HELLION
- October 21, 2019
- Zero Gravity
- 15h median play time
Get on Steam"HELLION is a Science Fiction Simulation game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, including co-op and PvP. The game boasts a good plot, spectacular gameplay, and wonderful visuals, but is hindered by numerous bugs, optimization issues, and grinding. Despite a bumpy start, HELLION delivers a unique and complex multiplayer space survival experience."
Reviews
- Unique and immersive space survival experience with realistic physics.
- Ongoing community support and development efforts through the Hellion Rescue Project.
- Challenging gameplay that rewards patience and strategic thinking.
- Game is riddled with bugs and stability issues, making it frustrating to play.
- Development has been abandoned, leaving the game in an unfinished state.
- Steep learning curve with minimal guidance, leading to a high rate of player frustration.
- gameplay353 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its unique mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and challenging survival elements, particularly in terms of realistic orbital and zero-gravity physics. However, significant criticism has been directed at the numerous bugs, clunky controls, and lack of clear tutorials, which detract from the overall experience and make the game feel unfinished. While some players find the gameplay rewarding after overcoming its steep learning curve, others feel it is tedious and frustrating, especially given its early access status and the need for further development.
“The mechanics are outstanding and despite having an appeal to a smaller crowd and not ever going mainstream on console platforms.”
“The gameplay and simulation are amazing (there are a few bugs), and the controls are reasonable.”
“Unique mechanics and very challenging gameplay - an excellent survival game!”
“However, the gameplay has its faults because it never even made it out of early access.”
“The problem was they couldn't get the mechanics to ever work initially, and had to basically redo a lot of the core code.”
“The docking mechanics are the worst I've ever seen; the UI for it is horrible and unintuitive.”
- stability243 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players describe it as a "buggy mess," with issues ranging from character teleportation to frequent crashes and unresponsive controls. While some find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, the consensus is that it remains in an unfinished and unstable state, making it difficult to recommend for those seeking a polished experience.
“The game is now at a point where I believe it is playable and much more user-friendly, though not completely bug-free.”
“If you prefer a feature-finished, bug-free game, then it's best to wait.”
“If you're a fan of Star Citizen (which also has bugs) or Elite Dangerous (which doesn't have legs), then you will most likely enjoy this when it's functioning well.”
“The game is a broken, buggy, abandoned mess; it in no way deserves a positive review.”
“It's a buggy mess that will never leave early access.”
“The game is in a buggy, unfinished state, yet the devs are still selling it on Steam as a finished complete product.”
- graphics178 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their beauty and attention to detail, particularly in creating an immersive space environment. However, several users report significant optimization issues, leading to performance problems and graphical downgrades in recent updates. Overall, while the visuals are often described as stunning, the game's performance and stability detract from the overall experience.
“The graphics are beautiful, the physics are amazing, and the functionality keeps getting better and better.”
“Amazing game, stunning visuals.”
“Let me first say that the concept and graphics for this project are every bit of what it shows in the previews and screenshots: phenomenally breathtaking!”
“Graphics are worse than ever; everything looks like it's from a PlayStation 2 game.”
“The 'rude awakening' part is about the severe downgrade of graphics from the previous patch to now.”
“Overall, this game has promise, but due to them focusing more on the visuals than the actual game, the game is tanking.”
- story135 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is often criticized for being incomplete and riddled with bugs, leading to frustrating experiences for players trying to progress through quests. While some players appreciate the atmosphere of isolation and the potential for an engaging narrative, many report that the lack of polish and frequent technical issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the story elements show promise but remain underdeveloped and inconsistent, leaving players eager for more substantial content and fixes.
“It's story element also does a very good job boxing you into feeling abandoned, desperately trying to find a living soul, other than the player.”
“I got sucked in, and survived and looked forward to any snippet of story with each new wreck, listening post or abandoned ship.”
“The game features an interesting story, and the dialogue currently existing, along with the tidbits of lore, is not badly done.”
“The game has no story and therefore no reason to play.”
“The developers did not finish the story as far as I can tell, but I cannot get far as the second mission in the game has objectives that are badly coded so that when you reach your objective, the game doesn't recognize it and you are unable to proceed any further.”
“It's rife with bugs, has no complete story, etc., exactly what you'd expect from a very incomplete game.”
- optimization81 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including fluctuating frame rates and frequent crashes. Despite some players experiencing decent performance on specific hardware, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, riddled with bugs, and requires significant improvements before it can be considered playable. Many reviewers recommend waiting for further updates and optimizations before diving in.
“Although currently focusing on optimization and bug fixing, unlike others, they have loads of plans for this game.”
“The game has taken huge steps in optimization and runs a good FPS (with shadows rendering off) on my old GPU tech.”
“Update: now the 4th of October, the game has had a huge content update that added way more features with the content list growing by the update, also after shifting to an i5 based machine with a GTX 1050 the game runs silky smooth on mid settings.”
“Great start of a game, but here we are 2 years later and the game is still riddled with game-breaking bugs and extremely poor optimization + terrible net code.”
“The state of the game at this moment is simply awful, the performance is awful, the netcode is awful and there are countless bugs.”
“Games like this are why early access is, for the most part, terrible; the system requirements are a joke. If you even try to launch this game on minimum specs, it'll crash. Some of the worst optimization I've ever seen.”
