Nacon has decided to mix game genres this year, and Hell is Us has remained a big question mark since its reveal in 2022. Despite several delays, it was showcased again at Sony’s State of Play last year and at this year’s Nacon Connect. We finally have a release date: September 4 for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
A demo was recently released, letting everyone dive into its world. This action-adventure with RPG and soulslike elements has you exploring the war-torn, semi-open world of Hadea. You play as Rémi, a UN peacekeeper, seeking answers about his past amid a civil war and a mysterious calamity that spawned supernatural creatures called Hollow Walkers.
You have great freedom in exploring the world
Right from the start, Hell is Us captivates with its stunning visuals, dark atmosphere, well-crafted characters, cinematic cutscenes, and a dynamic, minimalist UI that appears during combat. However, like many games built in Unreal Engine 5, it faces optimization issues. Slowdowns with multiple characters on screen and odd lighting moments are present. If you don’t have a powerful PC, expect some performance hiccups.
The developers promise that Hell is Us has no maps, indicators, or linear guidelines, giving you the freedom to choose your path and interactions. The demo effectively showcases this. Exploration is crucial, as you must gather resources for healing, stamina, drone use, or materials dropped by defeated enemies. The game is filled with secrets, hidden consumables, and puzzles that unlock secret rooms and more. While you follow the main story, the game only provides hints about what to do, not how to do it.
Conversations with characters are vital, revealing world details and mission clues. For example, early on, you’ll talk to a grandfather who shares how to find a military vehicle for map travel. Listening carefully is key, as characters’ words guide tasks like following a bell’s sound to avoid getting lost. This is just a taste of the demo, and we believe the full game will offer even more to explore.
Combat is deliberate and demands precision
When it comes to combat, it’s thoughtful but doesn’t bring anything spectacularly new. It requires precise strikes and revolves around stamina, which limits your actions through an exhaustion mechanic. In this state, you lose health and deal weaker attacks. Light and heavy attacks, blocking, dodging, perfect blocks, and a soulslike constant healing mechanic are available. It feels fairly fluid for the player, but not for enemies. There are many types of foes: smaller enemies you can quickly defeat, larger monsters, and unique enemies that are interconnected and attack from multiple directions. You must defeat one to make another vulnerable, as they’re otherwise invincible.
The issue is that enemy AI is quite weak. They’ll stare at you until you approach, get stuck on obstacles, or simply not move, only reacting when you’re close. Fortunately, the demo lets you adjust enemy difficulty, choosing between more aggressive or resilient foes, giving you options.
Additionally, the hitbox can feel odd, enemies may attack without hitting you despite being right in front of you. Rémi’s primary weapon is a glowing sword, with secondary weapons like axes available. The drone serves as a tactical tool, activated to distract enemies or interact with the environment, such as lighting your path or reading unfamiliar languages.
An ambitious project with the potential to become something great
Weapons in the game have levels and can be upgraded with various modifiers. Your inventory can fill up with items you might need later, and they’re easy to find. The only issue is that when inspecting an item in detail, you can’t equip it directly, you have to navigate through multiple menus. For the best impression of the game, we recommend trying the demo yourself. It lasts about an hour and a half if you explore every corner.
Personally, the combat in Hell is Us wasn’t overly demanding; it might even be too forgiving, as you can block almost everything and have multiple ways to defeat several enemies at once. On the other hand, Hell is Us is a truly ambitious action-adventure game that stands out for its exploration without much hand-holding. Puzzles and secret rooms aren’t hard to find—you just need to look around a bit more carefully. The graphics are undeniably top-notch, but if optimization isn’t improved, there will be issues. It’s hard to predict how well everything will work in the full game, and we’re yet to see how long a playthrough will take.
English (UK) 
Hrvatski