Hell is Us offers a unique exploration system that does not rely on quest markers, encouraging players to follow their instincts.
A new trailer for Hell is Us delves further into what makes investigation special in this game. Hell Is Us drew plenty of attention at recent PlayStation State of Play events. Although the game has been compared to Soulslikes because of its third-person action combat and focus on exploration, Rogue Factor doesn’t seem to fully agree with that notion. The developer appears determined to give gamers an emotional narrative along with engaging combat and fulfilling discoveries.
There has been a long wait for Hell Is Us, a game that was originally announced in 2022 for a 2023 release date. The game offers a dive into a war-torn world that has its protagonist navigating for clues to piece together a larger mystery. Many were interested in this title after noticing that Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, art director of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, was attached and that the game appears to champion an old-school approach that prioritizes letting players figure things out on their own.
Hell Is Us publisher Nacon released an extended gameplay trailer showing off a deeper look at what investigation sequences will play like. Rogue Factor and Hell Is Us creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête have previously stressed that investigation is an important half to the gameplay loop, and this video portrays what that idea looks like in motion. In the trailer, the player is shown looking into Jova, the protagonist Rémi’s hometown.
Hell Is Us Expands on its Exploration
The exploration section begins as Rémi asks a local where to find Jova, and they point them in the direction of the Acosa Marshes, saying that a vehicle may be necessary for proper traversal. In a manner similar to classics such as Bloodborne, Jacques-Belletête notes a “player plattering” approach that does not rely on quest markers and directional navigators. He talks about the importance of placing contextual cues in the game as Rémi is shown arriving in Jova. It seems like figuring out how to get to Jova is one of many elements that the team at Rogue Factor wants to leave up to the player.
Rémi is seen talking to a girl named Rebecca. He asks her about the location of Jova’s Blacksmith, and she mentions that he may have left with Peacekeepers on white trucks. After reviewing these details, Jacques-Belletête shows the secondary investigations in Hell Is Us. Although the game can be completed without interacting with these segments, they all seem to offer puzzles that lead to surprising rewards. The video ends as Rémi speaks to a villager who needs milk rations for her baby. Jacques-Belletête asks players to give their best guesses on what it might take to complete a section like this. It seems like this title contains many areas that may simultaneously enrich the world’s lore and give gamers more to do, and fans may see even more as the September 4 launch date of Hell Is Us approaches.
