The HELL

About

The HELL is a single player strategy game. It was developed by METROPOLICE and was released on October 24, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In The HELL, you govern a city in the underworld, transforming chaos into order by managing resources and harnessing lost souls. Navigate challenges inspired by the seven deadly sins, face titanic guardians, and uncover deep lore as you strive to build a lasting legacy. Every decision shapes a realm steeped in sin, suffering, and redemption.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 55 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and engaging premise of managing Hell, blending city-building with dark humor and resource management, which creates a captivating atmosphere.
The detailed graphics and sound design contribute to an immersive experience, making players feel like true architects of their own infernal city.
Despite being in Early Access, the game shows strong potential with its innovative mechanics and narrative-driven progression, encouraging players to strategize and adapt.

The game suffers from optimization issues and a steep learning curve, which can overwhelm new players with too much information at once.
Some mechanics, such as the inability to rebuild destroyed structures and the invasive tutorial, hinder the fluidity of gameplay and player freedom.
While the concept is intriguing, some players find the graphics dated and the gameplay lacking in excitement, leading to a sense of boredom over time.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of older console titles, with strong visuals that create a dark and immersive atmosphere. While some players appreciate the stylized and macabre aesthetic, others find the visuals to be dated and bland, suggesting a need for refinement in future updates. Overall, the game's graphics are a mixed bag, with some praising their unique charm while others feel they detract from the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is amazing — dark visuals, eerie music, and that constant feeling that everything could fall apart any second.”
- “Everyone has their version of imagination for 'hell' and I must say, the artwork is impressive.”
- “Metropolice has infused the game with a tone that is unapologetically macabre, and its aesthetic—red-soaked skies, industrial hellscapes, and grotesque architecture—creates an atmosphere unlike anything in conventional simulation games.”
- “The graphics and visuals are bland, the audio is lacking (the ambiance wasn't even consistent; there would be random moments of dead silence), and the gameplay brings nothing really new or interesting to the city-building genre other than the 'boss fights' mechanic (which I couldn't be bothered to even play long enough to know if that part is any fun).”
- “First of all, I love the potential of this game; it gives me that Frostpunk but in hell feel. Yes, the graphics are quite dated, but if that's the style choice that the developers want, I'm not going to argue with that. However, I would definitely love to see more refined graphics in the future.”
- “The graphics might look a bit old-school, but honestly, the gameplay more than makes up for it.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay of the reviewed titles showcases a mix of traditional city-building mechanics with unique twists, such as narrative-driven progression and innovative resource management. While some players note the need for optimization and a more engaging tutorial, others appreciate the depth and originality, particularly in the context of thematic elements like existential horror and morality. Overall, the foundation is strong, with potential for future expansions and refinements that could enhance the experience.
- “Yeah, the graphics might look a bit old-school, but honestly the gameplay more than makes up for it.”
- “Mechanically, the game offers a surprising degree of depth and originality.”
- “Metropolice has managed to merge traditional city-building mechanics with a narrative-driven progression system that gives each campaign a distinct identity.”
- “The graphics and visuals are bland, the audio is lacking (the ambiance wasn't even consistent; there would be random moments of dead silence), and the gameplay brings nothing really new or interesting to the city-building genre other than the 'boss fights' mechanic (which I couldn't be bothered to even play long enough to know if that part is any fun).”
- “I get that you have tons of mechanics you want to teach your players, but you have got to come up with a better method than what you currently have.”
- “The core gameplay mirrors that of a traditional city builder, but with a dark twist in resource management.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's story is immersive and engaging, with players feeling compelled to continue as their choices significantly impact the narrative progression. While some find the initial learning curve challenging, the story's allure keeps them invested, and there is anticipation for future expansions that promise to deepen the narrative and introduce new moral dilemmas. However, a few players feel that the overarching story lacks depth, suggesting a need for more compelling elements to enhance the experience.
- “Here, every stone, every cage, every boiling cauldron whispers a story.”
- “I was indeed enticed to continue as the story progresses; each choice made significantly affects what happens in the next part!”
- “I thought I would lose interest after one round, but then I wanted to see how the story would play out, so I gave it another go.”
- “The game tries to act like there is a big story that can unfold with time but lacks any interesting aspects to make me want to learn the story.”
- “I thought I would lose interest after one round but then I wanted to see how the story will play out, so I gave it another go.”
- “I don't play much resource management/city builder games, so it was quite difficult for me to get the hang of it at the start, but the tutorials were simple enough to follow, and I got hooked with the story immediately.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some users note that it requires further refinement, others praise its solid performance and strong visuals. The foundation is promising, and once optimization improvements are made, it could significantly enhance the experience.
- “Good optimization, interesting economy, and strong visuals.”
- “Performance-wise, the game runs competently, with stylized visuals that maintain a consistent tone without relying on realism.”
- “Needs a bit of optimization, but the concept is awesome!”
- “If we look objectively, the game still needs work in terms of optimization and some mechanics, but the foundation is very strong.”
- “When optimization finally comes to hell, even demons will celebrate.”
- “Performance-wise, the game runs competently, but it still requires significant optimization to reach its full potential.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its deep immersion, characterized by dark visuals, eerie music, and a pervasive sense of impending doom. The macabre tone, highlighted by red-soaked skies and grotesque architecture, sets it apart from typical city-builders, creating a unique and unsettling experience.
- “I rarely get absorbed by atmosphere this deeply, but here it works flawlessly.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing — dark visuals, eerie music, and that constant feeling that everything could fall apart any second.”
- “Metropolice has infused the game with a tone that is unapologetically macabre, and its aesthetic—red-soaked skies, industrial hellscapes, and grotesque architecture—creates an atmosphere unlike anything in conventional simulation games.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised for creating an immersive atmosphere, with eerie tracks that enhance the tension and sense of dread. Players appreciate the chilling soundtrack and the impactful sound effects, which contribute to a rewarding experience after navigating through chaotic gameplay.
- “The atmosphere is amazing — dark visuals, eerie music, and that constant feeling that everything could fall apart any second.”
- “The soundtrack gives me chills, and the sense of accomplishment after hours of chaos is real.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Reviewers appreciate the game's monetization model, noting it evokes nostalgia for a time when games were crafted with passion and without the presence of microtransactions.
- “Feels like the old days when games were made with heart and no microtransactions.”
- “It feels like the old days when games were made with heart and no microtransactions.”
- “The monetization system is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I can't enjoy the game when it constantly pushes me to spend more money.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that the game effectively portrays a range of emotional states through its characters, including calmness, rage, and brokenness, requiring players to navigate and manage these emotions thoughtfully.
- “These souls manifest in different emotional states—calm, enraged, or broken—and each must be managed accordingly.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark comedy and philosophical themes, exploring concepts like the futility of redemption and the cyclical nature of sin. This unique approach adds depth to the narrative while providing a thought-provoking experience.
- “The narrative is threaded with dark humor and philosophical undertones about the futility of redemption and the cyclical nature of sin.”