Hell Architect: Prologue

About

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 299 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game has a fun and unique concept of managing a hellish environment, combining elements of humor and resource management.
The art style and animations are engaging, adding to the overall charm of the game.
The gameplay loop is enjoyable, with a mix of building, resource management, and character interactions that keep players entertained.

The game suffers from clunky resource management and AI issues, making it frustrating to keep sinners productive and satisfied.
Many players feel the game lacks depth and content, leading to repetitive gameplay after a short period.
There are significant comparisons to 'Oxygen Not Included,' with some reviewers labeling it as a less polished and derivative version of that game.

gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant bugs, particularly in the tutorial, and a core loop that can feel repetitive and shallow. While some appreciate the unique aesthetic and potential for fun mechanics, others criticize the reliance on finite resources and the lack of depth compared to similar games like "Oxygen Not Included." Overall, the game shows promise but suffers from mechanical issues and a lack of engaging variety in its gameplay.
- “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.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The graphics of the game are described as a mix of decent and basic, with a charming 2D art style that some players find appealing, reminiscent of titles like "Oxygen Not Included." While the animations and aesthetics are praised, there are concerns about low resolution at higher settings and a lack of innovation in the overall visual presentation. Overall, the artwork is appreciated, but many reviewers feel it doesn't justify a higher price point given the game's mechanics.
- “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...”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
15%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny and well-executed, particularly appreciating the dark humor and cartoonish style. However, others feel that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with some aspects described as boring or mediocre. Overall, while many enjoy the comedic elements and animations, opinions vary on their effectiveness and originality.
- “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.”
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.”
- “I also assume the full game will have updates to more machines and things in the future, because so far it's pretty short story-wise.”
- “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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with users noting its quality and ability to evoke a sense of mischievous pleasure. The soundtrack complements the gameplay well, contributing to the overall enjoyment, while the voice acting and sound effects also receive positive mentions. However, some players find the heavy metal music at the start to be an unexpected and humorous touch.
- “I like the way the torture devices work to give you points/an extra form of money and I love the atmosphere of the game - especially the soundtrack.”
- “The artwork and music are pretty great; it's a fun concept for a 2D city miner/builder in the vein of Oxygen Not Included.”
- “Good voice acting and interesting music and sound effects.”
- “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.”
- “While the game is fun, the music can be jarring and repetitive.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
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 by avoiding generic elements.
- “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 hampered by poor optimization.”
- “Quality and performance are inconsistent, making it difficult to enjoy the game without constant technical interruptions.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
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 tasks to be a major drawback, as they detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The amount of time required to level up is frustrating, turning what could be an enjoyable experience into a chore.”
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 issues with hotkeys and specific interactions, such as misinterpreted clicks and incorrect descriptions, 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 the game 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 evokes a nostalgic and wholesome emotional experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Dungeon Keeper, which enhances their overall enjoyment.
- “I get such a Dungeon Keeper vibe off this, and it's so wholesome.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers express concerns about the game's replayability, indicating that significant changes are necessary to enhance the experience and encourage players to return.
- “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.”

Buy Hell Architect: Prologue

Hell Architect: Prologue
See offer on Steam

Videos

Honey, I Joined a Cult

2022

Casual Strategy

73%3.8kreviews

Endzone: A World Apart

2021

Survival Strategy

This game contains adult content

60%252reviews

Hell Architect

2021

Strategy

87%5.2kreviews

Settlement Survival

2022

Survival Strategy

83%1.2kreviews

Flotsam

2019

Survival City Builder

74%2.2kreviews

Aven Colony

2017

Survival City Builder

88%377reviews

Oxygen: First Breath

2022

Strategy

90%2.9kreviews

Ocean World: Eden Crafters Prologue

2024

Simulation

Surviving the Abyss

Action

71%1.2kreviews

Block'hood

2017

Simulation

Hell Architect: Prologue

Platforms

About

Buy Hell Architect: Prologue