HELLSEED

HELLSEED sounds like the name of a B-movie that's background noise in a cartoon. It's an over-the-top title that doesn't do much justice for a game that's supposed to be a horrifying puzzler. But that's only my humble opinion. Perhaps the sheer notion of entering a realm spawned from hell does terrify legions of players.

The game has been released in early access, meaning plenty can change about the title. But for now, we're curious to see what HELLSEED can bring to the table, considering there's nothing that suggests the narrative other than horticulture spawned by the devil. Let's see if this indie horror title will give us the thrill every genre fan seeks.

Questions Asked

If there's one thing HELLSEED gets correct for its ambitions straight away, the game environment sets the tone perfectly. The game aims to translate the aesthetic of photorealistic cinematography. It exploits every environmental asset to contribute to the terrifying atmosphere. Yes, immediately, you feel uncomfortable and have already set the path to succeed in scaring the bejeezus out of you.

However, as the game unfolds, it's clear that photorealism is more critical than piecing together a consistent video game. The narrative is spotty, set as an investigation of a missing colleague in a 1980s Turin mental hospital. The core storyline is downright cliched, right up to the point where you see your first crazed mental patients try to tear you apart.

There are plenty of little puzzles and lots of exploration potential to gather and unfold the mystery of your missing friend. However, too many gameplay ideas are loaded into the fray, switching from casual cognitive memory games to managing complex battle mechanics quickly. HELLSEED over incorporates mechanics, where frustration emerges from bugs due to the crammed delivery.

We have to remember the game is still in early access, and there are many things to work out. But we'll give HELLSEED that it makes an impression with its fantastically-curated game environment. Even with broken, overzealous mechanics, the game still manages to bring the scares. There's still potential to make a canon-worthy horror game here, but there are a lot of kinks to iron out.

Plenty of Hell, No Seed

How would we describe HELLSEED in its current state? It's like Amnesia: The Dark Descent paired with the jilted mechanics of Heavy Rain. The former setting the scene to bring the ultimate scare factor, with the delivery of inconsistent quick-time mechanics and unintuitive puzzles. That polarized pairing makes HELLSEED quite average, but it's not beyond saving.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Well-construed horror environment
• The cinematic theme of the game is well-implemented
• Plenty of scares about to meet genre expectations

Cons:

• The narrative is a bit contrived
• Too many game mechanics make gameplay a struggle
• Likely to face bugs throughout the game

We might be passed Halloween, but it’s always a good time for a horror game! Ghost, ghouls, and monsters can’t be confined to a single holiday, and horror video games are one of the best ways to get scared. And now, there is an excellent new game to give you nightmares: HELLSEED.

HELLSEED was developed and published by Profenix Studio SRLS, and aims to take players through a terrifying narrative that will visit you in your dreams for days to come. A spooky house, dark corners, and a ghost on the loose are just a few things you’ll need to deal with in this horror fest. Sound scary? If your knees are buckling at the thought of what this game has to show you, here is everything you need to know about HELLSEED.

A Story That Will Get Under Your Skin

HELLSEED takes place in Italy during the 1980s. Mysterious disappearances at a psychiatric hospital are starting to run rampant, and a top-tier detective has been enlisted to investigate. You are that detective.

In the midst of this investigation, you find yourself at the house of the doctor who disappeared. While searching for clues, a dark presence begins to materialize and follow you. Things go bump in the dark, and an oppressive atmosphere begins to unsettle you as you try to find the connection between this entity and the person you are looking for. Be careful though, one wrong step and this entity might just drag you to hell.

Chilling Graphics

HELLSEED is built on the S2ENGINE HD, which is capable of producing photorealistic visuals and environments. This is the perfect way to immerse you in the world of HELLSEED. If P.T. gave you nightmares, HELLSEED will definitely stay with you.

The extremely realistic location and objects that you interact with combine to create HELLSEED’s atmosphere, which itself is inspired by the classic horror films of Italy. That means in between jumpscares, you’ll be served up plenty of Italian culture references.

Intense Gameplay

The core of HELLSEED’s gameplay is the same as its story: the investigation. Collect clues from throughout the house to closely examine them, and keep them well-organized in your inventory to see if you can piece together this mystery. Having these clues at the ready will be important for the game’s many puzzles, and you’ll need to stay on your toes to successfully solve them.

Pros

• Impressive graphics and photorealistic environments
• Clever puzzles spread throughout
• Chase gameplay is exciting and exhilarating

Cons

• Can be difficult to navigate the house during chase sequences
• Inventory management is tedious