SpellKnights
SpellKnights is a third-person fantasy arena shooter built around elemental mind games and tight duels. Four armored spellcasters enter compact arenas and trade fire, water, earth, and wind attacks, using shields, positioning, and mana timing to force mistakes and secure the final elimination.
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Publisher: OGSeries Playerbase: Low Type: Shooter Release Date: June 28, 2016 Pros: +Accessible controls with real depth. +Tactical elemental matchups. +Plenty of cosmetic customization. Cons: -Performance and optimization issues. -Limited to two modes. -No offline or solo option. |
SpellKnights Overview
SpellKnights is a third-person multiplayer arena shooter that leans heavily on elemental counterplay, deliberate mana use, and competitive-focused match flow. You step into the role of a spellcasting knight and bring Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind into battle, then fight across several interactive arenas where movement routes, pickups, and sightlines matter as much as aim. Matches revolve around ranged spell pressure, quick close-range melee scrambles, and well-timed shield placement that can swing an engagement when you are outnumbered or low on resources.
The game supports a four-player free-for-all where the last survivor takes the round, as well as a two-versus-two format that emphasizes coordination and covering angles for your teammate. Across maps you can grab mana-restoring orbs and situational power-ups, which adds a layer of rotation and map control, players who manage resources and timing tend to outlast opponents who only chase fights.
SpellKnights Key Features:
- Fantasy Shooter Combat – third-person spell slinging with a focus on duels, spacing, and landing consistent hits under pressure.
- Arena Multiplayer – face other players in themed battlegrounds (Temple, Cove, Jail, and others) designed for short, repeatable matches.
- Elemental Strategy – use water, fire, earth, and wind offensively and defensively, while balancing shields and mana so you do not run dry at the wrong moment.
- Character Customization – equip different skins, weapon visuals, and banner emblems to personalize your knight and stand out in lobbies.
- Interactive Arenas – control key pickups like mana orbs and power-ups, and use jump boosts and traversal options to reposition quickly.
SpellKnights Screenshots
SpellKnights Featured Video
SpellKnights Review
SpellKnights aims for a clean, competitive arena loop: spawn in, scout the map, gather mana, and look for an opening to burst an opponent before they can reset behind a shield. In practice, the best moments come from the way resources and terrain shape fights. You are not just trading damage, you are deciding when to commit spells, when to disengage to refill mana, and when to take a risky route to deny a pickup. That constant push and pull gives the combat a tactical rhythm that feels closer to an arena shooter than a traditional fantasy action game.
Combat readability is generally strong for a small-scale brawler. Elemental attacks provide distinct patterns and encourage switching tactics depending on range and pressure. Melee exists as a punctuation mark rather than the main course, it is useful when a fight collapses into close quarters or when you need to finish quickly. Shields add a defensive layer that rewards timing and placement, but they also create a bit of a standoff dynamic when both sides are low on mana and waiting for the other to overextend.
Where the game struggles is breadth and polish. With only two modes, the core loop can feel repetitive once you have learned the common routes and pickup timings on each arena. There is also no single-player option, so your enjoyment depends entirely on finding opponents and getting stable matches. Performance and optimization problems can further undercut what is otherwise a sharp competitive concept, especially in a game where small delays and inconsistent frame pacing affect aiming and reactions.
Customization is a welcome bonus. Skins, weapon models, and banners do not change balance, but they do provide a sense of identity in a genre that often needs some form of long-term personalization to keep players invested. For players who enjoy short PvP sessions, learning matchups, and improving through repetition, SpellKnights offers a straightforward but strategically interesting foundation. Those looking for content variety, solo play, or a more feature-complete competitive ecosystem may find it hard to stick with over the long haul.
SpellKnights System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 (64-bit) or better
CPU: Dual-Core 2.0 GHz
RAM: 4000 MB
Graphics: DirectX10 comptabile with 1 GB VRAM
Hard Drive: 7GB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 8 or better
CPU: i5-3570k 3.40 GHz
RAM: 8000 MB
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Hard Drive: 7GB
SpellKnights Music & Soundtrack
At its best, SpellKnights uses audio to keep combat legible, spell casts and impacts communicate threat and distance without overwhelming the mix. The soundtrack presence is fairly light during matches, with the moment-to-moment focus placed on hearing pickups, nearby pressure, and the timing of incoming attacks. If you value competitive clarity over cinematic scoring, the sound design generally supports that goal.
SpellKnights Additional Information
Developer: Mechanical Boss
Publisher: OGSeries
Steam Greenlight Posting: January 30, 2016
Steam Greenlight Success: February 15, 2016
Kickstarter Launch: February 26, 2016
Kickstarter Failed: March 27, 2016
Release Date (Early Access): June 28, 2016
Release Date: TBA
Development History / Background:
SpellKnights is developed by Mechanical Boss, a Spain-based studio that has positioned itself around competitive, eSports-minded projects, and it is published by OGSeries, a platform oriented toward competitive play and LAN events. The project was built in Unreal Engine 4 and entered Steam Greenlight on January 30, 2016, then secured approval on February 15, 2016.
To support server costs, the team ran a Kickstarter starting February 26, 2016 with a goal of €10,000. The campaign reached €1,330 and concluded unsuccessfully on March 27, 2016. SpellKnights later launched in Early Access on June 28, 2016, with plans to move toward a full release featuring dedicated servers and a competitive mode within two months of that Early Access debut.