Engines of Hate

Engines of Hate is a top-down isometric RTS where humanity wages total war against cyber-demonic incursions using modular war machines, orbital support, and relentless forward pressure.

You command a mothership in orbit, teleporting infantry, turrets, and fully customizable mechs directly onto hostile terrain. Your objective is simple: locate and destroy demonic portals before the invasion overwhelms the battlefield.

There is no base-building and no defensive turtling — progress is earned by pushing outward, managing limited resources, and dismantling the enemy at its source.

Hellgates & Cyberdemons

Hellgates drive the invasion, continuously spawning enemies that escalate into heavier and elite threats. Destroying them reduces pressure and pushes the battlefield forward — eliminate all hellgates before your forces are overwhelmed.

The enemy is a fusion of machine and hell. Cyberdemons wield advanced weapons alongside demonic abilities, combining ranged firepower with unpredictable energy attacks and supernatural effects.

The Armory — Build Your Army

Before deployment, the Armory is where you define your entire strategy.

Customize infantry, mechs, and turrets, and configure your mothership loadout in a unified system. Each mothership provides a limited number of unit slots, forcing trade-offs between unit types, roles, and overall composition.

Every decision shapes how your force performs in combat — what you bring matters as much as how you use it.

Modular Customization

Every unit is built from interchangeable parts — chassis, movement systems, and weapons — allowing you to tailor role, mobility, and firepower. Infantry and turrets are also configurable, with unlockable gear and equipment to expand your options.

The Black Market 

Between missions, the Black Market is where you expand and refine your arsenal.

Spend earned currency to unlock new mech parts, weapons, and movement systems, upgrade infantry and turrets, and acquire new motherships with different capabilities. Each purchase directly shapes your loadout, forcing decisions between raw power, flexibility, and long-term strategy.

Mothership Bays

Each mothership has configurable Bays that grant powerful active abilities, such as orbital strikes or instant unit deployment. Bay capacity varies by ship, making loadout choices a key part of your strategy.

RTS Combat Without Build Queues

There is no base-building — combat is driven entirely by micro and decision-making.

Units are deployed directly from the mothership via teleportation, with multiple units entering the battlefield simultaneously.

You control the fight in real time, using slow-motion to reposition units, manage ammunition and resources, issue attack commands, activate abilities, and call down support from orbit. Success depends on constant control and adaptation as waves of enemies escalate and pressure never lets up.

Total Deployment Capacity (DC)

Your force size is constrained by Total Deployment Capacity (DC), a shared limit across all deployed units.

Each unit has a DC cost made up of its base value plus any equipped weapons, armor, and special equipment. For example, a soldier might total 9 DC when fully equipped.

Because everything carries a DC cost, every choice is a trade-off. Investing in heavier units or stronger loadouts means sacrificing numbers or flexibility, creating constantly evolving builds and strategic decisions.

Campaign Across Multiple Worlds

The campaign sends players across a series of distinct planetary locations, each with its own environment, atmosphere, and enemy composition.

• Unique biomes and terrain layouts

• Different sets of cyberdemons per planet

• New threats and behaviors introduced as the campaign progresses

Each world demands new strategies, builds, and mothership configurations.

Campaign & Endless Modes

• Campaign Mode spanning multiple planetary environments

• Endless / Survival Mode with escalating portal waves and enemy intensity

• Mini-bosses and large boss encounters tied to major invasion events

Controls & RTS Features

Engines of Hate supports full RTS-style control, built around precision and micro-management.

Press Spacebar at any time to enter slow-motion, reducing time to 10% speed. This is a core mechanic, allowing you to reposition units, issue commands, manage abilities, and coordinate attacks under pressure.

Control groups, attack-move commands, and full mouse + keyboard support give you the tools to maintain control as combat escalates.

Music & Audio Direction

The soundtrack reinforces the game’s oppressive, industrial tone.

• Music is heavily inspired by Gesaffelstein’s Aleph album.

• Dark, driving synths and minimalist rhythms

• Audio dynamically escalates based on combat intensity, portal activity, and major encounters

The goal is a relentless, mechanical atmosphere that amplifies tension without overwhelming tactical decision-making.

AI Usage & Asset Disclosure

This project makes heavy use of AI-assisted workflows, especially for UI and 2D assets during the prototype and demo phase. You may notice that some elements look rough or unpolished right now—that’s intentional while systems and designs are still being iterated on.

AI is a tool in my pipeline, not a shortcut around quality. I spend a lot of time refining and bringing these assets up to a professional standard, and that process will continue throughout development. By full release, all UI and 2D elements will be fully polished and consistent, with no low-effort or unfinished assets making it into the final game.

Demo Status & Project Scope

This itch.io page currently exists to generate awareness and share development progress.

• A free playable demo is actively in development

• Estimated availability: 1–2 months

• The demo will allow players to:

  • Play a full mission

  • Customize units in the Armory

  • Unlock parts and progression via the Black Market

The demo will be free for everyone.

Platform & Release Plans

• Platform: Windows (PC)

• Planned stores: itch.io and Steam

• Additional storefronts may be considered later

Community, Feedback & Development Updates

Feedback is welcome and strongly encouraged — it directly helps shape development.

Join the Discord to:

• Follow near-daily development updates

• See screenshots, GIFs, and work-in-progress features

• Participate in design discussions and feedback

👉 Discord Server:
https://discord.gg/eexqkT4W

From the Developer

Engines of Hate is the second game from the solo developer of
Beneath the Mountain, an isometric dwarven RTS available on Steam.

👉 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1728840/Beneath_the_Mountain/

Experience from a full commercial RTS release directly informs the design, scope, and production approach of this project.