Hell Architect: Prologue

About

Hell Architect: Prologue is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Woodland Games and was released on June 9, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Hell Architect Prologue is a free standalone version of the game 'Hell Architect'. This is beginning of a story where you start as a newbie manager of Hell. You are tasked with developing the underworld in a way that would make Lucifer himself fall off his chair. Let the Hell begin! Create a hell of your dreams - will it have the infamous 9 levels, or will you create your own chaos, the way you s…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 294 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and humorous concept of managing hell, which is both entertaining and engaging.
The graphics and sound design are well-executed, creating a fun and immersive atmosphere.
The gameplay mechanics are intuitive, allowing players to easily manage resources and sinners.

The prologue feels short and lacks depth, leaving players wanting more content and complexity.
There are several bugs and AI issues that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, such as sinners getting stuck or not fulfilling their needs.
The game is often compared unfavorably to 'Oxygen Not Included', with many reviewers feeling it lacks originality and depth.

gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and addictive, particularly praising its fun mechanics and aesthetic. However, many others criticize it for being repetitive, shallow, and plagued by bugs, particularly in the tutorial, which detracts from the overall experience. Key issues include a lack of depth in mechanics, resource management problems, and comparisons to other games like "Oxygen Not Included," leading to a perception that it fails to innovate despite its appealing premise.
- “The initial premise of the game really appealed to me with the platform farm/build mechanics plus the novel twist with the hell aspect.”
- “Very nice gameplay, I had a lot of fun to be honest.”
- “The core gameplay loop is fun and satisfying!”
- “Lots of bugs in the tutorial that made it unplayable, and the actual gameplay is unbearably boring.”
- “Good idea overall, but there are numerous mechanical issues that make the game annoying.”
- “A game-breaking mechanic is the need for dirt; once the dirt is gone, the food is gone, and your sinners die. This ultimately leads to a situation where you will be building something that implodes from lack of content.”
humor
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
14%
The humor in the game is a mix of dark and cartoonish elements, appealing to players with a taste for quirky, macabre comedy. While some find the humor engaging and well-integrated into the gameplay, others describe it as hit-or-miss, with certain jokes falling flat or feeling repetitive. Overall, the game's comedic style is appreciated by many, particularly for its amusing animations and unique hell-themed atmosphere.
- “Fun game with my kind of sick sense of humor.”
- “Very funny and you must be smart to manage all sinners and resources to build your dream hell!”
- “Interesting comic style, funny animations and cool gameplay mechanics.”
- “I played for 5 minutes and it just wasn't funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and didn't land at all.”
- “I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than comedic.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The graphics of the game are described as decent but basic, with a charming 2D art style that some players find appealing, reminiscent of titles like "Oxygen Not Included" and "Two Point Hospital." While the animations and artwork are praised, there are concerns about low resolution when zoomed in, and some reviewers note that the graphics may not justify a higher price point. Overall, the aesthetic is seen as fun and engaging, though it may lack originality in its design.
- “The game looks amazing in its 2D graphics and animations that seem to bring it to life.”
- “I really like the art style and the little cut scenes with the other devils.”
- “Beautiful 2D graphical city builder/colony sim that'll keep you busy for hours with a campaign, different scenarios, and a sandbox mode.”
- “The graphics are too basic.”
- “When zooming in on 2560x1440 resolution, the graphics looked very low res. I know it's hard to implement sprite scaling, but hopefully it's something that can be improved.”
- “That being said, I don't know that I'd shell out any more than 10-ish bucks for this batch of mechanics and graphics as it stands right now...”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story aspect is currently perceived as underdeveloped, with players expressing a desire for more quests and narrative depth beyond the prologue. While some appreciate the initial setup and animations, many feel that the lack of a quest log and limited content leads to repetitive gameplay, suggesting that future updates should enhance the story to better engage players. Overall, the narrative is seen as a weak point that could benefit from additional polish and complexity.
- “The amount of passion in building a little story throughout the tutorial and prologue is quite intriguing and overall it gave a very solid impression.”
- “The game perhaps needs more story, as I believe more flavor would help the game overall.”
- “Pretty easy to wrap your head around and the two available missions don't pressure you in the slightest, allowing you to take things at your own pace and admire the pathetic sinners' torment.”
- “I haven't seen any more quests or story progression, so I'm not really sure what to do at this point. I understand that this is a prologue to the full game, so right now I'm just repeating the same things.”
