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About Hellish Quart
Hellish Quart is a physics‑driven sword‑fighting game for Windows where two players share a single PC. It uses active ragdolls and real‑time physics to model 17th‑century fencing captured through motion capture. The title includes a cinematic story, several arcade‑style modes, and an optional VR experience.
Players select from historic warrior archetypes and control attacks with four gamepad buttons, each mapped to a distinct angle. An automatic guard blocks incoming strikes, so timing, technique, speed and wits are required to win duels. Full controller, keyboard and VR inputs are supported.
01 / THE GUIDE
Gameplay Mechanics
Combat uses four gamepad buttons, each representing a different attack angle. Pressing multiple buttons in sequence creates special attacks and combos, while the autoguard automatically assumes a defensive stance when you are not attacking.
Success depends on timing, technique, speed, measure and wits, mirroring real‑world fencing. The game also lets you spar with wooden weapons or modern HEMA gear for practice.
- Practice each attack angle alone before chaining combos.
- Watch your opponent’s timing to make the autoguard most effective.
02 / THE GUIDE
Game Modes
The title offers a cinematic story campaign, arcade mode, safe sparring, quick fights, and a survival mode that records scores on online leaderboards. All modes are local‑only, with two players sharing one PC.
In the single‑player campaign you duel historic foes such as Zaporozhian Cossacks, Polish Hussars, Tatars, Turkish Janissaries, Swedish Reiters and French Musketeers.
- Begin with safe sparring to learn the defensive stance.
- Use quick fights to test combos under time pressure.
03 / THE GUIDE
Historical Setting & Characters
The game is set in the 17th‑century Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth. Character models are built from 3D‑scanned, reconstructed clothing of that era, grounding the visual style in documented historical attire.
Opponents represent iconic sword‑fighter archetypes of the period, providing a roster that reflects the region’s military history and diverse combat styles.
- Observe each opponent’s silhouette to anticipate their attack style.
- Play story mode to learn background details that may hint at combat behavior.
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VR and Controller Support
Hellish Quart includes an optional VR mode for an immersive fencing experience. Full controller support covers DualShock, DualSense and generic gamepads, while a keyboard‑only option is also provided.
Steam features such as Remote Play Together, Cloud saves and leaderboards are integrated, allowing flexible play on supported Windows devices.
- Use a gamepad for the most responsive attack‑angle input.
- If using VR, ensure enough physical space for safe swings.
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Development Status & Platforms
Hellish Quart is currently in early access and still under development. It is released only for Windows; macOS and Linux versions are not available.
The game supports local multiplayer exclusively—two players on one PC—and does not provide online multiplayer beyond the leaderboard feature.
- Check the Steam page regularly for updates on new features.
- Verify your Windows version meets the minimum requirements before purchase.
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