HellSign (PC) - Part 2

Previously: Joseph Frost Jr. wakes up from horrid nightmare and he (somehow) see a large tattoo on his back that may be related to that. Then there's phone call that tells him to do scout job. After finishing the (unpaid) job, he bring a puzzle box to the same employer, a rookie hunter named Banjo. Afterward he goes to hunt albino spiders in another abandoned house but suddenly he's whisked to dark dimension where shadowbeasts kills him. But miraculously, he came back safely to his safe house but his payment get cut because he doesn't report back immediately. Turns out, his sudden transition is caused by HellSign which is that mystic tattoo. He pays visit to some cryptozoologist named  Zoe Roper and she ask him to gather more clue/sign that may reveal the truth behind the HellSign.

Although Redback cut my money payment from that contract at least i get enough reputation to go to Scouting Contract. He told me to go scouting anyway. Besides there's $55 payment for deduction! I can do this. 

I read the journal for a while and i can see that quest that Zoe gave me. Collect 2 signs? Sounds no problem.

Demoman_jeers08.wav. I thought i was killed by stronger variant of the spiders but apparently not. They're the same Albino Spider from tutorial missions! I think the failure factor is: this left mouse button begin to feel iffy.

This sucks! I got nothing from that mission and i deplete my syringe back then so i have to buy new one. What's that "(Reusable Item)" means? After much much later, i realized that stim and medkit are replenished every time mission is over. So i don't need to buy more Stim everytime i use it. I'm simpleton, indeed. 

You know that cliché in horror movie where the protagonist having problem with starting the car while there's incoming horror? That's pretty much the same what happens here. Yes, it's still the albino spider but it gives me hard time again. Maybe i should consider using petrol gas trap to deal with them easier but i barely make earning here.

I figure i should go to Forensic missions instead of Scouting ones. The former is much easier than the latter as there's less spider encounter there (and less occasion to meet multiple of them at once). In Forensic mission, there's 2 signs in total. At first, i was playing really safe and dumb by searching only for 1 sign and leave immediately. Besides i can't find another sign with EMF detector. That's because i forgot to use the blacklight cathode, duh!  

Soldier_autocappedintelligence02.wav. I got $7 for finding all the signs. Not to mention, there's collected sign that i can sell to Redback. The job is quite fruitful.

Also, i finished a quest from Zoe in process. That's more income that i get. Next, she want me to the deduction task. Sure, thing!   

I think i can buy some better equipment with this money. Replacing a weapon with better ones, isn't as simple as in any RPG. You have to take the ammo type into consideration even among the handguns. Like here for example: i can buy this Sec-9 compact which is certainly stronger than Pocket Pistol that i have but it uses genuine 9mm parabellum bullets (which presumably stronger) instead of 0.22 FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) bullets like what i use so far. But i think it's realistic as the gun that i currently have is meant for civilian's self defense and not for legit military purpose. Although i can buy some 9mm parabellum bullets but i choose to buy mountain boots to boost my defense power, instead.

Besides increasing defense capability, the boot also increase my stability which determine knockback resistance when hit by enemy. This interface is pretty standard on RPGs.

I also get a level up and 1 skill point. I decide to invest it on Treasure Hunter which increase chance for me to find sign with higher rarity. Rarer sign means bigger money to net. $U$

After more Forensic missions, i eventually dare myself to go to Scouting mission again...

I think this Irregular Rocks is rarer sign because it isn't regular, you see?  

No, i'm not shooting at ghost here. It's the same spider but it's in ceiling. Sometime if i'm very lucky i can scan for "invisible" spiders (the crosshair cursor will have red lines in centers to indicate there's target where i point my gun) and shoot them without agro them. Needless to say, this saves my health and effort pretty much

Look what i found. It's that Tasmanian Centipede. It's easier to deal than the spiders because it's larger target and its attack are easier to dodge. Sadly, burning oil puddle doesn't affect it not even a bit. Speaking of trap, i forget to mention another class you can choose: Stalker, who's adept at using bait and trap. My character here can use petrol gas trap albeit there's penalty on burn duration by 25%.

Finding those signs, gets me 'Investigator' achievement! If you wonder why there's no icon on achievement there that's because my Steam is on offline mode. 

After collecting enough money and buying stuffs...  

Hey! Another achievement for using parabolic sound detector and this time you can see the mouse cursor as small microphone icon (on shelf). You can see at the first screenshot of this article that in scouting contract's detail that there's 3 detector icon, meaning the signs on this mission are obtained by using those 3 devices. The right icon represent this parabolic sound detector that i just bought (also i bought kevlar helmet for extra protection). It's worthy as i can get more sign with this device. More sign means more income, you see. But thing that i don't like is: when i approach the source of the paranormal sounds, i hear unsettling sounds like children crying, witch's laughter, or man screaming in agony. 

After many forensic and scouting missions later...

