Hell is Us Holds a Dark Mirror Up to Our World [Hands-On Preview]

by

Content Advisory: The game “Hell is Us” carries a grim and intense theme. This walkthrough encompasses graphic depictions of extreme violence, culminating in the tragic demise of a child. Please exercise caution while proceeding.

Three hours into the game Hell is Us, I witnessed a father weeping over his dead child in his arms, while seated before a mass grave. I conversed with a young girl who was a war orphan, expecting me to end her life. This experience encapsulates my recent time with the game, as well as every thought about it since then. Hell is Us excels at gripping players, leaving an indelible impression, and surprising them when they least anticipate it. To be honest, the initial hour of the game didn’t suggest that it would become so emotionally intense so soon.

The main theme of Hell is Us isn’t entirely novel; as suggested by its title, it explores the correlation between the turmoil experienced globally and our ability, as human beings, to instigate this chaos. This idea was subtly revealed in The Walking Dead, where it became clear over time that the most dangerous elements within its world weren’t the undead but rather other humans. Unlike The Walking Dead, however, Hell is Us takes players by surprise. In this game, Remi journeys to the fictional country of Hadea, seeking his missing parents amidst a civil war. One might expect the supernatural horrors emerging from emotions in this land to be the primary focus; however, it’s not. Instead, it’s the actions and behaviors of other characters within the game that serve as a chilling reminder of the harsh realities we face in our own world.

Throughout the entire experience, the game “Hell is Us” refuses to coddle its players. Instead, it challenges them by delivering a narrative and game mechanics that require players to manage everything they’re given.

Hell is Us Lulls Players Into a False Sense of the Familiar

The narrative of “Hell is Us” unfolds intricately with multiple dimensions. At first glance, we see Remi conversing with a mysterious figure about past occurrences in Hadea, hinting at Remi’s survival throughout the events. Beneath this, there are three interconnected storylines: the catastrophe, the civil war, and the internal discord that ultimately led to Remi returning home.

This initial setup provides essential background information: Remi was born in Hadea but taken away as a child. As a UN peacekeeper, he deserts his duty to explore Hadea before the UN’s complete withdrawal due to the disaster. His objective is to locate his parents, and I took control of Remi during this quest.

In the woods, Remi gets guidance from a local resident pointing him towards his hometown. The conversations can venture into various topics related to the area, and new options may arise when interacting with characters. This man accuses the opposing faction in the civil war as the primary cause of Hadea’s troubles, hinting at centuries of conflict fueled by ethnic differences. As you advance, you encounter United Nations soldiers with an armored vehicle. Regrettably, the keys were held by a higher-ranking soldier, who was imprisoned within a dungeon. This dungeon seems to be both an introduction to dungeon exploration and combat mechanics in the game “Hell is Us“.

The intense combat and exploration in “Hell is Us” has led some to liken it to a Soulslike title, yet I acknowledge that while there are similarities in terms of challenge and triumph, the fundamental design differences are too significant for me to overlook. Unlike Soulslike games which demand players to conquer daunting circumstances primarily through external means, “Hell is Us” challenges players to surmount overwhelming internal obstacles.

In essence, “Hell is Us” may not be a Soulslike game, but its combat rhythm isn’t alien. Players possess a limited set of basic attacks, blocks/parries, dodges, and the familiar mechanics that players have grown to appreciate in 2025. A drone is also introduced, initially serving as a distraction for enemies since engaging multiple opponents simultaneously is virtually impossible. Furthermore, the game introduces the Healing Pulse, allowing players to perform a quick time event-like input at the end of a combo to recover health. This mechanic fosters the same aggressive playstyle as “Bloodborne,” but it becomes particularly challenging – especially as the game progresses.

The Evolution of Combat

Towards the closing stages of our gaming session, Rogue Factor transported us into the primary dungeon of the game. While I won’t delve into the narrative repercussions it presents, the essence of its combat system was clearly apparent at this juncture. The fundamental combat components, coupled with Healing Pulse and the overall toughness of the adversaries, make for an engaging and tough gaming experience. However, additional elements are piled on top. At this stage, the drone can accommodate four abilities, which translates into a set of controls, and then abilities are linked to weapons, another sequence of controls following a weapon switch. To utilize the most potent ability, players must be cognizant of which weapon they are using, which weapon is optimal against the foe, and remember the appropriate input. Additionally, understanding which enemy performs which function, how they act in combat, and anticipating their combination patterns is crucial. The variety of enemies in Hell is Us is substantial, especially considering their combat behavior. With these abilities, I can execute more actions in combat earlier against a larger number of adversaries, but it’s quite challenging to manage everything simultaneously. This complex gameplay design is deliberately intended to place a significant burden on the player, as the narrative will do the same.

