Hell is Us review for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC

It’s easy to get lost in a game with a rich story… but it’s even easier to get lost when the game has influenced you in a way you have wished were in previous games of a similar genre. With Hell is Us, my biggest take away was, I know so many people that love the “Idea” of Blooborne” but will never try due to the difficulty. Let me start by saying, Hell is Us is not like Bloodborne outside its combat mechanics. As someone who picked up Bloodborne and put it down for some time until I mustered up the courage to try a boss and beat them, it was an intimidating game that I could have missed out on. Many players will not even bother to try knowing the challenge. With Hell is Us, we get an action adventure with combat that feels like Bloodborne Lite.

Some of the visuals, especially the darker in tone portions could fit in the world as well. This is where I would stop the comparison. The reason I bring this up is Hell is Us, is much more forgiving in its combat and the inclusion of difficulties makes it more accessible which is a win in itself. Hell is Us is a dark adventure with a rich story that you will need to be invested in to progress the game’s story. Developer Rogue Factor has created a truly ambitious game that impressively blends exploration, combat and puzzle solving that works well. The biggest component you will learn early on is there are no mini maps, markers or waypoints to guide you.

They have taken what they call their Player-Pattering approach to have the players follow their gut and instincts like we used to before the days of the internet. We have all been spoiled and this alone may divide some players that want the assistance. I understand and maybe down the line, they may consider the easier difficulties to add some support in place of these missing elements.

Initially I embraced the idea though I quickly found myself getting stressed when I could not figure something out. You know, like we are supposed to. But what I will say is, once I did figure out the solutions, it was a rewarding feeling I’ve not had since a game called Braid. Some important notes, the solutions are there, you really have to check every nook and cranny and read/listen to all the lore you find. As someone that tends to skim notes in games, I cannot stress enough it’s worth it for the overall story elements and to help when you may get stuck. The biggest challenge will be for players to step out of a comfort zone the internet and modern gaming has put many of us in. We take for granted how easy it is to get an answer to what we need at the click of a button and a few keystrokes.

While I foresee many guides being released as players progress post launch, I implore you to try this game with an open mind and explore. There is a deep story with a lot to do and it’s easy to get lost in the world of Hadea. In Hell is Us, you play as Remi played by Elias Toufexis (Adam Jensen in Deus Ex) who is returning to his home and learns about his family and why he was sent away as a child. This journey home takes a dark turn quickly as he is caught in the middle of something otherworldly while trying to help rescue soldiers in an ancient temple. The weapons you use are an integral part of the story and known as Lymbic Weapons. They were designed to ward off the Hollow Walkers and what you will find in the early portion of the game.

You pick up with learning about melee combat which as I mentioned is Souls-like, including an offensive component where you attack aggressively but strategically to be able to gain health back. This mechanic is the healing pulse. When properly timed with your attacks you are able to get a chunk of health back. The combat is straightforward and will change based on the weapon type you use. You start with a standard one-handed sword but can expand to daggers, a pole like blade, and great swords. This removes any need for a class for your character as you can use any you find.

An interesting choice was the lack of a traditional level up system for Remi. In its place, you focus on leveling up your weapons and defensive gear and skills you gain a little later in the game. As you build on these, this will help increase your health, stamina and damage reduction. In place of Souls or Blood Echoes for comparison you will find Tuning Stones which you use to give your active weapon XP to level them up. Along this mechanic are the various Glyphs you will find to give you knew moves based on the four types (Rage, Terror, Grief and Ecstasy)

These are the key components for the combat portion. Half of the time you will be exploring the semi open world, which is broken up into regions you will be able to travel between. There is a good chance you will be going back and forth as you progress the story, but it doesn’t feel as much of a chore and more of a sense of accomplishment. As you traverse the world, you will find a variety of NPCs that can help the plot points, or even better, you can help them. This is easily my favorite portion of the game, Good Deeds. Along your journey, you can simply help people and in most cases, you do not have to as they are not quest focused, but they will help fill the narrative as you work to free the world of Hadea’s Monsters, the Hollow Walkers.

The enemy variety is the one thing that is lacking overall. I will stress this is not a game about hordes of enemies and enormous boss fights. We have plenty of games to visit for this. The adventure portion is really the standout feature of the game and when you get so entrenched in it, this is not a big deal. Some players may feel repetition in the combat, but as you focus on clearing out the areas, it serves an overall purpose which makes it worth fighting through. There are some plot points I felt may have gone unanswered, at least from my playthrough and one simple unknown fact was a disappointment due to how some of the character placement was set. I will not spoil it, but I feel most will agree when they complete the game.

As you visit towns you will see the devastation a Civil War has caused including what seems to be more casualties from humans than the HWs. Humanity am I right?… You will need to be the hero the people need and when you complete a Good Deed, you are not always rewarded in the traditional sense, but that’s why it works so well to me. You are just doing the right thing for the right reasons, yes and you want to get Platinum Trophy or Achievement.

There is so much more to discover, but my love of the game comes from the discovery, so I want to wrap this up and leave more to be explored on your own. There are a lot of mysteries to solve and uncover, hidden crypts, conspiracies to reveal, and an outstandingly beautiful landscape to explore. The environments are vivid, dark, gorgeous and sometimes simply breathtaking. The score is incredibly atmospheric and as a fellow up an upcoming video game composer, I can truly appreciate the level of immersion and detail that went into each part of Hadea thanks to composer Stéphane Primeau. The voice cast also does a remarkable job including all the NPCs. You truly feel for all the characters and what they are going through. Each has their own tale and it’s all heartfelt.

There were many points of just letting the controller sit and take in the music, the scenery (Lake Cynon) and bask in what it used to be to play adventure games on your own and the true sense of discovery from beginning to the end. Hell is Us is a remarkable entry in the action-adventure genre and one that 2025 needs.

The demo won me over,  but the final release helped solidify my feelings. The fact there is a comic book prequel and it has a kick ass score, makes Hell is Us one of my favorite games of 2025 and one of the best of the last 10 years for me in the genre.

Nacon provided us with a Hell is Us PS5 code for review purposes.