Hell Is Us Reviews
Hell is Us hits so many of the milestones the developers clearly wanted to, with ominous, environmental storytelling brilliantly achieved, a dark and brooding story that’ll have you questioning your own humanity, and a supernatural tale that weaves into all of that seamlessly, elevating it further. Issues with optimization aside, you’d be missing out if you don’t give Hell is Us a real chance, and it may just be Nacon’s best offering yet.
Hell is Us doesn’t aim to please everyone, but rather to provoke and challenge. The game offers no clear rewards, no easy solutions. It doesn’t invite the player in—it throws them into chaos and watches, from a distance, how each one responds. It’s a new experience that may appeal to many or alienate others—no formulas, no tutorials, no predictability. And precisely because of that, Hell is Us stands out in a landscape saturated with predictable experiences.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Though its markerless questing mechanics are not as revolutionary for the genre as the game says they are, Hell is Us still plays as a very good Soulslike. Its narrative may be weird in places, but its solid mechanics and incredible setting more than make up for it.
Hell is Us is a game that refuses to compromise: in terms of narrative, imagery, and even gameplay. Exploration is not just an end in itself, but becomes an allegory for Remi's search within his own soul and his origins, hidden by an enigma. We are aware that Hell is Us is not an experience suitable for everyone: of course, we enjoyed it very much, both in its investigation and combat phases, but some prefer to find more immediate content and easy gratification in a video game. However, sometimes experimentation is necessary to discover more about ourselves and the world around us.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Hell is Us takes a different path from most action-adventures. Instead of guiding you with waypoints, it leaves you to figure things out on your own. I found the mix of exploration, puzzles, and story really satisfying, even if I did get stuck more than once. Combat isn’t the strongest part, with only a handful of enemy types, but it’s serviceable. It’s not for everyone, but if you enjoy games that make you slow down, take notes, and work things out, Hell is Us is worth your time.
Hell is Us impresses above all with its dense atmosphere, challenging combat system and cleverly designed puzzles. Rogue Factor succeeds in sending us on an exciting, mysterious journey in which we discover for ourselves how to progress, without any quest markers or maps.
Review in German | Read full review
Hell is Us is a unique take on bringing back classic RPG mechanics in a modern fashion. While it has clear flaws in its narrative and gameplay aspects, it’s a new experience with an inspired setting and a heavy atmosphere to boot.
Hell is Us is a return to the origins of the adventure genre, but with the maturity of a studio that knows what it wants to offer. It combines free exploration, intense combat, and an intriguing narrative that plays with both war and humanity's inner demons. In short, an old-fashioned exploration and combat adventure with an excellent setting.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Since its announcement, Hell is Us was shaping up to be a game to keep a close eye on, and now that I’ve played it, for the most part, ended up being even better than I expected. It felt like a slight breath of fresh air that removes most of the handholding, entrusting players to progress at their own pace. It’s a wonderful and unique experience, but one that occasionally stumbles with repetitive enemy design and a story that falls short of its full potential. Regardless, these issues felt like mere setbacks, and don’t stop Hell is Us from being one of the biggest surprises of the year.
I still feel like recommending Hell Is Us, to some people at least, because it is a unique experience worth digging into. Just, remember to arm yourself with a lot of patience – and maybe a guide or two.
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.
No maps. No markers. No mercy. Hell is Us trusts you to listen, to feel, and to get lost. And in doing so, it offers something truly rare: a soul.
Hell is Us isn’t perfect, but it’s a highly enjoyable experience. While the story and characters don’t quite hit the mark, its rich mythology, striking world design, and varied combat make it easy to recommend. It’s not a Souls-like, but this adventure packs plenty of soul.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about the world of Hell is Us since I started playing it. Hadea's story is carefully crafted so it perfectly expresses the frustration we feel towards our own species and how easily we are infected by the virus of hatred. The flaws and frustrating elements it may have on the gameplay level—it is, in part, a soulslike game—can be easily ignored thanks to the freedom of exploration it offers and the many secrets it hides. If it doesn't become a hit, it will definitely become a cult classic.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Hell is Us reflects on violence and how its political use brings out the worst in people. As much as there are differences between these people, sometimes these differences are radicalized by political and economic interests. And although the game is filled with bizarre creatures that try to kill us all the time, it often asks us: who are the real monsters? What drives us to do things we never imagined we were capable of?
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Few games challenge the status quo as confidently as Hell is Us, and I found myself fully immersed in its vision and execution. In a time when so many games feel afraid to let players think for themselves, this one demands it. It takes bold swings in its design, its storytelling, and its philosophy, and remarkably, it lands every one of them. The satisfaction I felt solving its puzzles, discovering its secrets, and unravelling its story far surpassed what I’ve experienced in most modern games. It’s not often a perfect score is given, but Hell is Us earns it. For its brave design, for trusting the player, and for delivering one of the most memorable adventures I’ve played in years, it gets my highest recommendation.
An amazing immersive experience that has been lost with the art of hand-holding maps and quest markers. The game makes good use of puzzles, both easy and ones that get you thinking. However, the combat is extremely lacking, which stops it from reaching greater heights.
Hell is Us was a pleasant surprise, featuring a great story and robust gameplay. Despite low enemy variety and challenging puzzles for casual players, its positive aspects stand out. Rogue Factor outdid itself with this project, and I look forward to the studio's next games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Quite possibly the sleeper hit of the year. With excellent gameplay mechanics, and a bold design choice in how it delivers the narrative to the player. Hell is Us proves to be one of the better releases of 2025 so far, and I hope more games take note of the unapologetic style it bases its foundations upon.
Developer Rogue Factor is to be commended for employing a Player-Flattering approach in a game like this, and it works perfectly for me, with the exception of the puzzles, which are too dull and sometimes unforgiving. Perhaps it even goes too far, as in Act II, the objectives become somewhat confusing. The gameplay may not be particularly special, and the combat often feels repetitive, but the exploration aspect of the game kept me engaged for hours, even bringing me back to various areas. The game offers dozens of hours of content, with exploration taking up a significant amount of time. As mentioned, it might be too much without a walkthrough guide. In total, I spent a whopping thirty hours playing the game before the end appeared, and then you can still complete all the sidequests, including the Good Deeds missions. As the game progresses, you can spend much more time finding the right combinations of characters, investigations, and locations, as the connections can become more complex due to the amount of data you collect. The action is perfectly playable for both beginners and experienced soulslike/action enthusiasts, but eventually the difficulty will increase, and some might find it a bit overwhelming. Ultimately, this is more of an action game than a soulslike, though. At the lower difficulty level, the game is easy for everyone. Hell is Us didn't include the word "hell" in its title for nothing. Are you up for a new, refreshing challenge, where the latter lies mainly in the puzzles? Then I'd love to put you to the test!
Review in Dutch | Read full review