Previously, during the gameplay, I discovered a bridge and a tunnel in an expansive environment. These locations, as I see it, showcase significant design distinctions between their functionality in “Hell is Us” versus a Soulslike game. The tiny bridge hosted a few adversaries, whereas in a Soulslike title, traversing the bridge post-rest would always signal an impending threat. In contrast, the tunnel was teeming with enemies, surpassing my previous encounters. I would either dodge or grind in a Soulslike game to deal with this challenge, knowing that overcoming the tunnel required me to have enough strength. However, “Hell is Us” primarily revolves around internal conflicts. In this game, when I die or rest, enemies do not regenerate. This feature alone might not disqualify it as a Soulslike title for me, but the way “Hell is Us” employs this aspect sets it apart.

In order to traverse the bridge within “Hell is Us”, I must first reach it, conquer an adversary, dodge death, and possibly meet my demise. I must return there; I must surmount the mental exhaustion of clearing this region. I need to consistently find my way back, gradually eliminating enemies, and transforming that bridge into a place I mentally categorize as safe. That tunnel? If I’m to progress at this stage of the game, I must systematically eliminate them one by one, defeat them, and then repeat this process numerous times. The enemies in “Hell is Us” are symbolic representations of emotions run amok, and the game mechanics compel players to confront and internalize emotions such as anger, sadness, or frustration to overcome these obstacles. In “Hell is Us”, it’s not the enemies that pose the real danger; rather, it’s how far I am prepared to challenge myself and how much mental capacity I can muster that becomes the primary threat in “Hell is Us”.

At this stage, the initial comforting beginning of the game feels distant, and instead, I’m engulfed by the intense feelings it stirs within me.

There will be difficulty options for the launch of Hell is Us.

Hell is Us’ Gameplay is Not the Only Challenge

For the overall combat and gameplay design to be effective, the narrative should also resonate strongly. It ought to elicit comparable intense emotions, which it manages effectively. However, this didn’t occur during the tutorial dungeon. This didn’t happen upon exiting the dungeon to discover the soldier I had just encountered dead. This didn’t happen when I entered the armored vehicle and drove to my birthplace town. It was only when I disembarked from the vehicle and walked into the town for the first time that it became impactful.

Emerging from the tree cover, my attention was immediately drawn to an excavator’s bucket. Upon further investigation, I discovered a gruesome sight – a mass grave filled with dismembered limbs and body parts. Unlike the fantastical, sanitized versions I encountered in Far Cry 3, this mass grave seemed horrifyingly real, as if plucked straight from an old black-and-white history documentary. The cries that echoed next caught my ear, and there I saw a man weeping over something in his arms – a child. It was the first truly impactful moment in the game’s story for me, striking a chord because as any father knows, such scenes are things we never want to consider as possibilities. The raw emotion and heaviness of it all made me briefly wonder if this innocent child could be one of my own.

He spoke about his inability to give them a proper burial due to their cultural practices and the devastation of their town; there seemed to be a missing piece. I wasn’t sure if this was a quest since the game didn’t explicitly mark it, but with this imaginary father, I was determined not to leave it unsolved. As I scoured the town for what he required, I witnessed its destruction. The wrecked and ruined town held less potency than the father, yet it still felt more like a scene from a historical documentary rather than a collection of video game elements. I also met various people during this time, among them the occupying military. It appeared that this town was home to one culture, while the occupying force wanted them displaced. I managed to find what the father needed and delivered it to him, but not without experiencing other atrocities: soldiers on duty, firing squads, remnants of a town once teeming with affection. This eventually led me to something I wasn’t expecting.

I stumbled across a clergyman who vaguely recounted the town’s recent occurrences. He provided some possible avenues for future adventures or incidents, including reasons for his survival, and surprisingly, he shared insights as to why he willingly remained imprisoned within the town.

His niece was alive, but alone.

According to the guidance given by the priest, I found the treehouse that served as a sign for his house and ventured inside. Half of it was destroyed, with chilly winds blowing through the gaps. It was in disarray, but fortunately, it appeared stable. Climbing two sets of stairs led me to what seemed to have been an attic at one point. There, I discovered a young girl hiding under a rough blanket, and speaking with her brought forth the mental picture of a small girl with brown eyes and hair, smeared with dirt. “Are you a soldier?” was her initial question; “Are you here to harm me?” was what I heard. As we conversed, she explained how she and her little brother were in the treehouse when the bombings started, and out of fear, her little brother ran towards their parents at the house as the bombs fell, killing everyone in front of her. Since then, she’s been hiding, waiting for her fate to arrive. “I’ll help you escape,” Remi promises, but that necessitates saving the priest first.

