Hell Is Us Review
Release Date: 04/09/2025
Platforms: PS5, XBOX Series X and PC
Platform played on: PS5
Hours Played: 106 (Platinum Obtained)
Score: 8/10
Initially appearing to be a conventional soulslike, Hell Is Us distinguishes itself with a unique twist that fundamentally alters the player's experience. This is a game that offers no hand-holding, demanding not only skill and precision in combat but also a keen intellect to navigate its world. At a time when a plethora of titles are competing for attention, this game's deliberate design and atmospheric depth may enable it to stand out from the pack.
The game's narrative begins with the player, Remi, returning to the isolated, fantastical yet familiar and modern world of Hadea to search for his missing parents. What unfolds is a deeper story that masterfully blends these two elements. The world feels tragically alive, populated by a cast of NPCs whose lives have been scarred by a brutal civil war. The game does not shy away from the darker aspects of war and misfortune, creating a somber and haunting atmosphere that is both captivating and unsettling.
As is often the case with soulslike-inspired titles, many players' interest is first drawn to the combat. In Hell Is Us, however, this aspect proves to be the game's weakest element, distinguishing it from traditional soulslikes. While the core combat itself is not inherently poor—featuring a smooth and fluid feel—its execution is what ultimately disappoints.
The game boasts a robust weapon upgrade system with different "elements" that allow you to equip new skills for both your weapons and your helpful drone. However, this promising foundation is undermined by a significant lack of enemy variety. Most encounters throughout the game involve fighting the same few enemy types, with the only variation being the slightly different core you must destroy to defeat them. This concept, while initially clever, quickly becomes repetitive and tedious. Not to mention that the few “bosses” in the game are just more variants of this same concept. The small selection of weapons, despite their visual changes with elemental upgrades, also feels like a missed opportunity for cool and creative designs.
One of the more unique gameplay features is the "Timeloop" system, where defeating all Timeloop Guardians permanently removes enemies from that area. While a fascinating idea, it has an unfortunate side effect: if you fully complete all the collectibles in a region, there are literally no enemies left to fight to try out builds or weapons. This design choice, while innovative, ultimately hurts players who want combat in the endgame.
Where the game's combat stumbles, its exploration and puzzle-solving mechanics truly shine. Hell Is Us embraces a refreshingly old-school approach by forgoing a traditional map, a compass, and on-screen markers. This design choice transforms the world of Hadea into a vast, rewarding mystery box.
While this may lead to some initial frustration for players accustomed to modern hand-holding, it is precisely what gives the game its length and depth. What would otherwise be a three-hour experience becomes a rich and immersive journey of discovery. As you wander through the eerie world searching for your main objective, you will inevitably stumble upon fascinating side quests and hidden puzzles.
The puzzles themselves are well-crafted, though not as challenging as those in games like The Witness or Blue Prince. Some of the later mysteries will require you to take notes and pay close attention to clues hidden in your inventory. What's particularly well-done is how the game separates "lore" documents from "useful" documents, a small but important detail that prevents you from having to read aimlessly through countless notes just to find a solution.
When it comes to technical execution, Hell Is Us stands out as a strong performer. The game's visual fidelity is impressive, with a surreal yet grounded art style that looks incredible even when running on a standard PS5 in performance mode. There were very few frame drops, and they only occurred in very specific, minor areas. During more than 100 hours of gameplay, the game only crashed once.
The music and sound design are also instrumental to the game's experience. The strange and creepy sound effects perfectly fit the haunting atmosphere of Hadea, while the score enhances the ambience without overpowering the sense of dread and isolation.
Together, these elements work in perfect harmony to create an immersive audio-visual experience that is both strange and beautiful.
FINAL VEREDICT
For players who approach the game with the expectation of a combat-focused soulslike, Hell Is Us is likely not the right fit. However, if your interest lies in deep exploration, environmental puzzles, and getting lost in a rich, non-linear world, this could be one of the most rewarding and surprising experiences you have this year.
The game is a diamond in the rough, and with a few more enemies and some truly memorable boss encounters—which the stunning world design could easily accommodate—this title could have been something truly exceptional.
