Iron Reckoning
Iron Reckoning is an action-oriented adventure game that unravels within a sci-fi/fantasy setting. Utilize a unique movement mechanic to traverse the environment and gain an advantage in combat! Test your reflexes and timing by summoning weapons and casting offensive magic! Every challenge will highlight your resilience and creativity in battle. Explore the Aalegan Isles, reclaim the lost territory, and unveil the truth behind the machine presence that threatens humanity!
In the distant future, the warrior called Jaena is tasked with eradicating the machines which reside on an artificial island. In order to stop them, she must explore this uncharted territory and uncover the mystery behind what her enemies have been planning for the past several centuries. But this is no easy task; many obstacles block her path, including the ruthless Ward warriors, the giant weaponized golems known as the Vagabonds, and a maniacal cult leader who has earned the title “Nomad.”
As this quest becomes personal, the challenges will test Jaena’s resolve and threaten her humanity, the only quality which separates her from the machines she had sworn to destroy. Your only choice is to cut through your enemies, prove your worth as a warrior, and claim control over the Aalegan Isles.
As Jaena, you must master the legendary Bladerush ability in order to take the fight to the machines. Summon a dagger, and throw it in any direction. Your power is linked to the blade, and its strength allows you to pull yourself towards it at a high velocity. The potential is endless–throw your dagger into an enemy to soar towards them for a quick attack, or keep a blade hidden somewhere safe for a quick getaway. You can even chain Bladerush jumps to stay airborne for long periods of time, flying through the air for as long as you can manage your mana resources. This power is yours to wield.
Massive leaps through the air can get you close to an enemy. But to deal real damage, you’ll need to wield Jaena’s signature broadsword, Claymore V. Timing is everything, waiting for the ideal moment to strike as you create opportunities with offensive magic and movement skills. How and when you summon your weapons will be key in discovering your strategy for eliminating your foes, and clearing the island of the machine threat!
- Navigate a fantasy-inspired landscape using Jaena’s Bladerush ability
- Take down waves of enemies that wield a variety of weapons
- Uncover the mystery that lurks within the Aalegan Isles
- Unleash a flurry of combat maneuvers & parry attacks by mastering Jaena’s blade
- Encounter a series of bosses, including the towering Vagabonds
- Go head-to-head with Nomad, the ruthless leader of the Ward Clan
- Full story experience & a vast world that is yours to explore
- 4k screen support & runs at any framerate
- Native versions for Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux
- Support for common input hardware, including the XBox One and PS4 controllers
- Complete subtitle support and other common accessibility features
- Full original soundtrack & album release
Steam User 4
You navigate through large sprawling areas, and can travel at great speed, and to great heights. Which is incredibly fun.
Steam User 3
Imperfect but interesting game. This might seem a bit negative, but I really did enjoy the game.
The standout is instantly the blade-dash element. I'd hesitate to say the movement is great, as the on-foot speed feels absolutely glacial compared to the blade-dash, and the air-jumps don't seem to continue momentum, meaning the only real way to build speed is via the blade. However, that blade dash is really cool for movement and it's really enjoyable. I feel it'd really benefit from the different movement styles all feeding together instead of standing apart.
The combat breaks down a little, especially when ranged enemies come into the equation. The intro cinematic sets up a sleek and cool character who slices through enemies, unfortunately most of the combat feels a little more like beating a neon car-door with a sledgehammer. It's not bad when there are a few of them around, but the noise starts to get to you.
The ranged enemies are also problematic, sending near constant fire towards the player. While there is a shield to avoid the damage, I can't help but imagine enemies that picked their shots and hit harder would feel much more exciting to fight than enemies that constantly pepper the player with plasma balls.
The sword combat works well enough, and using the blade dash to launch yourself into the air, then slashing up a flying drone does feel really good. The ranged combat, however, doesn't work as well. The players bullets move very slowly, and don't hit with much impact, leaving long-range combat feeling a little like shooting paper wads in a windstorm. IT works, but it doesn't feel good.
The cut-scenes are a mixed bag as well. I like the camera work, it generally feels dynamic and inspired, but the actual animation lets it down. Some actions and effects work well, while others feel awkward and stage-ey.
The world seems interesting, and while the world design is bare to allow for the movement mechanics, there are bread crumbs of a world and story I'd like more of. Overall it sort of feels like a take on the Tribes vibe of sort of space-tribal aesthetic. If paired with some of Tribe's short time to kill and powerful weapons, a sequel/spinoff would be very exciting to me.
I'm only a little over an hour in, so I can only judge certain elements for now, but I think it's an interesting game, worth playing if you're a curious player like me who likes to explore weird worlds and has a tolerance for some jank. However if you need high polish and seamless storytelling, this will probably leave you wanting more.
Steam User 4
I'll preface by saying that I assisted as a Beta Tester, but I'm sincere when I say that this game and its developer show a lot of promise. Iron Reckoning is very ambitious in its world, action, and story, and what it lacks in production and polish as an indie game it makes up for in a very strong foundation for something bigger. ...This is one way of saying that the movement is sick and Iron Reckoning is honestly worth playing just for how fun it is to traverse the world and invent your own ways to fight in combat.
It can hiccup and hit strides at different times which is to be expected, but unlike similar games I've played that balance on this wire, I can definitely say I enjoyed my time overall with this one. If you're looking to get lost for a good amount of hours in a more open-ended hack and slash experience with the built-in indie allure of being something strange and new, consider giving this one a shot.