At Gamescom one thing is certain, you’re going to battle the hordes. We had a chance to sit down and fight back against the bodies with publisher Iceberg Interactive’s Hellbreach Vegas.
Dead Island might have set sail and Left 4 Dead probably wont ever die. Hellspawn of all variety are a firm favorite for modern first-person slaughter fests, so why jump into a genre that’s already been beaten for even more monstrous fun? With roguelike elements, plenty of outlandish ideas, and a firm fist full of Vegas flair, Iceberg Interactive is aiming to add a new take on the undead horde shooter. Not content with just scampering through the vestiges of a long-lost world, or a nightmare apocalypse, Hellbreach: Vegas is all about being the best demon slayer you can while hoping that the house doesn’t end up winning.
Putting players in the role of an apocalypse survivor, Hellbreach plunges players into an iconic backdrop, now filled with a seemingly infinite array of incoming monsters. from shambling wrecks all the way up to huge elemental beast., Clickers have nothing on these targets. Thankfully, it’s Vegas, so a well-armed militia and all that good stuff. Guns a plenty are available in the US, so it’s time to shoot or die. A fairly traditional concept for a roguelike monster shooter leans heavy on its presentation, when we take a first look. Vegas churches, audacious casinos lobbies, and underground bunkers are just some of the maps that might end up popping up in the final game. Each location ends up playing up to its host city, Neon lighting and dance floors mingle in among craps tables, penthouse apartments, and iconic landmarks. It all provides an interesting aesthetic to a vicious fight for survival.
A Tight Squeeze
Although tearing down the Vegas strip and gunning your way to success might be our first though, maps feel contained most of the way through these hands on. Opening out from small courtyards up into seemingly abandoned buildings, these locations gradually give bigger fields of play along the way. But don’t ever feel expansive. Enclosed levels, corridors, choke points, and stairwells are abundant. All come presented in their own way, but the core concept seems consistent across every level. The point seems to be to prevent any lull in the chaos that’s about to ensue. Like any shooter from DOOM to Left 4 Dead you need to keep moving, since the invading armies here seem to just drop in unannounced. Weaving in and out of corridors, up stairwells, and across amusements mean that given some time and talent there’s an opportunity to use the environment to either line up the opposition or simply fall into a rhythm as you roam the map.
Rather than add in a hand crafted narrative that drops the same set of enemies every day, Developer Infinity Ape Studios uses the luck of the draw to spice things up. While Vegas isn’t going to change, and the number of monsters on offer does seem limited, you never know exactly what you’re going to get along the way. Sure, enemies get harder as waves and waves of monsters flood a surrounding map, but we were never entirely sure what or where the next problem would spawn. That could mean a hammer wielding behemoth, weird creepy spider things, or just lots of shambling cannon fodder. Everything is its own particular type of issue, with even low level mobs potentially creeping up on you and causing disaster.
Roll For Luck
So far, this makes Hellbreach: Vegas an interesting but not overly original monster wave shooter. What it does, it does well. Where it really starts to get interesting is when it embraces the Vegas spirit. Survival essentially relies on firepower and its healthy application. Ammo seems to be limited and acquisition of that firepower is random. I’m not talking about random loot drops, but actual in game slots. Blowing apart monsters can drop in game currency, or skulls. These skulls are required for a variety of purposes like unlocking doors. They also can spin the wheel and offer up new weapons. Run the ‘Win a Weapon’ machine for a wide variety of weapons or try your chances on our ‘Spin a Boost’ for a power-up. These come dotted around encounters and provide a very different risk versus reward mechanic. There’s even a ‘Pull-A-Skull’ slot that might boost your final reward tally or separate you from your currency.
This high-risk trade-off for potentially epic rewards is kind of genius. Rather than leaving it down to a simple tactical choice post level, you’ll be able to throw your hard-earned currency at the house mid match. Maybe you’ll win a big stick or a huge machine gun. I’m sure we even saw a ray gun at one point. This wasn’t just limited to weapons. Power ups can be even more influential when they hit right.
Not only does this sort of gambling fit the theme, it’s also incredibly chaotic. The house is out to win, and the house is full of monsters. There’s no knowing what you’ll get, and you have to find spce to roll and loot. The implications of this system extend into the post-match, potentially impacting what loot you leave Vegas with and what improvements your character can unlock along the way. It’s an interesting dynamic that makes Hellbreach: Vegas more than the shining lights of this city.
Between the cool aesthetic, interesting ideas, and tightly toured maps, there’s a tongue in cheek chaos to Hellbreach: Vegas. It embodies a knowing silliness to the idea of gambling Hellbreach skulls that makes me certain the team behind this watched The Army of the Dead once or twice. Hellbreach: Vegas is a solid looking monster shooter with some interesting ideas that warrants a look. Thre’s a demo available on the Steam Store Right now.
