadwood is a unique evolution of the twin-stick genre that will have you taking control of two unlikely friends as they fight their way through hordes of wooden zombies. Balance a varied arsenal of long-ranged weapons with devastating melee and magic attacks. Only by working together will you be able to save the Woodlings’ beautiful world of Knottington from the Curse of the Deadwood.
UNIQUE ENEMIES
Battle an ever-evolving horde of unique enemies, including the charging Knots, the explosive Thorns, the long-ranged Splinters, and many more! Each Deadwood type has its own strengths and weaknesses that will require you to discover which weapons and attacks are most effective. Take on heart-thumping boss fights that will challenge you to push your strategies to the next level.
ARSENAL OF WEAPONS
Wield a variety of unique weapons including the Saw Mauler, Twig Snapper, Amber Blammer, and more. Unleash on the Deadwood as you upgrade your arsenal with parts you find scattered around the world of Knottington. Customize your weapons by adding new and powerful abilities that will help to see you triumph against the Deadwood.
PLAY STYLE
As you play through Curse of the Deadwood, a variety of ranged weapons and melee attacks become available to you. Every ranged weapon comes with a customizable skill tree for you to unlock and explore. Try out different combinations and find what works best for your play style in each combat scenario.
EXPLORATION
Explore the beautiful world of Knottington as you rescue its quirky and diverse citizens from the roaming Deadwood. Solve puzzles in lush forests, discover weapon upgrades in vast mountain ranges, and unravel mysteries in spooky swamps. There is always something interesting waiting around the next bend.
STORY DRIVEN
Fully voiced cinematics tell the story of an ancient spell broken, a wicked menace reawakened, and a young Woodling named Lathe who vows to do whatever he must to save his beloved home. But he doesn’t have to do it alone! A mysterious stone giant named Roguard will aid Lathe on his quest. As they take on the darkness together, they learn that, through friendship, anything is possible.
Steam User 3
This game is absolutely gorgeous! I'm not sure why it isn't getting more traction. There have been massive optimizations since the launch and plays great on my Steam Deck. The only thing I'd suggest is playing with a controller if possible. Check it out!
Steam User 3
The satisfying thockthockthock of bullets hitting wood! As of summer 2023, Deadwood runs solid on my Steam Deck, so the performance issues people had at launch have been improved for sure.
Controls are great, gameplay is the good kind of hectic that becomes meditative when you get into the zen of it. I finished in about 10-12 hours, and I admit I had to turn the difficulty down because it does bring a challenge, especially tackling the bosses solo (the subtle auto-aim helps).
It has absolutely gorgeous art, great storytelling, music you can jam to - I kept finding myself dashing or shooting in time to it. I also love the enemy sound effects, the crystal plinks and xylophone noises some enemies make when you hit them. It's all very musical and whimsical and pretty, as you cut a path of absolute carnage through a bajillion wooden baddies. My favorite weapon? The SawMauler.
As opposed to twin-stick shooters with procedural levels or abstract art style, this game feels carefully crafted all over from its levels to the cutscenes. There's so much depth and attention to detail. It's a surprise, maybe even a tragedy that it isn't better known.