Knights Contract

Knights Contract starts with a genuinely unusual action-game problem: Heinrich cannot die, but Gretchen can. That single twist gives its scythe-heavy combat some tension, since surviving a fight is not enough if the witch you are sworn to protect gets overwhelmed. You are constantly split between attacking aggressively and staying close enough to keep danger off her.

There is a solid dark-fantasy hook here, built around an immortal former executioner trying to atone alongside one of the few witches still willing to help humanity. But the game’s uneven execution makes it more of a curiosity than an essential hack-and-slash. If the premise and the escort-like pressure of protecting Gretchen sound interesting, it is worth a look; otherwise, its middling reputation is earned.

Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first hour asks you to accept a strange bargain: Heinrich is effectively unkillable, yet failure is always close because Gretchen is not. When Heinrich absorbs too much punishment, he falls apart and must reassemble himself. That is less a safety net than a reason to keep your attention on Gretchen, whose survival determines whether all your flashy scythe work actually mattered.

Heinrich’s large scythe gives the action a suitably heavy, broad-swinging feel, and his move set gives you more to do than simply repeat a single attack. Gretchen is not just someone to babysit, either; you can call on her spells to help handle threats. The better moments come when you use both halves of the partnership—clearing space with Heinrich, then bringing in magic when the situation calls for it.

The trouble is that the central protection requirement can turn combat into frustration. An immortal lead character sounds liberating, but it does not remove pressure; it moves that pressure onto a companion you must keep safe. If you enjoy action games that force you to manage the whole battlefield rather than focus only on your own health bar, that tension can be compelling. If escort-style stakes routinely irritate you, Knights Contract will test your patience.

Additional equipment for Heinrich and soul-funded upgrades for Gretchen’s magic give the journey a sense of progression. Still, the combat hook is stronger as an idea than as a consistently satisfying rhythm. This is a game to try for its unusual contract between two fighters, not because it delivers the cleanest or most effortless hack-and-slash action.

Graphics

Knights Contract uses a 3D third-person view for its dark fantasy action, putting Heinrich, his oversized scythe, Gretchen, and their enemies at the center of the frame. The visual focus is appropriately on the contrast between a heavily armed executioner and a spellcasting witch working side by side.

Story

The story has a better foundation than its reputation might suggest. Witches were once hidden protectors of humanity, only to be discovered, persecuted, and executed by the people they tried to guide. That history gives the conflict some bitterness: the surviving witches now seek humanity’s destruction, while Gretchen remains committed to helping it.

Heinrich is a fittingly burdened partner for her. As a former executioner from the witch hunts, he is cursed with immortality, and his bond with Gretchen is explicitly an act of atonement. He protects her in exchange for release from that suffering once their mission ends. It is a direct setup, but one with enough moral weight to make their alliance more interesting than a routine bodyguard assignment.

That premise is the main reason to stay curious. You are not just sent out to kill fantasy monsters; you are playing an executioner forced to live with what he did, beside a witch who has every reason to despise humanity but chooses another path. For game-specific background and release history, see this Knights Contract overview.

Overall Experience

Knights Contract is a messy but memorable mid-tier action game. Its best idea is also its most divisive one: making Heinrich immortal while making Gretchen vulnerable changes the usual hack-and-slash mindset. You cannot simply outlast mistakes. You have to fight with her safety in mind, and that makes every encounter feel more demanding.

There is enough here for dark-fantasy fans to appreciate, especially if you like an action game with an unconventional partnership at its center. Heinrich’s scythe combat, Gretchen’s upgradeable magic, and their grim shared history give the game a personality that many more polished genre entries lack.

At the same time, a 5.5 score fits. The protection focus can feel more restrictive than exciting, and the game never fully turns its clever mortality reversal into an unqualified strength. Give it a chance if you can tolerate friction in exchange for a distinctive premise. Most others will find that the contract asks more patience than its combat reliably repays.