HammerHelm

This cute management and exploration game is super easy to pick up and play, and combines adventuring with town building. You play as a dwarf out to build a village, collect resources, and help out with production, all while managing your villagers' happiness. We loved the cartoony graphics with their World of Warcraft aesthetic.

This is a real gem of a game crafted by a single developer, Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna. He whisks you away on an adventure combining town building and RPG quests for a unique – and fun! – gaming experience.
Popular with YouTuber Dan Field, this genre-bending game has undergone an extraordinary transformation since its Beta version was released with more than 550 updates, and its aesthetic has made some amazing progress.

The graphics, once extremely basic, have been transformed, and transport you away to a lovingly crafted world. The textures of the buildings and structures will serve up a nostalgia hit for anyone who's played World of Warcraft!

Fierce monsters roam the darker corners of the world, and from evil goblins to more fearsome creatures, every encounter is a challenge. Gamers aged 10+ will be able to master the skill tree, learn new attacks, and protect their kingdom from threats.

The story is a simple one: cast out from your dwarven community for daring to believe in life on the surface, HammerHelm invites you to build a city as a haven for all who share your bold vision of leaving life underground behind. As the foreman, your mission is to guarantee the safety and happiness of your fellow residents, all while embarking on engrossing quests, crafting essential items, and doing battle with fearsome enemies.

Our favourite part? That HammerHelm doesn't just offer you a town to manage, but a whole world to explore in which your every action has consequences for the constantly evolving story.

Our top tip? Be warned, young adventure, that night falls quickly in HammerHelm. Fireflies will become your best friend, lighting the way and putting on a light show that enchants your town's dark nights. We'll leave it up to you to find out how.

Another tip to help you on your way? Look at the top-right of your screen as soon as you enter a dungeon. Tucked away there you'll find a very useful piece of information: how many enemies you need to kill to emerge victorious. This info might be the difference between a successful mission and a strategic withdrawal, so if you think there will be too many enemies, equip your best armour and hone your skills, or else just come back later.

HammerHelm is more than a game, it's an experience. It's your chance to prove that dwarves can not only survive, but also thrive above ground in the light of day. It is an invitation to immerse yourself in a world where strategic town building and RPG gameplay live in perfect harmony, in an adventure where you really are the hero.