Hel's Trial
Hel's Trial is a short turn-based tactics game set in the Norse underworld. Your warrior died of old age instead of in battle, so Hel offers a test: make it across her hall to the far gate and earn a seat in Valhalla.
The twist is soul power, or SP. It is your health, and it is also what every attack costs. Swinging your weapon makes you weaker, and only defeating monsters fills you back up. Sebastian Dorn created the game for js13kGames 2022.
How to play Hel's Trial
Three story boxes from Hel set the scene. After you click Continue on the last one, you take control of your warrior at the lower end of the map.
On each turn your warrior may cover as many as three tiles and strike once. Hover over a tile to check whether you can reach it, then click. Point at an enemy within range to attack, and red numbers will preview the damage first. You can pick from three moves. Direct Attack deals 12 damage to an adjacent foe for 2 SP. Throw Hatchet spends 4 SP, travels around four tiles and passes through enemies standing in a line. Sweeping Blow uses 6 SP to deal 10 to every enemy surrounding you.
When you end your turn, monsters that have spotted you close in or strike. Each one you defeat gives back 5 SP. The trial is complete once you step through the gate on the far side, and you do not need to clear every enemy on the way.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk to a tile | — | Click a highlighted tile | — |
| Attack | — | Click an enemy in reach | — |
| Switch attack type | 1, 2 or 3 | Click the attack name at top left | — |
| End turn | E | Click End Turn | — |
| Zoom | — | Scroll wheel | — |
| Pause | Escape | — | — |
| Advance story text | — | Click Continue | — |
Tips
- Monsters mostly wake up when you get close. Edge forward a step at a time so they come to you in small numbers instead of all at once.
- Beasts cover two tiles per move, so do not assume you can outrun them. Skeletons hit hard, and giants carry the most soul power.
- Line up enemies in a row before you throw the hatchet. Hitting three foes with one 4 SP throw is far better value than three single strikes.
- Always finish off a weakened monster before starting on a fresh one. The 5 SP refund on each kill is what keeps you alive.
- Stand next to pillars and walls. They block movement, which cuts down how many enemies can reach you on their turn.
If you like Hel's Trial, try these
Brough DungeonEvery step costing a turn makes this cramped dungeon feel close to the underworld hall, and gems turn into spells you spend wisely.
Warden's DutyTight resource math drives this one as well, since health, mana and arrows all shrink as you empty a prison cell by cell.
Questions
Can I play Hel's Trial on a phone or tablet?
No. The game expects a mouse pointer for choosing tiles, and tapping Continue or End Turn on a touchscreen has no effect. A computer with a mouse is needed.
How do I restart after losing?
There is no restart button on the defeat screen. Reload the page to begin a new run from the start.
Do I have to kill every monster to win?
No. You only need to reach the open gate past the second wall. Fighting is a means to keep your soul power up, not the goal.
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