Hell is Us

Hell is Us is an ambitious game, both in its presentation and subject matter. Exploring a dour setting without waypoints may not be for everyone. But for those looking for something different and experimental, Hell is Us offers a unique experience granting a sense of achievement.

Hell is Us is an ambitious and unconventional project that tries to blend souls-lite gameplay with distinctly old-school ideas, but in practice, it suffers from repetitiveness and a sluggish pace.

Hell Is Us is a game that captivates through its sound, enemy design, and overall grim aesthetic. It immerses you in a world that doesn’t hand out answers but instead encourages and compels you to seek them on your own. For some, this will be a source of frustration; for others, a motivation to uncover the truth and reach the finale. Rogue Factor has managed to create a game that feels both familiar and, in some ways, innovative, though its shortcomings are often just as noticeable as its strengths.

Hell Is Us takes some welcome risks by refusing to resort to handholding in its mechanics, and is made all the more enjoyable for the trust it puts in its players. This brave design choice — alongside an exceptionally crafted and well-realised setting — more than warrants a visit for players looking for an immersive, lovingly crafted adventure through a bleak but compelling world. An enigmatic story and compellingly written characters round out the pros, but disappointingly shallow combat, a lack of enemy variety and an uneven final act ultimately let it down. Regardless, Hell Is Us is a labour of love, and the passion that’s gone into its creation shines through despite its weaknesses.

Hell is Us thrives on exploration, offering a world that feels mysterious, untamed, and rewarding to uncover. By stripping away waypoints and traditional maps, the game encourages players to navigate by instinct and curiosity, making every discovery feel personal and earned. Its atmosphere pulls you in from the very first moments, and the sense of isolation amplifies the thrill of finding your own path. Unfortunately, the combat lacks the same depth and polish, leaving exploration as the true centerpiece of the experience, an aspect that will deeply resonate with discovery-driven players, even if it may not captivate everyone.

Hell is Us has a blend of exploration, puzzles, and combat that, while familiar, pushes you to really pay attention to the world around you in a way that’s both compelling and occasionally frustrating. Its stark approach to quest and map tracking forces you to use your own powers of observation and take notes to solve its challenges, and the puzzles littered throughout the world kept me on my toes more than action-adventure games like this typically do. Though its lack of enemy variety and fairly straightforward combat mean the action sections don’t stack up in the same way, though there are enough tools in Remi's arsenal to at least have a good time while taking down its monsters. Hell is Us doesn't shy away from showing the dark reality of a country ravaged by war while doing so, as well as how the worst parts of humanity are, in the end, more harrowing than our most terrifying nightmares. It holds up a mirror to us and the world we live in, pushing the boundaries of its own audience's discomfort in a way that will stick with me past any of its fights.

Hell is Us is a unique take on bringing back classic RPG mechanics in a modern fashion. While it has clear flaws in its narrative and gameplay aspects, it’s a new experience with an inspired setting and a heavy atmosphere to boot.

Hell Is Us has loads going for it, and its political messaging has more weight than its comparatively shallow tagline gives it credit for. But I was initially enticed by its promise of exploratory restrictions, and they just aren’t strict enough to sell that idea for a full 30 hours. While Hell Is Us confidently executes upon its story, quests and puzzles, so much of it feels hampered by the fear that players would give up too quickly if it kept on taking risks. I really, really wish it did, though.

Hell Is Us is a game difficult to ignore, even though it is far from perfect. It certainly excels as puzzle adventure game and leaves the player with a lot to think about, not shying away from provocative statements about the nature of war.

Despite its engaging narrative and impressive art direction, Hell is Us suffers from repetitive combat, limited enemy variety, and uninspired bosses. Still, for fans of puzzles and immersive atmospheres, it manages to deliver a memorable journey, even with its shortcomings in the action department.

Hell is Us is a fascinating yet strange game, weighed down by its own risks. While it has the atmosphere and mythology for a great sci-fi experience, its ambitious “no objective markers” system turns exploration into tedium. Coupled with a story that ultimately goes nowhere, it stands out as one of the year’s most bizarre cases of wasted potential.

A largely successful experiment in limiting the amount of onscreen help given for exploration and navigation, but the game it’s tied to is far less interesting and wastes some interesting story elements.

The first few hours of Hell is Us are fantastic. You find yourself in an unfamiliar world torn apart by war, with shrieking, humanoid demons and ancient mysteries hinting at something earth-shattering, but once you pierce that bubble, the shaky foundation becomes clear.