Hellish Quart for Windows

Quick summary and setting

Hellish Quart is a 3D, physics-driven sword dueling title created and self-published by Kubold. The game recreates combat in the 17th-century Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and pits you against other fighters wielding a variety of historical blades.

Blades you’ll encounter include:

• Rapiers and civilian smallswords
• Broadswords and heavier cutting weapons
• Sabers and curved cavalry blades
• A wider assortment of period-accurate cutting and thrusting arms

Motion capture and historical detail

The studio used extensive motion-capture sessions with real sword practitioners to populate the game with thousands of fencing moves and counters. Costumes and weapons were modeled from historical examples, then recreated and imported into the engine so characters and gear closely resemble period sources.

Modes and multiplayer options

You can approach the game alone or with others using several play options:

• Local split-screen or same-room duels with friends
• Arcade-style matches and quick-play scenarios
• A single-player campaign with structured encounters

There’s also a VR mode for players who want a more physical, immersive fencing experience.

How combat feels and works

Combat is grounded in real-time physics and active ragdoll behavior, so strikes and reactions are influenced by momentum and angle rather than canned animations. Key combat features:

• Four distinct attack directions mapped to controller inputs, which can be chained into combinations
• Automatic guard stance when not pressing attack buttons
• Damage and limb separation calculated by the physics system, enabling brutal, lifelike results such as dismemberment on well-timed hits
• Emphasis on timing, speed, and technique—mirroring real fencing fundamentals

The result is a deliberate, often unforgiving fighting system that rewards practice.

Updates and additions since Early Access

Since its Early Access launch, the game has received numerous patches that refine the interface and add content. Notable additions include:

• An eight-card themed Steam trading-card set (some cards appear automatically in your library; the remainder are collectible via trades)
• A new playable fighter, Yendrek, a Carpathian highlander who fights with a shepherd’s axe

Completing card sets and new character releases have been part of the ongoing post-launch support.

Who will enjoy it

Hellish Quart targets players who want a realistic, technical sword-fighting simulator. The detailed animations and physics appeal to hardcore duelists, but the steep learning curve and graphic violence may not be suitable for younger audiences.

Note: If you’re looking for a different experience, an alternative paid title to consider is Vietcong Fist Alpha.