Helcast Hands-On: Physics Merges Meet Deck Building at Gamescom
The hands-on confirms Helcast's core loop works in practice: positioning merges matters as much as chaining combos, since attacks land only where weapons combine.
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
4Gamer.net went hands-on with Helcast, a physics-based merge puzzle and deck-building roguelite from Sweden's Ricpau Studios, at gamescom 2026. The playable demo, presented by Japanese publisher HYPER REAL, showed a turn-based Norse mythology game where merging weapons like a falling-block puzzle drives combat. The early access version is set for Steam in Q1 2027.
The demo at the indie area of gamescom 2026 put the merge mechanic at the center of combat. Weapons drop straight down or arc when charged, and their mass, speed, and bounce follow physics. The key twist is that Modgan attacks enemies directly above the merge point, so a powerful chain combo misses entirely if the position is wrong.
Spells and totems add layers on top of the weapon merges. The Eagle Totem sends a bird to strike when a weapon hits, and the Oath Ring deals extra damage on each merge. Classes change the approach: the Shield Maiden builds armor through stacked combos, while the Huntress combines piercing arrows with fire, freeze, and life drain effects.
Ricpau Studios developed the game, and HYPER REAL handles publishing. The early access version arrives on Steam in Q1 2027.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.