Cosmic “Dark Souls” with wasted potential – review of the game “Hellpoint”

Souls-like fans will feel at home from the very first minutes, because the developers drew heavily from the most important games of this genre, in particular from the output of FromSoftware. The combat system, the construction of the location, specific mechanics or narration – all this has already happened and hardly surprises the old stagers. Fortunately, Hellpoint stands out in some respects, more on this later.

Ancient evil around every corner

We start the story with the birth of an unnamed protagonist, resembling an android at first. We wake up at the abandoned Idris Novo orbital station, located near a supermassive black hole. We quickly realize that gruesome events have taken place on board. As if that were not enough, bloodthirsty monsters lurk for our lives. So we have to take matters into our own hands and deal with the hordes of enemies, while exploring the secrets of the sinister place. The enigmatic plot can be interesting at times, although I would lie if I wrote that we are dealing with a story of high flying.

The game cannot be denied the unique atmosphere, which is the result of a successful combination of horror and science fiction with an admixture of fantasy. The first thing that came to my mind after just a few moments of dealing with this title was the Dead Space series and the cult film Event Horizon in some circles . We will find here, among others themes related to the occult, artificial intelligence or other dimensions from which the terrifying Cosmic Deities emerged. The dense atmosphere can be felt at every step, and walking through the creepy, dark corridors quickly evokes a feeling of alienation and constant danger.

I know it from somewhere

The gameplay model does not differ much from what we know from, for example, Dark Souls . Well, we explore locations full of hidden passages in search of valuable items and shortcuts, fight for survival and gradually develop our character. Instead of fires, we have Breaches, and in this case the Axioms are the soul equivalent. Clashes with the brutality of the space spawn are quite pleasant and even satisfying, but you can feel that they lack an undefined final touch – a specific “flow”, which we feel so naturally in Souls and Bloodborne .

The controls can be unintuitive and cause problems. The hero’s movements are sometimes clunky or inert, as if the laws of physics were not fully working. This is especially difficult when trying to make a precise jump – I have cursed under my breath many times, dying in such a stupid way. It is not helped by unreliable camera work and inaccurate tracking of opponents. The numb animations of the characters and the clumsy artificial intelligence of enemies blocking on obstacles or falling into the abyss are also not the best. On the plus side, I include dodges, which are lightning-fast and salutary in low-key situations – good timing is enough.

As befits a representative of such a genre of games, fighting requires constant focus and reflexes, but also a bit of strategy. You should have your eyes around your head and constantly observe the surroundings, because we often have to fight several opponents at the same time. Some of them lurk in invisible places, so it’s easy to fall into a trap. It is extremely important to control the level of stamina, which shrinks in the blink of an eye while trading blows, dodging and blocking. When it drops to zero, we are defenseless, and it usually ends in imminent death.

Then we lose the Axioms gathered with each defeated monster, necessary to develop the hero. Of course, we have a chance to recover the lost loot by returning to the unfortunate place, but the opponents also revive and our double appears, but not with peaceful intentions. It is therefore necessary to calculate the risk and profitability of subsequent actions, because sometimes a moment of inattention is enough and we fall dead. On the other hand, the difficulty level is not particularly high, and some simplifications have also been implemented. I mean, for example, healing injections (the equivalent of Estus bottles) that renew themselves after hitting blows and rituals that weaken enemies.

Most of the enemies don’t cause any problems – as long as you learn their attacks. Only a few creatures can spoil your blood. However, the diversity of the bestiary is pleasing. We will face grotesque humanoid creatures, as well as monsters straight from the worst nightmares. The appearance of the bosses is also impressive – unfortunately the spell breaks as soon as we enter the arena. The battles with them are not fully thought out and I have successfully used similar tactics each time. Basically, with a few exceptions, they are not a big challenge – usually just a few approaches and they fall.

A pinch of interesting solutions

The lack of any character creator is surprising, so we start the adventure in Adam’s outfit (if you can call it a synthetic body) and with all the statistics at the lowest level. It makes the beginning of the struggle a bit more difficult, but thanks to it we gradually shape our hero according to our preferences. Interestingly, the skill in using a given weapon is increased simply by using it – it is similar to the system known from TES V: Skyrim . Over time, we unlock useful skills and bonuses in this way.

Speaking of weapons – we have at our disposal a quite diverse range of melee killing tools, firearms and catalysts that allow you to cast spells. In addition, thanks to the clever crafting system, we will improve and modify equipment elements or create new ones. We use found raw materials or recycle unnecessary equipment. It is also worth mentioning the Omnicube, i.e. a cube floating in the air, helpful in travel. Depending on the selected program, it can, for example, illuminate the road or slowly restore our life points.

After defeating the first boss, we gain access to the Observatory, which is a kind of base. We will make any improvements to the equipment there and create new items. We also unlock fast travel between the Breaches, but this option is limited, so you have to use it wisely. In addition to the fast travel option, Breaches heal our wounds, allow you to raise your character level and perform rituals that increase or decrease the combat potential of your adversaries.

An interesting solution to diversify the fun is Quantic System , introducing elements known from the roguelike genre. It is about dynamic changes taking place in the game world, regarding the shape of levels, various events, as well as the location, behavior and strength of opponents. This has to do with the 21 hour orbital cycle as shown in the upper left corner of the screen. After our death or restarting the game, we will often be surprised by new opponents (including weaker versions of defeated bosses) or previously hidden rooms. As a result, each subsequent approach will be more or less a new experience. It is always some kind of incentive to use the NG + option.

It took me about 17 hours to finish the game, although I didn’t discover all the secrets. Other players can help us in the struggle: both via the network and locally – on a split screen. This is a very nice surprise, especially at a time when couch playing is a bit of a thing. As for the rest of the network options, the developers were not tempted by originality and used the proven solutions of the competition. We can leave signs with tips, cooperate in cooperation mode or fight duels with other daredevils.

It was supposed to be so beautiful

The graphic design is uneven. On the one hand, we have interesting opponents’ designs and extremely climatically designed spots, on the other hand, at times I felt too much austerity and emptiness. This translated into a low credibility of the presented world, as if it were a mock-up with enemies and objects placed randomly. On the other hand, the sound design deserves praise – we hear disturbing sounds from the surroundings and the dangers that await us from everywhere. On the other hand, non-intrusive musical motifs maintain the tension and harmonize perfectly with the specific atmosphere of the game.

Unfortunately, Hellpoint brings to mind an endless product. The signs are mainly bothersome technical errors, but also many unfinished details, both in terms of gameplay and graphics. Fortunately, the developers are patching the game on an ongoing basis, so it is possible that you will have a more playable version, but in its current form, I would recommend this title only to the most die-hard souls-like fans. You will find there some interesting solutions and a great atmosphere, and the fight is somewhat rewarding. Nevertheless, numerous mistakes and a lack of polish in many respects can quickly dismiss you.