Hand of Fate: Hordes brings deckbuilding chaos to the bullet heaven genre

Hand of Fate: Hordes brings one of indie gaming’s more distinctive fantasy ideas into a louder, faster and more crowded arena. Instead of simply reviving the card-driven action formula that made the series stand out, this new chapter reshapes it into a dark-fantasy bullet heaven auto-shooter where deckbuilding is not just an extra system, but the engine behind every run. It is a clever direction for a franchise built around risk, chance and tactical decision-making, because the genre thrives on escalation. The screen fills, enemies press in, builds grow stranger, and small choices become the difference between survival and collapse. Planned for release on 22 July 2026, Hand of Fate: Hordes is being developed by Spitfire Interactive and published by Spicy Koala. It arrives with a clear pitch for PC players who enjoy roguelike progression, top-down action, RPG-style buildcrafting and the constant pressure of horde survival games. The result looks like a more immediate, arcade-minded take on Hand of Fate, but one that still keeps the series’ fascination with cards, fate and dangerous bargains at its centre.

A bullet heaven with a deckbuilder’s brain

At first glance, Hand of Fate: Hordes fits neatly into the modern bullet heaven trend. The player faces waves of enemies, survives for as long as possible, gathers power and watches the battlefield turn into a moving puzzle of projectiles, monsters and upgrades. What makes this game more interesting is the way it places cards in charge of that rhythm. Your deck shapes the tools, dangers and opportunities that appear during a run, which should give each attempt a more authored tactical feel than a standard auto-shooter.

This is important because the bullet heaven genre can sometimes become passive once a build starts working. Hand of Fate: Hordes appears to push back against that by making preparation matter. The cards you select do not simply decorate the run; they help define the weapons, modifiers, encounters and chances that follow. In practical terms, that means the game is likely to reward players who think beyond the next upgrade screen. A good build may start before the first enemy even appears.

The promise is not just more damage, faster cooldowns or bigger explosions. It is the idea that players can twist the dungeon in their favour, stacking odds through careful deck construction while still dealing with the messy reality of an action roguelike where plans rarely survive contact with the next wave.

Four heroes, four fighting styles

Hand of Fate: Hordes will feature four playable heroes: Trickster, Goblin, Warrior and Rebel. Each is built around a distinct combat style, covering ranged, melee and magic approaches. That variety matters in a game where replay value depends heavily on experimentation. A strong bullet heaven lives or dies on how different one run feels from the next, and hero identity is one of the cleanest ways to create that difference.

The Warrior sounds like the natural choice for players who prefer direct confrontation and close-range pressure. The Goblin suggests a more unusual rhythm, potentially suited to chaotic tactics or trickier positioning. The Trickster fits the series’ wider obsession with chance and manipulation, while the Rebel hints at a more agile or aggressive playstyle. Even before full balance details are clear, the structure points towards a game that wants players to test combinations rather than settle into one obvious route.

The real depth should come from how each hero interacts with the deck. A card that is useful for a magic-focused build may be less effective for a melee run. A weapon that feels safe on one character may expose another to too much risk. If the systems land properly, Hand of Fate: Hordes could offer the kind of build variety that keeps players returning long after they have seen the main story beats.

The Dealer returns with a darker stage

The setting takes players beyond the 13th Gate and into the Shadow Vaults, where the banished Dealer is once again central to the conflict. For returning fans, that detail matters. The Dealer is one of the defining figures of Hand of Fate, and the involvement of Anthony Skordi gives the new game a direct connection to the tone and theatrical menace of the earlier entries.

The move to a horde survival format does not mean the series has abandoned atmosphere. The dark-fantasy presentation, the netherworld premise and the constant sense of being tested by a hostile intelligence all help separate Hand of Fate: Hordes from brighter, more comedic auto-shooters. This is not just a numbers game about clearing waves. It is framed as an escape from a designed trap, with the player pushing through deadly quests, bosses and encounters while the dungeon pushes back.

That framing could be crucial. Bullet heaven games often work best when their mechanics are instantly readable, but they can struggle to create a memorable world. Hand of Fate: Hordes has an advantage here because the franchise already understands ritual, tension and presentation. The question is whether that atmosphere can remain visible when the screen is full of enemies and effects.

Runs built around risk, reward and chance

A key part of the game’s identity is its use of card shuffle and dice minigames to award boons and buffs. This is classic Hand of Fate design translated into a more action-heavy structure. Instead of simply choosing from fixed upgrades, players will have to engage with systems that involve luck, timing and risk. That should make success feel less mechanical and more dramatic, provided the balance feels fair.

Tokens also play a role in long-term progression, unlocking rewards at the end of runs. Combined with new rarities, story encounters, weapons, events and blessing modifiers, this suggests a roguelite structure where failure still feeds future strength. That is a familiar loop, but it is also a reliable one when handled well. The important thing will be pacing. Players need to feel that every run teaches them something or opens a meaningful new option, rather than simply adding small statistical improvements.

The announced plan for updates throughout the year, including new heroes, quests, dungeons, bosses and weapons, gives the game room to grow after launch. For a genre driven by repetition, that kind of post-release support can make a major difference.

Why Hand of Fate: Hordes is worth watching

Hand of Fate: Hordes is not simply chasing the bullet heaven boom. Its strongest idea is the fusion of fast horde survival with strategic deckbuilding, giving players both the instant pleasure of screen-clearing action and the slower satisfaction of building a plan. The dark-fantasy tone, returning Dealer, four-hero structure and run-based progression all point towards a game that understands why the genre works, but also sees room to add more personality and tactical control.

For PC players looking for a new roguelike auto-shooter in 2026, this is one to keep on the radar. Its success will depend on balance, enemy variety, card synergy and how well the deck system holds up across dozens of runs. Still, the concept is strong. If Spitfire Interactive can make every card feel consequential and every hero feel meaningfully different, Hand of Fate: Hordes could become a sharp new entry in the crowded but still hungry bullet heaven space.

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