Hell is Others

Hell is Others is a top-down, 2D scrolling action roguelike shooter set in a surreal, nightmarish world suspended between dream and reality. Players awaken as Adam in a cyclic, disorienting realm where bullets grow naturally and blood is the primary resource, forcing them to navigate a grotesque environment filled with monstrous entities while trapped in an endless, open-eye unconscious state.

Hell is Others: Review

Introduction

In the ever-expanding pantheon of extraction shooters, Hell is Others emerges not merely as another contender but as a singular, unsettling vision. Released on October 20, 2022, this top-down roguelike shooter from Italian studio Strelka Games (in collaboration with Yonder) plunges players into the perpetually twilight-choked streets of Century City, a dystopian dreamscape where blood is currency and sanity is a fragile luxury. More than a game, it is a Kafkaesque nightmare dressed in high-definition pixel art, a brutal ballet of paranoia and predation. Yet beneath its punishing exterior lies a profound meditation on obsession, isolation, and the terrifying familiarity of the “Other.” This review posits that Hell is Others stands as a flawed yet indispensable masterpiece—a harrowing, atmospheric experience that redefines the extraction genre through its fusion of visceral PvPvE combat, surreal horror, and poignant narrative. It challenges players not just to survive, but to confront the abyss within and without.

Development History & Context

The genesis of Hell is Others lies in a confluence of vision and iteration. CEO Pietro De Grandi and Game Director Giuseppe Mancini first conceptualized a top-down shooter over four years prior to release, bonding over shared ideas for competitive multiplayer within a uniquely structured world. As De Grandi recounted, the final coalescence into a “story-driven extraction PvPvE survival looter shooter” crystallized about two years before launch, with the developers meticulously refining their core pillars: the tension of player-versus-player-versus-environment, the roguelike sting of permadeath, and a rich, unsettling atmosphere. Technically, the game leveraged the Unity engine for its core systems and FMOD for sound, though it notably eschews traditional 3D rendering for a meticulously crafted “high-definition” pixel art style. This wasn’t a retro aesthetic, but a deliberate choice to enhance immersion, as De Grandi explained, aiming to “make the city and the characters feel more real” by blending the tangible grit of noir with the grotesque fluidity of body horror.

The timing of its 2022 release placed it within a crowded field of extraction shooters, yet its DNA was distinct. While titles like Escape from Tarkov focused on realistic military simulation, Hell is Others drew inspiration from the surrealist nightmares of David Cronenberg and David Lynch, merging decades of urban decay into a single, cyclical “Century City.” This wasn’t a game built with blockbuster aspirations; it emerged from the indie scene, fueled by four public playtests that honed its punishing balance and stark vision. The developers prioritized narrative cohesion late in development, weaving themes of obsession into the gameplay loop itself—a testament to their commitment to making the systems serve the story, even as the core extraction mechanics remained paramount. The result was a title that felt both ancient and modern, a digital relic from a city trapped in perpetual twilight.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The narrative of Hell is Others unfolds not through cutscenes, but through environmental storytelling, cryptic dialogue, and the player’s own descent into madness. We follow Adam Smithson, a resident of a claustrophobic apartment high above Century City, whose mundane routine is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious Magnolia Bonsai. A note promises a “reward” if he waters it for ten days, setting in motion a desperate cycle. The problem? Everything in this world consumes blood. Adam’s plants, his very survival, demand the life essence he must scavenge from the city streets below. This simple premise unravels into a profound exploration of obsession. The bonsai becomes the game’s central metaphor—Adam’s fixation on nurturing it mirrors the city’s inhabitants, each trapped in their own all-consuming delusions.

