Hellpoint is a dark sci-fi action RPG that could be best described as procedurally generated Dark Souls in space, with tactical third person combat, dynamic events, massive space monsters and even split-screen co-op play as you explore a space station that’s locked in a dangerous orbit with a black hole that’s distorting space and time.
In Hellpoint you take on the role of a mysterious nameless character whose intentions are entirely determined by your actions. After selecting from a choice of three character classes, you wake up in the Irid Novo space station that’s currently in orbit around a super-massive black hole. You are given the order to “finish what was undone” by an entity known as the Authority. All is not what it seems in this place and you have a distinct feeling that someone is watching you and that you’ve done this many times before…
The gameplay on offer in Hellpoint feels fondly reminiscent of Dark Souls, with tactical combat where timing, blocking and managing your stamina are vital factors that will influence your chances of success. As you progress through the game you’ll be able to use a deep crafting and customisation system to level up attributes, unlock powerful abilities, and adjust your weaponry and powers to make them suit your play style.
The enemies are tough and can quickly dispatch you if you’re not careful – and the games innovative Dynamic Event system means you’re never quite sure where the next threat will come from. This Dynamic Event system revolves around the fact that the black hole that you’re in orbit around is having drastic effects on space and time – so as you venture through a corridor you’ve been through before a a new passage may open up or a powerful mini-boss may randomly spawn for you to contend with. As well as the Dynamic Event system that affects the structure of levels on a single play through, the game also uses procedural generation to make each new play though unique as it crafts a new space station from a variety of rooms, enemies, puzzles and events.
Labelling Hellpoint as Dark Souls in space is probably doing it a bit of a disservice, as it brings plenty of its own ideas to the table alongside the Dark Soulsian exploration and combat. It’s still early in development so does have a few rough edges, but it certainly shows a lot of promise – a dark, deadly and mysterious sci-fi adventure packed we highly recommend embarking on.
Support Hellpoint on Kickstarter and Download The Alpha Demo Here (Win & Linux)
Special Thanks to Nokzen For the Heads Up About This Game!