Hellpoint

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,493 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • atmosphere
Hellpoint Game Cover
Hellpoint is an excellent take on the Souls-like formula that incorporates some fresh new ideas despite a few hiccups.
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"Hellpoint" is a horror RPG set on a derelict space colony with dark sci-fi elements and a disturbing atmosphere, featuring real-time orbiting around a black hole. Play as a Spawn of the Authority, uncovering the mystery of a quantic cataclysm in single-player, local/online co-op, or PvP. The game offers rich RPG mechanics, character builds, and dense interstellar intrigue, but beware of bugs and grinding.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,493 reviews
gameplay107 positive mentions
stability98 negative mentions
  • Unique sci-fi horror atmosphere reminiscent of Event Horizon and Dark Souls.
  • Engaging exploration with many secrets and interconnected areas.
  • Interesting weapon upgrade system that rewards players for using different weapons.
  • Frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
  • Clunky platforming mechanics that can lead to frustrating deaths.
  • Limited enemy variety and some bosses are reused as regular enemies.
  • gameplay354 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of innovative mechanics and frustrating design choices. While many players appreciate the unique weapon progression system and atmospheric world, they also criticize the clunky controls, poorly explained mechanics, and numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the game struggles with execution, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel both rewarding and frustrating.

    • “A riveting co-op souls experience: engage in a fun, cooperative souls-like gameplay with the potential for crafting impressive builds.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, the enemies are captivating, and the world is rich in beautiful locations.”
    • “The black hole mechanics really add an extra fun layer to the mix, and I found that using the effigies was a great addition, much like the bonfire ascetics from Dark Souls II.”
    • “Gameplay is rigid and poorly tuned.”
    • “From trying to dodge in a boss fight and a specific frame that causes your character to lock in place to the jump mechanic just not being polished whatsoever, it seems like this game had a lot of cool ideas and just not enough QA.”
    • “Direction for where to go or how to even use some gameplay mechanics are poorly explained, assuming they're explained at all.”
  • story222 mentions

    The story of Hellpoint is characterized by its intriguing yet often vague narrative, reminiscent of the Souls-like genre, where players must piece together lore through environmental storytelling and item descriptions. While some players appreciate the atmospheric and cryptic nature of the plot, others find it overly obtuse and lacking direction, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, the game offers a unique sci-fi horror setting with a rich backstory that rewards exploration, though it may not satisfy those seeking a straightforward narrative.

    • “The story is intriguing and it's becoming increasingly obvious that the developers have put a lot of thought into it.”
    • “I especially enjoyed how the story unfolded as we learned more and more by exploring the environment and reading notes, wall markings, items, etc.”
    • “The story, setting, and atmosphere are where this gem truly shine.”
    • “The game is not too heavy on the story, but it makes up for it with exploration and environmental storytelling.”
    • “The story, like Dark Souls, is mostly obscured and left to the player to piece together, which is fine.”
    • “The story wasn't fleshed out that well in the start; I didn't feel attached.”
  • atmosphere203 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, blending elements of sci-fi horror with a dark, oppressive ambiance reminiscent of titles like "Dead Space" and "Event Horizon." Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound design, level architecture, and environmental storytelling, which together create a captivating and eerie experience that encourages exploration. While some note occasional repetitiveness in environments, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances the gameplay and emotional engagement.

    • “The atmosphere and setting are an exquisite and oppressive mix of Hellraiser, Event Horizon, and you could pick just about any Lovecraft tale, but I’m going to go with The Colour Out of Space, with just a hint of Blade Runner and Terminator (only 1 & 2!) thrown in for flavor.”
    • “The atmosphere is a fantastic blend of cosmic horror and high fantasy.”
    • “The atmosphere is exceptionally well done; mysterious, eerie with horror 'Event Horizon' elements that are intense but not over-done.”
    • “The atmosphere and setting overshadow the story quite a bit as I felt the story was the weakest part.”
    • “Some environments can be repetitive and bleak, but in my opinion this only adds to the hopeless atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is dark, evil, and mysterious which adds a cool feel to the sci-fi nature of the space station.”
  • graphics193 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique aesthetic and atmospheric design that evokes a sci-fi horror vibe reminiscent of titles like "Dead Space" and "Dark Souls." While some players appreciate the visuals and art style, noting that they effectively contribute to the game's immersive experience, others criticize the graphics as dated or lacking polish, with occasional performance issues such as frame rate drops. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a strong point for those who value atmosphere, despite not being cutting-edge.

