Visuals and Animation: A Feast for the Eyes
Sworn, the latest action-roguelike from Team17, bursts onto the scene with visuals that demand attention. From the get-go, it’s clear this game is a feast for the eyes, every enemy clash, environmental flourish, and character model pops with a cool, ethereal aesthetic that feels like a love letter to ancient myths reimagined in a neon-drenched dreamscape. The animations are full of personality. If you’re in it for the spectacle alone, Sworn delivers in spades.
Merlin Era Magic: A Mythical Twist
One standout element is the Merlin era twist, which infuses the procedurally generated runs with a layer of Arthurian legend gone rogue. Summoning spectral knights or channeling druidic spells mid-battle adds a fresh flavor to the familiar roguelike loop, making those high stakes dashes through ever-shifting realms feel mythically charged and occasionally brilliant.
Gameplay: A Hades Clone with Co-op
But here’s where the blade dulls: at its core, Sworn is a thinly veiled Hades clone with tacked-on co-op. The isometric combat, boon-collecting progression, and narrative chats between runs all echo Supergiant’s masterpiece a little too closely, without the razor sharp writing or soulful depth that made Hades addictive. The co-op mode is a nice idea on paper, teaming up for chaotic tag-team brawls is fun but it wears its welcome pretty quickly.
Controls: A Frustrating Fumble
The issues is the default control scheme, which is an absolute mess. Thankfully, the option to remap controls saves it from being a complete dealbreaker, but it’s a baffling oversight that players need to dig into menus to make the game feel playable.
Unlockable Characters: Diverse Knights of Camelot
Sworn features four unlockable characters, each adding distinct playstyles to its Arthurian roguelike world. You start with the Vigilante, a balanced melee fighter, and progressively unlock the Monk (ranged crowd control), Rook (tanky powerhouse), and Spectre (magical hybrid) by defeating bosses or collecting Fairy Ember. Each offers unique weapons and spells, like the Vigilante’s agile swords or the Spectre’s explosive Armillary Sphere, enhancing replayability and co-op dynamics. While clunky default controls can hinder their charm, unlocking all characters brings variety to Sworn’s Hades-inspired gameplay, with cosmetic packs adding extra flair.
Final Verdict
Sworn swings hard with its stunning visuals and Merlin-inspired flair, but it stumbles as a derivative Hades imitator with clunky controls and a half-baked co-op mode. It’s a game that’s easy to admire for its polish but hard to love for its lack of originality. With some tweaks, it could’ve been a legend; as is, it’s a decent but forgettable adventure.
Play it now on Xbox Gamepass, Steam and PlayStation.
6.5/10
