A gorgeous twist on Diablo combat with the structure of Hades, Hell Clock now feels better than ever

While Diablo 4 rumbles on with a reliable inevitability, and its biggest rival Path of Exile 2 is ambitious but unfinished, there have been some incredible ARPGs from smaller teams taking my attention. From the lighthearted pixel-art romp of The Slormancer to the dark fairytale action of Ravenswatch, we've been spoiled for choice. One of the best among them is Hell Clock, and if you missed out on it back in July, now's the perfect time to change that. Developer Rogue Snail has just delivered a big update that completely transforms the way movement feels, buffs melee builds, and dramatically enhances the endgame potential.

Hell Clock update 1.2 has just arrived, and it's made one of the best games like Diablo this year much easier to recommend. I already had plenty of love for what Rogue Snail was bringing to the table; its art direction is immediately captivating, transporting you into a fantastical race against time set among the brutal Brazilian War of Canudos in 1896. Structurally (and a little thematically), it resembles Hades: you're battling through hell in an attempt to rescue the soul of your fallen mentor, empowering yourself with a selection of blessings and fighting demons forged from the dark conflict.

Despite this core, however, Hell Clock actually plays more like an ARPG. You gradually gather gear and relics that empower your character, and pour points into a branching skill tree that helps you slowly get stronger and stronger, putting this more firmly into the 'roguelite' camp of persistent progression between runs. There's even a sprawling map of constellations that rivals the likes of the Path of Exile skill tree, giving you a long-term upgrade path as you work through the endgame ascensions and challenging Hell Mode.

My biggest caveat, however, was how the action actually played. It felt good enough to enjoy the real highlights such as the buildcrafting and style, but couldn't match up to other genre titans. Hell Clock update 1.2 aims to fix that. You now have complete 360-degree freedom of movement, and all skills can now be used on the go with a 50% speed penalty. In addition to this, it introduces a range of community-created new unique items, plus several more constellations.

Melee builds, which were proving a little underpowered after the 1.1 update, have been given some love across the board. In the endgame and ascension mode, you'll now have free access unlocked to all 52 constellations, giving you a world of possibilities. There's also a new search feature for both the constellations and the various bell screens to make finding suitable talents easier.

That's not all, however. Rogue Snail says it now has "the bulk of our team focused on next year's expansion, which will bring a new story with about one-third of the content of the base game, alongside exciting new skills." There will be a paid component if you want to support the team and get everything there is to see, but the developer notes that "the vast majority of improvements will come for free and will not be behind a paywall."

That next free update, which will arrive alongside the expansion in 2026, is already sounding pretty stacked. We can expect 12 new biomes for the endgame, improvements to dungeon generation and randomization, a per-point respec system for skill trees and constellations, a new mapping system called 'Endless Nightmares,' dozens more relics, a final version of the ascension mode, and "a few more surprises."

"Developing Hell Clock with you since our 1.0 release has been the time of your lives, and we are grateful for all the support and feedback you're providing us," Rogue Snail writes. "We hope you enjoy this update, and have a great end of the year." With a sizable discount on the table right now bringing the price down to just $14 alongside this major overhaul, I'd certainly recommend seeing what Hell Clock has to offer.

Hell Clock update 1.2 is out now, and the game is on sale at a 30% discount until Saturday December 6, meaning you'll pay just $13.99 / £10.55. Get it here if you're ready to set out on a quest for vengeance and redemption.