Hunting is supposed to be a simple affair, if a brutal one: pick a weapon, an area, decide on your prey, and… well, go for the kill(s). Barbaric? In our world, without a doubt; but for the protagonist in HellSign, it’s how the bills get paid. That and, you know, hopefully, it’ll help in figuring out why remembering anything is so darn difficult. But while no one likes being amnesia-struck, going up against unspeakable horrors on a daily basis is arguably worse.
Given the choice between either killing a bunch of demons and similar otherworldly beings or starving, I’d probably go for the former too. Doesn’t mean it’s an easy gig though, as even the best plan can fall apart in the blink of an eye. Even more so since you start with nought but “a flickering torch, rusty gun and a whole lot of guts”, in HellSign. Rough beginnings, to say the least.
But then, little by little, job after job, you’ll grow stronger, courtesy of a complex RPG system – at some point you might even be kicking ass big time, mowing down the forces of darkness with a huge minigun. Actually, maybe not, but ya never know. Just be sure to prepare accordingly for each gig, as going in guns blazing is not only one of several approaches… there are times when it’s likely also the worst choice. A little research – all of which is contained in The Cryptonomicon – can go a long way in opening up new paths towards getting rid of a threat, and this way you won’t have to worry about getting bloodstains off that new shirt.
From shotguns and booby traps, to silver nitrate rounds and high tech gadgets – there are many tools in your arsenal that can help you fight the darkness. Choosing what to bring with you, and when to use it can be the difference between victory and a grizzly defeat.
While this does undeniably seem like a rather intriguing little action RPG, we mustn’t forget that it is, at the time of writing, still in Early Access, and as such, unfinished. Currently, only the first chapter is fully playable, “almost in the final quality”, giving early adopters a taste of the game’s non-linear dialogue, procedural levels, countless items and skills, gambling, and… so much more. Not a bad start, but as always, I’m more interested in where this one will end up, come “late 2019” (release window).
HellSign [Early Access until “late 2019”] is available on Steam, carrying a $14.99 price tag.
