Metal Hellsinger is an fps that doesn’t propose to play to the rhythm of its devastating soundtrack, which has some of the best voices in the current metal scene.
Among the multiple benefits that make the video game something wonderful, are its almost infinite possibilities, the enormous field to explore that it offers, and its multiple variants. Despite the years that he begins to accumulate behind him, this blessed form of digital entertainment never ceases to amaze us. This occurs even in cases like this superb Metal Hellsinger that we are analyzing today, a title that is inspired by existing proposals, such as Bullets Per Minute, Crypt of by NecroDancer, or Doom Eternal itself, but that knows how to provide the whole with a fresh and personal air to offer a very original and personal experience.
The truth is that the final result of this groundbreaking work is what was expected considering the roots of its creators. On the one hand, we have David Goldfarb, an industry veteran with experience in first-person shooters like Payday 2 or Battlefield 3 and Bad Company 2. On the other hand, we have The Outsiders studio, based in Sweden’s cradle of death melodic metal and the so-called Gothenburg sound that bands like At The Gates, In Flames, or Dark Tranquility among others developed in the early 90s. With these precedents, it is not surprising that we are facing a powerful fps with metal and demonic setting that subordinates its development to the rhythm of the thunderous soundtrack that will accompany us at all times.
The expectation for the title was high, it was not in vain that it was awarded as the most anticipated video game among PC users at the last Gamescom. And the initial reception upon release couldn’t be better, with 97% positive reviews on Steam. The truth is that the game if we connect with its proposal, seems to us to be a sovereign marvel, one of the freshest titles within the first-person shooter genre, and an inexhaustible source of fun for many hours if we like to poke ourselves with markers of the score and delve into mechanics full of possibilities. Available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, and on Game Pass at launch. Welcome to the dark era of Metal Rhythm Shooter.
escape from hell
Despite the fact that the plot in this type of title is usually nothing more than a mere excuse to shoot us out, the Swedes from The Outsiders have tried to imbue their title with an interesting story that gives an adequate background to the lead symphony What are we going to star in? We embody the Stranger, an inhabitant of the Underworld who has been imprisoned in Hell and stripped of her most precious treasure, her own voice. In the company of the talkative skull Paz , who will act as the narrator, she must overcome the 8 levels of Hell to face the Red Inquisitor, who caused her imprisonment.
The plot is narrated through beautifully crafted comic-style semi-static scenes, which will be shown to us as an intro and at the beginning of each level. Without being a script worthy of an Oscar, this background is appreciated to illustrate the rise of our protagonist from a tormented soul to an infernal bard. The open ending with which the adventure concludes gives rise to a continuation, and given how much we have enjoyed the title, we can only rejoice in the expectation of a possible continuation.
Unfortunately, the campaign is not excessively long, remaining in about 5 hours being generous. It has been short for us, despite the 3 levels of difficulty in which we can play it, and the additional challenges are somewhat repetitive at the staging level. We also miss a little more variety among the enemy hosts that we dispatch, something especially bloody in terms of design (not mechanics) of final bosses. This lack of content is the main flaw of the title, but it is compensated by a replay value that, according to our tastes, can be made almost infinite.
Music is the weapon
Paraphrasing the infamous ’94 rail shooter that included Aerosmith, that infamous Revolution X, in Metal Hellinger music is the weapon. All our actions are subject to the rhythm of the devastating soundtrack that will accompany us throughout the game. We must adjust our shots and movements to the rhythm of the music so that our actions will become more effective if we match them to the flow of the sound impasse. To make this more attractive, the music will unfold in layers and will increase in intensity if our synchronization with it is adequate.
Said music will start with the rhythmic base of the track at the beginning of the level. If our actions adapt to its tempo, tracks will be added to the mix, adding electric guitars and more elements and gaining in intensity. If we do it correctly, a multiplier will increase in level, x2, x4, x8 and finally x16 where all hell breaks loose and voices are added to the music. All this produces feedback in the player, who accumulates adrenaline by eliminating enemies and moving to the beat of the music, and is rewarded by seeing how this causes a crescendo of the soundtrack that in turn increases that flow of adrenaline. It is extremely satisfying.