Characterization is sparse yet potent. Adam himself is a study in controlled volatility. He maintains a veneer of politeness—”Nothing is done for nothing” is his mantra for quests—yet beneath lies a sociopathic predator, impulsive and devoid of guilt, driven by a need to prove his worth. His interactions with NPCs like the perpetually distracted Alfred or the single-minded junk dealer Octave highlight the pervasive apathy of a populace numbed by the city’s surreal horrors. The true narrative anchor is the Chasm, a sentient crack in Adam’s bathroom wall. Initially seeming a malevolent force, its voice soon reveals itself as a concerned, almost parental figure, warning against the dangers of obsession: “Obsessions are dangerous. It’s not you who’s looking for them, it’s them that find you. And when they’ve found you, they begin to take over until you lose your grip on life.” This dialogue is layered, creating a profound One Dialogue, Two Conversations: the Chasm expresses genuine concern, while Adam interprets it as a direct challenge to his competence, spurring him onward into greater risk. The story powerfully culminates in a cycle of futility—upon prestiging, Adam becomes an “Other,” the bonsai is passed to another, and the nightmare begins anew. It’s a bleak, beautiful commentary on the inescapable nature of self-destructive patterns, where the “Others” we hunt are merely reflections of our own darkness.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Hell is Others is a masterclass in tension, built on a ruthless extraction loop. Players descend from their apartment via elevator into the procedurally generated labyrinth of Century City with a stark objective: survive for up to 12 minutes, scavenge blood (the primary currency and resource), fulfill NPC quests, and loot valuable items before evacuating via another elevator. Failure is catastrophic; death results in the permanent loss of all carried gear, forcing players back to their apartment with only their apartment-based “Imagos” (permanent stat boosts) salvaged. This creates a constant, gnawing anxiety where every decision—from which quest item to grab to whether to engage a rival—carries immense weight.

The gameplay seamlessly blends PvP and PvE. Players face AI-controlled “Things”—grotesque, Lovecraftian monstrosities like the Hiding Thing (invisible until it strikes) or the Buzzing Thing (with a glaring red weak point). The true threat, however, comes from “The Others,” other players rendered as monstrous, humanoid figures. This is where the game’s central thesis shines: Adam is the only human; every other player is an “Other,” a predatory mirror reflecting his own desperate nature. Combat is fast-paced, twin-stick shooting with a tactile weight. Weapons have named personalities (“Miss Rosebud,” “Sir Morris”) but are functionally real-world firearms (Lugers, Colts, AK-47s) susceptible to breakage. A critical innovation is the “Ammunition as Agriculture” system: bullets aren’t scavenged; they’re grown. Plants in the apartment require blood to produce ammunition, and fertilizers can be used to crossbreed them, creating exotic variants like bouncing or silent rounds. This transforms resource management into a strategic, macabre gardening ritual.

The apartment serves as more than a safe haven; it’s a progression hub. Furniture and wallpapers provide permanent “Imagos”—stat bonuses like reduced shotgun recoil or faster stamina regeneration. This Interior Designer Is You mechanic incentivizes exploration and economic management, as players sell junk to Octave, deposit “Creeds” (money) at the bank, and purchase upgrades. Systems like the “Smell” stat act as an enemy-detecting radar, while limited inventory space and rotting items force ruthless prioritization. The Co-Op Multiplayer in Duo mode adds a fascinating layer of trust and betrayal, where看似 friendly Others might turn predator. Yet, these systems are double-edged swords. The Early Game Hell is punishing; starting with a weak “toy” pistol and baseline stats against veteran players with automatic weapons creates a steep, often frustrating curve. Continuing Is Painful is taken to its extreme, and while On-Site Procurement drives tension, the balance often tilts towards the predator, leaving fresh meat feeling helpless. Despite these flaws, the core loop—scavenge, fight, flee, plant, repeat—remains compulsively engaging, a dark siren song of risk and reward.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Century City is a triumph of atmospheric world-building, a character in its own right. It’s a fragmented, dreamlike urban sprawl where the laws of physics and biology have unraveled. Bullets grow from the grass like poisonous fruit, plants crave life-giving blood, and time seems suspended in a perpetual, oppressive twilight. The city is a fusion of decades—fifts diners, eighties neon, decaying modernity—woven together into a surreal, non-Euclidean nightmare. Procedural generation ensures no two runs feel identical, yet the oppressive feeling of being trapped in a recurring nightmare is constant. The Central Theme of obsession manifests everywhere: NPCs are frozen in their single-minded pursuits (Alfred ignoring the structural collapse in the wall, Octave hoarding junk), and the city itself feels like a manifestation of collective neurosis.

Visually, Hell is Others is a stunning achievement in modern pixel art. The “high-definition” style, inspired by David Cronenberg’s visceral body horror and David Lynch’s unsettling Americana, creates a world that is both grotesque and beautiful. Character designs are unsettlingly detailed—The Others are monstrous yet humanoid, their twisted forms a reflection of the player’s own inner corruption. The environment teems with subtle horrors: flickering lights in abandoned apartments, the eerie glow of bullet plants, the gaping maw of the Chasm in the apartment wall. The art direction, led by Valerio Immordino, masterfully uses light and shadow to heighten dread. Dark alleys hide lurking Things, while the vibrant, saturated hues of shops and quest areas offer fleeting, deceptive respite.

