Hexborne

You were born with a hexagonal mark on your back.

People called its power a gift from the gods. The kingdom called it a threat, and kept you on the farthest frontier for ten years.

The day you returned, four legions had poured through a gate torn open in the eastern sky. The capital, and the village you once called home, were already ash.

No one ever told you why this power was given, or what it takes in return. For the first time, the path is yours to draw.

Hexborne is a dark fantasy roguelite RPG where you fight by drawing single-stroke paths across a hex grid.

◆ One stroke at a time

Draw one unbroken path. Every tile you cross counts: sword tiles become attack, shield tiles armor, healing tiles health, and coins gold. Mix them freely in a single path and decide what this turn needs most.

◆ Your path is your swordplay

How your path meets an enemy decides the strike. Leap onto the first foe and plunge down, charge in a straight line to send them flying, circle close and spin through them, cut clean through the ranks, or slash in from the flank. Knocked-back enemies crash into walls, into each other, and onto fire and spikes. The whole battlefield is your weapon.

◆ Grow your Sword Arts, uncover the Chains

Begin with one of five starting Sword Arts. Each level-up can teach you a new art or hone one you know, up to rank 7. Land different strikes at different points of the same path to etch a hidden Sword Chain into your codex. There are 12 to discover.

◆ Read every move, then Awaken

Enemy attacks are telegraphed, with the damage they'll deal shown up front. Work out where to stand to stay out of reach, and who has to fall first. Fill the Hexborne gauge with sword strikes, collisions and kills, then Awaken to draw a second path in the same turn.

◆ Surviving is part of the fight

Follow a branching map through battles, villages, events and campfires. Watch your calories, upgrade gear at the blacksmith, engrave enchantments at the alchemy lab, and rest and eat at the inn. Bounties, unpredictable events, relics and consumables make every run a different journey.

◆ Death is not the end

The soul stones you gather stay with you. Unlock permanent upgrades at the Altar of Souls and march out again, stronger.

◆ What's in the demo

• All of Chapter 1, "The Capital in Ashes": 8 battles, 8 elite battles and a boss fight, plus villages, events and campfires

• A final showdown with Grombash, the Garkhan who united the orc clans

• Sword Arts combat as the Warrior: 5 starting Sword Arts and 12 Sword Chains

• Permanent upgrades at the Altar of Souls

• Normal and Hard difficulties, unlocked by clearing Chapter 1

• 14 languages

The full game adds the Mage and the Archer, plus Chapters 2 to 4 against the undead, the demons and the dragonkin.

If you enjoy the demo, please add Hexborne to your wishlist.