The connection between metal music, demonic imagery and first-person shooters is far from new. Few players have seen a game in which they are as fully integrated as in Metal: Hellsinger, although. Combining classic arena-based shooter gameplay with a rhythm element that feels great when all goes well, some players will fall in love with this journey to the many hells. A lack of variety will turn off other players though, and if you don’t connect to the music, this is definitely not the game for you.
Long ago, The Unknown was cast into the deepest layers of hell for daring to challenge the Red Judge. Her voice had been taken from her and she was powerless to escape. But as the ages pass, someone calls her to give her a new voice and a chance for revenge. Now you have the chance to show the red judge what a mistake they made, but only if you can feel the beat.
fire at will
Metal: Hellsinger after all, it’s still a first-person shooter. While rhythm elements are essential, you’ll be constantly attacked by hordes of demonic enemies in cramped halls and small arenas where you have to take them out. However, what stands out compared to other shooters is that just random shooting limits your ability to deal the most damage. If you really want to destroy these hordes, you need to time your attacks to the beat of the music.
An indicator in the center of your screen shows the beat, and if you can time your shots to match, you’ll deal more damage. Linking attacks together on beat builds up your rage meter, allowing you to deal even more damage. It also affects the music itself, as the music you hear while fighting is layered so it fades out if you’re low on health and the vocals only play when you’re at the highest fury level.
A very good soundtrack
You want to maintain that top level as often as possible, not only because you deal as much damage as possible, but also because the soundtrack of Metal: Hellsinger is fantastic. The Outsiders development team brought in an all-star roster of talent, including the lead vocalists of groups like System of a Down, Lamb of God, Arch Enemy, Trivium and many more. Almost every song here just rocks, and I always wanted to hear them as fully as possible.
If only the rest of the presentation was as good as the music. The story and characters never manage to connect, and the game’s narration feels out of place. Delivered in the parlance of a cowboy who sounds like a Sam Elliott impersonator, it’s not so much a bad performance as it is a misguided performance. It feels like it’s been transported from a completely different game, and while the cowboy aesthetic has certainly been mixed with metal music in the past, there’s nothing else to ground it here. It’s a strange choice.
What you see is what you get
While the actual core mechanics and rhythm elements of Metal: Hellsinger feel great too, what you see in the opening hours of the game is pretty much what you get. The developers never find ways to add depth or evolve the game in a meaningful way. Oh, you get some new skills like dash that can definitely be useful. There are also new weapons, new enemies and new boss battles. But I never felt like I had to seriously change the way I played to deal with this. Most of the stronger enemies that appear will simply become damage sponges. The environments you fight your way through are never particularly interesting either. Many similar rooms and passageways. This gives you the freedom to focus on the battle, but it also helps make the game even more repetitive.
Additional weapons should provide a lot of extra options, and some of them are useful, but if you have a limited number to choose from in each level, you don’t have the right options, and a lot of them just don’t feel as good as your standard skull pistol . The problem is that the skull has unlimited ammunition, allowing you to continuously time your attacks to the music and really feel the beat. It allows you to find a flow that can feel great when things work. However, the rest of your weapons need to be reloaded. You can do this an unlimited number of times, but the reload time means you can’t just keep firing. A gun I’ve loved only has two shots before reloading, there’s no rhythm to it. This meant I often went back to the default weapon. It does much less damage, but feels much better for the game.
There are a few other timing-based elements that do feel right. If you’re using weapons that need reloading, you can take the time to reload immediately so you can keep firing. There’s also a dashing finisher that you can activate when an enemy is near death, which will heal you if you do it right. It’s a great mechanic, but strangely picky about when it works. Too many times I tried to use it just to make it not work, forcing me to find my rhythm again.
Conclusion
Metal: Hellsinger is relatively short, and while there are extra challenges you can complete if you fall in love with it, that’s usually a good thing. While the core mechanics are strong, and I like the soundtrack, it’s a one-dimensional game where you get to see almost everything quickly. At that point, it’s just a matter of how much you enjoy it. While it won’t be for everyone, it’s definitely a game that people with Game Pass should give a shot.
Final verdict: 3.5/5
Available on: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox Series S, PS5, PC; Publisher: Funcom; Developer: The Outsiders; Players: 1; Released: September 15, 2022; ESRB: T for teen; MSRP: $39.99
Full disclosure: This review is based on a retail copy of Metal: Hellsinger.
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