Hell Is Us is a third-person action-adventure for players who want to find their way by reading a place, not following a minimap. Its bleak mix of civil war, family mystery and supernatural catastrophe gives exploration a strong sense of purpose; its deliberately sparse guidance and sometimes repetitive combat make it a less natural fit for players who want constant direction or combat variety.
What is Hell Is Us about?
Developed by Rogue Factor and published by Nacon, Hell Is Us follows Rémi, a United Nations peacekeeper who goes absent without leave to search for his missing parents. He returns to an isolated country torn by civil conflict, where a mysterious calamity has unleashed creatures that modern weapons cannot defeat. PlayStation’s plot summary establishes that premise; the publisher describes the game as a third-person action-adventure set in a semi-open world.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Hell is Us – PlayStation 5 | $44.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Maximum Entertainment 34 Sports Games - World Edition (PS5) | $26.70 | Buy on Amazon |
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Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration - PS5 | $44.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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SAROS PS5 | $63.81 | Buy on Amazon |
The setting brings human conflict and a personal family search together with supernatural threats. That combination supports a gritty sci-fi reading, but the game’s world is not simply a science-fiction backdrop: the civil war, the calamity and the people caught between them are all part of its story. Rogue Factor creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête described civil war, human emotion and family as central themes in a PlayStation Blog post about the game’s design.
How exploration works without a map
Hell Is Us deliberately withholds the usual navigation aids. Nacon says there is no map, compass or quest markers. Instead, the game asks players to observe surroundings, listen, interpret clues and decide where to go. Jacques-Belletête said the design was intended to challenge players’ intellect and make discovery depend on keeping their eyes and ears open; that is the developer’s intent, not a guarantee that every player will find the approach satisfying.
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- A HOSTILE WORLD: In addition to the civil war dividing the country, the region is suffering from a mysterious calamity, which has given rise to supernatural creatures that no modern weapon can defeat. Your drone and sword from a different age are your faithful allies as you cut a path through lands infested with terrifying chimeras and try to unravel the mystery of their appearance.
- A UNIQUE EXPLORATION SYSTEM: No map, no compass, no quest markers. Following your instincts is part of the adventure. Enjoy a unique experience that uses innovative writing and level design to let you make your own decisions and follow your instincts as you explore. Your discoveries are yours alone.
- COMBAT AGAINST ORIGINAL CREATURES: Swords, spears and axes. A wide range of weapons forged specially for fighting these supernatural creatures is available. You must learn how to fight these monsters and use your drone wisely to stay alive.
- 'The central theme of Hell is Us is that human violence is a perpetual cycle fueled by human emotions and passions.'' – Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, Creative Director
The reward is a more personal kind of discovery: progress can come from noticing something in the environment or connecting information rather than selecting a waypoint. The trade-off is that you need to pay attention and tolerate uncertainty. GamesRadar+ reported that some clues, including passwords, were not saved in menus, so its reviewer took notes or screenshots. Tom’s Guide likewise found that the main story can offer more direct guidance than optional objectives and secrets. If you prefer the game to track every lead and mark every destination, this design may feel more like friction than freedom.
What combat is like—and where reviews differ
Combat is melee-focused, with a sword, other melee weapons, blocks, parries, a drone and special abilities in the toolkit. You face chimeras, also called Hollow Walkers in the publisher’s descriptions. GamesRadar+ highlighted the range of combat options alongside the game’s dark atmosphere, while PC Gamer and Tom’s Guide both criticized encounters for feeling repetitive.
Rank #2
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PC Gamer’s January 9, 2026 review argued that the game has more mechanics than its encounters need and that fights can become samey. Tom’s Guide also flagged repetitive combat, though it praised the mysterious setting and player-driven exploration. These are individual reviews rather than a universal verdict: the combat’s appeal will depend partly on whether you enjoy its tools and atmosphere enough to accept limited encounter variety.
Is Hell Is Us a soulslike?
GamesRadar+ called it “soulsish,” but not a soulslike. The comparison is understandable: it has deliberate melee combat, defensive timing and challenging supernatural enemies. Yet the label can mislead if it makes you expect a game built around repeated deaths. GamesRadar+ noted that death is not fundamental to the gameplay loop. It is more useful to think of Hell Is Us as an exploratory action-adventure with some soulslike-feeling combat elements than as a conventional soulslike.
Rank #3
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Who should play Hell Is Us?
It is most likely to suit players who enjoy interpreting a world, piecing together a story and choosing their own route through a place. Its bleak atmosphere and interwoven personal and national stakes are central to the experience, not just background for combat. Players who want clearly marked objectives, frequent reminders or a combat system that constantly introduces varied encounters may be less taken with it.
- A good fit: You like self-directed exploration, environmental clues, a dark setting and stories that take work to unravel.
- A possible mismatch: You rely on maps and quest markers, dislike keeping track of clues yourself, or need combat encounters to vary often.
- For optional content: Expect less guidance than for the main story, according to Tom’s Guide’s review.
Platforms, release and multiplayer
The standard edition released on September 4, 2025, according to Nacon. The publisher currently lists physical and digital versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox, as well as PC editions on Steam and Epic Games Store, and a Nintendo Switch 2 listing. Those are publisher-listed options, not a guarantee of stock or identical release timing in every region; check the listing for your market. Nacon’s product page also lists a physical PS5 Standard Edition.
Rank #4
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Nacon’s FAQ describes the game as a solo narrative adventure with no multiplayer or co-op mode.
Verdict
Hell Is Us is best approached as an atmospheric, self-guided adventure whose world asks for attention rather than map-checking. Its civil-war setting, family mystery and supernatural calamity give that exploration a distinctive frame. The same design can leave clues untracked, and the combat’s range of mechanics does not prevent some reviewers from finding encounters repetitive. Choose it for discovery and atmosphere first, not for constant objective guidance or an endlessly evolving combat loop.
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