Survival games are the apple of my eye. The absolute pinnacle of features I long for in a game – open world, immersion, crafting, specific health needs, interesting combat, and so much more. So when I get a chance to test out a new one, at least to me, I’m quick to jump on the opportunity.
Green Hell caught my attention when it initially released back in 2018, but I simply never got around to it. Fast forward to 2022 when I found it on my list of upcoming projects, and I moved it to the top priority with high expectations.
Plot
The game begins with a tutorial, most certainly necessary even for those familiar with survival games, but we’ll get into that shortly.
Players take on the role of Jake Higgins, an anthropologist exploring the Amazon with his wife Mia as she aims to make contact with an infamous local tribe named the Yabahuca. As danger unfolds and the two lovebirds become separated, Jake is left alone fending for his own survival, while trying to solve the mystery of what’s truly going on.
Gameplay
A majority of the mechanics fall pretty closely in line with what you’d expect from any survival game, but with their own unique take. Crafting is a major attribute, and while they may give you some beginner recipes, there’s plenty to figure out just by trial and error. The crafting menu is also unlike the usual we see; instead of the gridlike menu where you click, maybe even grab and drag, the menu itself is Jake’s backpack and physically placing items onto a crafting table. I think it could use a little bit of refinement on the console, as the controls for this are a little clunky and take up more time than I’d prefer, but maybe it’s smoother on PC.
Upon starting up a new survival game, I always gather what food I can find, and find a distinguishable area I can immediately begin setting up a base. Especially because I’m a notorious hoarder in every game I play. All [potential] food goes bad in a set period of time, so you have to go into it with a plan; drying racks and campfires are the true bread and butter in this field. Fruit trees and deceased animals are found aplenty, essentially guaranteeing you food at any time until you’re established enough to focus on the higher valued nutrition. But until then, your hunger and thirst meters are constantly draining, so you’re best to take whatever you can find.
Pros
Green Hell is described as an open world survival simulator, and the adventure truly sparks once the tutorial ends and you’re thrown right into the action. I’ve seen this genre described as being “too hard” at times, and I’m definitely not one to judge. But Green Hell does a great job of customizing the player experience and accommodating for accessibility, which is always a top priority of mine. While a couple things could be improved upon, such as the option to toggle motion blur, you can tell the effort was still implied.
But speaking of difficulty, anyone going into this genre at all, but especially this game in particular, you must know: You. Will. Die. A lot. It’s all part of the experience. However, I don’t find it to be from ridiculous causes. The player learns, and the character will take notes. Stay away from dart frogs. Confront the tribesmen who scout out your base once you’re ready. Avoid the jaguars. Remember what plants are good for healing, and which plants will kill you. Again, it’s all part of the experience.
Cons
The graphics aren’t the most refined. There are definitely areas on the map that catch the eye when the sunlight reflects off the water in just the right spot, but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as stunning.
I personally encountered countless moments in my walkthrough where the game would lag once there was too much going on. Perhaps it’s due to me playing on the Xbox One, which granted, isn’t the current generation anymore, but I’m a big believer in a game should run at the intended potential if it’s released on the console.
Verdict
To wrap it all up, like the Amazonian snakes I can never seem to avoid, Green Hell is a solid survival game in need of some polishing, to take it from good to great. Available on Xbox, PlayStation and PC for $24.99 across the board, it’s a reasonable price for an otherwise addictive game that I really believe fans of the genre would enjoy.
