Play Cleave the Night

One axe, a sky full of wings, a town asleep below.

Free on iPhone in the Roam app. Android coming soon.

Night 1 is called Windmill Rise, and it begins on a slate roof high above a sleeping old town. Cleave the Night is a hack and slash mobile game where an axe-wielding hero runs the rooftops and chops down flying night creatures as they dive in. Clear the wave, survive the night and move on to the next. It plays in the Roam app on iPhone, with a run stick on the left and attack buttons on the right.

Rooftop controls

Drag on the left side to run across the roofs.
Tap the axe button to swing at the nearest enemy.
Use the up arrow to jump to the next roof.
Fire the special when its ring fills, and use the arrow button for a quick move.
Keep your hearts and clear every wave to end the night.

What you fight up there

Waves of flying night creatures that swoop at the rooftops.
A moonlit old town with warm windows and spires below.
Parry and counter combat, plus a charged special move.
A pale duelist as the boss.

How it compares to other hack and slash mobile games

Many phone slashers are top-down dungeon crawls with loot screens between fights. Cleave the Night keeps you on the rooftops in third person, with the enemy in the air and a whole town spread out underneath.

It is one tight loop: run, swing, jump, repeat, wave after wave. That makes it easy to pick up, and the first enemies arrive within seconds of the title card.

The setting does a lot. The deep-blue sky, lit windows and sparks off the axe make every wave look good, even when the fight is simple.

Tips for the first night

Keep moving. Standing still on a roof lets the flyers line up, so run along the ridge and swing as they come down.

Save the special for a crowded moment rather than a single flyer, and watch your hearts in the top-left corner. Jumping to a new roof is a good way to break up a swarm.

Watch the counter at the top left, which shows how far through the night you are. When it is close to full, play safer and finish the wave.

Cleave the Night FAQ

Is Cleave the Night a paid game?

No. Cleave the Night costs nothing in Roam, and Roam is a free app for iPhone.

Is Cleave the Night a hack and slash mobile game?

Yes. You fight with an axe in real time, chaining swings, parries and a special move against waves of flying monsters.

What are you fighting?

Flying night creatures that swarm the rooftops, and a pale duelist as the boss. Each night has a name, starting with Windmill Rise.

Do I need to be good at action games?

Not to start. Night 1 eases you in with on-screen hints like Drag here to run, and the controls are a stick plus a few big buttons.

explore worlds

Play Cleave the Night free in the Roam app.