Hellpoint

Hellpoint is a dark sci-fi souls-like game that introduces some new features and ideas in an attempt to differentiate itself from a common dark souls clone. Plenty of glitches and bugs make it feel rushed and make it look like it’s still in beta. Overall, Hellpoint has lots of promise, and could have been an amazing game if Cradle Games spent more time in development.

Hellpoint has plenty to recommend it like interesting enemies, great combat, and frequently stunning settings. On the other hand, it doesn’t do enough different to stand out in the soulslike genre. It has clever moments and the option to play the campaign in co-op (local or online) is nice, but the devs might have done better by breaking further away from the Souls formula. There’s no reason the quests couldn’t be clear or that a map couldn’t exist — it seems they’ve made such choices because that’s what soulslikes do and not because it makes their work better for it.

Hellpoint clearly does take inspirations from multiple other works, but some of these influences don’t go far beyond the superficial. The sci-fi horror vibe is appreciated, but for my taste the game doesn’t lean far enough into the dread and scares this could afford. Instead, it adheres fairly strictly to that familiar Souls-like quality, though it does admittedly do so successfully. Environments and the thrill of exploring them shine as a particular highlight, while combat is, if nothing else, serviceable. Some missed opportunities in world-building and being a bit too open-ended are among the few blemishes present, making Hellpoint a solid recommendation for those who aren’t afraid to try something a bit darker.

In the vast panorama of soulslike games, Hellpoint sits on the lower end of the difficulty scale, bringing a couple of interesting innovations to the genre. Setting and art direction surely original and interesting with a good dose of level design. Combat is a bit unresponsive and laggy.

If Dark Souls were set in space, it would be Hellpoint, a strong souls-like marred only by its similarities to so many others in its genre.

Horror and sci-fi merge well in Hellpoint and Irid Novo is huge to explore, but the combat system and the character building suffer from the game's low difficulty.

It’s obvious that it’s a Dark Souls rip-off, but it’s a good rip-off. It’s fun to beat things down, and that certain style of combat is rewarding when you get the hang of it. But its flaws can make or break the game depending on personal perseverance. It can be confusing and its messaging system is less legible than Dark Souls, but it’s got that combat loop that makes Dark Souls (and Hellpoint) work. If you can forgive some unoriginality, you’ll have fun with Hellpoint, especially with a mate. If you can’t, maybe you should finally give Bloodborne a try?

Hellpoint may not ultimately stick in the memory long after you're done, but it's a solid enough challenge that will keep fans of the genre busy for a while.

Hellpoint is a recommended game, even if not for everyone. If you are not a soulslike fan, spending about twenty hours in a less refined game than a "Souls-Borne" is certainly not a wise choice. If, on the other hand, you are a big fan of the genre, give it a chance as long as you are willing to ignore small but numerous bugs.

Hellpoint isn't the best "soulslike", but it's far from the worst. If you're a fan of the Dark Souls saga and have nothing better to do this strange summer, this can be your game.

Hellpoint is a game for Dark Souls saga lovers who want to live a similar experience regardless of the sacrifices that it entails. The title is lost amid the vastness of similar games that are capable of doing everything better, and while each game deserves to be treated as a separate set, it seems to strive to keep Miyazaki going through our heads at all times. It does not quite shine in nothing and its most positive aspects are lost among the immensity of bugs and cloned situations that leave us a déjà-vu feeling more bitter than sweet during the 20 hours that it lasts.

Hellpoint is still not a fully polished project, unpleasantly surprising with wonky hitboxes, terrible jumping mechanics and poor attack animations. It can still appeal to fans of Souls-like games, if they have already tried all the hits in this genre and dream of a dark story in the vast expanses of cold and boundless space.

Hellpoint is a souls-like action RPG developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild. It is an ambitious title that has incorporated a few great ideas. While the visuals, music, and sound are top-notch, the game does fall short in pacing and combat.

Significant bugs, performance issues, and an almost entirely unoriginal foundation hold Hellpoint back from greatness, but the creepy atmosphere and satisfying combat progression manage to salvage some enjoyment for this sci-fi Souls-like.

Hellpoint ends up being for Soulslike fans who are just dying for more experiences within the genre, but if that doesn’t describe you, then you’ll be disappointed. The sci-fi nature of the game and its story offering allows it to find its footing right before it ultimately falls apart from its uninspired gameplay. There’s a decent experience to be found during some late-game plot offerings, but that will require you to be invested past the first boss, which is asking a lot.

The game’s setting and horror vibes are interesting and boss fights are decent but my overall impression of Hellpoint is that the developers got in over their heads. I don’t recommend it to anyone who still has other soulslikes to feast on. [10/2020, p.83]

All in all, Hellpoint is a mediocre action adventure that could have been a lot better if it hadn't tried to copy the Souls series this much.

Cradle Games at least tried to make something that was somewhat original in its tone and presentation, which is commendable. It doesn't do anything truly awful, and there are some unique features that aren't present in a lot of these titles. Plus, this has now made me desperately want a split-screen co-op Dark Souls game. Beyond that, Hellpoint is simply another Soulslike that might be an alright diversion if you can't wait for Elden Ring to finally materialize but is otherwise forgettable.