REVIEW : Rising Hell (XBOX Series X)
Hell is a popular setting There are a plethora of roguelikes available, and they have a wide range of scenarios and genres. Action platforming is a popular mix. Rising Hell joins the fray, requiring players to ascend through hell, slaying demons along the way. Its vertical emphasis forces players to act quickly to avoid traps and break apart the denizens of hell to reach the exit while keeping an eye on their combo metre.
Going up
Jumping into Rising Hell feels normal. Jump, strike, and interact are all controlled by a single button. The escape from hell feels easy, sensitive, and engaging with just these few buttons. Ground attacks help you build up your combo while pouncing on opponents causes serious pain and can help players get out of tight situations. Jumping at enemies causes a Hellbreak, which is a heavy damage grapple that raises the player slightly higher.
The fighting is simple to pick up, but relics, which are temporary weapons, add variety to the mix: some relics add chain lightning or lasers to the mix. The overall action is fast and fluid, and the combo tier is forgiving in terms of time, but any damage will end the combo. These crimson globes can be used to purchase new talents at the end of a stage or in shops. Many of the talents are standard damage, health, or temporary weapon boosts, but a few are more useful than others. While more diversity in the talents would be cool, the ones that can be unlocked later are a move in the right direction.
It’s worth noting how adamant Raising Hell is about remaining vertical: there’s no going down beyond the platforms. This means that once a player has crossed a threshold, they are unable to return to collect pickups or destroy more enemies. So picking the right route is often crucial: spotting an enemy with a special pick up may be more important than heading for the path with a hidden area, or if you have health and trust to spare, you can select the area littered with enemies even if spike traps are strewn about. In certain stages, you are forced to scramble up quickly due to an environmental threat, such as saws or hellfire.
The enemies that populate the halls of hell seem to be well-thought-out. Some enemies behave more like traps, exploding or releasing damage in a predictable pattern rather than engaging the player directly. Others are easy to ignore before they lose a significant amount of health, at which point certain larger enemies adopt a more conventional fighting strategy. It’s satisfying to battle bosses and minibosses. Others are straightforward and seem to be more powerful versions of common foes, while others have nasty tricks up their sleeves. The bosses have habits that change as their health depletes, which makes for a fun challenge: one, in particular, surprised me on several occasions, ending two good runs. Aside from the mechanics, the boss and enemy designs are generally striking.
Choose Your Warrior
The menu’s layered animations collapse into place as a guitar squeal plays, and the announcer’s voice spikes through an audio modifier, setting the stage for a fast-paced arcade experience. Given how common hell is as a game setting (roguelite heavyweight Binding of Isaac is steeped in biblical imagery), the graphics seem to be influenced by classic arcade games as well as the Devil May Cry series, with the red orbs, eyes, Devil Bringer-like weapon, and the emphasis on the score with the combo booster.
Given how straightforward it would be to only make hell red and yellow, the variety of tilesets is also impressive: in addition to the usual brimstone, players are exposed to purples, greens, and yellows that induce nausea, as well as psychedelics. The enemy concept is also unafraid to face off against non-humanoid characters, resulting in unique encounters. Along with that, the traps stood out: they begin with typical spikes on the floor, but as the climb progressed, they became more imaginative and demented.
How many circles of hell are there again?
When it comes to roguelikes, content is everything. This early access game has enough content to keep you entertained for a good dozen or so hours if it sticks to its current development schedule. There are currently only two playable characters: one with melee and the other with a ranged weapon. The two characters have distinct personalities, and the relic arms can be tailored to suit either character’s personality. In the beginning, there are seven unlockable starter weapons, with more to come. Every time you play, you add to a progress bar, which unlocks more relics, talents, and other items. There are currently only two worlds, each with its own set of branches, levels, mini-bosses, and bosses. The challenge mode is focused on making progress and completing a certain number of actions. Playing the game is enjoyable, as is completing the unlockables list. At the moment, defeating the current final boss unlocks a new level of Agony, increasing the difficulty of the game. For the time being, it’s a good amount of material, but I’m more interested in seeing what comes next.