According to creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, developers who felt uneasy about working on certain aspects of the project were not obligated to do so. He also emphasized that the game did not depict the actual death of a child.

My gaming journey concluded prematurely without the chance to rescue the priest and his niece, leaving my thoughts perpetually ensnared in the game. In the title “Hell is Us“, the mini-map is absent and the tracking of a “quest” appears to be limited. I’m not entirely certain if this was a quest, but upon the game’s release, I will undoubtedly make every effort, regardless of the obstacles, to save that little girl.

In my attempt to determine a course of action to rescue her, I managed to examine the layout of the nearby town which was teeming with adversaries. Eventually, I came across a circular route that led me back to the excavator. There, I discovered an isolated spot with a reclusive character, as per Jacques-Belletête’s advice. This individual presented an extended quest line that traversed multiple maps. I encountered the mentioned bridge, a harrowing tunnel, and a warped area (a peculiar spot on the map). The priest hinted at a nearby chapel, but I struggled to pinpoint the route. A soldier and barbed wire barrier stopped me from entering through the main gates. The overall expanse was vast enough to accommodate intriguing landmarks, multiple routes, and assorted perils, all while requiring me to construct a mental image of the region’s geography. Although I believed I had a good grasp on most parts, it’s possible that there were paths I overlooked, and any comprehensive map in “Hell is Us” would probably tax my mental mapping abilities significantly.

In Hell is Us, the developers don’t guide players step by step. Instead, they challenge players to take on both the narrative and game mechanics without much assistance.

Hell is Us Has an Intentionally Heavy Cognitive Load for Players to Carry

In simpler terms, when I come across a game that eliminates contemporary convenience features such as map markers or mini-maps, I tend to raise an eyebrow. While I appreciate the intention to foster exploration, it often feels like a setback to me. A minimap helps me understand the boundaries of my exploration, while map markers provide specific or broad areas within those limits. Despite not knowing exactly what’s there, I enjoy the reward of discovering new places when I venture down an uncharted path. However, removing these features can increase the frustration of getting lost or not knowing what to do or where to go. In other words, Hell is Us justifies their removal more convincingly than any game I’ve played so far—at least from a design standpoint—even though I’ve only spent limited time with it.

Playing “Hell is Us” can be quite complex and demanding, even for seasoned gamers. The fundamental mechanics are familiar, but players must frequently switch between weapons, activate special abilities, monitor their drone, anticipate enemy actions, attack aggressively, use the Healing Pulse, and balance their health and stamina, which are inextricably linked – they can’t have more stamina than health. Meanwhile, the disturbing images of a girl on the verge of death, a father mourning his lost child, and the brutal tactics of warring factions add to the game’s emotional weight. On top of this, players must construct their own mental map of the game world, figuring out where paths lead, what tasks they need to complete for non-player characters, and tasks that other games might handle with user interfaces or in-game tracking.

As a passionate admirer, I’d rephrase the given text as follows:

Experiencing “Hell is Us” is a deeply immersive journey, intentionally heavy and intricate. The game’s design ingeniously incorporates this intellectual challenge, mirroring its title in every aspect, from its narrative to its mechanics. As a player, I grapple with the horrors humans are capable of, maintaining a balance between bearing the emotional weight and safeguarding myself, such as avoiding harming children or other people. The maps I navigated were not overwhelmingly vast, but the necessity to remember my surroundings could become overbearing as gameplay progresses. After all, “Hell is Us” offers a “vast semi-open world,” and whether this expansiveness amplifies the sense of despair or detracts from the gaming experience is yet to be determined.

After spending three hours on the game titled “Hell is Us“, I’ve found myself preoccupied with its themes ever since, grappling with thoughts as a father that I’d prefer not to confront. One thing is clear: this game has an uncanny ability to grip players and compel them to ponder matters many would prefer to avoid. Although it’s hard for me to put into words after only three hours of playtime, “Hell is Us” certainly knows how to weave a compelling narrative that aligns seamlessly with its gameplay, a concept known as ludonarrative harmony. However, I must admit, I’m not confident I could articulate this concept effectively after just playing for three hours. “Hell is Us” is a heavy game that demands players to bear its weight, and the extent to which players are open to this internal struggle may determine their overall enjoyment of the experience.

Hell is Us is set to appear during the June Steam Next Fest. The demo will become accessible starting from June 2 at 7 am Pacific Time/10 am Eastern Time.

The game titled “Hell is Us” will be available starting September 4 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Our team had the opportunity to preview it courtesy of Game Rant, with travel and accommodations provided.

Read More

2025-05-30 15:09