The Haunted: Hells Reach
- October 24, 2011
- Signo & Arte
"The Haunted: Hells Reach" is a third-person action horror game with a focus on multiplayer. Players can team up in co-op mode to liberate cursed places from Hell's minions, or battle against each other in humans vs demons matches. With 8 large environments, upgradable weapons, and custom level support, the game aims to deliver an intense and exhilarating experience. Powered by Unreal Engine, it features distinct game modes, level events, and hidden items.
Reviews
- The game features fast-paced, satisfying combat with a variety of weapons and a fun melee system, making it enjoyable to play, especially with friends.
- Graphics are surprisingly good for an indie title, and the game has a charmingly cheesy atmosphere with humorous one-liners from characters.
- The weapon upgrade system adds depth to gameplay, allowing players to enhance their arsenal as they progress through waves of enemies.
- The game suffers from a lack of content and can become repetitive quickly, especially in single-player mode, leading to diminished replayability.
- Multiplayer is nearly dead, making it difficult to find matches or play with others unless you have friends to join you.
- The final boss fight is often described as tedious and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience of the game.
- gameplay38 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a fast-paced, satisfying combat loop reminiscent of titles like "Killing Floor" and "Gears of War," featuring smooth controls and a variety of weapons that enhance the experience. While some players note issues like stiff animations and a lack of depth, the overall mechanics are praised for their fun and challenging nature, making it enjoyable for both beginners and veterans. The cooperative aspect encourages teamwork, although some find it more rewarding when played solo due to its difficulty.
“My favorite thing about the gameplay is the relentless pace; once you down your first enemy, things stay at 100 until you and your squad finish the wave or you all die.”
“The gameplay is fun and easy to learn; the action is intense, and just from the little I've played so far, it is one of the best shooters ever because of how fluid the combat is.”
“Amazing monster design, layered level design, satisfyingly brutal gameplay, with all the B-movie cheese one could ever want, all for less than a nice pizza.”
“Don't expect deep gameplay.”
“I came home wanting to play some Haunted Hells Reach and when I start up the game and start playing I notice the gameplay was different and a lot slower.”
“If you took the worst gameplay elements of all time and threw them together, this is what it would be.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many reviewers noting that they are solid and enjoyable, though not cutting-edge. While some describe the visuals as reminiscent of older titles, they appreciate the overall aesthetic and atmosphere, highlighting the decent character and weapon designs. Overall, the graphics are considered good for an indie game, contributing positively to the fast-paced and entertaining gameplay experience.
“The graphics are surprisingly good.”
“Great sounds, graphics, and atmosphere.”
“Visuals, level design, and dynamic effects are impressive.”
“Graphically, the game sorta uses the basic 2006 cr*p filter, similar to the Gears games, but other than that it looks and feels like Unreal Tournament (note: it's a UT modification).”
“The visuals are easy to look past, and the soundtrack is pretty average too - like I suggested, mute it and play that Doom record.”
“There isn't much to say about the graphics except that you need to be reminded.”
- story18 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional story, with no character development or plot, focusing instead on straightforward survival and combat mechanics. While some players appreciate the fun gameplay, they note that it can become repetitive quickly without any narrative depth or progression elements. Overall, the absence of a story is acknowledged but not seen as a significant drawback for those seeking a purely action-oriented experience.
“Which is not putting this game down in any way, but if you're looking for something with more depth or story.”
“Don't expect a long drawn-out story with loads of dialogue and character development.”
“No plot, just shoot and shoot some more.”
“The actual gameplay is fun, but it's lacking in direction. If there was some kind of story mode and maybe some real movies/cutscenes, it would have been much better, but alas this is more of a multiplayer shoot-to-score kind of game.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its hilarious character dialogue, edgy one-liners, and amusing voice acting, which contribute to an overall lighthearted and entertaining experience. Players appreciate the game's silly tone and find joy in its absurdity, despite some criticisms regarding animations and content depth. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay, making it a fun choice for those seeking a comedic twist in their action games.
“I truly loved it, it's such a funny game I should've bought it a long time ago...”
“Character voices are hilarious with their accent and trash talking.”
“Such a silly but funny game, if you have the spare money and feel like some quick action fun then this is for you!”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's music features a wild west theme that provides a calm backdrop to the action, but many players find it repetitive and average, suggesting that it might be better to mute it and play alternative soundtracks, like the Doom OST, for a more engaging experience. Overall, while the music complements the gameplay, it does not stand out significantly.
“The music in the game has a wild west theme and offers a nice calm melody in the background while you are battling hundreds of demons.”
“If you are looking for a fast-paced splatter, this is probably one of the best I have seen, where art, animations, music, sound effects, and character voices are wisely combined to create a unique experience.”
“The visuals are easy to look past, and the soundtrack is pretty average too - like I suggested, mute it and play that Doom record.”
“Unfortunately, the music can sometimes be a little too repetitive.”
“And second is to buy a four-pack of this game when it's on sale (or not, if you are feeling generous), mute the in-game music and play some Doom OST in the background - and kick demon butt.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with users praising its impressive sounds, graphics, and lighting, contributing to an engaging experience. Overall, it has been rated around 7/10, indicating a solid but not exceptional atmospheric quality.
“Great sounds, graphics, and atmosphere.”
“The lighting and atmosphere are nice.”
“Atmosphere 7/10”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere lacks any real tension or excitement, leaving me feeling disconnected.”
“The environments are visually appealing, but the overall atmosphere is flat and fails to evoke any emotional response.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly during boss fights like the Abaddon encounter, which can lead to frustration and boredom. Many reviewers suggest that the game fails to innovate in this area compared to other titles, making the grinding experience feel unfun and overly drawn out, especially when playing solo.
“The Abaddon fight is tedious and grating at best, and frustrating and unfun at worst.”
“It's one of the most repetitive and infuriating games I've played; it's tedious, boring, and there are many other games that do what this game is trying to do in vastly better ways.”
“If you play it alone, the waves become tedious and many times the actions become too repetitive.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it limited, particularly when skipping certain content, others praise it for its engaging mechanics and variety, offering a high replayability score due to its multiplayer options and diverse gameplay elements.
“Replayability 10/10”
“It has violence, it has plenty of guns, it has plenty of demons, and it's a timeless survival game with plenty of replayability, solo or with friends.”
“The only way that I've managed to have fun with this game is to play the inferno mode and just exit after encounter 4, skipping Abaddon altogether, but that leaves very little replayability.”
“The game lacks meaningful content to encourage multiple playthroughs, making it feel repetitive after the first run.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's not much incentive to dive back in, as the side quests feel uninspired and the world doesn't change.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant issues with stability, citing numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Many express disappointment in the game's performance, particularly in single-player mode, where repetitive elements and a lack of valuable content further exacerbate the instability.
“I must say that I expected to encounter a lot of bugs and glitches.”
“There are numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the experience.”
“The game is plagued by repetitive bugs and glitches, offering no value in the single-player mode.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally rated as decent, with a score of 7/10, indicating that while most players do not experience significant lag, performance can vary based on individual setups and upgrades.
“Performance 7/10 - I've never experienced much lag; mileage may vary.”
“Upgrades are performance-related, in my opinion.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues that hinder the overall experience.”
“I constantly experience frame drops and stuttering, which makes it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in this game is minimal, with users noting that it lacks extensive storytelling and dialogue. Players should not anticipate a deep exploration of characters or their growth throughout the game.
“Don't expect a long, drawn-out story with loads of dialogue and character development.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any real growth throughout the game.”
“There is minimal backstory provided, making it hard to connect with the characters.”