Kinda Funny Gamescast – Hell is Us Review

Originally aired: September 2, 2025
Hosts: Tim Gettys, Greg Miller, Andy Cortez
Main Focus: In-depth review and impressions of Hell Is Us, the new action-adventure game from Rogue Factor, led by Jonathan Jacques-Belletête (previously of Deus Ex: Human Revolution).

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Hell Is Us, dissecting its unique design philosophy, narrative ambition, and gameplay nuances. Greg Miller delivers a full review, while Andy Cortez shares his early impressions. The team debates what makes the game special, analyzes its strengths and weaknesses, and discusses its place in the modern gaming landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Game Summary and Initial Context

• Hell Is Us centers on war as hell, both literally and metaphorically. Set in an isolated war-torn country, players unravel secrets about their past amidst an ongoing calamity.
• Game released: September 4, 2025 (Developer: Rogue Factor | Publisher: Nacon)
• Led by Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, known for work on Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
• Metacritic: 77 at time of recording.
  (04:09) “Greg went to Montreal in May to play it and talked about it on this very show...” – Tim Gettys

2. Review Scores & Main Take: Greg’s Full Review

• Greg’s verdict: 8.5/10 (Kind of Funny “Great”)

• Played 25 hours to credits; plenty of optional content remains.

  (04:58)
  Greg Miller:

  “Hell Is Us is an amazing video game. I think it is an 8.5 out of 10... it’s great, we’re in that great space... I had an amazing time. Just incredible. I think this game is so special.”

Key Review Themes:

• Not for Everyone: “Hell Is Us will not be a game for everyone.” – Greg, (05:29)
• 50% Exploration, 50% Combat:
  • Exploration described as “masterclass in level design.”
  • No handholding: no mini-map, no magical compass; success demands attention, memory, and deciphering in-world clues.
  • “As you go... you feel like... you can get back to things... remember things...” (08:24)
• Mature Themes:
  • Tackles dark topics head-on, including “dead children in this game, there is rape in this game, there are people hanging from nooses in this game.” (06:25)
• World Design & Player Experience:
  • No waypointing; game expects players to listen, investigate, and remember.
  • The world “sets the vibe” with a unique dark synth soundtrack.

3. Andy’s Initial Impressions

• Only ~3 hours in but captivated.

• Emphasized curiosity, strong worldbuilding, and puzzles as early hooks.

• Feels like “explore if it interests you—there’s probably a reward.”

  (09:20)
  Andy Cortez:

  “It’s just so freaking… it’s immediately interesting and you are compelled to want to learn more... if the combat was worse, I may have dropped off…”

• Combat: Not genre-defining, but “more than good enough” and opens up as you progress.

4. Exploration & Player-Led Discovery

• No traditional map/minimap; environment navigation is through memory, context clues, and a physical in-game (or found) map.

• Discovery is incentivized with meaningful side content and “good deeds”—but they can fail if neglected.

  • (12:55) “...if I don’t remember where that is or what it is or what started...you've got to put it together…” – Greg

• Advice: “Do everything as it comes. Don’t put things off to the end.” (16:54)

5. Combat Mechanics & Difficulty

• Four “Olympic energies” (sorrow, rage, ecstasy, fear/terror) can be imbued into weapons, but elemental/resistance mechanics seem superficial.
  • (18:13) “I got to imagine, Andy, it originally was, but it’s not.”
• Multiple weapon types (greatsword, axes, polearm); most players likely to find a favorite and stick with it.
• Leveling up weapons/abilities, but little need to match elements to enemies.
• Difficulty Tuning:
  • At launch, normal mode is much easier than preview builds.
  • Deep customization: “...go in and be like, I want the enemies to have 150% health and do 200% damage...” (22:36)
• “Rally” mechanic (regain health after attacking) – can make players feel overpowered if used efficiently.

6. Puzzles, Side Content & “Feeling Smart”

• Numerous environmental puzzles, combination locks, and mysteries; clues often found in the environment or in conversations.

• Greg took physical notes and screenshots for complex puzzles:

  (48:46)

  “...I brought my torn out notes of me trying to decipher codes… I screenshotted all the pieces and went into Photoshop and assembled the painting.”

• Most challenges are rewarding, not frustrating; meant to make players feel clever.

• Game design encourages alternate approaches—Andy used notepad, Greg leveraged PlayStation app for screenshots.

