High Hell review
One High Hell of a time
It’s always a pleasure to sit down and unwind with a video game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Games such as Grand Theft Auto and Hotline Miami have been so well-received because they provide a satirical and/or exaggerated view of reality and never pass up the opportunity to let some crazy, out-of-this-world plot or gameplay element to take centre stage. Terri Vellmann and Doseone’s High Hell falls into this category, and is a challenging and quirky first-person shooter that is an absolute blast to play.
Players are cast in the role of an unnamed protagonist whose first mission is to kill an enemy named Stretch. Although he is given an actual name, Stretch is nothing more than a standard henchman that players will usually come across in the game’s 20 compact, arcade-inspired levels. In spite of their small size, the levels — and the missions within — exhibit incredible variety; whether the objective is to kill a certain enemy or free a number of captured chimpanzees, it’s extremely rare to come across a mission that feels the same as the last, a fact that adds plenty of replayability to the game as a whole.
Each level is large enough to have multiple pathways, and some levels can even be completed without harming a single enemy, so long as the player is quick on their feet and able to memorise the level’s layout; that’s bound to occur due to the increasing challenge that each mission brings. Before even facing the first boss, players will encounter rooms littered with enemies, brainwashed monkeys firing guns, and an absurd amount of money placed around levels that serves as an optional objective to increase the final score. Players also earn bonus points for finishing levels as fast as they can — again adding replayability to a game that is otherwise rather short, especially compared to other titles on the market.
Absurdity is the name of the game when it comes to High Hell’s design and gameplay mechanics. The player is armed with a large gun that fires what looks like lasers, for one, and a variety of quirky missions and enemies ensure that the few hours it takes to complete the 20 missions are a fun and humourous experience. There’s something uniquely satisfying about hitting an enemy with a shot and seeing their bodies fly in the air for a split second, giving in to the fantastic ragdoll physics that create so many hilarious moments. It’s ridiculous to watch, and definitely strengthens the absurdity that permeates the entire experience. As soon as brainwashed chimps enter the fray with their own set of devastating lasers, you know you’re in for a damn good time.
High Hell is a unique first-person arcade shooter that manages to maintain a solid framerate throughout even the most hectic of firefights. Although it did dip a handful of times, these issues were mitigated by locking the frame rate to 60 frames per second and changing the graphical output settings to better suit my computer. Aside from that, the game is a wonderful experience from a technical standpoint.
As an indie shooter, High Hell does a fantastic job of delivering fast-paced, arcade-inspired gameplay with its compact level design and challenging difficulty, especially when it comes to the variety of boss fights. The game keeps players running and gunning throughout, creating incredible first-person shooter action that manages to capture the arcade feel of 1990s shooters such as Doom and Wolfenstein. The nostalgic gameplay, absurd missions and hilarious setting come together to form an enjoyable and challenging game that is sure to keep players coming back for more.
Our Verdict:
High Hell is a frantic and humorous first-person shooter that continues to please right throughout its short (but extremely replayable) campaign, and comes highly recommended to anyone who enjoyed the arcade shooters of the 1990s.
High Hell was reviewed using a code provided by its publisher.
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