    • “The game flows well and has an incredible atmosphere along with some very nice graphics.”
    • “The aesthetic is great, the feeling of loneliness in a dark, abandoned and oppressive world is incredible.”
    • “The graphics are really good; it did well to set the mood that this was a technologically advanced space station.”
    • “Graphically, it feels more dated than even Dark Souls or the original Dead Space, and the layouts feel more like the arbitrary chaos of a Doom or Quake map, but huge.”
    • “The graphics are not going to blow you away but they do the job; some areas the frame rate does drop and needs polishing, and some confined spaces mess your camera up so you can't see anything.”
    • “The graphics are bleak.”
  • stability102 mentions

    The game's stability has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that range from mildly annoying to game-breaking. While some users note improvements since launch and find the issues manageable, others express frustration over persistent problems, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unpolished," with many hoping for further patches to enhance stability.

    • “Runs great even in splitscreen, which I'm currently enjoying with my girlfriend.”
    • “Runs great; fun combat.”
    • “The game looks and runs great, but it would be nice to have some better or more graphic options.”
    • “Incredibly broken game with glitches that are years old and were seemingly never addressed.”
    • “The game was released in an extremely buggy state, so much so that some people had difficulty even playing the game.”
    • “Corrupt save files losing all progress, buggy hit boxes, inventory wipes, and graphical issues really impact the overall experience.”
  • music88 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the overall experience, particularly during boss fights and exploration. While some players find the soundtrack haunting and fitting for the game's dark sci-fi themes, others criticize it as sparse or forgettable, noting that it often lacks presence outside of key moments. Overall, the music is seen as a significant contributor to the game's immersive atmosphere, despite some calls for more variety and consistency.

    • “I love the game and its atmosphere so much that I start crying just from the title music because I'm so happy to finally take a look again.”
    • “The soundtrack fits this game perfectly, and really adds to the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The music is amazing, specifically the music played when fighting the first boss.”
    • “The soundtrack feels fairly non-existent outside of boss fights, which to me is fine.”
    • “The soundtrack and sound design in this game is also lacking.”
    • “The audio constantly cuts out, music doesn't play when it's supposed to, rag dolled bodies fly everywhere, and there are some more serious bugs.”
  • optimization43 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting performance issues such as frame drops and clunky controls, particularly on certain platforms like macOS and Linux. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end rigs, others noted significant optimization flaws typical of Unity games, leading to inconsistent performance across different setups. Despite these challenges, many players still found the game enjoyable, suggesting that with further optimization, it could reach its full potential.

    • “Hellpoint is extremely well optimized too, I easily get a solid 144 fps at max settings on my laptop.”
    • “Back in 2020 there were some performance issues, but as of 2023 this game is patched up and running very smooth.”
    • “When it comes to performance: I'm currently using a rather old rig (i5, 1060, 16GB RAM, HDD) playing the game in 1080p with everything maxed out I got 0 frame dips, very fast loading times and a stellar picture quality.”
    • “The game is so poorly optimized, and I feel ultimately ripped off seeing as this cost me over $40 CAD--that's right, close to half the price of a AAA release but with this many problems.”
    • “If the developer fixed the game, I might be more positive, but seeing as I've found tons of posts about bad performance for months now with no fixes... hard to say I would recommend this, unless you can stomach random framerate drops.”
    • “The big issue I have been dealing with is this was originally a console game, and it seems that it was just straight out ported to PC without any PC optimizations.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, often describing it as tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the punishing mechanics and lack of efficient shortcuts. While some appreciate the strategic elements of grinding for upgrades and character development, many express frustration with the slow pace of combat and the necessity of backtracking, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, a few players note that grinding can be rewarding when it leads to overcoming challenging bosses or improving character strength.

