Tears of Metal · Early Access
Tears of Metal Guide for Early Access Players
Tears of Metal is in Early Access on Steam and Xbox Game Preview. The latest official Steam post checked on 17 Aug 2026 is v0.14.58630, following the v0.12 HP-based revive update and Aodh the Vigil companion release.
Last reviewed:
Tears of Metal entered Early Access on 22 Jul 2026. The latest official Steam post checked on 17 Aug 2026 is v0.14.58630, which fixes named multiplayer desync and campaign-map issues; crossplay remains available through the older Crossplay Beta branch. The preceding v0.12 update added HP-based revives and the companion Aodh the Vigil.
- What is the Tears of Metal guide for, and is it worth buying?
- Tears of Metal is a 1–4 player cooperative hack-and-slash roguelike built around three Acts, hand-crafted battlefields, and a permanent village that carries soldier skills between campaigns. The combination of musou-style melee crowds, Embl
- How do I start playing the right way?
- The first campaign is the easiest decision you can make wrong and the easiest you can make right. Pick a hero that matches your muscle memory, run a short early stage to learn your Emblem slots, and your second campaign should already feel
- Start with the hero that matches your input style
- Wallace is the sword-and-shield fighter for players who want a forgiving frontline, Brienne is the dual-wield skirmisher for players who want to weave in and out of crowds, and Ruadh Stonecrusher is the heavy two-handed brawler for players
What is the Tears of Metal guide for, and is it worth buying?
Tears of Metal is a 1–4 player cooperative hack-and-slash roguelike built around three Acts, hand-crafted battlefields, and a permanent village that carries soldier skills between campaigns. The combination of musou-style melee crowds, Emblem synergies, and persistent army progression is the reason the Steam store lists it as a coop action roguelike rather than a standard roguelite. As of 2026-08-03 the latest published build is the V0.11.57863 Big Balancing Patch (1 Aug 2026) followed by the V0.11.57874.1 hotfix; the V0.11.57863 patch reclassified Charm rarity tiers, rebalanced Act 2 captains, and carried over the Harold invincibility fix from V0.10.57598. The game is a good fit if you want a roguelike with army-level meta-progression, readable combat for two to four friends via online co-op, and meaningful build choices driven by Emblems and Charms. It is not a good fit if you want a single-player story campaign with dialogue-heavy cinematics; the Story of the Three Acts is delivered through combat and short stage briefings, not voiced cutscenes. Players landing on this TearsofMetal pro hub should start with the Release Status page to confirm their platform, then the Heroes & Characters hub to pick a hero. If you are weighing price, jump to the Price & Where to Buy page next.
How do I start playing the right way?
The first campaign is the easiest decision you can make wrong and the easiest you can make right. Pick a hero that matches your muscle memory, run a short early stage to learn your Emblem slots, and your second campaign should already feel noticeably different. The launch hero roster is small enough that you can learn all three in a single evening.
Start with the hero that matches your input style
Wallace is the sword-and-shield fighter for players who want a forgiving frontline, Brienne is the dual-wield skirmisher for players who want to weave in and out of crowds, and Ruadh Stonecrusher is the heavy two-handed brawler for players who prefer one committed swing per engagement. The full playstyle comparison sits inside the Heroes & Characters hub.
Learn the Emblem loop before chasing power
You will unlock more than 100 Charms in a single run, and Steam Community patch notes reference "Charm rarity distribution" as a tuned knob between patches, so first-run Charms feel thinner than later runs after the same Emblem setup. Treat your first run as a tutorial for the Emblem system rather than a damage race. The deeper build explanation is on the Emblems & Builds guide.
Run your first campaign with one ally if you can
The Steam store listing records 1–4 player online co-op with single-player support, so a solo run is fully supported, but the Co-Optimus entry confirms drop-in/drop-out online co-op. The first coordinated run doubles as your team-combo tutorial and unlocks the social layer that the game is designed around. For platform-specific behavior, see Platforms & Crossplay.
What is the current state of the game?
Tears of Metal is in Early Access with a developer-quoted 4–12 month EA window on the Steam store FAQ. The latest official Steam post checked on 17 Aug 2026 is the 14 Aug v0.14.58630 multiplayer bug-fix build. It fixes Elite and Boss HP desync, Threat Level desync, Triskeles flying away, campaign maps differing between clients, and mobs dying in place; the boss-air-spawn fix remains explicitly tentative. Standard-build crossplay compatibility is temporarily disabled, so Paper Cult directs crossplay users to the older Crossplay Beta branch. The preceding v0.12.58540 update added Aodh the Vigil, HP-based multiplayer revives, and networking and lobby improvements. TearsofMetal pro tracks the dated sequence on the Patch Notes History page.
Where do I go next from this homepage?
Pick the entry point that matches your immediate question: • New to the game: read the Heroes & Characters hub, then the Bosses Guide hub. • Want to play with friends: read the Co-op & Multiplayer guide. • Checking your PC or handheld: read the System Requirements page and the Steam Deck Status page. • Ready to buy: read the Price & Where to Buy page and the Release Status page.
Sources
Steam store page for Tears of Metal: EA launch date, 1–4 player co-op, 100+ artifacts, EA FAQ 4–12 month window, and three playable heroes. Steam Community news index: official patch sequence through v0.14.58630, the v0.12 HP-based revive system, Aodh the Vigil, and current Crossplay Beta branch warning. Xbox Game Preview listing: Xbox Series X|S and Game Preview status. Gamespress, Steam Deck HQ, SmashPad, TheSixthAxis, and Co-Optimus provide the dated launch and playstyle context retained elsewhere on this page.
Recent updates
FAQ
Is Tears of Metal worth buying in Early Access?
Tears of Metal is worth buying in EA if you already enjoy 1–4 player hack-and-slash roguelikes and you accept that balance and content will shift during the 4–12 month EA window. Reviews on Steam Deck HQ and SmashPad are positive on the systems, more cautious on breadth. See the Reviews Roundup page for the full quote list.
How many heroes are in Tears of Metal at launch?
The launch hero roster is three: Wallace, Brienne, and Ruadh Stonecrusher, as confirmed by Paper Cult's X account and the Gamespress Ruadh reveal trailer. Future hero additions are listed on the Roadmap & Upcoming Content page.
Can I play Tears of Metal solo?
Yes. The Steam and Xbox store listings both confirm full single-player support alongside 1–4 player online co-op. The Co-Optimus entry confirms drop-in/drop-out online co-op and no local couch co-op. See the Co-op & Multiplayer guide for the full picture.
Does the EA intro offer still apply?
Yes, but its window was ending. The Steam store 10% introductory offer ran from 22 Jul 2026 to 5 Aug 2026. As of the 2026-08-03 research date the offer was in its final days per the Steam Community "Last Weekend of Launch Discount" post on 1 Aug 2026. The full price-and-region breakdown is on the Price & Where to Buy page.