Hand of Fate gets furious: new Hordes of Fate demo brings the Dealer back

Why this demo actually matters

Hordes of Fate: A Hand of Fate Adventure just dropped a playable demo and a trailer at Indie Fan Fest – and it’s doing something the franchise hasn’t quite done before: turning card-driven choices into a tense, wave-based auto-shooter. This caught my attention because the Hand of Fate series is known for its narrated, tabletop-adventure vibes, not frantic survivor-style gunplay. The demo teases whether Spitfire Interactive can keep the Dealer’s dark charm while making combat feel meaningful in a different pace and form.

• Playable Warrior hero added in the demo, with new adventures, enemies and encounters.
• Full Dealer voiceover returns – Anthony Skordi is back behind the narration.
• Deckbuilding meets wave-based action: preview of the franchise’s auto-shooter direction.
• Early Access slated for Q2 2026 on PC/Steam Deck/Linux; consoles later in 2026.

Key takeaways

• The Dealer’s narration is a central selling point – it frames branching encounters and card choices even during action-heavy runs.
• The demo is the first playable look ahead of Steam Next Fest and the Early Access window, so expect rough edges but meaningful systems.
• Fans of the original series will want to test whether deckbuilding still affects outcomes or just buffs waves of enemies.

Breaking down the demo: what you can actually play

Spitfire’s demo adds a playable Warrior hero and a handful of fresh encounters, enemies, and stages. The loop leans into survivor-style runs: draw cards, pick equipment and upgrades, then face waves of foes in an auto-shooter setup where your build determines how long you survive. The Dealer — the franchise’s signature narrator — provides full voiceover by Anthony Skordi, stitching together branching choices and giving the proceedings that wicked, taunting flavor Hand of Fate fans expect.

Mechanically, the demo stresses deckbuilding decisions after each stage: collect resources (coins, shards, food, XP), choose new cards or trade them away in quests, and try to optimize synergies before the next wave. The press brief mentions “shuffle tricks,” deceptive rearrangements of your card options — which could be a neat way to keep the core card game tension alive even when the gameplay rhythm is faster and more combat-focused.

Why this direction is a gamble — and why it could work

Hand of Fate made its name by blending narrated tabletop cards with action sequences. Turning that formula into a “deckbuilding, survivor-like auto-shooter” is an intriguing pivot. On the one hand, the wave-based action could broaden appeal to players who like roguelike shooters and auto-battlers. On the other, it risks diluting the deliberate, story-forward tension that made the Dealer memorable.

That’s why the Dealer’s return matters so much. Anthony Skordi’s voiceover isn’t just flavor — it’s the glue that turns random encounters into a narrative game of chance. If the narration stays sharp and the card choices actually impact runs (rather than feeling like post-hoc modifiers), Hordes of Fate could become a compelling hybrid instead of a miscast sequel.

Context: why now, and what to expect next

The demo and Indie Fan Fest trailer land ahead of the game’s Early Access launch on PC, Steam Deck and Linux in Q2 2026, and they also come just before Steam Next Fest season — the perfect moment to get feedback and build buzz. Many indie teams are using demos now to surface balance issues and polish core loops (see other recent demos that warned players about rough edges). Expect Spitfire to gather player reactions and tune both combat and card systems before wider console releases on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S later in 2026.

Spitfire’s team includes creatives behind the original Hand of Fate, and publisher Spicy Koala is positioning the game for a global roll-out with multiple language options. That pedigree gives Hordes of Fate credibility — but it also raises expectations. Players will be looking for a demo that proves this new direction isn’t just a reskin of popular roguelite shooters.

What to watch when Early Access arrives

• Does Dealer narration meaningfully change branching encounters, or is it window dressing?
• How deep are the deckbuilding choices across runs — are there real synergies and trade-offs?
• Performance and pacing on Steam Deck (the demo will give an early signal).
• Post-launch support and whether Spitfire expands the hero roster beyond the Warrior.

TL;DR

Hordes of Fate’s demo is worth trying for fans curious whether Hand of Fate’s Dealer can survive a genre switch into deckbuilding, wave-based auto-shooter territory. The Warrior, Anthony Skordi’s narration, and the demo’s card-loop give a solid preview — but real judgment should wait until Early Access when balance, depth, and how much the cards actually matter are clearer.