    • “You can't expect players to throw 4 hours in the drain if they make a single mistake on their first run; it's not hard, it's just tedious.”
    • “The healing system feels like a worse version of Bloodborne's (which already had a grinding problem), and the secret boss highlights how horrible it really is in Hellpoint. For what appears to be the most difficult boss in the game, why in the world would you respawn me in the boss arena when every time you die you only come back with 2 healing charges?”
    • “Fighting enemies is more tedious than challenging, and this coupled with the game being overly punishing for mistakes makes it feel like a majority of the 'souls-like' difficulty is from you trying to balance being patient with not falling asleep.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the variety of builds, new game plus features, and multiple endings that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find it limited due to the ability to complete most content in a single run. Overall, the presence of secrets and different character builds offers significant replay value for those willing to explore, but some players feel that the game could benefit from more content to enhance replayability.

    • “Overall, the game has a really cool dark sci-fi atmosphere, a ton of secrets to explore, and solid build variety and replayability.”
    • “Insane amounts of replayability with different endings and new things to try out.”
    • “I've played maybe 7 different characters and made different builds for each one; it's really great to see the difference between them, which allows for plenty of replayability.”
    • “Little replayability; almost all items and quests can be gathered in one playthrough, and there's not much else to do.”
    • “A lot of replayability, trying new builds, unlocking different encounters in new game plus, and so on.”
    • “I’ve played maybe 7 different characters and made different builds for each one; it's really great to see the difference between them, which allows for plenty of replayability.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of hilarious glitches, amusing character animations, and unexpected antics, such as enemies breakdancing upon death and comical ragdoll physics. Players find joy in the game's janky elements, which often lead to funny situations, especially in co-op play, despite some minor frustrations. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted charm to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable even amidst its quirks.

    • “I don't mind that dead bodies spazz out on the ground and often fly away - in fact, I find it hilarious and kind of endearing.”
    • “Enemies that start doing breakdances when they die can be funny.”
    • “There is a fair amount of jank, some hilarious bugs, and a lot of artificial difficulty.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players report a strong emotional response to the game, particularly through feelings of anger reminiscent of the Dark Souls series, which enhances the overall experience. However, some criticize the incoherent voice acting, which detracts from the emotional depth of the characters and narrative, leaving players feeling disconnected. Overall, the game effectively evokes a sense of vulnerability, contributing to its emotional impact.

    • “If you enjoy soulslike games, get this one; it's absolutely a treat. The 'anger' it made me feel at times, due to my own mistakes, was one of the closest to the 'anger' that Dark Souls made me feel.”
    • “It made me feel small, and that, in my book, is effective.”
    • “The emotional weight of the game really resonated with me, making each victory feel earned and each defeat deeply felt.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is praised for its fun premise and interesting designs, offering a vast array of options for play style that encourages multiple playthroughs. While the setting and weapon variation are noted as decent, the overall depth of character development stands out as a key feature.

    • “The options for character development and play style are vast, and I think it will take several playthroughs to even touch on them all.”
    • “Fun premise, interesting character designs, and a nice atmosphere.”
    • “It has a good setting, good character design, and decent weapon variation.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful choices that impact the story.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any surprising ways.”
    • “Despite the vast options available, the actual depth of character development is lacking, making it feel more like a checklist than a genuine growth experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism, as players feel it is still in a beta state after four years, with a lack of developer engagement and a focus on promoting new titles instead of addressing existing issues.

    • “The game is good, but it feels like it's still in a beta state after four years, with no sign of the developers on Discord, aside from advertisements for their new Jumanji game.”
    • “The monetization system is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “I feel like the game is designed to push players towards microtransactions rather than rewarding them for their time and effort.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

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Play time

28hMedian play time
25hAverage play time
10-38hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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