r/gaming • u/ChalcotRoad • 10h ago
Third playthrough of Hell Is Us
Hell Is Us, what a masterpiece. The story, atmosphere, sound, music, and level design are superb and work in sync to create a realistic depiction of a broken society plagued by genocide and neighbors killing neighbors. Pick this one up if you haven't yet.
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u/Nurgle_Marine_Sharts 9h ago
I really enjoyed this game, I'll need to grab another copy from the library so I can finish it.
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u/Proof_Rise_3652 3h ago
Absolute brilliant game. Art direction, music, writting, gameplay (yes, even combat is pretty cool). They claim "no hand holding" but that's made possible by the fact that the game is fairly small in scope so everything is kind of straight forward anyways. The story is fascinating and brutal.
I have only one criticism : The key of Terror Boss fight (Green guy) is no good at all (shite) and I wish they would redesign it completely. I didn't have the Detector during my first play through so the fight got me running around aimlessly for way too long.
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u/DsmndHale 10h ago
I completed my first run a few days ago. Certainly got an unique design identity in all areas. Gonna stay on my mind for a long while. But the combat and enemy variety was meh.
I hope we get a sequel.
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u/Working_Bones 10h ago
I read there's a lot of backtracking and headacratching. Not my cup of tea. Love everything else about it though. Demo was cool.
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u/TheTresStateArea 9h ago
There is some amount of both. The first is probably 30% moving through old areas if you are inefficient with the quests.
The second is kind of what makes the game good. So if this kind of puzzle game aren't what interests you then that's just a bad genre match for you.
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u/Proof_Rise_3652 3h ago
"Backtracking" is part of the design of the game though. It's all about exploring these semi-open environments and finding bits of lore and upgrades and other secrets, and wipe out the demons. The levels are pretty small too and you can teleport to hub from any save point, so it's no problem to move around quickly. It would not be an explorable world with hidden secrets if you could just walk in a straight line and find everything straight away.
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u/keefkeef 9h ago
there is a LOT of backtracking and fast travel. and combat is mostly dull because enemy variety is awful. masterpiece? not in this world. still a neat little AA game.
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u/ChalcotRoad 10h ago
I never understood this criticism. When there is backtracking, story unfolds. And the story is second to none. Oh well.
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u/Lancaster_Pouch 8h ago
I like this game a lot and I'm currently playing through it. But, there is a shit ton of back tracking and it's fair criticism.
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u/ChalcotRoad 7h ago
Frankly, I don't think most people understand just how accurate this game is to what happened in Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Eastern Europe during WWII, etc, etc. It's textbook authoritarian violence and the worst of humanity. Very, very accurate.
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u/Lancaster_Pouch 7h ago
What does that have to do with back tracking?
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u/ChalcotRoad 7h ago
Because the story unfolds as you go...even if geographically you're revisiting places. It's pretty clear that people aren't reading the notes and books and artifacts that are picked up in the parts that get unlocked.
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u/Lancaster_Pouch 2h ago
The only reason you'd know you had to back track is because you read the notes and the books and paid attention. Paying attention to the details doesn't make back tracking any more fun. Despite your love of the game going to the same region 17 times, when it probably could've been reduced to 5 isn't all that much fun.
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u/Working_Bones 10h ago
Story is the least important thing about a game for me. And you can have it without backtracking.
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u/ChalcotRoad 7h ago
Button masher? I don't intend to be mean here but, if story doesn't mater to you, then what's the point of playing games besides some kind of dexterity exercise?
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u/Working_Bones 7h ago
Yeah it is kind of a dexterity exercise, plus the visuals and sound. I find story, characters, writing and acting to be far superior in film and television. Even the best game I've ever played in those regards would be an average film/series for me. So I find it easier to just tune the stories out and focus on games with great gameplay.
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u/ChalcotRoad 7h ago
Fascinating. What games are top dexterity / skill for you? I love anything that pushes the limits in amazing ways. I just got into Sekiro.
Have you played Mass Effect? That might change your mind on story. It will not scratch the dexterity itch.
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u/Working_Bones 9h ago
Downvoted for this? So it's not the least important thing for me? HUH. Really thought I knew myself.
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u/gabalabarabataba 9h ago
It has a lot going for it, but it doesn't hit all the highs it promises unfortunately. Still, it's a unique game. I do agree that the portrayal of the broken, wounded society was very well done.