{{Short description|Upcoming video game}} {{About|the video game|the sword technique|Half-sword}} {{Infobox video game | title = Half Sword | image = Half_Sword.jpg | developer = Half Sword Games | publisher = Game Seer Publishing | released = January 30, 2026<br>(early access) | genre = Fighting game, simulation | modes = Single-player | platforms = Windows | engine = Unreal Engine 5 }} '''Half Sword''' is a physics-based medieval combat simulator, developed by Georgian<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=How Half Sword makes bloody, brutal medieval combat feel real |url=https://store.epicgames.com/uk/news/how-half-sword-makes-bloody-brutal-medieval-combat-feel-real |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=store.epicgames.com |language=|last=Tach|first=Dave}}</ref> studio Half Sword Games and published by Game Seer; it is widely known for its immersive physical fighting simulation and medieval aesthetic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Jared |date=2026-02-09 |title=New Medieval Game On Steam Can Be Played For Free Right Now |url=https://screenrant.com/steam-game-free-demo-half-sword/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> A demo version of the game is available on Steam and Epic Games Store on Microsoft Windows. The game released into early access on January 30, 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allsop |first=Ken |date=2026-01-24 |title=Raucous medieval combat sim with a demo so good it's had thousands of players for months is finally launching for real |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-sword/release-date-early-access |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Gameplay == The player controls a human through freeform "ragdoll" controls, performed primarily by directional mouse movements.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Brendan Lowry |date=2025-01-06 |title=The first new PC game I played in 2025 is the medieval combat sim I've always wanted, and it's free on Steam |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/the-first-new-game-i-played-in-2025-is-the-medieval-combat-sim-ive-always-wanted-and-its-free-to-try |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=Windows Central |language=en}}</ref> The player is placed into an arena, where their goal is to eliminate other fighters, using late medieval weapons and armour.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyons |first=Ben |date=2024-09-27 |title=Move over For Honor and Gorn, Half Sword is here to stay |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/move-over-for-honor-and-gorn-half-sword-is-here-to-stay-1438203/ |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=Gamereactor UK |language=en}}</ref> The game can be played in several game modes, such as the Progression mode, where the player unlocks more and more advanced challenges and items over time, starting only with their fists as a weapon; Abyss mode, where the player is sent after dying in progression mode to fight with undead enemies, and Free Mode, where the player is free to choose their armoury, weapons and opponents.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ody |date=2025-06-04 |title=I just wanted to take a quick look at a new demo on Steam, now I've suffered in it for over 10 hours - and I love it |url=https://mein-mmo.de/en/new-demo-on-steam-half-sword,1366763/ |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=Mein-MMO |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Edwin |date=2024-06-07 |title=Half Sword's demo is a chivalric edition of Gang Beasts in which people are disemboweled for hats |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/half-swords-demo-is-a-chivalric-edition-of-gang-beasts-in-which-people-are-disemboweled-for-hats |access-date=2025-08-11 |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |language=en}}</ref>
In progression mode, by winning matches on arenas, the player will increase their rank, starting with "Beggar", and unlocking new, more complex and dangerous weapons with each rank.<ref>{{Cite web |last=published |first=Ali Jones |date=2025-10-14 |title=Steam Next Fest's first big hit is a brutal medieval combat sim where I bludgeoned three other peasants with a candlestick |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/steam-next-fests-first-big-hit-is-a-brutal-medieval-combat-sim-where-i-bludgeoned-three-other-peasants-with-a-candlestick/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=GamesRadar+ |language=en}}</ref>
== Development == [[File:Half Sword gameplay.jpg|thumb|Player armed with a sword and wearing armour looking at a group of their opponents fighting.]] The original idea was given by one of the developers, who practised Historical European Martial Arts, and had an idea for the game since his first projects in Unreal Engine. Later, he remade the project several times after its first prototypes in 2019-2020, until eventually coming to the full physical simulation as the main mechanic.<ref name=":0" /> After he returned from Japan to his homeland country of Georgia in 2024, he founded a studio, consisting out of 10 people from different countries like Argentina, India, Sweden or UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half Sword |url=https://www.half-sword.com/ |access-date=2026-04-14 |website=www.half-sword.com}}</ref>
== Reception == The game was widely described as "utterly silly", but "very realistic" and brutal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-05 |title=Viral medieval combat game Half Sword just got a major new update, changing its weapons forever |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-sword/physics-update |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-15 |title=This ridiculous, X-rated medieval combat sim is blowing up online, and you can play it now |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-sword/demo-steam |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-US}}</ref> About 10,000 videos featuring Half Sword were uploaded across various platforms, along with the game collecting over 400,000 wishlists on Steam after the first 6 months of available demo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-11 |title=The medieval combat simulator Half Sword has garnered 600,000 wishlists on Steam |url=https://wnhub.io/news/stores-and-publishing/item-46495 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=WN Hub}}</ref> After the release of the early access, ''Half Sword'' received "mixed" reviews due to high expectations of the audience, highlighting several major problems, such as bad ragdoll system, very poor optimisation and the absence of some features shown in the trailer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=2026-03-22 |title=With Steam reviews at 'Mixed', the developer of Half Sword addresses differences between the early access game and its hugely popular tech demo: 'The final version of the game will differ from what has been shown previously' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/with-steam-reviews-at-mixed-the-developer-of-half-sword-addresses-differences-between-the-early-access-game-and-its-hugely-popular-tech-demo-the-final-version-of-the-game-will-differ-from-what-has-been-shown-previously/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> Rick Lane from PC Gamer explained this dissatisfaction of players by sudden changes from the previously presented tech demo, but "it doesn't help when your own marketing contributes directly to wrong expectations".<ref name=":1" /> On launch, the number of concurrent players exceeded 20,000 players.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Piletskiy |first=Boris |date=2026-01-30 |title=The medieval combat simulator Half Sword has been released on Steam - with realistic physics and authentic equipment |url=https://ixbt.games/en/news/2026/01/30/v-steam-vysel-srednevekovyi-simuliator-boia-half-sword-s-realisticnoi-fizikoi-i-dostovernym-snariazeniem.html |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=IXBT.games |language=en}}</ref>
== External Links == [https://www.half-sword.com/ Official website]
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Upcoming video games Category:Early access video games Category:Indie games Category:Single-player video games Category:Windows games