Hell
- November 13, 2014
- Hunted Cow Studios
Get on Steam"Hell is a turn-based strategy game, available for single-player and multi-player, on PC and iOS. Players command the Order of Radiance or Demons of Hell, each with unique abilities, across vivid landscapes in an epic campaign of 20 levels. Intense skirmish combat and stunning visuals offer a tactical challenge for strategy enthusiasts."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a variety of unique units and factions, providing tactical depth and diverse gameplay options.
- The graphics are colorful and appealing, reminiscent of classic fantasy games, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience.
- The skirmish mode and multiplayer options add replay value, allowing players to engage in custom battles and challenges.
- The user interface is clumsy and unintuitive, making navigation and gameplay frustrating at times.
- Units cannot pass each other, leading to tactical limitations and hindering strategic movement on the battlefield.
- The campaign missions can be excessively difficult, particularly the first mission, which may deter new players from progressing.
- gameplay25 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews for the game are mixed, with some players appreciating the deep tactical mechanics, such as terrain bonuses, morale systems, and unit support, which offer a challenging experience for strategy enthusiasts. However, many criticize the overall execution, citing issues like crashes, lack of multiplayer options, and a flat storyline that detracts from the gameplay experience. While the game has potential with its complex mechanics and strategic depth, it suffers from technical shortcomings and a lack of engaging content.
“You get terrain bonuses and penalties, and the maps lend themselves well to strategic gameplay.”
“The game mechanics are pretty good with an interesting mix of different unit skills, individual level up, and tactics based around flanking, support, and elevation.”
“Published by Slitherine, it's no surprise that Hell is a highly addictive turn-based strategy game that offers challenging gameplay for even the most battle-tested tacticians among us.”
“Overall, I played 3 scenarios earning all stars, but the setting did not attract me, and the mechanics were another downturn.”
“Crashes, unfulfilling gameplay, a complete lack of multiplayer/level editor, and a flat story will prevent me from finishing this game that I have owned for years now.”
“The gameplay makes it feel like it was ported from a tablet... so bad it hurts.”
- story20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as clichéd and lacking depth, serving primarily as a backdrop for a series of standalone missions rather than a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the presence of two full-length campaigns with a solid storyline, many criticize the generic universe and the limited impact of the story on gameplay. Overall, the narrative fails to engage players deeply, often overshadowed by gameplay frustrations and a lack of meaningful choices.
“The game offers a solid storyline that plays out over two full-length campaigns, one having players defend the mystical realm using the armies of 'the Order of Radiance' and the other commanding hordes of the 'Demons of Hell' to prevent being vanquished from the lands.”
“These campaigns are broken down into individual missions, or skirmishes, and offer individual battle achievements for each map to further challenge players.”
“It is a story-driven game at the strategic level; you fight one tactical scenario/battle after another, each increasing in difficulty and number of enemies.”
“Each scenario is entirely stand-alone, with only some weak background story ties them into a campaign.”
“The storyline is a typical overlay that doesn't lend much to the actual gameplay, which consists of a series of progressively more difficult skirmishes.”
“Crashes, unfulfilling gameplay, a complete lack of multiplayer/level editor, and a flat story will prevent me from finishing this game that I have owned for years now.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their colorful and aesthetically pleasing design, with rich and vibrant maps and models that enhance the overall experience. However, a significant drawback is the stretching of certain graphics when using non-4:3 screen resolutions, which affects unit information screens and menu graphics. While the visuals are considered good by wargame standards, they maintain a board game feel that may not appeal to those seeking AAA graphics.
“The maps and models are simple and beautiful, making the overall aesthetic colorful and easy on the eyes.”
“While the maps (and the graphics in general) are amazingly rich and lustrous for this type of game, they are so much more.”
“Although this is not usually important to wargamers, the graphics are pretty good by wargame standards, very pleasant and colorful to look at.”
“There is one major flaw I can't believe exists in a game released in 2014, and that is that some of the graphics in the game are stretched if you use any screen resolution that is not of a ratio of 4:3.”
“These graphics include, for example, all unit information screens shown when you move the mouse cursor over a unit or ctrl-click on a unit, some icons, as well as all menu graphics and campaign description background graphics.”
“Graphics are typical Slitherine affair with a board game feel to them, which is plenty for strategy gamers who have been playing war games since the days of board games.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's music is praised for being inspiring and engaging, effectively enhancing the gameplay experience without becoming tiresome. While the soundtrack features a simple repetitive motif, it serves as a motivating backdrop that complements the game's overall atmosphere.
“Some of the other nice features about this game include good background music and sound effects, attractive graphics including battle animations, a cross-platform multiplayer feature, a skirmish mode, a rotating camera with smooth controls to enable better views of the battlefield, and an editing tool to create custom maps and campaigns.”
“Music is inspiring and never tiring, acting like a battle tonic to keep me playing.”
“The soundtrack consists of 3 notes played repetitively.”
“The music is uninspired and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game's replayability could be significantly enhanced with a few quality-of-life improvements, such as displaying enemy move ranges and targets, adding more spells, and including an undo button. Additionally, the inclusion of a skirmish mode is highlighted as a positive factor that contributes to replay value.
“+ skirmish mode (replay value)”
“It's a shame, because a few life improvements could really make it more playable: show the move range and targets for enemy units, a couple more spells (direct damage), and an undo button.”
“+ Skirmish mode adds some replay value.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's focus on engaging combat rather than traditional XP farming, highlighting its "skirmish" style of strategic warfare that prioritizes action over tedious grinding often seen in grand strategy games.
“Fight to the death instead of XP farming!”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The game often forces you into monotonous tasks that feel more like a chore than fun.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game experiences frequent stability issues, particularly with the tutorial, which often glitches and disrupts the user experience.
“The tutorial glitches out regularly.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to progress.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops during gameplay.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game falls flat, as users find the demons neither frightening nor amusing, resulting in a lackluster comedic experience.
