Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends is a horribly cruel experience that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, let alone a friend. This game will make you swear, scream, and regret your life choices. No matter how proficient you are at leaping platforms, you will struggle immensely!
This brutal and unfair platformer was developed by Terror Dog Studio and published by Ultimate Games. It is a single-player or multiplayer title that’ll have you pulling your hair out. If you are bald, you’ll probably smash a controller or punch a wall. I didn’t try this with any friends as I didn’t want to subject them to the madness. However, if I had, I could imagine we wouldn’t be friends anymore!
Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends has no story.
Making your way up a hellish hole and across 9 circles of hell is story enough. Other than that, Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends has no plot or reason for being. Instead, it relies on its truly sadomasochistic gameplay. Lovers of brutal and often hellish games will adore the doomed plight they face. Everyone else will wonder what the heck they’ve invested in.
As you move from the floor to the summit, you must move from platform to platform. There are obstacles to overcome, and you are in charge of every aspect of your jumping prowess. Do you want to leap a massive chasm? Well, hold down that jump button and see how you get on. Alternatively, will you use the surroundings to help you make tiny jumps? Either way, you’ll probably screw it up and end up right at the beginning.
Shifting platforms.
If the action wasn’t hard enough, the developer has incorporated plenty of different surfaces to land on. Sand, ice, and other elements await those who are silly enough to test their skills. As you can imagine, each surface impacts the time you have to move forward, and your ability to stop. This must be taken into account when planning your next move.
Alongside this, you must become one with the simple control setup. If you implement too much power, you’ll sail past your intended target and plummet to the floor. If you use too little power, well, you know the outcome of that as well. Consequently, you must be perfect in everything you do.
Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends is wonderfully pixelated.
Though the action made me angry to the point of going blind, the visuals are a treat. Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends has a brilliant pixelated finish. The dark colours match the hellish theme. Moreover, the protagonist has a weirdly cute appearance that juxtaposes the cruel background imagery. People in chains, animals attacking, and other unsightly moments make your skin crawl. Though it won’t win awards for its graphics, it is a good standard for indie games.
The audio is sombre, uncomfortable, and creepy. The daunting soundtrack adds a nasty edge to an already mentally testing experience. Furthermore, if that wasn’t enough, there is a horrific scream as you fall to the bottom. This scream continues for the whole of your free fall. Subsequently, if you fall for ages, your ears will be ringing.
Simple but challenging controls.
Moving left and right and jumping shouldn’t be a challenge, right? Well, when small platforms and huge drops are on the cards, there is plenty of pressure. If you then account for the power meter, you have a tough and often unfair challenge on your hands.
Replay value will be determined by your stubborn mindset. Furthermore, if you somehow have friends who like to fail, then you all may find longevity in the strangest of places. I certainly won’t be tackling Hellstuck: Rage with Friends again, but some odd people love to up the ante.
Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends does everything it promises.
Hellstuck: Rage with Your Friends isn’t my idea of fun. Though I like the horrid experience, harsh action, and ever-changing platforms, it is too tough for my liking. This will appeal to a very, very niche audience, and even then, they’ll probably regret installing it. Accordingly, it is tough, unfair, and strangely addictive, and I recommend buying it here! Can you make it out of hell? Take a breath, plan your next move, and have your fingers crossed.
