Overview

In a year that is stacked and diverse as 2025 has been, we've officially kicked off the final big stint that closes out the year with new games fighting for your time and attention, and amidst the imminent release of the nuclear release that was Hollow Knight Silksong, came many other releases. One of which was Hell is Us, an action game that taps into the puzzle and problem-solving that feels reminiscent of something you'd find in an old Resident Evil. It has flaws, but despite those flaws, it gets many things right, which you can't really find in any other game quite the same way.

Hell is Us is a game that feels rough around its outer edges, but at its core, it's full of heart. It has an atmospheric world and intentional design choices that mostly operate and interlock to create a cohesive experience. Some components feel like they're about to fall apart. But I find many of its imperfections, weighed against what this game absolutely nails, do make for an experience that feels unapologetic and charming in its own way.

Story

I'm going to kick things off by talking about the narrative for Hell is Us, which is decent for the most part, following our protagonist, Remi, who is under interrogation by a strange-suited figure. The story unfolds through the events of Remi's journey as he explores the world of Haedea, seeking to end the ongoing war and turmoil plaguing the land. The narrative begins with a lot of momentum, but it is one of those stories that starts to meander around the middle of the second act, and the writing does feel hit or miss at times, with some dialogue that does feel like something you'd find in a schlocky action game of the late 2000s or early 2010s.

But that being said, there are a lot of strong moments that come from the way the world of Haedea is built, the different characters that you meet who represent each side. The types of people you meet and the way that this conflict is depicted feel confronting and bleak in a way that adds to the gravitas of the situation you are in.There is a good sense of mystery around the story of Hell is Us, and I did walk out satisfied in some areas; I did feel I wanted a little more. But the interplay between gameplay and how the game tells its story through its environments and characters is where the game's narrative is at its strongest.

Gameplay

Combat

Hell is Us' combat feels like it harkens back to an action game from the early 2010's, which is a breath of fresh air compared to the plethora of Souls-likes that generally dominate the genre. Here in Hell is Us, you will be fighting ethereal creatures called the Haze, who come in many different shapes and sizes. The main challenge that you will face is enemies that are called Lymbic enemies, which are enemies that are bound to an elemental type of enemy that they summon. You'll need to kill the summoned attached enemy before killing the main enemy. It is a fresh and different idea that makes the early hours of Hell is Us' combat feel fresh and interesting.The problem starts to set in around the halfway mark in the game. By this point, you've seen all the enemies, and the strongest enemies the game has to throw at you are stronger variants of the same enemy types you've faced. It makes combat feel like a more mindless affair than something that keeps you engaged and contemplating how you approach each environment.

Another worthy point of mention is that this game has a small handful of bosses, and I can only be thankful for that decision, because the boss encounters in Hell is Us are incredibly bad, and are easily the moments of the game that I enjoyed the least. There is no spectacle to the encounter, no fanfare, and the mechanics of the encounter are abysmal in how the fight unfolds. It doesn't posit any sense of challenge; the encounters feel like busy work, and had they been removed, I'd argue the game would have been better for it.Overall in terms of challenging combat, if you're coming from a souls-like background, I feel like you won't be hard pressed here with Hell is Us, it is a pretty simple, flexible and forgiving action-RPG, but if you're someone who is looking for just that, an action-RPG that allows you to utilize and customize some cool abilities, and adventure through a dystopian world, than this might be up your alley.

Puzzles

The puzzles in Hell is Us are one of the game's biggest strengths, with the majority of the puzzles offering a good level of challenge that rewards you for taking in its world and reading the notes and logs scattered around. It makes the exploration of Haeda's different zones feel much more immersive and provides an intentional approach to the layout and design of each location. Making each discovery feel like a puzzle piece that guides and expands the exploration. The puzzles are also varied and weave into the history and crafted lore of Haeda, which helps give you some added context for the broader conflict that has been unfolding over the years.The puzzles themselves feel like they're a major component of Hell is Us' gameplay loop. If I were to break it down, it would be a split between a third-person action game and a detective investigation where you are piecing information together from the clues and conversations you find in Haedea. It really does feel reminiscent of the games of old, where there are no markers, no quips from companions solving it for you. The most you have is a search tree of people and notes youhave collected, helping spark that eureka moment. What this approach culminates in is a sense of problem-solving that feels satisfying and rewarding, largely due to Hell is Us's no-hand-holding approach to its world, which we'll dive into shortly. But if there is one element of Hell is Us that absolutely stands out as really well crafted, it is its puzzle design, and the balancing act of revealing new clues, along with keeping the solution more of a hidden in plain sight affair, rather than something so obvious that it feels like an insult to the player's intelligence. That being said, this game did make me take notes once or twice, and did call upon me to remember and piece some things together, in a way that if you are not used to that sort of experience, then you might get lost or find yourself backtracking a few times trying to read and piece together some messages on a statue or a wall in another room.But this approach to Hell is Us alone is something I feel plays into the game's atmosphere and worldbuilding, and it all clicks together to lay the foundations for something special.

Game Systems

The No-Handhold Approach.

The first thing I'd like to get into when discussing the different game systems that underpin Hell is Us is the approach and philosophy the game takes to its exploration, world design, and overall gameplay loop. This is what I call the "No-hand hold approach", where the game holds information from you and leaves the game to you, the player, to figure out. It feels reminiscent of the magic you'd find in exploration in a From Soft experience, married with the puzzles and problem-solving of a survival horror game, like old-school Resident Evil. This philosophy is pivotal to the experience because, without a map, map markers, or a traditional quest log, you can fully immerse yourself in the world. You are instead looking out for iconography, a building or monument, and you're given a compass. It makes notes more worthwhile reading, as they convey hints, clues, and points of interest that further contribute to solutions and the overall exploration. It makes exploring the world of Haedea feel natural, and the discoveries and atmosphere feel heightened as a result. It is a bold decision that may leave some feeling lost, but what it ultimately achieves is a game that asks you to play on its terms and creates a world that feels like second-nature exploration once you get your bearings. It's an action-RPG that you can't brute force your way through; there will be roadblocks that aren't in the form of combat challenges, and these are the meditative moments that underpin Hell is Us and bring its greatest strengths to life.

