Tears of Metal Launches in Early Access on July 22

Tears of Metal brings brutal Scottish hack-and-smash co-op to Early Access this July.

After more than 250,000 demo plays, Paper Cult has plenty to shout about with its brutal new four-player co-op hack-and-slash roguelike.

Tears of Metal launches in Early Access on July 22, bringing solo and full four-player co-op melee carnage to PC. Players can charge into the action alone or team up with friends to reclaim their island alongside a Scottish battalion.

On each campaign, you will gain powerful Emblem synergies, rally your forces, and stop the invaders as they carve into the Mother Dragon Stone to harvest its power. It is a mix of musou combat, roguelike progression, and Scottish clan identity that immediately helps the game stand out.

Trailer

Scottish Clans, Huge Enemy Swarms, and Roguelike Runs

Imagine the huge enemy swarms of Dynasty Warriors, but with each run shaped by randomised upgrades, artifacts, and branching decisions. Every attempt lets players create different builds rather than simply repeating the same combat, and that is what makes Tears of Metal stand out.

Rather than leaning into medieval Europe in general, the game goes heavily into Scottish aesthetics, with kilts aplenty, clans, highlands, and folklore giving the whole thing a very distinct identity.

There is a strong unit-building element here too. Progression allows players to rally more Scottish troops and grant them permanent upgrades as they acquire experience and grow stronger, making them more important in a fight across repeated campaigns.

Brutal, Visceral Hack-and-Slash Action

With some potently visceral-looking action in its gameplay, Tears of Metal is not pulling any punches. Players charge into masses of oncoming enemies, cleaving through opponents with oversized swords and unleashing devastating power attacks to push back enemy forces.

The action has that satisfying hack-and-smash energy where the screen fills with enemies, effects, and chaos, but the roguelike systems underneath should help each campaign feel different enough to keep players coming back.

It is not just about swinging a sword until everything drops. The Emblem synergies, artifacts, upgrades, soldier progression, and branching campaign structure all seem designed to keep the momentum moving from one run to the next.

A Strong Animated Style

The game also has a really distinct animated art style that pops once the action unfolds. The UI and narrative presentation are beautifully realised in the same animated style, with a bold, comic-book look that reminded me a lot of Hellboy artist Mike Mignola.

That kind of visual identity matters in a crowded co-op action space. Tears of Metal looks immediately recognisable, and the mix of dark fantasy, Scottish clans, heavy weapons, and stylised violence gives it a strong personality before you even get into the deeper progression systems.

Settlement Building and Permanent Upgrades

Players can also expand their settlement between campaigns to gain access to new shops, buy permanent upgrades, and unlock difficult challenges for greater rewards. That layer should give the game a useful sense of forward movement beyond each individual run.

Special objectives will also help players discover new artifacts, playable characters, cosmetics, upgrades, and combos, meaning there should be plenty to chase beyond simply reaching the next battlefield.

What feels unusual is how Tears of Metal mixes different systems into one package. There is four-player co-op, village progression, energised combat, soldier growth, and a focus on building and preserving your own battalion across repeated runs.

One to Watch This July

Tears of Metal already has a clear hook. It is fast, violent, stylish, and built around a Scottish battalion fighting through swarms of enemies with roguelike build variety behind the chaos.

With a strong demo response behind it and Early Access now set for July 22, this is one for co-op players and hack-and-slash fans to keep an eye on.

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