- atmosphere67 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and realistic depiction of space, featuring stunning visuals, detailed sound design, and a sense of isolation that enhances the survival experience. Many players highlight the effective use of lighting and sound to create tension, particularly during moments of danger, such as hull breaches. Despite some technical issues, the overall atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, offering a captivating and engaging environment for players.
“But man... the atmosphere is absolutely incredible.”
“This game captured the atmosphere of a space survival sim so well for me that I have yet to find in another game in the genre.”
“They have done a magnificent job with the atmosphere and as far as I am concerned their version of space, physics, pressurization and resource gathering is one of the most immersive and realistic experiences that I have ever had in a space sim.”
“The lack of sound and the red warning lights when you lose atmosphere in a module is scary as hell, as you scramble for a helmet or are trying to patch said breach.”
“Apparently in less than 24 hours you can accumulate enough damage to cause breaches in modules that will vent all of the atmosphere, making it utterly pointless and wasteful to pressurize your base.”
“However, despite a well-nurtured atmosphere, there is little else to offer at the moment.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, often leading to frustration among players. While some appreciate the realism it adds to the survival experience, many find the slow pace and clunky mechanics detract from enjoyment, making it a challenge to progress without significant investment of time and patience. Overall, the grinding is seen as a major hurdle that can overshadow the game's potential.
“Do not buy this game, the 'unique' gameplay is tedious and not very fun.”
“It is not a fast-paced game; it is slow and tedious and would be rewarding if you could hold on to what you have struggled to collect.”
“It's not a game for those without superhuman patience; it's extremely tedious and the flight is extremely clunky.”
- humor21 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous bugs and glitches, which players find amusing despite their frustration. Many users report hilarious moments, such as unexpected teleportations and chaotic interactions with the environment, which contribute to a lighthearted experience, especially when playing with friends. Overall, while the game is still in alpha and plagued by issues, the comedic potential of these mishaps adds a unique charm to the gameplay.
“Get it and play it with a friend, some of the accidents you will have are almost priceless and funny.”
“Your carefully crafted space station is subjected to some hilariously inane concept of 'realism', which means it's constantly bursting into flames in random sections, being depressurized, or just plain degrading.”
“Artificial gravity makes an appearance here, and while the science behind it is hand-waved, it's pretty hilarious to watch yourself tumble head over heels down a wall when you float down a zero-g corridor only to realize you've entered a room with gravity upside-down.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the updates that enhance playability and learning opportunities, while others criticize persistent bugs and performance issues that hinder enjoyment. While dedicated servers can improve the experience, some users feel the game lacks substantial content to warrant repeated playthroughs. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but it heavily depends on ongoing updates and individual player experiences.
“There is a team working to keep it alive and modifying the game to make it more playable with updates.”
“It has a lot of replayability, so dying is more of a chance for learning.”
“It definitely still has its bugs, but I can't say that's too much of an issue since the game is a lot more playable than it was.”
“No updates ever made the game more playable.”
“Replayability: due to its rather unsubstantial nature, I see no way to play Hellion again and again with my playstyle.”
“The previous updates were playable; however, with the latest update running a 1080 GTX Gaming X video card, I get 1 FPS and it is wholly unplayable.”
- music12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its cinematic quality, particularly in the trailer, while others feel it fails to enhance the gameplay experience. Many users express disappointment over the lack of effective music integration, suggesting that it does not convey the intended mood and leaves players feeling disconnected. Additionally, there are calls for improved audio options, such as sliders for music and sound effects, to enhance overall immersion.
“Play this game while listening to interstellar soundtracks to fully experience the danger; this game wants to kill you.”
“Music good, intro video quality meh.”
“Improved options such as music and game sound sliders would enhance the experience, and from what I can tell, there's in-game VOIP, so a slider for that would be nice as well.”
“I feel really left out in the cold with this one... if I were a developer, I for one would use music effects to convey mood.”
“Only good thing about it is their cinematic trailer, and even then only for the music.”
“And it doesn't even work for music, so you're stuck with the semi-loud menu music, lovely.”
- monetization9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has been criticized as feeling like a cash grab, especially given the disparity between the game's promotional material and its actual content. While some users see potential in the game, they express disappointment over the lack of truth in advertising and the perception that it prioritizes profit over player experience. Overall, there are concerns about the game's long-term viability and whether it will deliver on its ambitious promises.
“It felt like a cash grab too, especially when three of my friends had just purchased the game (full price) a few months before.”
“Quick cash grab.”
“As yet I see this game with a ton of potential, placeholders for future content are abundant, only time will tell if it's a diamond or another rust abandoned over overly ambitious developers going for a cash grab.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a significant emotional disconnect in the game, with some players feeling that it could have been a deeply moving experience if completed, while others express frustration over technical issues that detract from emotional engagement. The distorted voice of an NPC is noted as particularly jarring, undermining the intended emotional impact of the narrative. Overall, the game struggles to deliver a cohesive emotional experience, leaving players feeling frustrated rather than moved.
“It would be heartbreaking.”
“I... I mean, it's heartbreaking that this game couldn't be finished, because it's an incredible experience.”
“The first NPC you hear in story mode will probably get on your nerves, not because she does a bad job at acting, but because the devs decided to amplify the voice and distort it; it is loud and disturbing to hear, and it breaks the emotional delivery of her lines.”
