Half Sword Review — Brutal HEMA Combat with Hair-Raising Performance Woes
A candid look at Half Sword: historically inspired, physics-driven medieval brawling that nails the feel of swordplay — when your PC can handle it. I loved the combat, but early access performance and UI bugginess spoil the fun.
I came into Half Sword excited — after dozens of hours in the demo and playtests I wanted a full medieval brawler that treats swordplay like a puzzle of momentum, guard and timing. The studio leans hard on HEMA authenticity and gore, and on the purest level the combat delivers: weapon control with the mouse feels tactile and rewarding. But this release sits somewhere between dream and drama: the core systems sing, while optimization, menus and crashes keep dragging me back to the demo. If you like messy, physics-first melee and can tolerate rough edges, Half Sword is fascinating; if you want plug-and-play polish, wait for patches.
Mastering the Weight of the Blade
Half Sword makes you feel the heft of a halberd, the snap of a short sword and the blunt thud of a mace — and it does that by forcing you to commit with the mouse. You actively set guards, aim cuts and influence stagger by how you swing; fights become chess matches of reach, feint and timing rather than button-mashing. In progression mode you start as a commoner and slowly climb tournament ladders, buying gear, betting on yourself and learning which armor angles make a heel turn from graceful to fatal. The learning curve is real: early matches are punishing and sometimes hilariously unequal (RIP Willie), but that pain makes a clean win feel earned. Expect duels, brawls, and larger skirmishes where one mistimed parry turns your day into a funeral procession.
When HEMA Meets Ragdoll and Crafting
What separates Half Sword from medieval slapstick is its attention to historic detail and mechanical nuance: Many moves are built with HEMA feedback, so you’ll see guards and grapples that actually matter. The game also lets you craft and forge armor and weapons to suit a playstyle — heavier builds soak more hits but trade mobility, while lighter, precise kits reward finesse. Gore and limb dismemberment are baked into combat outcomes and tied to weapon and armor choice, which oddly encourages tactical thinking: a spike helm changes the math of headshots, a polearm makes room control terrifying. Community feedback shows HEMA lovers adore the fidelity, though they’re frustrated the physics went from sublime in the demo to occasionally comical or over-sensitive in places.
A Gorgeous, Buggy Stage for Blood and Glory
Visually Half Sword pushes a sharp, realistic art direction with gutsy character models, convincing armor sets and satisfying hit effects; the blood and dismemberment effects are gruesomely detailed and often the highlight. Sound design complements each strike with weighty thwacks and cloth groans that sell the hits. But Unreal Engine 5 fidelity here comes with a tax: outdoor arenas, tall grass and hair effects tank frame rates on many rigs, and players report crashes with DX12 or instability unless they fiddle with settings. DLSS is present for Nvidia users, but FSR absence and inconsistent DX12 behavior leaves some AMD players and mid-range GPU owners stranded on low FPS. In short: gorgeous when it runs, maddening when it doesn't.
Half Sword is a rare indie that nails the soul of HEMA combat: crunchy collisions, meaningful guards and gruesome outcomes make each fight memorable. However, right now the Early Access launch is marred by optimization, UI bugs, and stability issues that prevent it from being a pure recommendation. Buy only if you accept rough edges and want to support the vision; otherwise play the demo and return once the performance patches arrive.
Pros
- Satisfying, physics-driven HEMA combat and weapon feel
- Deep weapon and armor customization with meaningful trade-offs
- Gore and historical detail that enhance immersion
- Progression, betting and arena variety provide long-term goals
Cons
- Terrible launch-day optimization; many players report low FPS and crashes
- Confusing UI and menu bugs that break flow
- Some physics and balance feel worse than the demo in places
Player Opinion
Players are split: longtime demo fans praise the combat’s tactile success and the amount of new content — tournaments, crafting and progression — but the community screams about performance. Many users report that the demo ran smoother and that retail Early Access introduces stutters, crashes on DX12 for some, and severe frame drops in outdoor maps. Several refunded while others are holding faith that patches will fix the issues; a recurring tip is to try the demo first and wait if you rely on mid-range hardware. If you loved Mordhau or Chivalry’s weighty hits, you’ll likely be fascinated, but be prepared to tinker with settings and wait for optimization.