Tears of Metal — How to Play

What Tears of Metal Is and Who It Is For

Tears of Metal is a medieval Scottish hack-and-slash co-op roguelike developed by Paper Cult, entering Early Access on July 22, 2026. You command one of three Heroes — Wallace, Ruadh Stonecrusher, and a third launch roster member — while leading a battalion of Scottish soldiers through procedurally structured campaigns spanning three Acts. Combat is real-time, readable, and aggressive: you dodge, strike, and call on troops mid-fight while layering Emblem bonuses that reshape your kit every run.

The game suits players who enjoy risk-reward decision-making more than passive power curves. Healing is deliberately scarce, deaths are meaningful, and Village upgrades provide the long arc of progression that keeps failed runs valuable. If you liked squad-based action roguelikes with strong identity and co-op synergy, Tears of Metal is built for you. Watch the gameplay trailer above for a visual overview of hero abilities, enemy density, and co-op coordination before your first sortie.

The Core Gameplay Loop

Each campaign attempt follows a familiar roguelike rhythm with Tears of Metal's own twists. You begin at the Village hub, select your Hero, configure starting Charms if unlocked, and deploy into Act 1. Along the route you fight encounters, choose Emblem rewards, recruit or preserve soldiers, and spend limited resources at field opportunities. Dying or completing an Act returns you to the Village where permanent upgrades, new Charm purchases, and roster recovery decisions define your next run's ceiling.

Success is not only about clearing the current fight — it is about arriving at the next checkpoint with enough battalion strength to handle escalating mechanics. Act 1 teaches fundamentals and ends with Gilles the Hog, a boss that checks whether your party understands positioning and burst windows. Act 2 and Act 3 introduce elite modifiers and environmental pressure that punish players who hoard healing and ignore battalion management fundamentals.

Heroes, Emblems, and Charms at a Glance

Wallace is the most approachable Hero for new players: balanced sword kit, strong fundamentals, and forgiving spacing tools. Ruadh Stonecrusher trades mobility for hammer-based control and ally healing support, making him ideal when your squad wants a frontline anchor. The third hero rounds out the launch roster with a specialized kit — check the hero page for ability details and recommended Emblem families before committing to a main.

Emblems are run-based power spikes drawn from eight distinct families. You pick them after key encounters, and synergies matter more than raw rarity. Charms are persistent modifiers unlocked and purchased through Village progression and challenge rewards; they bend rules rather than simply adding stats. Read the Emblem Families overview and How to Get Charms guide once you complete your first run and want to plan intentional builds instead of taking random rewards.

• Hero — your direct-control champion with unique abilities and ultimates
• Battalion — AI soldiers you command, upgrade, and permanently lose on death
• Emblems — in-run build choices from eight families with synergy thresholds
• Charms — persistent modifiers selected before deployment
• Village — meta hub for shops, training, recruitment, and settlement upgrades

Controls, Co-op, and First-Run Priorities

On PC, review Keyboard Controls before your first fight so battalion orders become muscle memory rather than menu fumbling. Controller players should read Controller Support for layout notes and Steam Deck guidance. Co-op supports up to four players online; see Co-op Multiplayer for role assignment and revive etiquette. Even in solo play, think like a squad: protect fragile soldiers, focus elites together, and communicate intent if you party up.

For your first one or two campaigns, prioritize learning enemy tells over optimizing Emblems. Take defensive or sustain options when offered, unlock a core Village training upgrade, and push toward Gilles with a stable roster rather than speed-running. After that milestone, branch into Emblem Synergies and Survival Without Healing to raise your ceiling across Acts 2 and 3.