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
- Fast-paced and action-packed gameplay that keeps players engaged.
- Satisfying melee and gunplay mechanics with a variety of weapons and upgrades.
- Fun to play with friends, offering a chaotic and enjoyable co-op experience.
- The game can become repetitive quickly, lacking depth and variety in gameplay.
- Multiplayer community is nearly dead, making it difficult to find online matches.
- Technical issues and bugs can detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay59 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Haunted: Hells Reach" is characterized by fast-paced, arena-style shooting with a focus on cooperative play and wave-based enemy encounters, reminiscent of titles like "Killing Floor." While some players note issues such as janky animations and repetitive mechanics, many find the combat satisfying and fluid, enhanced by a variety of weapons and a rewarding health recovery system. Overall, the game offers an enjoyable experience, particularly in multiplayer, despite its simplicity and occasional lack of depth.
“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.”
“The pros of Haunted are clear: solid gameplay, tons of action and reflex-based thinking, mixed with a solid note of badassery.”
“Don't expect deep gameplay.”
“Repetitive gameplay.”
“If you took the worst gameplay elements of all time and threw them together, this is what it would be.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many reviewers noting that they are decent to good, especially considering the game's low budget and age. While some describe the visuals as showing signs of aging or not cutting-edge, others appreciate the solid performance and immersive atmosphere created by the graphics. Overall, the visuals are considered serviceable and enjoyable, contributing positively to the gameplay experience.
“The graphics are surprisingly good.”
“Great gameplay and great graphics, you get much more than you pay.”
“Awesome graphics, enough variety in enemies, fun melee combat, sliding ability, cool weapons that upgrade and are noticeably better when upgraded and much more stuff make the haunted: hell's reach a really enjoyable game.”
“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 graphics are decent enough, serviceable if you will, the animations aren't awful, and the textures for the environments are solid enough, though you don't have much time to admire because enemies come from everywhere.”
“Decent graphics starting to show their age.”
- story23 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional story or narrative, focusing instead on multiplayer gameplay centered around survival and combat. Players express a desire for a story mode or character development, noting that the gameplay can become repetitive without a deeper plot or progression elements. Despite these shortcomings, many find the core shooting mechanics enjoyable, making the experience worthwhile for those seeking straightforward action.
“Which is not putting this game down in any way, but if you're looking for something with more depth or story.”
“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.”
“Don't expect a long drawn-out story with loads of dialogue and character development.”
“Online only or imitation online with bots... there is absolutely no single player or story mode.”
“The actual gameplay is fun, but it's lacking in direction. If there was some kind of story mode and maybe some real cutscenes, it would have been much better, but alas this is more of a multiplayer shoot-to-score kind of game.”
- music10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a wild west theme with a calm melody that contrasts with the intense gameplay, but many players find it average and repetitive. Some recommend muting the in-game music and playing alternative soundtracks, like the Doom OST, for a more engaging experience. Overall, while the soundtrack complements the game, it may not stand out on its own.
“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.”
“Overall, Haunted is one of my longest-active games, simply because it's always fun to relax with techno/speedcore battle music while playing a round or two on nightmare difficulty.”
“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 gaming 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.”
“The music in the game is a wild west theme and offers a nice calm melody in the background while you are murdering hundreds of demons.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its cheesy dialogue, hilarious voice acting, and edgy one-liners, which many players find endearing despite the game's technical shortcomings. The combination of funny character interactions and over-the-top action contributes to a lighthearted experience that keeps players entertained, even if the gameplay may become repetitive over time. Overall, it’s a game that delivers laughs and a fun atmosphere, making it a worthwhile pick for those seeking a humorous shooter.
“I truly loved it, it's such a funny game I should've bought it a long time ago...”
“Many laughs playing this game... pretty funny cheesiness in the game but hey I love it!!!”
“Character voices are hilarious with their accent and trash talking.”
- grinding5 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, which can lead to frustration and boredom. While some achievements are relatively easy to obtain, one in particular is noted for being grindy, contributing to the overall sense of monotony in gameplay.
“It's one of the most repetitive and infuriating games I've played; it's tedious, boring, and I can give you a number of other games that do what this game is trying to do in vastly better ways.”
“By the way, if you play it alone, the waves become tedious and many times the actions become too repetitive.”
“So far this probably sounds a lot like Killing Floor, but unfortunately, the Abaddon fight is tedious and grating at best, and frustrating and unfun at worst.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly enjoyable with various modes and a strong emphasis on melee combat, others feel limited by the lack of player engagement and repetitive gameplay elements. Despite these concerns, many still appreciate the game's potential for solo and cooperative play, contributing to its replay value.
“A fabulous game with tons of replayability. It might at first feel like a poor man's Killing Floor 2, but it quickly feels more like a badass combination of Resident Evil 4's Mercenaries mode meets Saints Row 3, with more emphasis on melee combat. It's an excellent game.”
“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.”
“Replayability 10/10”
“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.”
“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.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its impressive sounds and graphics, contributing to an immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of lighting, although some rate the overall atmosphere as average, with a score of 7/10.
“Great sounds, graphics, and atmosphere.”
“The lighting and atmosphere are nice.”
“Atmosphere 7/10.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere is flat and fails to evoke any emotional response.”
“The world feels empty and devoid of character, making it hard to get lost in the experience.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is rated moderately, with a score of 7/10. While most players report minimal lag and commend the technical performance and effects, individual experiences may vary, particularly regarding upgrades that impact performance.
“Performance 7/10 - I've never experienced much lag; mileage may vary.”
“On a technical level, the game is great, especially in terms of performance and effects.”
“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.”
- 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 repetitive nature of gameplay and a lack of value in the single-player mode, indicating that these problems hinder enjoyment and immersion.
“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.”
- 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, resulting in a more straightforward narrative experience.
“Don't expect a long, drawn-out story with loads of dialogue and character development.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“There is little to no backstory provided for the characters, making it hard to connect with them.”