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Nordhold Review

by | Mar 31, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

This article discusses “Nordhold,” a newly released tower defense game with Nordic themes and roguelike elements. Here are the key points:

  • Nordhold was released recently and is being praised as one of the year’s most interesting tower defense games
  • The game features a hex-based grid system where players manage a Nordic village and defend it against fantasy monsters
  • It incorporates roguelike mechanics, including metaprogression and customizable upgrades
  • Players choose a hero at the start of each round, and gameplay evolves with relics, upgrades, and oracle encounters that offer risk/reward decisions.
  • The reviewer played the demo earlier this year during Steam Next Fest and enjoyed it.
  • The game has been well-received, with 447 reviews and a 91% positive rating shortly after release.
  • It’s available on Steam for $20, with a 20% discount until April 8, 2025

The article highlights the game’s replayability as its standout feature, making it a notable entry in the tower defense genre for 2025.

Nordhold: In-Depth Review

Overview

Nordhold combines tower defense mechanics with roguelike elements in a Norse-themed setting. Released in late March 2025, the game puts players in charge of defending a Nordic village against waves of fantastical enemies using strategically placed defensive structures on a hex-based grid system.

Core Gameplay

Nordhold’s foundation is its tower defense mechanics, built upon a distinctive hex grid that adds tactical depth compared to traditional square-grid tower defense games. This hexagonal layout creates more complex pathing considerations and strategic placement options, as towers can cover different angles and ranges.

Each run begins with selecting a hero character, which establishes your initial capabilities and strategic direction. The hex-based battlefield becomes your canvas for placing various defensive structures, each with unique attack patterns, ranges, and special abilities.

Roguelike Elements

What truly distinguishes Nordhold from standard tower defense games is its robust implementation of roguelike features:

  • Metaprogression: Between runs, players can unlock permanent upgrades that carry forward to future attempts
  • Procedural Generation: Each playthrough features different enemy compositions and map layouts
  • Run-specific Upgrades: During a run, players select from randomized upgrade pools to enhance their defenses
  • Relics System: Special items provide economic and defensive bonuses that can dramatically alter your strategy
  • The Oracle: This mysterious figure appears periodically to offer risk/reward bargains (like “face stronger enemies for greater rewards”)

Visual Design & Atmosphere

The game features a charming Nordic aesthetic with detailed, stylized graphics that evoke the frost-covered landscapes of Scandinavian mythology. Enemy designs draw from Norse folklore, creating a cohesive thematic experience backed by an atmospheric soundtrack.

Depth & Replayability

Nordhold’s greatest strength lies in its exceptional replayability. The combination of:

  • Different hero starting points
  • Randomized upgrade paths
  • Variable relic combinations
  • Oracle bargains
  • Procedurally generated challenges

…ensures that no two runs feel identical, with players constantly discovering new synergies and strategies.

Difficulty & Progression

The difficulty curve is well-calibrated, starting with manageable challenges and gradually introducing more complex enemy types and wave patterns. The metaprogression system provides a sense of advancement even when runs end in failure, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches.

Minor Shortcomings

While the core experience is solid, there are occasional balance issues with certain tower combinations being noticeably more effective than others. Some late-game Oracle bargains can also create difficulty spikes that feel somewhat arbitrary rather than satisfyingly challenging.

Conclusion

Nordhold successfully innovates within the tower defense genre by incorporating roguelike elements that add substantial depth and replayability. The hex-based grid system provides a fresh tactical challenge, while the various progression systems keep players engaged across multiple sessions.

At $20 (currently discounted to $16 until April 8, 2025), Nordhold offers excellent value for strategy enthusiasts and tower defense fans. Its 91% positive rating on Steam (from 447 reviews) reflects the quality of the experience and suggests that developer StunForge has delivered one of the most compelling tower defense titles of 2025.

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