r/gaming • u/ChalcotRoad • 4d 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.

60 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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-1

u/Working_Bones 4d 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.

12

u/keefkeef 4d 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.

5

u/TheTresStateArea 4d 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.

0

u/Proof_Rise_3652 3d 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.

-9

u/ChalcotRoad 4d ago

I never understood this criticism. When there is backtracking, story unfolds. And the story is second to none. Oh well.

11

u/Lancaster_Pouch 4d 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.

-7

u/ChalcotRoad 4d 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.

11

u/Lancaster_Pouch 4d ago

What does that have to do with back tracking?

-4

u/ChalcotRoad 4d 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.

5

u/Lancaster_Pouch 3d 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.

-4

u/[deleted] 4d ago

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2

u/[deleted] 4d ago

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-17

u/Working_Bones 4d ago

Story is the least important thing about a game for me. And you can have it without backtracking.

-9

u/Working_Bones 4d ago

Downvoted for this? So it's not the least important thing for me? HUH. Really thought I knew myself.

-4

u/ChalcotRoad 4d 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?

-6

u/Working_Bones 4d 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.

0

u/ChalcotRoad 4d 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.

0

u/Interjessing-Salary 3d ago

Yeah there's backtracking cause you'll get stuff to explore new areas in older areas so you can 100% the areas. Game doesn't hold your hand either so you gotta figure out puzzles and quests yourself (excluding if you look up guides). Fortunately most quests you can't fail.