Hell Is Us Review – Brutal, Bold, and Broken in Places

Hell Is Us is a game that wears its ambition proudly. This third-person action-adventure doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. There are no maps, no quest markers, no glowing icons to guide you—just you, your instincts, and the will to survive in a hostile, war-torn land haunted by supernatural horrors. We spent time with Hell Is Us for the game review, and while its vision is undeniably bold, its execution can feel uneven, frustrating, and at times, outright felt clunky.

Developer Rogue Factor made it clear early on: this isn’t your typical open-world romp. The game isn’t designed to coddle you or point you down a clear path. Instead, it wants players to explore, discover, and survive under their own steam. It’s a world where exploration, combat, and mystery are all intertwined—but the journey is rough around the edges.

For every moment that nails the mood, Hell Is Us offers a moment of confusion or sluggishness. It’s a fascinating, divisive title one that will either hook players with its ambition or leave them bouncing off in frustration.

Exploration: No Crutches, No Comfort

Right from the opening moments, Hell Is Us drops you into a bleak, conflict-ridden environment. A civil war rages in the background, while strange supernatural creatures roam the countryside—monsters that shrug off conventional weapons. You play as Remy, armed only with a mystical sword and a drone, tasked with navigating this war-torn land while uncovering the truth behind the calamity.

The first thing that hits you is the game’s refusal to hold your hand. There’s no mini-map to track objectives, no glowing path markers, and no GPS-style guidance. There’s technically a compass early on, but you’ll rarely ever use it beyond initial tutorial moments. Instead, progression relies on curiosity, observation, and attention to dialogue. NPCs provide vague hints, environmental details give subtle clues, and it’s up to you to piece them together—or wander until you stumble across a solution.

This approach is surprisingly refreshing. Without a checklist dictating your every step, exploration feels organic. Discovering a hidden ruin, unlocking a sealed door with a key you found hours earlier, or assembling lore from scattered notes offers genuine satisfaction. It channels the sense of wonder from classic adventure games, where uncovering secrets was as much about intuition as skill.

That said, freedom comes with drawbacks. Without clear guidance, it’s easy to feel lost. Sometimes you’ll wonder whether you’ve missed something essential or are simply exploring at your own pace. And unlike some adventure games, there’s no jumping, climbing, or platforming to help you reach those hard-to-access spots; everything is grounded in flat, semi-open environments.

Another unique quirk: enemies will not pursue you unless you’re close or within their line of sight. It reinforces the feeling that this is a world with rules, but it can also make stealth and planning feel a little too safe at times. While some players will appreciate this realism, others may find it breaks tension.

Combat: Heavy, Brutal and Sluggish

Combat in Hell Is Us is deliberate and punishing. Drawing inspiration from Nioh and Soulslike systems, the game focuses heavily on melee engagements with swords, axes, and spears. Each weapon type has distinct feel and weight, with upgrades and relics that allow you to customize them further. As you fight, you’ll earn the materials to improve gear, unlocking new effects and tailoring weapons to your preferred playstyle.

The core mechanics—dodging, blocking, and parrying tie into the game’s signature “pulse” system. After chaining attacks, you can trigger this ability to restore health and stamina, encouraging aggressive play rather than turtle-style blocking. It’s a cool concept, and it works in theory, but the execution leaves something to be desired. Movements are deliberately heavy, sometimes verging on clunky, and combat often devolves into slow, endurance-focused encounters rather than exciting duels.

One bright spot is the drone, which lets you isolate enemies and take on fights one-on-one, even in larger groups. This adds tactical depth, but the sluggishness of animations and the weight of strikes can make battles feel more like chores than thrilling tests of skill.

Another small mercy: death isn’t punishing. You won’t lose your items; instead, you respawn at checkpoints. This keeps frustration levels manageable while still allowing combat to retain its tension.

Puzzles and Investigation: The Highlight

The investigative side of Hell Is Us is where it really excels. With no quest markers, progress relies on piecing together notes, listening to dialogue, and observing your surroundings. Puzzles are clever but grounded, often allowing multiple approaches. Some can even be brute-forced if you’re willing to experiment, but paying attention to environmental clues and NPC hints is usually the smarter way to go.

These quieter moments are the most consistent part of the experience. Locked chests, hidden passages, and cryptic notes scattered across the world reward exploration and make you feel smart when you figure them out. It’s also a nice change of pace from combat, giving the game breathing room and a real sense of tension and curiosity.

Trading with NPCs is another puzzle-adjacent system. You can give them items repeatedly to see what they want, but finding the right solution often requires listening carefully to dialogue. This can be engaging for players who enjoy deduction, but it’s also easy to spend a lot of time experimenting with no guarantees.

Atmosphere: Where the Game Truly Shines

If there’s one aspect of Hell Is Us that deserves praise, it’s the presentation. This game is visually stunning, with bleak, war-torn environments that feel oppressive and alive with tension. Muted color palettes, abandoned villages, and desolate fields create a haunting backdrop, while a sinister soundtrack amplifies the sense of dread.

Creature design is particularly memorable. Chimeras are grotesque and otherworldly, genuinely unsettling in appearance. Every encounter with them feels like stepping into a nightmare, and the tension they bring to exploration is palpable.

Characters are well-modeled and expressive, but the storytelling can falter. Cutscenes occasionally impress, such as when Remy first witnesses another soldier wield the mystical sword but context is often lacking. Why does Remy suddenly know how to wield the sword and drone? Why doesn’t his military training help him deal with these creatures? These gaps in logic create confusion rather than intrigue, some may be explain later down through narratives, dialogues or clues but some are not ever mentioned, leaving players with more questions than answers.

Performance and Accessibility

Technically, Hell Is Us performs solidly. The world is detailed, character models are expressive, and frame rates remain stable, though the heavy animations in combat can occasionally make inputs feel slightly delayed.

Accessibility-wise, adjustable difficulty levels are a welcome addition, letting players tailor the challenge to their comfort. But quality-of-life features, particularly navigation aids, are minimal. Some players will love the immersion this creates; others will find it frustratingly opaque.

Verdict

Hell Is Us is a game that dares to be different, and for that, it deserves recognition. Its refusal to hold your hand creates moments of genuine exploration, mystery, and tension. Puzzles and investigative elements shine, and the atmosphere is haunting in a way few games manage.

However, the game’s ambitions come at a cost. Combat often feels sluggish and clunky, pacing is uneven, and storytelling can leave you scratching your head. The lack of guidance will appeal to some players while alienating others.

Ultimately, Hell Is Us is a game of extremes. It will either captivate you with its boldness or frustrate you with its rough edges. There’s a lot to respect here, even if the execution isn’t flawless.

Score: 6.5/10

Pros:

• Immersive exploration with no handholding
• Rewarding puzzles and investigation
• Haunting, atmospheric world design
• Unique healing mechanic tied to combat flow
• Bold vision that stands out from genre peers

Cons:

• Combat often feels sluggish and clunky
• Exploration can devolve into aimless wandering
• Early game pacing is slow
• Lack of direction risks alienating players
• Trading and puzzle hints can be tedious
• Lack of jumping/climbing limits environmental navigation

Hell is Us review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

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