Hellpoint is a Dark Souls-esque game, only recently released on July 30th, 2020. This action sci-fi was developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild, and is available for players on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, where I played it.

Plot

The plot within this game is so incredibly vague, it’s nearly nonexistent. You play as a spawn, with no legitimate idea or clue as to why you were created, or what your goal is. As the player explores the metal hallways and open corridors, you very quickly learn that this mysterious spaceship is infested with enemies who want to kill you. With no real direction given, you must continue exploring this ominous ship in order to figure out what’s really going on.

Gameplay

This action RPG is incredibly punishing to the player but…that’s the point. The premise of this game is every time you die, you lose any XP, or axions, that you gained in that run. You can earn them through defeating enemies, or they may be scattered across at random. At all points, the player must continue to keep an eye on the health, energy, and stamina bars in order to survive. This mechanic is pretty standard, adding another level of difficulty to this game.

Pros

The upgrading system will definitely come as a much-needed advantage, as the player must continue improving in order to defeat harder enemies. At the beginning, your character is painfully weak, and you will die, a lot. However, as you continue to build yourself up with varied weapons, new strategies, and memorizing combat patterns of the enemies, the playthroughs will become increasingly easier.

Cons

The combat, however, is where players will have a difficult time. By design, it is slow, but almost too slow. Your character can use quick attacks, strong attacks, a swift kick, or later on, can throw their weapons. The greatest strategies come down to a well-timed dodge roll, and a quick counter attack. However, when the combat is based around these movements, speed definitely helps, and given that the overall movement throughout this game is slow and floaty, that can be a hindrance that can be more frustrating until you continue to power up.

Verdict

Overall, Hellpoint is an addictingly fun game, only dragged down by the few negative points. For only $34.99, this game is available on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and any players who are fans of the existing Dark Souls-esque genre are sure to enjoy this.