Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is a roguelike beat-’em-up that throws you into the right hand of Hellboy himself. Developed by Upstream Arcade, it boasts a brand new story crafted with the help of Hellboy comic writer Mike Mignola. So, light your Right Hand of Doom and delve into the Wyrd for some monster-mashing fun.
Reasons to Play Hellboy: Web of Wyrd
- A Love Letter to the Source Material: The game faithfully captures the essence of Hellboy comics. Mignola’s signature art style translates beautifully to 3D, creating a dark and atmospheric world teeming with grotesque creatures. Voice acting by the late Lance Reddick as Hellboy is a bonus for fans.
- Punch Things Good: Combat is satisfyingly brutal. You’ll pummel all sorts of beasties with Hellboy’s trusty Right Hand of Doom and his oversized revolver, “Big Red.” Dodging, chaining light and heavy attacks, and strategically using the environment all contribute to a fun brawling experience.
- Unique Roguelike Progression: While death sends you back to the beginning, each run unlocks new items and upgrades for Hellboy, offering a sense of persistent progress that keeps you motivated.
Reasons to Hold Off
- Repetitive After a While: The core gameplay loop can get monotonous. Levels are procedurally generated but offer limited variety, and enemy types feel repetitive after a few playthroughs.
- Shallow Roguelike Mechanics: Compared to other roguelikes, Web of Wyrd lacks depth. Item builds aren’t particularly diverse, and there’s a shortage of meaningful player choices to truly customise your experience.
- Not Much of a Challenge: The difficulty curve feels uneven. Early areas are easy, and later ones can spike frustratingly, but overall the game doesn’t offer a particularly strong challenge for seasoned gamers.
Critic Scores:
- Metacritic: 72/100
- OpenCritic: 74/100
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is available on:
PC (Steam, Epic Games Store),
PlayStation 4 & 5,
Xbox One & Series X/S,
Nintendo Switch.
Conclusion:
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is a decent, but not ground-breaking, roguelike experience. Fans of the comics will undoubtedly appreciate the faithful recreation of the world and characters. The combat is fun, and the persistent progression keeps you coming back for “just one more run.” However, the repetitive nature and lack of depth in the roguelike mechanics hold it back.
Recommendation:
If you’re a die-hard Hellboy fan or simply crave a straightforward beat-’em-up with a unique atmosphere, Web of Wyrd might be worth checking out, especially if you can find it on sale. However, if you’re looking for a deep and challenging roguelike experience, you might want to look elsewhere.