Beard & Axe

Beard & Axe is a top-down action-adventure roguelite about Old Beard’s quest to become king of Half-Axe Hold. As the Dwarf King prepares to turn to stone and join the ancestral rulers, every would-be successor must swear and fulfill oaths to claim the throne.

Quests and oaths

You venture into the world above to recover your clan’s lost relics, collect magical powders and ammunition, and fight foul creatures. Before each quest, you choose what to promise to bring back, such as a set amount of black powder or shot, or your family’s ancestral rune stein. If you survive but fail to return with even one promised amount, you lose half of everything you carry, including any artifact you found.

You also risk the honor accumulated in your clan name over the ages. Losing too much honor ends your quest before you can complete it. Other dwarfs pursue their own oaths, so you must fulfill yours to the letter and finish them before your competitors to become king; otherwise, you may end up as a thane or master of arms.

Combat and exploration

Each adventure takes place in procedurally generated levels. You use different magic gun powders and runic bullets to gain an advantage against more than 50 unique enemy types. Dwarven Ale restores your health, but drinking too much can impair your aim and make you trip over your beard.

Game features

• Challenging roguelite adventures
• Choose what to pursue and how much to risk on each quest
• Irondwarf mode
• Four unique endings