- “The game should have a quest log of some sort to keep the player interested and provide something to do other than repeating the same things over and over.”
- “For me, it lacks some more polish and story to hook in players.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and ability to evoke a sense of mischief and enjoyment. The soundtrack, combined with effective sound effects and voice acting, contributes significantly to the immersive experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the audio elements, including heavy metal influences, complement the game's dark themes and engaging gameplay.
- “The sounds are amazing, and the music is fantastic, enhancing the overall experience of this cool management game around sin, demons, and hell.”
- “I love the atmosphere of the game, especially the soundtrack, which perfectly complements the way the torture devices work to give you points and extra money.”
- “The artwork and music are pretty great, creating a fun concept for a 2D city miner/builder in the vein of 'Oxygen Not Included.'”
- “The heavy metal music that plays when I start the game is overwhelming and doesn't fit the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack feels out of place and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I find the music to be repetitive and uninspired, which makes it hard to stay engaged.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's optimization is praised for its attention to detail, including character traits that influence performance and visually appealing overlays for lighting and decoration, which enhance the overall experience and prevent a generic feel. Quality and performance are noted as strong points.
- “There is a lot of good detail, such as character traits that affect the performance of various duties, and overlays of effects on the map for light and decoration, which means you don't have a bunch of generic robots doing work.”
- “The optimization of quality and performance is impressive.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite the rich detail in character traits and environmental effects, the overall performance is hindered by poor optimization.”
- “Quality and performance are inconsistent, making it difficult to enjoy the game without constant technical interruptions.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the initial management mechanics somewhat confusing, but they become more intuitive with experience. The unique attributes of each character enhance the grinding experience, allowing for strategic farming that players appreciate.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the repetitive nature of grinding to be a major drawback, as it detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
- “The amount of time required for grinding is overwhelming, and it often feels like a chore rather than fun.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express concerns about the game's replayability, indicating that significant changes are necessary for it to offer a more engaging experience upon replay.
- “I'm unsure if they can make the big changes this game needs to have any replayability.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences really diminishes the replayability factor.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with minor bugs and glitches reported. Users have noted some unclear hotkeys and specific issues, such as misinterpreted clicks and incorrect descriptions in the sinner master list, but these do not significantly hinder gameplay.
- “The hotkey to pause is unclear at first, and there are a few bugs and glitches that I've noticed. For example, about 45 minutes in, when I left-click on a sinner to see their stats, it thinks I'm picking them up. Additionally, when I hover over the sinner master list (tab), it shows all descriptions as the description for a specific sin.”
- “Minor bugs and glitches, but plays well.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users appreciating its humor and the effective use of torture devices as a gameplay mechanic. The soundtrack also contributes significantly to the overall ambiance, enhancing the immersive experience.
- “I really like the atmosphere and humor.”
- “I love the atmosphere of the game, especially the soundtrack.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally engaging, drawing comparisons to the nostalgic and wholesome vibes of Dungeon Keeper, which enhances their overall experience.
- “I get such a Dungeon Keeper vibe off this, and it's so wholesome.”

Skip Game Offers

Buy Hell Architect: Prologue

Hell Architect: Prologue
See offer on Steam

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Hell Architect: Prologue

60%252reviews

Hell Architect

2021

Strategy

72%4kreviews

Endzone: A World Apart

2021

Survival Strategy

65%825reviews

Surviving the Abyss

2024

Survival Strategy

77%837reviews

Honey, I Joined a Cult

2022

Casual Strategy

83%1.4kreviews

Flotsam

2025

Survival City Builder

More games like Hell Architect: Prologue

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Hell Architect: Prologue is a strategy game.

Hell Architect: Prologue is available on PC and Windows.

Hell Architect: Prologue was released on June 9, 2021.

Hell Architect: Prologue was developed by Woodland Games.

Hell Architect: Prologue has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Hell Architect: Prologue is a single player game.

Similar games include Hell Architect, Endzone: A World Apart, Surviving the Abyss, Honey, I Joined a Cult, Flotsam and others.

Hell Architect: Prologue

Platforms

About

Buy Hell Architect: Prologue