Hell is Others
- October 20, 2022
- Strelka Games
- 6h median play time
Hell is Others is a brutal nightmare of a multiplayer game that will appeal massively to patient players who are willing to make the time investment.
Get on Steam"Hell is Others" is a hardcore extraction game set in a grim, blood-soaked city. Players must survive by hunting for blood to sustain themselves and their plants, while facing other players with similar goals. The game offers a unique progression system, allowing characters to develop through customizable items and resources found in the environment. Confrontation and survival are key in this relentless, endlessly looping experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique blend of top-down shooter and extraction mechanics, reminiscent of Tarkov and Hotline Miami.
- Engaging atmosphere with a quirky, Lovecraftian narrative that keeps players invested.
- Fast-paced gameplay with short match times, allowing for quick sessions and high replayability.
- Severe balance issues, often pitting new players against much higher-level opponents with better gear.
- Frequent disconnects and server issues that can lead to losing all progress and items.
- Limited inventory space and unclear quest markers can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- story252 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing and unique, blending elements of noir horror with humor, and allowing for immersive gameplay through its quests and character interactions. Players appreciate the cyclical nature of the narrative, which includes a prestige system for replayability, though some find the quest mechanics and character development lacking depth. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay experience, motivating players to engage with the world despite the challenges posed by its mechanics.
“The story is interesting and creative, it allows for immersion in the game's universe.”
“The story is very quirky and unique, and has a mix of unsettling moments and downright funny ones as well.”
“Great story integrated into the gameplay.”
“There is a basic storyline which unfortunately the majority will need to watch YouTube/Twitch to see the ending.”
“I've lost quest rewards because of this, and it really killed my desire to keep playing.”
“The game is designed to hinder the progress of new players since all the day 0 players have to do is camp the one or two places where new players have to visit to turn in the initial quests for the rewards that'll improve your stats.”
- gameplay214 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Hell is Others" is characterized by a fast-paced, extraction-based loop that combines elements of survival, looting, and player-versus-player interactions, set against a unique noir atmosphere. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and aesthetic design, some criticize the repetitive nature of gameplay and the steep learning curve for newcomers, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with potential for depth, but it may require further refinement to enhance player experience and balance.
“The in-match gameplay is fast-paced and tense, racing against a 12-minute timer to complete tasks while exploring and surviving the hostile city.”
“The gameplay loop is so addicting and the world and story keep you moving forward.”
“Great atmosphere, great gameplay, beautiful artwork.”
“The gameplay in 'Hell is Others' is about as repetitive as it gets.”
“Its lack of polish, repetitive gameplay, and uninspired atmosphere make it a game that is hard to recommend.”
“This game is very brutal to anyone who doesn't know any of the mechanics, which are not really explained in any decent time frame that doesn't involve having to spend hours of trial and error.”
- graphics84 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork, unique art style, and atmospheric design, particularly the pixel art and noir aesthetics. While some players appreciate the retro visuals and the overall aesthetic experience, others note issues with rough graphics and clunky controls that detract from enjoyment. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience.
“Fantastic design and art style.”
“The art style and its implementation in all its details is just amazing and adds quite a lot to the game's atmosphere.”
“Music and visuals are stunning and the game weaves its quests into the gameplay far more intuitively than the competition.”
“The graphics are rough and the controls are clunky, making for an overall unenjoyable experience.”
“For these graphics?”
“The graphics are rough and the controls are clunky, making for an overall unenjoyable experience.”
- atmosphere60 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, characterized by its unique noir aesthetic, immersive art style, and engaging sound design that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create tension and suspense through its setting and design, contributing to a captivating gameplay loop. However, some critiques mention that certain titles fall short in delivering a polished atmosphere, impacting their overall recommendation.
“Brilliant atmosphere, genius design.”
“The art style and its implementation in all its details is just amazing and adds quite a lot to the game's atmosphere.”
“One-of-its-kind atmosphere, engaging gameplay and what's actually the most important for me - the game has been very well-conceived.”
“In terms of atmosphere, 'Hell is Others' fails to deliver.”
“Its lack of polish, repetitive gameplay, and uninspired atmosphere make it a game that is hard to recommend.”
“The game is hard but in a good way, it has some rough edges (that are being fixed) but the atmosphere?”
- music18 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtracks as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. The combination of great music and stunning visuals creates a captivating atmosphere, making it a refreshing change from recent titles. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as the best part of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
“Anyway, fun little story, satisfying ending and oooooo that music, how can you not love it?”
“Great music and art, it is a breath of fresh air compared to recent games.”
“Music and visuals are stunning and the game weaves its quests into the gameplay far more intuitively than the competition, in my humble opinion.”
“The vibe, the art, the music—everything except multiplayer balancing is downright amazing.”
“Concept, atmosphere, and music were alright, but the difficulty?”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of dry wit and quirky moments, contributing to its addictiveness and unique storytelling. While some players find the humor annoying, many appreciate the stylish writing and the funny interactions that arise, especially in multiplayer settings. Overall, the humor adds a distinctive charm to the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.
“Absolutely addicting, stylish, hilarious writing, creative and sandbox-like combat.”
“Best played in duo (not easy to recognize each other but that leads to funny moments).”
“The story is very quirky and unique, and has a mix of unsettling moments and downright funny ones as well.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it is necessary for establishing a strong base and acquiring better gear, the new enemy difficulty can feel tedious and unengaging. However, many appreciate the depth and layers in the farming mechanics, noting that grinding is less frustrating compared to other games, despite the potential for devastating losses upon death. Overall, the combination of farming and story elements keeps players invested, even amidst the grind.
“But this new enemy difficulty didn't feel particularly engaging to fight against; it just felt tedious, especially when not being able to kill 'others' as fast would cause me to need to flee - straight into another 'other', or a crawling/sweeping thing, the most tanky 'thing' I had encountered until that point.”
“Like grinding to get some better gear only to disconnect and lose it all?”
“People like me and several others are running around with insane bullets farming newbies for their blood (currency).”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report a smooth experience with minimal issues, others encounter frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay and immersion, particularly in looting and inventory management. Overall, opinions vary significantly, with some praising the game's polish and quality assurance, while others find it frustratingly unstable.
“The game also suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that can ruin the immersion and make it difficult to progress.”
“Looting/inventory management is very uncomfortable and buggy, but it makes up most of the gameplay.”
“It glitches sometimes, which can be annoying.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, particularly in the single-player mode, thanks to its engaging systems and fun gameplay. Players consistently highlight the enjoyable experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
“This gives the game a ton of replayability even in just the single-player environment.”
“Super fun, high replayability, great game systems.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for enhanced character development and storytelling, particularly criticizing the repetitive nature of fetch quests that detract from deeper narrative engagement.
“The only thing this game needs is more story or character development, especially with the fetch quest loops.”
“The only thing this game needs is more story or character development, especially with the fetch quest loops.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for its surprisingly poor performance, especially considering it is a 2D sprite game. Users have expressed disappointment with the game's ability to run smoothly.
“Shockingly poor performance for a 2D sprite game.”
“Shockingly poor performance for a 2D sprite game.”
