To Hell with Hell has more going for it than a great title. It’s a fun take on the shoot-em-up genre that doesn’t take itself too seriously. With simple keyboard + mouse controls, you have excellent control over your dungeon crawling hero. I’ll get it out of the way early that you should not play this game if you don’t like the fast-pace of difficult shoot-em-ups. To Hell is not easy at all, and the game makes you aware of that right out of the gate with a message to would-be demon slayers. If you’re up for the task, To Hell is a ton of fun on PC – but it would be hella crazy on Switch!
To Hell with Hell was developed by Lazurite Games and published by Deck 13 today, July 19th. They were kind enough to provide me with a key for the release, which may be found on Steam. It’s presently 20% off at $13.59. Is it worth it? Totally. But remember, you’re more likely to enjoy it if you’re a fan of the genre. It’s not purely a shoot-em-up, however, as it does have rogue-like elements. The game provides 3 play types but only one is available at first. In that mode you’re given 6 saves, period. Before choosing to save, after completing a level, you should consider your arsenal. Do you feel prepared for another level that’s going to be more difficult? The weapons are both melee and ranged and there are other types of bonuses to help you along your path. Early on I was able to partner up with a skeleton warrior that assisted me in the slaying of demons in Hell.
There’s a story in To Hell about the protagonist, Natasia, who is helping to release the ruler of Hell. That’s super silly, and I dig it.
The gameplay loop in To Hell is simply kill, survive, die and try again. It’s a blast, even though it’s difficult. The graphics, music, weapons and accessories are awesome – highly recommended.