Hell Is Us blends investigative gameplay with oppressive world design. After a 4-hour game play reveal at Rogue Factor’s Montreal studio, it became clear this action adventure title avoids modern conveniences. There’s no minimap, no quest markers, and minimal UI. Players will need to rely on their journal, compass, and actual memory—or pen and paper, as testers were encouraged to use. This design choice pulls heavily from 1990s gaming, encouraging observation, not checklist completion.
The story takes place in a fictional country inspired by Haiti, torn by civil war and an apocalyptic event. Players take on the role of Reny, a foreigner thrust into this fractured world. He must navigate the power struggles and horrors of the land while encountering grotesque, otherworldly beings that appear to be tied to the disaster.
Exploration Over Instruction in Hell Is Us
What sets this game apart is its deliberate absence of guidance. The world opens up gradually, and information must be gathered by talking to NPCs. Dialogue unlocks further conversation options as you learn more, almost like a detective game. You can’t brute force your way through it—you need to understand it.
Secrets are scattered across dungeons, inspired by titles like Zelda. These are self-contained areas with puzzles and loot, offering structured breaks from open-world wandering. Progression comes through exploration: players will find trinkets, gear, and upgrades that enhance combat but without RPG stat screens. There are no skill trees—just discovery-based growth.
Combat Is the Weak Link—For Now
Combat draws from Soulslike inspirations: stamina management, parries, dodges, and timing-heavy fights. But in the current build, the combat feels overpopulated and underdeveloped. Enemies are tanky, take too long to kill, and appear in overwhelming numbers. While there’s a toggle for enemy respawns, it still doesn’t fix the grind-heavy pace.
Worse still, skill variety is minimal early on. While you gain new abilities over time, the initial combat loop feels repetitive: attack, parry, dodge, repeat. Early enemies don’t offer much variation, and even hours in, the same types resurface. There’s a blacksmith that can improve your weapons and add skills, but unless you discover him early, progression can stall.
The developers confirmed they’re rebalancing combat ahead of release. A follow-up discussion after the event revealed that enemy health and encounter frequency were key targets for tuning. So while concerns are valid, changes are in the pipeline.
The Storytelling, Setting, and Style Deliver
The game’s worldbuilding is excellent. The music, art direction, and creepy, war-torn environments set a strong tone. Story delivery relies on what Reny knows—he learns as the player learns. That builds immersion and keeps the narrative grounded. The supernatural horror themes don’t overshadow the human conflict, either—they enhance it.
Conversations matter. If one NPC mentions a mill, that unlocks a query option with another NPC who can point you toward the location. It’s a memory game, a clue-chaining system that rewards attentiveness. And while it won’t appeal to everyone, it offers something rare: a truly non-linear investigative adventure with meaningful pacing.
Should You Play It? : Optional, Not Essential
Hell Is Us isn’t for everyone. It demands your full attention. If you’re a note-taker who enjoys methodical gameplay and doesn’t mind a lack of direction, it could be a standout experience. If you’re more into tight, fast-paced action or accessibility features, it may frustrate you.
There’s potential here—particularly if the combat refinements land before launch. Exploration, narrative structure, and artistic vision are already in place. With proper enemy balancing and added skill depth, Hell Is Us could become one of 2025’s more memorable releases in the story-driven action space.
