HELLMUT: The Badass From Hell Impressions – (Xbox One)
Back in 2011 indie developer Edmund Mcmillen shook the indie game scene with the release of his latest grotesque masterclass in gaming, The Binding of Isaac. Its release to massive critical and commercial success did a lot to sway me into purchasing it. But, much to my chagrin, I seemed to be the outlier in being put off by its hideous world. Not because of the art, but because the central theme in the visuals was poop. I enjoy toilet humor as much as the next guy, but this is borderline coprophilia. You can imagine my excitement when witnessing HELLMUT for the first time. Not only does it sport some amazing pixel art, but also seems entirely devoid of feces.
Recently, every other game that releases has some sort of Rogue-Like element attached to it. I’d assume this is a way to keep the game feeling fresh while increasing replayability. But because of this, it’s hard to stand out. While I can’t say that HELLMUT is a reinvention of the wheel, I can say it brings a lot of fun mechanics to the table. One such mechanic is its mutation system which allows players to bank up several mutations as a sort of life system. It also acts as a new character with different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The inclusion of a horde mode called the Gauntlet is also a massive plus in my book. This additional bit of gameplay will keep even the most Rogued-out gamers entertained for quite some time.
The one negative I found in the few hours I’ve had with the game is actually its lack of maneuverability. HELLMUT is sorely lacking in any sort of dodge roll or dash mechanic, with the exception of some mutations. Because of this, I was forced to solely kite enemies across the battlefield. This strategy tends to get really old after a while. Let alone when exits are blocked off and you’re trapped in a kill box.
Overall HELLMUT: The Badass From Hell is a really fun but formulaic experience in its base mode. But the inclusion of the Gauntlet is an added bonus making it easily worth its asking price for fans of the Rogue-Like and Bullet Hell genres.