7. Technical Performance & Presentation

• Greg: Played entire campaign on PS5 Pro.
  (31:46) “...thought it ran awesome, looked gorgeous.”
• Andy: On PC; “...looks amazing, runs fantastically” with only minor hitches.
  (31:52)
• Visual Flaws: Main character’s curly hair was “a crime”/unconvincing.
  (32:24)
• Facial Animation: Not mocap, but “surprisingly good” for a mid-sized game.
  (40:29)

8. Narrative Structure & Voice Acting

• Player is Remy, a native smuggled out of the country as a child, returning to solve personal and national mysteries.

• Story is told in layers: Remy's personal arc, the “calamity,” and a complex civil war.

• Narrative presented through interrogation framing device.

• Story is rich and ambitious; some lore may require a recap or “Wikipedia summary” to fully grasp.
  (36:30)

• Va: Elias Toufexis (Deus Ex) voices Remy—praised, but “underused.” (38:47)

9. Difficulty & Progression

• No boss-fights in the “Elden Ring” sense, but unique encounters and “twists” keep combat from growing stale.
• Greg notes the enemy variety is limited; core types are introduced early and reused with minor tweaks.

10. Comparisons, Inspirations, and Industry Impact

• Game draws on inspirations from Souls, Alan Wake, Remedy games, Assassin’s Creed 2 (puzzle-box exploration), and Kojima game design.

• Unlike Souls, Hell Is Us provides more direct, but still non-handholdy, NPC hints for objectives.

  (35:24)
  Greg Miller:

  “This game pulls from Alan Wake and pulls from Souls and pulls from Kojima…”

• Priced slightly below AAA games ($50 PC/PS5 digital, $60 console retail).

• Part of a recent “golden moment” where innovative mid-sized studios (and publishers like Nacon) are putting out ambitious, polished projects.

11. Wishlist for a Sequel

• Meaningful elemental weaknesses (“colors”) and weapon differentiation.

• Quality of life: smarter auto-archiving in inventory, more enemy variety.

• Character model improvements.

  (44:51)
  Andy Cortez:

  “I think different hairstyle.”
  Greg Miller:
  “Different hairstyle for sure...and I think making the colors of the weapons and all that matter would be cool.”

12. Final Thoughts & Recommendations

• Greg:

  “Hell Is Us is special. This is a special game.” (53:18)
  “I love this game, period.” (55:04)

• Not a “golden era” call, but an exhortation: support games like this, especially if you enjoy “weird,” bold sci-fi with old-school challenge and modern polish.

• Do you want a sequel?

  • Greg: “I do want a sequel... but if they said ‘no, we’re going to do something totally different,’ I’d be in for that too.” (53:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (05:58) Greg Miller:
  “It is a masterclass in level design... I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to come into these areas, these worlds, and be like, okay... no mini map, no magic compass... They want you to go find it.”
• (24:26) Andy Cortez:
  “But once you get the hang of it [combat], then you will constantly be rehealing yourself and almost feel like you’re unkillable in a way if you are just dodging the right things.”
• (35:24) Greg Miller:
  “This game pulls from Alan Wake and pulls from Souls and pulls from Kojima and does all these things to get into its own interesting spot...”
• (55:04) Greg Miller:
  “I love this game, period. Like, I love this game. This was an experience I'm stoked that I had.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:18] Game’s story/setting premise
• [04:58] Greg’s formal review & rating
• [09:20] Andy’s first impressions (exploration/combat)
• [12:55] Advice: Do side missions as they come
• [18:13] Weapon/elemental system discussion & critique
• [22:36] Difficulty customization options
• [31:46] Platform performance discussion
• [35:24] Souls/Remedy/Kojima comparisons
• [44:51] Hopes for a sequel/feature wishlist
• [53:18] Greg’s final endorsement: “Hell Is Us is special.”

Final Evaluation

Hell Is Us is a uniquely atmospheric, challenging, and occasionally brutal action-adventure experience. The lack of handholding, intricate world-building, and “particular” systems can alienate some, but for the right player, it's “a masterclass in level design” and “a special game.” Greg’s 8.5/10 rating reflects both the scope of its ambition and its willingness to be different—absolutely recommended for those craving a game that dares to trust the player.

Recommendation: Fans of immersive exploration, puzzle-heavy structure, and mature narrative themes will find a lot to love here—though those expecting Souls-like combat or accessibility may bounce off.