Metal: Hellsinger Reviews
Overall, if you are a metalhead like me then this is absolutely the fps you need to try. It's free on Xbox Gamepass currently, so no excuse not to try it! The game's negatives are quite minor, and I could not stop headbanging to the beat all the way through the campaign. There is nothing quite like getting into the zone and chaining together a string of shoot, jump, dash, reload on the beat in Metal Hellsinger. Here's hoping for some DLC or a fully fledged sequel so we can do it all over again.
Metal: Hellsinger is the first-person shooter/rhythm game mashup I had no idea I wanted.
Metal: Hellsinger's infectious blend of rhythm game and first-person shooter elements gripped me all the way through its story mode and beyond, despite its mostly disappointing boss battles. Its roaring metal soundtrack ebbs and flows around how well you deal death to Hell's denizens, constantly pushing you to do better.
This could’ve been an easy high concept to get wrong. The gunplay could’ve been stale and repetitive, but the way you increase damage, points, and unlock perks during combat relies on hitting targets in streaks, choosing a loadout that plans for any and every type of threat and hitting them reliably on beat. The environments aren’t quite as varied as we’ve seen in recent FPSes, or even something like Devil May Cry, which plays around in a similar aesthetic sandbox. But they’re utilized well, and they’re designed to keep the player moving and dancing even with obstacles in their road, a harder conceptual ask than it seems, and one that certainly asks the player to shoulder their weight. Metal: Hellsinger isn’t an easy game by any stretch, but one that’s short enough and forgiving enough to encourage bashing your head against the wall multiple times to get it right or score higher, and smiling a bloody grin at even meager progress.
Like 2009's Brütal Legend, Metal: Hellsinger is a love letter to heavy metal gamers rather than a game being made to pander to a demographic. Hellsinger is a lot of fun for any casual FPS player with even a vague interest in metal music. Even though the game feels on the short side, The Outsiders have achieved a beautiful hybrid of sound design and fun FPS gameplay that will hopefully inspire more combat rhythm games in the future. The music will get stuck in the player's head, and the levels are more than fun enough to warrant replaying.
Metal: Hellsinger is exactly as in-your-face and easy to pick up as a rhythm FPS featuring death metal should be. If you’re even remotely a fan of metal music and first-person shooters, you’ll have a great time with the six or so hours that it takes to reach the game’s credits. By the same token, if you’re not a fan of the two elements, there probably isn’t going to be much here to change your mind. It’s a bespoke marriage of concepts that work together perfectly, and all core elements are finely crafted to create an experience that’s difficult to put down once you really get going.
Metal Hellsinger is a fantastic blend of metal music and first-person shooting, with a headbanging gothic vibe that’s hard not to love. It’s a perfect duet of virtuoso vocals and furious action. Like the best metal band, it shreds. Over an extended play session, Metal Hellisinger’s lack of variety hits a slightly disappointing note, but overall it’s a potent and immersive mixture of hard rock and heavy-metal action.
Metal: Hellsinger offers a great variety of metal songs that will make your journey through hell a very pleasant one. Combined with the relentless enemies and dynamic gameplay, this game is sure to give you hours of entertainment so long as you know how to stay on the beat.
Metal: Hellsinger delivers engrossing rhythm-based shooting fun alongside a genuinely fantastic metal soundtrack. The game is short and lacks environmental variety, but the allure of a bigger high score should keep players returning for more.
The Outsiders' impressive debut combines the gunplay of Doom with the musical button-mashing of Guitar Hero
Metal: Hellsinger merges rhythm, violence, and the fury-laden chugs of metal to create a unique kind of carnage that's a pleasure to conduct despite, at times, feeling repetitive.
Metal: Hellsinger is a good time, if not a short time. Hard as nails, rewarding as they come, and fuelled by some of the best names in heavy music, The Outsider and Funcom have made a game that’s worth every second of your time it takes up – even if that’s only about the length of one of the more epic prog albums out there. A knowing and fun take on the rhythm shooter genre, plagued with some calibration and UI issues, this romp through Hell is as satisfying as it is frustrating – and not even hearing the dulcet tones and throaty growls of Trivium’s Matt Heafy can offset that.
Doom comparisons aside in style and tone, Metal: Hellsinger is one of the most unique, refreshing video game offerings I’ve seen in a while thanks to how it caters to fans of metal music, and its approach to rhythm mechanics. We could use more heavy metal-focused rhythm games, and I hope to not only see more games like Metal: Hellsinger in the future, but to see more from the talented developers of Metal: Hellsinger, The Outsiders, as well.
Metal: Hellsinger is exactly what I hoped it would be – a balls to the wall, headbanging, visceral experience that nails the aesthetic and feel of the premise. The soundtrack is superb and perfectly suits the setting and narrative, and everything is carried along by an interesting and well-voiced narrative. Even if you are not a big fan of metal (and why the Hell wouldn't you be?) this is an excellent rhythm shooter that absolutely slays.
The rhythmic interplay between Metal: Hellsinger's rip-roaring soundtrack and frenetic action is a magical concoction.
Metal: Hellsinger brings us a tribute to Metal, putting the focus of the gameplay on the music, giving us a solid game along with a quality album featuring some of the best names in the industry.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Metal: Hellsinger’s leanness isn’t wholly damning since it is an impeccably paced shooter that cuts everything down to its essentials and hones in on its musical gunplay, which is what matters.
All in all, I really loved my time with Metal: Hellsinger. Most of my shortcomings with this game are small, and don’t take away from the overall enjoyment with the game. The shooting is fun and the music is the star of the show. I loved all of the songs, and I couldn’t wait to build my meter up to hear the full song.
Metal: Hellsinger seamlessly blends tight first-person shooter gameplay with a fantastic soundtrack and rhythm mechanics that will constantly keep you on your toes. The game’s eight levels progressively get more challenging, as you slay your way through hordes of demons and bosses. The original soundtrack is one of the best metal soundtracks I’ve heard ever and it makes the rhythm-based gameplay that much more enjoyable. While the short runtime is disappointing, it’s only because I wanted so much more time to experience it. Combat feels tight and is surprisingly good coming from a small indie studio, although the bosses leave a little to be desired. Despite that, it is absolutely worth checking this out.
Metal: Hellsinger is definitely worth your time. Because of the music, the carnage, and the very unusual gameplay with tons of potential (even though it is a short game).
Review in Polish | Read full review