Sound design, helmed by Michele Postpischl, is equally integral. The soundtrack is a disquieting tapestry of ambient drones, jarring industrial noise, and a recurring, lullaby-like theme that hums with melancholic beauty, remixed for different locations. The Recurring Riff, often hummed by the Chasm or NPCs like Mia, becomes a haunting motif of the city’s cyclical nature. Critical to the tension is the Enemy-Detecting Radar—the heartbeat sound that intensifies as players near Others or Things, creating visceral panic. Jump Scares are deployed masterfully, most notably when Hiding Things manifest with a loud Scare Chord. The Death Cry Echo, a piercing scream that reverberates twice, acts as both a warning beacon and a dinner bell for predators. This auditory landscape transforms exploration into a nerve-wracking experience where every footstep, every creak, every distant gunshot could signal annihilation or opportunity.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Hell is Others garnered a “Generally Favorable” reception, with a Metascore of 78 and an OpenCritic score of 77, though critical opinions were notably polarized. Critics lauded its unique art style and oppressive atmosphere. IGN Italy awarded it an 80, calling it a “weird, but fascinating extraction game PVPVE” that blended Hotline Miami, Escape from Tarkov, and H.P. Lovecraft into something “incredibly satisfying,” despite being “hard and frustrating.” The Games Machine (8.1/10) similarly praised its mix of genres and the “constant tension” generated by permadeath and vulnerability. However, Multiplayer First (7/10) highlighted a significant flaw, noting the concept was “dragged down” by multiplayer balance issues, where “brilliant” design was marred by “frustratingly unbalanced” early encounters against heavily geared veterans.

Player reception on Steam reflected this divide, with 73% of reviews being positive (1,154 total). Many players, like “maxfrax,” championed it as a “fresh take on the extraction genre” and a “tense, well designed, and artistically beautiful” experience, especially for fans of Tarkov or Hunt: Showdown. Conversely, “Ismerald” dismissed it as a “waste of time and money,” criticizing “dull and repetitive” gameplay and a “convoluted” story. Common praise centered on the game’s “atmospheric” dread, “addictive” core loop, and the compelling psychological depth of its narrative. Common complaints centered on the punishing early game, technical hiccups, and the feeling that PvP often overshadowed PvE, especially for solo players.

Its legacy is still being written, but Hell is Others has carved a distinct niche. It stands as a cult hit, celebrated for its ambition and its unflinching exploration of dark themes within a mechanically rigorous framework. Its influence is seen in its successful fusion of extraction shooter intensity with deep roguelike replayability and narrative weight—proving that PvPvE can support profound storytelling. The developers have committed to it being a “living game,” releasing free updates and DLCs (like the Century Dynasty Pack), ensuring its community remains engaged. While it may not have the mass appeal of its peers, Hell is Others resonates deeply with a dedicated audience that values its artistic vision and brutal honesty. It remains a vital, haunting artifact of the 2022 indie landscape, a testament to the power of games to explore the darkest corners of the human experience.

Conclusion

Hell is Others is not a game for the faint of heart, nor for those seeking instant gratification. It is a demanding, often brutal experience, a digital purgatory where every victory tastes of ashes and every defeat reinforces the cycle of despair. Yet, within this harrowing loop lies a work of singular vision and artistic integrity. It transcends its genre trappings to become a profound exploration of obsession, identity, and the terrifying intimacy of the “Other” staring back at us in the dark. The game’s genius lies in its seamless integration of theme and mechanics—the PvPvE tension mirrors Adam’s internal struggle, the resource management reflects the city’s grotesque economy, and the haunting atmosphere seeps into every pixel and sound.

While flaws in early-game balance and occasional technical roughness prevent it from achieving absolute perfection, they are blemishes on an otherwise exquisitely crafted gem. The “brutal nightmare” praised by God is a Geek is also a deeply moving one, a game that lingers in the mind like a fever dream long after the controller is set down. Its legacy is secure as a cult classic, a title that dared to be different, to be difficult, and to be deeply, unsettlingly human. For players willing to embrace its challenge and delve into its nightmarish depths, Hell is Others offers an unforgettable journey—a chilling, beautiful, and essential exploration of the hell that truly resides within others, and within ourselves. It is, in the end, a masterpiece of atmospheric dread and dark poetry, a bloody testament to the resilience of the human spirit in a world designed to break it.