Hellscreen Review Summary

Unique and appealing art style: The game's art style is highly praised for being unique, visually striking, and consistent. The high-contrast colors and retro aesthetic contribute to a strong visual identity.

Unique rear-view mirror mechanic: The game features a distinctive rear-view mirror mechanic that players find innovative and mechanically viable. This feature adds a fresh twist to the gameplay and elevates the overall experience.

Rewarding exploration and secrets: The game encourages curiosity and exploration, with lots of well-hidden secrets that are cleverly integrated into the gameplay. Players enjoy discovering hidden enemies, paths, and messages.

Excellent combat mechanics: Combat is a standout feature, described as amazing and satisfying. The gunplay feels great and evolved, with weapons that are punchy and well-incorporated into level progression.

Fast and fluid gameplay: The gameplay is noted for being fast, fluid, and confident. Players appreciate the high-speed movement and the design that promotes quick decision-making.

Lack of variety: The game has limited enemy variety, visual sameness, and could benefit from more music variety and different types of weapons, enemy projectiles, and movement upgrades.

Confusing level design: Players find the map design confusing and spend more time navigating levels than fighting enemies. Levels also lack distinct identification.

Rear-view mechanic issues: The rear-view mirror mechanic is overwhelming, disorienting, and has a blur filter that causes nausea, especially during intense firefights.

Optimization problems: The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frame drops during explosions and general FPS issues.

Gameplay engagement issues: The gameplay becomes mindless with infinite ammo, and players can run past everything without engaging in combat, leading to a lack of engagement.

Boomer shooter with collect-a-thon: The game combines classic shooter elements with a collect-a-thon style, encouraging players to find secrets and achieve 100% completion.

Rear-view mirror shooting mechanic: The game features a unique rear-view mirror mechanic that allows players to see and shoot behind them, adding a strategic element to combat.

Non-linear level progression: Players can explore levels in a non-linear fashion, allowing for a more open-ended and exploratory gameplay experience.

Combat mechanics and difficulty: The game offers challenging combat mechanics that require players to manage resources and unlock weapons strategically.

3D platformer-style exploration: The game features levels within maps and a 3D platformer-style progression, adding depth to the exploration and navigation-focused gameplay.

Poor optimization overall: The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to various performance problems and FPS issues, especially when trying to run above 60 FPS.

Performance issues during explosions: The game experiences significant frame drops and performance issues, particularly during scenes with explosions on screen.

Glitches and flaws present: Players have reported encountering several glitches and flaws within the game, affecting the overall gaming experience.

Works well on Steam Deck: Despite some issues, the game works great on Steam Deck in desktop mode once custom controls are set, providing a positive experience for those players.

Unique retro shooter experience: The game is highly recommended for fans of retro shooters and boomer shooters, offering a unique experience that stands out in the genre.

Mechanical novelty and atmosphere: The game is best suited for players who appreciate innovative mechanics and experimental atmospheric elements, providing a fresh take on the shooter genre.

Regular mini bosses: The inclusion of regular mini bosses provides consistent challenges and keeps the gameplay engaging and dynamic.

Endless mode available: The game features an endless mode, adding to its replayability and challenge for players looking for extended gameplay.

Lock-down rooms feature: The game includes lock-down rooms, adding a strategic element to the gameplay where players must clear enemies to proceed.

Early Access Status: The game is currently in Early Access, which means it is still under development and may have unfinished features or bugs.