This requires a change of chip compared to the usual gameplay of the genre, so it takes a little time to get used to. Once our brain clicks and internalizes the new rules of this fps, we guarantee that the experience becomes a delight and if you like the genre, the setting and the metal music, the thing acquires truly epic overtones. Metal Hellsinger offers one of the freshest and most satisfying experiences within the genre in a long time. The levels are completely linear , without secrets or alternative routes, and they concatenate a series of closed arenas to clear before being able to continue advancing, as many of today’s shooters do.
All this would not finish flowing if the gameplay was not adequate, and not only is this the case, but the title offers many more mechanics and possibilities than it appears at first glance, being one of those titles easy to understand-difficult. to master that will delight those looking for a good challenge. The Stranger is an agile character, she has a double jump, a dash button or fast movement, and a more than adequate arsenal, with forceful and satisfying handling. The influence of the great shooter of recent years is very noticeable, a Doom Eternal from which it also inherits the execution mechanics of weakened enemies that will allow us to recharge life, of course always to the rhythm of the music.
The arsenal is not too extensive, a sword and the Peace skull, which we always carry, and another 4 among which we can only choose 2 in each phase . More than enough if we take into account that its power depends on whether we adjust its use to the rhythm of the music, and since each one has different cadence, chargers and recharge time, they will provide us with a series of very different possibilities and we will have to adjust our way of playing the chosen ones, always respecting the tempo of the music. Although as we have already mentioned you have to reload, the ammunition is infinite, so you will not have to worry about looking for it. Overcoming some optional challenges, we will win a series of sigils that grant us blessings with special abilities , being able to choose only 2 in each phase. All of this offers large doses of customization to try multiple approaches to the phases, and this is multiplied if we take into account that each level has its own song with its own tempo that we must adjust to.
Metal Hellsinger hides much more than it seems, we have loved the multitude of possibilities, tools, and mechanics that it has to offer in different ways of playing. The multipliers and combos allow us to reach scores that will be shown to us at the end of each level, as well as our position in the global online markers. And this is where replayability and the possibility of pique come in that makes us forgive the little content it offers. Anyone who enjoys overcoming challenges has many, many hours to polish his performance in each of the levels to try to progress in the ranking, which is really addictive.
Dream Team Metalero
How could it be otherwise in a title like this, the sound is the undisputed protagonist and star of the show . The soundtrack is devastating and very powerful , a display of glorious melodic death metal . To do this, the house has been thrown out the window and a stellar cast of voices has been counted on among the cream of the current metal scene. Serj Tankian from System of a Down, Matt Heafy from Trivium, Alissa White-Glüz from Arch Enemy, Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquility, Randy Blythe from Lamb of God, Björn Strid from Soilwork or Tatiana Shmaylyuk from JinjerThese are some of the voices that will sound in the songs that will accompany us on our journey through the underworld. Voices that we remember we will only hear when we reach the maximum multiplier playing in sync with the soundtrack. It is incredible that a small independent title has brought together such a cast, without a doubt a true dream for fans of good metal.
We can think of no better incentive to motivate us to dispatch enemies and move to the beat of the music than listening to such voices while we do it. To round off a magnificent sound section, they have had two of the most prestigious voices in the video game industry, Troy Baker and Jennifer Hale , who will act as Paz and the Red Inquisitor, and how could it be otherwise when it comes to of such professionals, they do a superb job. As if this wasn’t enough, The Outsiders have commented that they are working on the possibility of using any song in the game , which would be a tremendous addition.
On a visual level, Metal Hellsinger is a compliant title without more . In part, it is appreciated, because this affects stability and graphic fluidity without great requirements, which is essential and is greatly appreciated in a title where rhythm is the premise that marks its gameplay. The scene designs are attractive and quite varied , the character models are well worked out and detailed, and in general we are facing a visually competent title without being any technical demonstration, being also fully aware that its graphics are not its main asset for conquer the player
