Hell Is Us - PlayStation 5

hell is us holds one of the most poignant and relevant stories in gaming, to date. the amazing thing is that the developers had the forethought to include robust difficulty settings to allow gamers of almost any calibre to experience this story about the seemingly endless cycle of war, what perpetuates it, the suffering it creates, and the hope that people can always choose forgiveness over hate. for the gaming novice, sliders allow the reduction of enemy base health and attack power; players can fine tune a difficulty that best matches their action gaming prowess, which makes for a very approachable game. combat is varied and fun, with numerous weapons, elemental infusions, and abilities. i've spent a good deal of time upgrading over one dozen different melee weapons to the highest level; a player can equip two weapons at a time and switch between them on the fly. facing off against the haunting lymbic entities roaming the hadean countryside is easy against one, but challenging in groups, and the size of a group cannot always be judged from afar. level design is fantastic with labyrinthine dungeons and not-too-hard puzzles. the most important thing is to pay careful attention to what you find and what you hear from the very well-performed characters you'll meet across this war-torn country. despite its imaginary status, the country of hadea has a very real feel, the developers have done a great job creating a living world to tell a down-to-earth, science-fiction war drama. for me, the impact of the story, concerning a civil war between sects of a single religion, is as impactful as ken levine's atlas shrugged adaptation in bioshock. for anyone who questions whether a video game is art, the emotions elicited by this game's disturbing imagery - almost by reflex - allow for a thought-provoking perspective on the divisiveness of modern "civilized" society. whatever your personal politics are, hell is us will make you think about the hidden intentions behind political and religious agendas, the unseen or ignored marriage of business and government, and the manipulation of an unsuspecting populace by a mysterious shadow, seen as a savior by some, destroyer by others, and measure of control by a very small few. hell is us is a goty contender, and will be remembered for its unique look, engaging gameplay, and hands-off approach to both story progression and puzzle solving. i would be remiss not to mention, lastly but certainly not least, the incredible soundtrack. i bought the regular edition and now wish i'd bought the deluxe edition, which comes with some character skins dlc and a downlaod of the game's soundtrack. luckily, an upgrade unlock is available through the playstation network store. do not skip one of the year's best games.

The plastic that’s usually wrapped around the game was either glued or sealed inside the package. When I opened it the plastic came off of the game box. I will change the recommendations if it was just a fluke.

[Employee of bestbuy] I loved this game much more than I thought I would. Pros: 1. The story is immersive/really draws you in. It is a dark and gritty tale that doesn't gratuitously reveal too much but rather hints/implies and that sometimes drives the punch home much more. Not to say this story is for the faint of heart as it tackles some very harrowing aspects of war and extreme cultures at each others' throats. 2. The atmosphere is well done and matches the tone of the story beautifully. The monsters are also unique in their design. 3. The exploration aspect of the game (no map or markers) really challenges you to pay attention and make logical or deductive reasoning choices. I wouldn't say that the puzzles are super hard but they are challenging enough to make you sit up and lay attention. 4. The drone aspect, when utilized strategically, is incredibly helpful and a unique take on battle. 5. This is more of a personal thing but I like how the story has an ending and doesnt have you endlessly exploring to the point you forget what the main story line is and thus lack the drive to even continue. I finished this game because I enjoyed it so much. Cons: 1. The battles can start to feel repetitive and the monsters can start to feel rather . . . Mundane or limited. 2. The take to garner good karma can feel a bit repetitive. Honestly my main complaint is that there are some aspects that just feel repetitive but considering all the other positives that is something I can deal with. I HIGHYL recommend this game for those who want a kind of old school feel game with elements of horror and puzzles with a bit of strategy mixed in that also has a fantastic story to tell.

Excellent experience. Atmosphere, puzzle solving, character progression, story and no hand holding. Combat is cool but enemies types are a bit boring. This does not become annoying only personal opinion. At the time of my review I am over 25 hours in and nowhere near completion in the best possible way. Highly recommend you take a screen shot and use the available compass and write down information as you play so you know where you need to go and what you need to do. Good luck. Have fun. Enjoy.

Hell is us has a wonderful atmosphere and setting Yet the gameplay gets stale/old after awhile, and the story flounders and falls to pieces as the game goes on. But, that setting is fun and the excellent atmosphere lasts throughout the whole game.