Hellward
A gothic tower defence in 3D whose demon leaders curse your towers.
Hold twelve sanctuaries in two acts, from burning Tristram through Hell's Gate to the Temple of Light. The demons' leaders read the fight: before each curse a leader plays the battle ahead in its head, again and again, and lays the curse where it hurts your defence most.
Download Hellward 0.2.0
Download for Mac · Apple Siliconapp · 359 MB · 0.2.0Download for Windows · 64-bitportable ZIP · 400 MB · 0.2.0
Free, no account needed. Everything the game needs is included; Python is not required. Release notes: Hellward 0.2.0.
All files and checksums
| File | Platform | Minimum OS | Size | Signed | SHA-256 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hellward-0.2.0-windows-x64-portable.zip | Windows 64-bit, portable ZIP | Windows 10 | 400 MB | No | a01b885a5a04e430d7e0df614a22b2e8a3eb9769b9237d20c54ed99f3d6ffbca |
| Hellward-0.2.0-darwin-arm64-app.zip | Mac Apple Silicon, app | macOS 14 on Apple Silicon | 359 MB | No | 3154bbe79139da6fbe847e63c621f545a474e89091c158ff38abc746f03579ca |
Install
Windows
- Download the ZIP above, right-click it and choose Extract All.
- Open the extracted Hellward folder and double-click Hellward.exe. No installer, administrator password or Python is needed.
- To update, extract the new ZIP in its place; your saves and settings are kept.
Unsigned build. If Windows shows Windows protected your PC, choose More info → Run anyway. That prompt appears because this build is not yet code-signed; check the SHA-256 below if you want to verify the file. PCs with Smart App Control may refuse unsigned apps entirely.
Mac (Apple Silicon)
- Download the Mac app above. In Finder, open Downloads and double-click the ZIP to extract Hellward.app.
- Drag Hellward.app into Applications. Replace an older copy when updating; your saves and settings are kept.
- Double-click Hellward.app to play.
Not yet notarized. If macOS says it cannot verify the developer, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the message about the app, choose Open Anyway and confirm. This is needed once per version.
Your first defence
- Descend from the title: the prologue plays, then the lantern walks to Tristram.
- Read who comes and what they curse in the intro, then Defend.
- Press 1 and click bare ground beside a lane to raise an Arrow Tower; spread them out.
- Press Space to call a wave early for a little gold; click a cursed tower and press C to Cleanse it.
- Keep the sanctuary's life: ten lives earn two sigils, eighteen earn three.
Screenshots
What is in the game
- Twelve locations in two acts, each with its own map, entrances, waves and music.
- Leaders that choose their curses by simulating the fight ahead; break their chants with Smite or the Frozen Orb, or Cleanse a cursed tower.
- Seven tower families, warded gates, four spells, and forged tower patterns from salvage and side-entrance trophies.
- A skill tree paid in sigils, unlearned for free between defences.
- A painted story told in pages between the battles, and a prologue comic.
- Several campaign profiles, saved on your computer; no account and no internet needed.
Requirements
- Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, with Vulkan or Direct3D 12 graphics.
- Mac: macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon (M1 or newer).
Known issues
- An early preview: some monsters and towers of the later locations still wear stand-in bodies borrowed from others.
- The Windows build is unsigned and the Mac app is not notarized; see the first-launch notes above.
- English only.
Help and data
- Player guide and issue tracker. Include the game version, your OS and the exact message.
- Saves and settings live in
%USERPROFILE%\.hellwardon Windows and~/.hellwardon a Mac. Uninstalling keeps them; delete the folder to reset. - Single player: the game never connects to the internet.
- Free and open source under the MIT license (source).