Helheim Hassle
- July 20, 2020
- Perfectly Paranormal
Helheim Hassle is a genuinely funny game with a dark sense of humour that holds up throughout a series of creative and silly puzzles.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Helheim Hassle" is a narrative adventure game where you play as a pacifist Viking, Bjørn, who dies and gets taken to Valhalla. Use Bjørn's ability to detach and combine limbs to solve puzzles and negotiate your way out of going to Valhalla. The game features 14 levels, 90+ puzzles, and 3,700 lines of dialogue performed by 24 actors.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Helheim Hassle features a unique and creative body-manipulation mechanic that adds depth to the puzzle-solving experience.
- The game is filled with charming characters and humorous dialogue, making for an entertaining narrative that keeps players engaged.
- It offers a variety of puzzles and side quests, providing ample content for completionists and those who enjoy exploration.
- The final boss battle is frustratingly difficult and relies on precise controls that feel inconsistent compared to the rest of the game.
- Some puzzles can become tedious, particularly those that require excessive backtracking or have unclear solutions.
- The controls can be clunky and take time to get used to, which may detract from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- humor110 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness, dry sarcasm, and engaging characters, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the mix of absurdity and charm, with many moments eliciting genuine laughter, though some feel the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game is described as a funny and entertaining puzzle platformer that successfully combines humor with gameplay mechanics.
“Amazingly funny, you should buy it!”
“Helheim Hassle is a genuinely funny game with a dark sense of humor that holds up throughout a series of creative and silly puzzles.”
“The humor is unique, the characters are interesting, and it never stops to amaze with its quirkiness.”
- story64 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players praising its humor, engaging characters, and clever puzzles that enhance the overall experience. However, some players express frustration over being locked out of significant content due to early decisions, leading to a disappointing conclusion after investing considerable time. Overall, while the narrative is entertaining and well-crafted, the execution can leave players feeling unsatisfied.
“The game is full of funny characters, clever puzzles that really teach you the fundamentals of the game and allow you to experiment a lot to get the optional collectibles and an exciting story with good set pieces.”
“So far the story has been nothing but engaging, constantly introducing hilarious and charming characters that are easy to fall in love with.”
“This game will take you on an adventure through solving puzzles and great storytelling.”
“Unfortunately, it's left such an ugly taste in my mouth on reaching the end of the main quest that I can't recommend it.”
“It's galling to have sunk 15 hours into a game only to discover by looking online that something I did in the first couple of hours was the wrong thing to do, and that I've been locked out of huge parts of the game: characters I can't meet, places I can't go, and quests that will sit forever in my quest log but cannot be completed.”
“Helheim Hassle is an above average game that has a campaign that's a bit too long and a final boss fight that is brutally difficult due to clumsy controls not meant for 'fraction of a second' mission critical inputs.”
- gameplay46 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized by its unique and charming body-manipulation mechanics, which allow players to detach and use their limbs creatively to solve puzzles and navigate the environment. While the game features a variety of fun and engaging challenges, some players find the controls can be fiddly and the learning curve steep, particularly for the final boss. Overall, the combination of humor, solid puzzle design, and exploration elements contributes to an enjoyable experience, despite some minor frustrations.
“Good gameplay with solid puzzles, comedy that hits far more often than misses, generally enjoyable characters, and a whole lot of sidequests and exploration.”
“Gameplay is unique and original with a fun and wacky concept of detaching your limbs and using them to your advantage.”
“A highly original puzzle-platformer with a compelling body-manipulation mechanic at its heart.”
“The implementation of mechanics (especially the number of buttons I need to press to throw the hand, not the head, when the body is complete) and tedious puzzles are main cons, but I still enjoy the game.”
“Helheim Hassle's particular sense of humour and occasionally fiddly controls might make you bristle from time to time, but you'll keep plugging away thanks to its inspired mechanics and varied challenges.”
