Horde of Distraction is an upcoming casual idle game that pits you against hordes of classic RPG monsters like giant rats, skeletons, and ogres. At first, it might not seem silly to compare one of the most highly-regarded dungeon-crawling series in gaming to a game that can be easily played on a trackpad while watching TV. However, after just a few rounds of the game it quickly becomes apparent that Horde of Distraction can be just as rewarding as Diablo, at least in some regards.
Initially intending to just play a few minutes of the demo for my coverage, I quickly found I had sunk an hour into Horde of Distraction. This is due in large part to the addictive nature of its progression. Early on, the game relies more heavily on resource management. As you hover your mouse over enemies to attack them, they attack you back, meaning you have to figure out which you can kill before you die so you are collecting loot. But progression happens fast, and as your power grows exponentially, the game transforms.
What started out as slow, deliberate combat, not unlike a D&D combat encounter in real-time, quickly transformed to me trying to maximize time efficiency on each run. I wanted more enemies, spawning as quickly as possible, so I could wipe them out and collect my gold and items. I felt just like I had the first time I played through Diabolo 3 and got to the point where I was mowing down waves of enemies with my dual crossbows as a Demon Hunter. While undeniably a more casual experience than Diablo, Horde of Distraction is a perfect second-screen alternative.
Another fun aspect of Horde of Distraction is its gear system. Taking a mechanic from another casual game genre, merge games, your gear is upgraded by combining pieces of the same rarity together. Rarer gear is always just better than its less-rare companions (at least in the demo) so there is a sense of progression without needing to put too much thought into your build.
I don't want to oversell Horde of Distraction. This isn't a AAA title, nor is it trying to be. While it is by no means on par with titles like Diablo, it is a casual shortcut to gameplay that scratches a similar itch. If that sounds appealing, I would encourage you to check out the demo on Steam. Just make sure you have about an hour to spare, as experience tells me, you'll likely get sucked in for longer than you expect.
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