Hell is us is a new surreal game from developer Rogue Factor that aims to shake up the gaming industry, potentially in the same way that it did BOTV And Elden Ring made for their genres. Although Rogue Factor had previously only developed strategy games set in… Warhammer universe, she flexes her talents a bit by delving into the third-person action genre with Hell is us. While the trailers certainly did a good job of showcasing the game’s strange atmosphere and atmosphere, a deeper dive into the gameplay showed how it corrects one of the worst trends in gaming.
Hell is us will be one of the most challenging games on PS5 and other platforms when it launches in 2025, thanks in part to its challenging puzzles and challenging combat. However, there is another element of the game’s design that will make it a little more difficult for casual fans, and that is the exploration approach. Hell is us finally doing away with the worst aspects of typical exploration-oriented games by removing one simple game mechanic.
Hell Is Us will not hold the player’s hands
The developer wants to return to the game complexity of the 90s
Hell is us was one of many games revealed during the State of Play in September 2024, and thankfully, excited fans were given even more information during an extended gameplay trailer featuring the game’s creative director and art director Jonathan Jacques-Belletette. It turned out that Hell is us is being designed to eliminate the need for hand-holding, and Jacques-Belletette talked about how they were inspired by 90s games and their lack of support or silver platter.
They wanted to “put players back in the driver’s seat.” [their] experience” and avoid the trappings of modern games where everything is handed to the player. So, fans shouldn’t expect mini-maps, quest markers, or anything else that will point the player in an obvious direction.since the entire game was built around naturally figuring things out rather than guessing.
For example, in this in-depth gameplay review, they demonstrated how the player finds a man who tells him that there is an APC nearby that can take him where he wants to go, but he needs to go through the forest first. The man also instructs them that he set up the bells to help his children get through this forest, so the player must follow them too.
This approach to game design isn’t anything special or new, but it actually feels incredibly refreshing in today’s landscape, where characters shout out loud what needs to be done, or quest markers literally guide the player along the way.. Other developers have tried to follow the same method by making the HUD smaller or giving players the ability to turn helpful tooltips on and off, but Hell is us takes it one step further. If players want to survive in this harsh world, they will have to pay attention, take notes and figure things out, as Jacques-Belletette explains:
“You need to open your eyes, open your ears to what the NPCs are telling you, and you will find your way, you will discover new things, and you will truly own your discoveries and the great joy that comes with them.”
Find real joy in figuring things out on your own, without online tutorials or in-game tips. Hell is us really strives to achieve this. Of course, the lack of control in games has quite a negative stigma, especially since it can make some games feel completely inaccessible. However, Some of the best open world RPGs have significantly reduced hand counts, allowing players to enjoy the art of exploration.and it seems that Hell is us wants to join this crowd.
Puzzles In Hell Is Us will not contain useful hints
Fans don’t have to worry about the main character talking to himself
Another area where Hell is us A departure from the traditional gameplay mechanics used in other games is the complex design of the puzzles. One of the biggest problems with modern games is the constant talking out loud whenever the player gets stuck. with a puzzle. This was just one of the criticisms leveled at God of War: Ragnarokfor example, how Atreus would shout out helpful clues about a puzzle, essentially telling the player exactly how to solve it.
Another area in which Hell Is Us differs from the traditional game mechanics used in other games is its complex puzzle design.
Hell is us avoids this completely because players will have to navigate the space the puzzle is in to find helpful clues or solutions.. For example, they can use their little drone to scan a wall, translating cryptic text to give clues about the order in which the puzzle should be built. Jacques-Belletette discusses this in detail in the detailed extended gameplay trailer. I explain:
“There will be no artificial ways to help him or tell him what to do. Remy is not going to start talking to himself or, that is, talking to the player, with little clues or anything. you have to understand [the puzzles] outside.”
This will undoubtedly turn off many players. Hell is usespecially since getting stuck in a puzzle is one of the most frustrating things in video games. However, Hell is us aims to give the player everything they need within the puzzle’s location, ensuring that players don’t get stuck if they’re actively exploring their surroundings.. It’s all part of the game’s attempt to get people to reconsider their approach to gaming and go to Hell is us with the mindset of an adventurer.
Lack of clues will make us feel special
This is a unique feature in the era of accessible games
Ultimately, complete lack of retention will force you to play Hell is us not just a unique experience, but incredibly specialas Jacques-Belletette explains, it’s about recapturing the joy that comes from discovering without help. This is a completely new IP and world with characters and ideas that haven’t been explored elsewhere, so discovering it all organically and revealing a lot of interesting secrets will feel like a rare opportunity. There is something incredibly exciting about this prospect, especially considering how unique and magnificent Hell is us” semi-open world looks.
Hell is us It’s not for everyone, and the lack of support will put a lot of people off the game, but it also doesn’t seem like it will make the game particularly dumb. The examples given in the detailed gameplay description seem pretty self-explanatory, such as identifying a character’s location to get a hint, or following some obvious visual cues to get to the right place. This doesn’t mean that Hell is us did a poor job of eliminating hand-grabbing, but rather it it guides the player in other, slightly less obvious ways, which should still make it accessible..
It’s time for developers to ditch the training wheels and use all the modern techniques to make exploration more natural and realistic to create a more enjoyable experience. It started in earnest with people like BOTV And Elden RingBut Hell is us takes it one step further and it’s incredibly exciting to see. I hope so Hell is us starts a trend towards less user-friendly games and is no exception.
Source: YouTube/PlayStation