“The gameplay can feel tedious at times, especially with the puzzles that require excessive button presses.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their polished and aesthetically pleasing art style, which successfully balances charm and modern design. Reviewers appreciate the clean and consistent graphic design, noting that it enhances the overall experience and keeps players engaged. The unlockable artwork and well-executed visuals contribute to a captivating atmosphere that encourages interest in future titles from the studio.
“The art style is very pleasing to the eye, a smoother and more polished look that still maintains the previous game’s charm.”
“The aesthetic is great, clean and consistent.”
“It manages the fine art of balancing challenges, witty banter with beautiful visuals that will hold on to your attention.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric quality and effective use of leitmotifs, which enhance character immersion. Reviewers particularly highlight the impressive soundtrack, noting that it contributes significantly to the overall experience.
“The soundtrack is amazing too, I especially love its usage of leitmotifs that really helps to get more immersed in the characters.”
“Good game, really liked the atmosphere of it, the characters, the voice acting, and the music.”
“I did, the Fafnir song took me a moment to get.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly the repetitive puzzles and mechanics, to be tedious, with even characters expressing frustration about the monotony. Despite these drawbacks, many still enjoy the overall experience, highlighting the game's humor and clever design.
“Even the characters complain about how tedious the whole game is.”
“The implementation of mechanics (especially the number of buttons I need to press to throw the hand, not the head, when the body is complete) and tedious puzzles are main cons, but I still enjoy the game.”
“Some puzzles, such as the chase sequences, the snow level, and the force fields, become tedious.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional responses to the game are mixed; while some players find it fresh, fun, and wholesome, others express feelings of frustration and discomfort, possibly linked to gameplay mechanics or controller choices. Overall, the game strikes a balance between challenge and enjoyment, though individual experiences may vary significantly.
“Fresh, fun, and fully wholesome all around.”
“It felt the right amount of challenging without being frustrating, and that includes tightly parametrized body parts and combinations that never made me feel like I was fighting the engine instead of the puzzle.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered stable with no significant bugs or glitches reported, contributing to a generally positive experience. However, some users noted that map navigation can be cumbersome and occasionally buggy, which detracts from the overall stability.
“Map navigation is cumbersome and occasionally buggy.”
“The game would have been a low 7/10 (5 being an average game with no bugs but not creative or interesting with mild amusement), as it has an amusing set of stereotypical goofy characters, mostly great voice acting, a fun gimmick, and no noticeable bugs or glitches.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting the engaging characters, excellent voice acting, and captivating music that contribute to a beautiful and immersive experience. Players appreciate the combination of solving puzzles while enjoying a lighthearted and humorous environment.
“Good game, really liked the atmosphere of it, the characters, the voice acting, and the music.”
“Do you want to solve cool puzzles in a beautiful atmosphere while laughing your ass off?”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game offers significant replayability, indicating that players can enjoy multiple playthroughs due to its varied content and mechanics.
“Even though I didn't play it all the way through, it looks like it has great replayability.”
“The game offers multiple paths and choices, making it highly replayable.”
“I love how each playthrough can feel completely different due to the various options available.”
Critic Reviews
Helheim Hassle review
Helheim Hassle brings a new take to the puzzle genre with a cast of amusing characters steeped in Norse mythology but with a new look. There is so much to do in Helheim Hassle you'll be hard pressed to be bored. It’s slightly let down by a random bug that caused me to restart from the beginning but it did only happen once so is likely a rarity.
80%Helheim Hassle Review
A highly original puzzle-platformer with a compelling body-manipulation mechanic at its heart. Helheim Hassle's particular sense of humour and occasionally fiddly controls might make you bristle from time to time, but you'll keep plugging away thanks to its inspired mechanics and varied challenges.
70%Helheim Hassle Review
Helheim Hassle oozes charm and is a fun, short light-hearted romp. Some minor frustrations do sour the experience but they’re the exception to the rule. It has great characters and is worth the price.
77%
