Hell Is Us is a third-person action-adventure built around a striking trade-off: it asks you to find your way through a war-torn world by paying attention, not by following map icons. Melee combat and a drone bring it close to Soulslike territory, but its defining challenge is exploration—deciding whether environmental clues and self-directed discovery sound more compelling than a map, compass, or quest markers.
What is Hell Is Us?
Developed by Rogue Factor and published by Nacon, Hell Is Us is a third-person action-adventure set in a semi-open world. You play Rémi, a United Nations peacekeeper who goes absent without leave in a country torn by internal conflict. He is searching for his missing parents and answers about his own past as a mysterious calamity brings supernatural creatures into the world. The official premise and feature description are on the PlayStation product page and Nacon’s game page.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 3 |
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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 premise puts two kinds of violence alongside one another: a human conflict and a supernatural threat that ordinary modern weapons cannot defeat. Rémi’s tools include a drone and older-style melee weapons. That combination makes combat part of the adventure, but does not reduce the game to a combat-first genre label.
How does exploration work without map markers?
The game deliberately withholds a map, compass, and quest markers. Creative Director and Art Director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête said the team also removed quest journals and constant assistance, expecting players to rely on observation, reasoning, and intuition. Environments are meant to communicate useful information, rather than serve as decoration. The design rationale appears in PlayStation Blog’s September 24, 2024 feature.
#1 Best Overall
- 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
In practical terms, progress depends on noticing details, interpreting clues, and working out where to go instead of checking an objective marker. That can make exploration feel absorbing if you enjoy piecing together a place for yourself. If you prefer explicit directions or want to move quickly from one marked objective to the next, the absence of those systems is a central drawback, not a setting you can assume the game will provide.
The product description sums up the intended experience: “No map, no compass, no quest markers: following your instincts is part of the adventure.” That promise is also the clearest test of whether the game’s approach suits you.
Rank #2
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Is Hell Is Us a Soulslike?
It is more accurate to describe Hell Is Us as an action-adventure with Soulslike influences than as a game defined solely by the Soulslike formula. Its melee combat draws on familiar genre territory, while the official descriptions give equal prominence to exploration, the semi-open world, and the drone. TechRadar’s review likewise frames it as an action-adventure that takes selected elements from Souls games rather than reproducing their whole approach.
That distinction matters when deciding what you want from it. If you are looking mainly for a combat challenge, the Soulslike connection is relevant but incomplete. If you are drawn to unguided exploration and environmental storytelling, those are just as important to the game’s identity.
Rank #3
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What are the story and themes about?
Rémi’s search for his family and his past unfolds against a civil conflict and the consequences of the mysterious calamity. The intended story is mature in tone and explores civil war, family, and human emotions, according to Jacques-Belletête’s PlayStation Blog discussion.
A Nintendo UK listing attributes this description of the central theme to Jacques-Belletête: “The central theme of Hell is Us is that human violence is a perpetual cycle fueled by human emotions and passions.” The narrative’s family search, conflict, and supernatural events therefore sit within a broader interest in why violence persists.
Rank #4
- A fast-paced, cinematic action game set on the shape-shifting Carcosa
- Stunning graphics and gameplay
- Master bullet ballet combat
- Experience an unconventional story and journey
Who is likely to enjoy it?
- A good fit: Players who enjoy exploring without a minimap, interpreting environmental details, and finding their own route through a semi-open world.
- Also a good fit: Players interested in a grim adventure that connects family and personal history with civil conflict and a supernatural calamity.
- A less obvious fit: Players who want quest logs, map markers, or continuous directions, or who are choosing the game exclusively for a conventional Soulslike experience.
For a quick comparison with another action-adventure, ask two questions: how much navigation does the game leave to your own interpretation, and how much of its appeal rests on melee combat rather than exploration and narrative? Hell Is Us stands out most clearly on the first axis.
Platforms and release timing
Nacon lists Hell Is Us for PS5, Xbox, and PC, with September 4, 2025 as its release date. The PlayStation US page lists a PS5 Standard Edition. Separately, Nintendo UK lists a Switch 2 version dated October 8, 2026; that is a UK listing and should not be taken as confirmation of availability in every region.
TechRadar says its reviewer played for just under 30 hours while trying to do and see everything, using both a gamepad and mouse and keyboard. That is the reviewer’s account of their review session, not a promised completion time or a general estimate for all players. The review also notes an on-screen directional audio indicator for gameplay sounds, including enemy attacks and Timeloop Guardians.
Quick Recap
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