Metal: Hellsinger Review
Written by: Vic Brubacher III aka MrNeverChillin
Introduction
Are you looking for a rhythm first person shooter? Yes you heard that right. Something a little different to the FPS genre. It is not the first time this has been done but The Outsiders have developed a really well put together game. Being released a little over a month ago on 9/15/2022 and releasing day one on Game Pass, Funcom has published an indie gem. Wikipedia has a great description of what this game is about: A lost soul named simply “The Unknown’’ seeks to regain her stolen voice. She must break free of her prison in the hells, and fight her way to face the ruler of hell, The Red Judge.[3] She is accompanied by Paz, a talking skull who acts as the game’s narrator. Determined to prevent her own prophesied doom, the Judge sends the armies of hell to stop The Unknown.
Gameplay/Mechanics/Controls
The controls are introduced at a good pace even with the up tempo nature of Metal: Hellsinger. One gripe I had was the introduction to certain abilities such as the dash that happened in the 2nd or 3rd levels of the game. It felt a bit odd to introduce it like a tutorial when I have already been using it in the levels before. Do not get me wrong, the dash mechanic is one of the most useful and important mechanics if you are going to survive. You have 4 weapons that you get to decide to equip in the lobby before each mission with each weapon being tied to their own button that you can press to pull out. Also with each weapon, they have their own individual and unique ultimate ability such as the dual wield pistols being able to spawn a replica of you that shoots enemies but does not move. We cannot forget about the main mechanic of this game either. You must shoot on beat if you want to be successful. The more you shoot on beat, the higher the multiplier, which means the more score and damage you will do. As for healing, you have 2 options: You can shoot and pick up green crystals that are limited in each section or you can stun and finish enemies. This becomes important to understand because at the end of each level, there is a boss. And once you run out of green crystals you must revert to stunning and finishing the enemies that the boss spawns in.
Graphics/Sounds
Going into Metal: Hellsinger, my expectations were not that high all the way around. Honestly if it wasn’t for the high praise it was receiving around the gaming industry, I may have passed up on this game. As for the graphics, I did not expect them to be overly impressive and boy was I wrong. It is graphically more detailed and appealing than anticipated. The characters in the hellish world are very impressively detailed. And the landscapes. Wow. Incredible and awe inspiring. I am personally not a fan of metal type music but I can say I enjoyed the intense and adrenaline fueling music. We cannot forget about the outstanding performances from Troy Baker (Paz) & Jennifer Hale (The Red Judge).
Replay Value/Verdict
Metal: Hellsinger actually has more replay value than a lot of my recently played games. You have the ability to replay each level to try and beat your high score. You can also play side levels known as hells & torments that you unlock after beating each level. I skipped out on all of these since they were optional. The ending definitely sets up a sequel and/or DLC. I highly recommend playing this amazing indie game that mixes things up. If you are not sure if you would like to play this, be sure to check out my play through available now on our YouTube channel. In the end, I give Metal: Hellsinger an 8 out of 10!
Have you ever played a rhythm first person shooter before? Did I convince you to play this? Let us know by tweeting us @Shoot2Win_ !