Progression Systems

The progression systems of Hell is Us are divided into two parts: the underpinning mysteries and investigations, and the way you explore, collect items, and complete good deeds that reward you in turn. Then there is the side of progression that is very familiar: you'll be upgrading different weapons, assigning them a particular damage type, and levelling up their rarity to make them do more damage. You will also get different abilities that are tied to the combat we mentioned earlier. These come in the form of glyphs, abilities for your weapons, and modules that upgrade your drone. The overall variety of these abilities was good, but the motivation to mix and match or try new ones never hit home. There were options, but it was a one-hammer fits all kind of situation where no matter what types of glyphs you're using, you never really felt at a strong disadvantage, where you would have to brainstorm or change your playstyle.However, the way that you progress through both main and side quests, and along with these side objectives, called good deeds, where you help other NPCs. This method of progression does feel rewarding and satisfying. It makes side exploration and paying attention to the random NPCs you communicate with in each environment feel interactive and worth listening to. Not to mention that some of these good deeds can fail, resulting in negative outcomes if they aren't completed promptly. When I failed a few of these, I genuinely felt bad, like I had failed, too. This aspect will make replaying the game worthwhile. There is satisfaction in seeing these stories of these different characters you help as you progress, but there are also in-game progression rewards, which tie back to the weapons and glyphs I mentioned earlier.

Visuals and Sound

Visuals

The retro sci-fi setting of Hell is Us feels like it taps into many different stylistic choices, with a brutalist look, European vibes, and a retro sci-fi aesthetic that feels very 80s. But it can take these different vibes and style choices and make its world feel unique and distinct. Haeda has a particular presence that plays into the game's more bleak and depressing themes. There is also a lot of variation in the world of Haedea, with overgrown cities engulfed in dust, buildings, bunkers, and underground temples. There is so much variety in how these cities and environments are constructed that further enhances the world-building and history of this world, which you're continuously reading about and hearing about through both notes and discussions. The Haze are so interesting in their designs, presence, and overall aesthetics. I do wish we'd see more surreal or distinct variants of them, but conceptually, they fit this world and its overall atmosphere neatly. Seriously, the environments and the world that have been crafted here are so well put together, and they are stylised in a distinct way that is both otherworldly and human. It has been mentioned in an interview Fextralife had with Hell is Us' director that the cosmic horror vibe of Hell is Us was inspired by what felt like forces that are terrifying beings real beyond our comprehension, referencing the radioactivity in Chernobyl as an example, explaining the Haze as physical manifestations of human emotion, as denoted my the elements that are attached to them.

Sound

The visual design and the way it depicts Hell is Us' bleak, dire world are matched by its sound, offering a pretty solid, all-around atmospheric soundtrack that contributes to exploration, problem-solving, and the moments in between. The background music, these depressing, electronic synth ambient tracks that play in the background, tap into the feeling of investigation and exploring a world that feels bleak and hopeless. It
really does sell the underlying feeling of the tensions in Haedea, the urgency of your journey, and the investigation. It is always working in sync with the visuals. These two components always set the mood, the tone, and the overall feeling of a particular area you explore, and they do it effortlessly. Another point mentioned in the interview with Fetralife was that the soundtrack is about creating a mood and atmosphere with sound, and much of Hell is Us' soundtrack is inspired by films like Annihilation, with its blend of horror tones and moody sounds. The voice performances are solid, too, with some cheesy dialogue that is more a writing issue I have with the game than an acting issue. Remi's performance by Elias Toufexis was really solid, and overall, many of the different performances here are good.

Performance

The performance of Hell is Us has been pretty good from my experience with the game. I've been running it on my 4080 Super and haven't encountered any performance hiccups. I've been able to run the game with a consistent framerate and have experienced very few technical bugs, the worst being texture pop-in once or twice during a cutscene. I haven't experienced any crashes, and there have been no in-game bugs or quest lockouts that I've encountered during my playthrough, making this game pretty easy to pick up and play.

Conclusion

Overall, Hell is Us is an experience that may look like something that you have seen before on its surface. But when you dig deeper, you'll find a unique offering here full of heart and charm. It's a game that may not be for everyone, but it is definitely something for me. It may be rough around the edges in some areas, but underneath that friction and roughness lies an experience that is a rarity and an oddity today. Its puzzles and exploration are as much a mystery as the inner-conflict and plot that is unfolding, making you intrigued in what is going on around you at all times, and whilst the story can feel like it does fizzle out, the feeling that exploring its world and its more micro-level stories do unfold and depict an interesting world. The biggest sore spot to this experience is its lack of enemy variety and meaningful combat; it's not terrible, but it feels more serviceable and decent than anything special. But despite these setbacks, Hell is Us is a worthwhile time.

Platform Information

Hell is Us

Developer: Rogue Factor
Publisher: Nacon
Release Date: 5th September 2025
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Hell is Us on Steam

If war is the closest we get to hell on earth, it’s because Earth harbours the worst of demons: humankind. In an isolated country ravaged by infighting, discover the secrets of your past and deal with the repercussions of a mysterious calamity.

STEAM