HEXCRAWL is a turn-based dark fantasy RPG focused on overland exploration, survival, and hard choices. You cross a procedurally generated world, one hex at a time, committing to each step as the land, the weather, and your dwindling supplies push back.
Terrain slows or strains you. Time passes. Hunger sets in. Random encounters—combat and non-combat—can reward you, wound you, or end the run outright. There is no safe route and no guaranteed progress, only judgment calls and their consequences.
The world spans more than 20 terrain types, from plains and forests to deserts, jungles, swamps, mountains, and frozen tundras. Scattered throughout are ancient ruins, forgotten temples, abandoned forts, towering landmarks, shipwrecks, cities, and other sites—some offering shelter or profit, others promising trouble.
Combat is tactical and turn-based, built to be fast, lethal, and readable. You’ll face over 100 monster varieties and 100+ unique bosses, from roaming threats and regional tyrants to legendary dragons and endgame horrors. Each boss is distinct, drops unique loot, and permanently shifts the balance of risk and reward.
There are no traditional character levels. Power comes from what you carry. Weapons, armor, trinkets, consumables, temporary boons, and lingering hexes define your build from moment to moment. Inventory space is limited, forcing hard choices about what’s worth hauling forward.
Progress comes through exploration—discovering new hexes, uncovering secrets, surviving encounters, and claiming rewards worth keeping. Clear zones to unlock deadlier regions and higher-stakes threats. Push too far, and the world answers in kind.
PLANNED FUTURE FEATURES:
Currently the zones are procedurally-generated and potentially endless in number and configuration, but future plans include crafted settings as well as a Creator tool allowing users to design their own maps for others to explore, one hex at a time.
Other plans for future expansion include:
Core Gameplay:
Mounts System — Horses and other mounts that increase movement speed and inventory capacity at the cost of additional rations
Multi-Room Delves — Chained combat encounters leading to bosses in deeper dungeon-like sites
Upgradeable Bastions — Clear entire zones to claim and upgrade personal strongholds with forges, libraries, and training halls
Roaming Bosses — Powerful enemies that move across the map, creating dynamic threats
Map Pins & Notes — Place custom markers and notes on the world map for personal reference
Advanced Systems:
Zone Events & Invasions — Regional disasters and invasions (Elemental Forces, Undead Marches, Demonic Armies, Celestial Hosts) that transform entire zones until their Overboss is defeated
Seasons & Moon Phases — Calendar system with seasonal effects and moon phases that influence encounters, including lycanthropes that only appear during full moons - NOW ADDED!
Crafting Systems — Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing to create and enhance equipment
Classes, Ancestries & Zodiac Signs — Character customization options that affect starting stats and abilities
Factions & Reputations — Build relationships with different factions that affect encounters and opportunities
Content & Modes:
Expanded Settlements — Cities and towns with their own explorable maps
Quests, Bounties & Achievements — Structured objectives with rewards, including fetch quests and exploration milestones
Survival & Nightmare Modes — Increased difficulty modes for veteran players
New Zone Themes — Exotic realms including an Underworld and other themed regions
Sea Events — Special encounters during ocean voyages including storms, sickness, and opportunities
Community & Customization:
Creator Mode — Design and share custom worlds for others to explore
Solo Story Mode — Randomly-generated story prompts for narrative-focused play
Guildmaster Mode — Manage an Adventurer's Guild, sending multiple characters and parties on missions
Visual Gallery — Journal feature showcasing discovered monsters, bosses, items, and locations in a honeycomb view
Quality of Life:
Controller Support — Full gamepad compatibility
Campsites — Designated safe locations for rest and recovery - NOW ADDED!
Bestiary in Journal — Interactive visual gallery of encountered creatures
