Hellboy: Web of Wyrd

Here is a fun and entertaining proposal that has its pros and cons, just like The House of the Butterflies. The game is a bit short (between 15-20 hours), which is not bad at all, but unfortunately it becomes too repetitive. The combat feel is good and Hellboy moves well, but everything becomes very linear and repetitive. It is entertaining and a treat for fans of the hero, the setting and artistic design are sublime, and the gameplay is good and simple, but it all falls short of something bigger. The proposal to set the story of Mike Mignola is fulfilled and hopefully it will be the prequel to many more.

Comic book games are certainly having a moment lately, and Hellboy: Web of Wyrd does little to deter me from thinking otherwise. While it may not hit as high as some of its more lauded contemporaries, it’s still a good game. If you can endure some of the rougher edges it has, you’re going to find yourself with a game that is simultaneously a way to wedge into more involved roguelikes and another example of what developers can do when you stay true to what makes it work in the first place. Sometimes you just need something a little less intense, and games like this fit the bill nicely.

Hellboy Web of Wyrd is a title brimming with promise and love for its source material, reflected in its atmospheric visuals and intriguing narrative elements. It effectively encapsulates the grim allure of the Hellboy universe, offering a visually enthralling journey through its stylized, comic-esque realms. Yet, the game decides to tread the roguelike path that ultimately casts a shadow on its narrative strengths, often turning what could have been an engrossing narrative-driven experience into a slog through repetitively structured levels.

This Hellboy roguelike nails the ‘Hellboy’ but fluffs the ‘roguelike’. A brilliant recreation of Mignola’s art and surprisingly sharp writing are let down by thin, repetitive gameplay.

Hellboy Web of Wyrd isn’t the worst video game adapted from comics I’ve played, but it certainly could’ve been better. Lance Reddick delivers a wonderful performance in what is one of his final roles. Similarly, the Hellboy universe is as tantalising in its grim dark fantasy as ever before. It too has some fun brawler combat with upgrades that will make or break your run. This should be a roguelike foray made in harmony with one of the punchiest and most unique adaptation spins we’ve ever seen. Instead, Web of Wyrd is never in pursuit of anything all that meaningful. Narrative threads aren’t all that engaging. The Mike Mignola art-style charm only lingers, ruined by the repetitive level design and jaunts through the same narrow hallways and combat scenarios. Never invigorating itself, Web of Wyrd is another in a long line of IPs adapted into video games that is, at most, a damn shame.