Hey! I got another level up. This time, i invest the skill point on medic skill tree as the game intend to. This 'Stim Tolerance' seems useful as it will reduce health penalty when using stim. Speaking of stim, there's 2 kind of healing item: stim injection and medkit. Stim injection will replenish all of your health but reducing your maximum health by 20 points. The health reduction only happen during the mission, meaning if you get out the mission your health will be normal again. As for medkit, it replenishes health throughout the process of healing and its number is on health point you can replenish instead of 1 or 2 charge in stim's case. But unlike stim, you can use medkit only in non-combat situation (enemies will dart at you in combat situation no matter how long you run). Pressing 'V' key will use the stim while pressing (and holding) 'M' key will use the medkit.

I think i will sell those sign that i gathered so far and talk to the fixer while i'm at it. He explain about the outsourcing thing in our department. Also he don't give a freak about what i do during the mission as long as i can get the sign that i searched for and it's better than dying.

I feel déjà vu here. To be fair, as i enter the first room there's 3 freaking spiders already! I try fight back but i'm out of stim already. So i have no choice but to retreat without make any earning. 

After some scouting missions later...

Finally, i can gather enough signs to make analysis (and you can't use sign that you collect from other mission to do the deduction). But the thing is: there's more than 1 conclusion: Nightmare, Banshee, or Shadow. I don't think i heard woman's shriek or horse's neigh so i decide the culprit is Shadow!

WHAT? I make wrong deduction? The tutorial didn't tell me about it. So there goes my $55 bonus.  

On another scouting mission, a lamp near entrance door burst on its own and makes my vision blur temporarily. On other occasion, a lawnmower run over me and a book shelf flies at me (and there's vile laughter afterward). Scout_sf13_magic_reac06.wav

After more income and shopping...

Finally, i got to use shotgun! I need $200 (plus some money for buckshots) and 1 skill point investing (to eliminate reload time penalty) but it's freaking worth it! Not only it deals significantly more damage than the pistol but also hits wider target as opposed to pistol that require very strict precision. Also, it's perfect to deal with multiple spiders. You can focus your money or skill point to handguns for more comprehensive building but as i experience before that having shotgun is really worthy.   

Hey i found Aubrey mask from Hotline Miami! From every searching method so far, i like the black light method the most as it feels the most explicit because you only need to search the long trail of illuminated blood. Finding the starting point could be the problem but you can just start searching in the middle of track without knowing the starting point. If you happen to be in long corridor or wide room, there's a good chance that there will be the blood trail that you can follow. Microphone detection has more detection range but with simple triangulation, you can pinpoint the source. It's easier than EMF detection but as i have mentioned before that there's unsettling voices at the source. EMF detection is the most tedious as it has small detection range and low sensitivity. Both the sound method can lead you to the source on next room! Besides using better equipment, you can improve sign searching by investing on detective skill. There's 2 type of searching method and each with 2 kind of device: 1) sound method uses EMF detector and Parabolic sound detector 2) visual method uses blacklight cathode and thermal detector. You probably think that searching isn't related to combat aspect but there's bit relation. On next level of Detective skill, you can increase critical hit chance and/or dodge if you get some special evidence that related to target   

Now, i get it! You have to match the clue sign with the one in Cryptonomicon's page. For instance, this ceramic fragments that i just found is match with the one in bottom right corner with word 'conflict'. So i need to click on word 'conflict' inside the 'Decipher Structural' box and the result is: Banshee.

Engineer_positivevocalization01.wav. I get that sweet $55 bonus. Not only that, but also i finished task that's given by Zoe.

She grants me with $50 and 30 xp. My reputation also goes up by 1. She can't help me with HellSign explanation for now as she still busy (as always). She forces recommends me to get another job.

I talk to the bartender and he directs me to this bouncer-like guy. He offers me a sweeper job which is kill the monster and give him its part. So it's heavily combat oriented now, huh? I take it but i need better gears for that.

When i want to go to the shop, i spot hunting mission and oh boy look at that danger level! It's wallop level 8! The danger level indicate not only how difficult enemy that you will encounter  but also how obnoxious the poltergeist's intervention on your work. In Forensic mission where the danger level is 1, the furniture sometime rattling, there's some static on screen, or there's wild jump reading on detector. They're not bad. But on the Scouting mission, your action can get "rewind", you're suddenly warped to random spot on the house, or the most abhorrent is furniture fly at you poltergeist-style. The scariest threat comes from the poltergeist hazard rather than the real enemies (so far i encounter only spiders and giant centipedes) in my opinion. There's definite "Risk and Reward" aspect in this game. There's only cheap signs on Forensic missions but you most likely get "trolled" on harder missions and sometime you don't get anything for the trouble. Mission in overworld are randomly change as if in supernatural manner but it only happens so you can browse the mission easier in real time.    

Increasing your reputation is vital for plot progress and also allow you to gain access to more missions and equipments. Noah need $200 so he can expand his selling goods and i gladly give that sums of money. He promise me discount, anyway.

I also get another level up. This time i go with another boost to my maximum health points because you can't go wrong with more health points. If you feel like wrong on skill point investing, you can retract that skill point with $500(!) and you can only do it 5 times at maximum. I think i can do summary right now.  

I thought Ballistic Interactive's HellSign (2018) is isometric shooter with horror coating and that's only 50% true. There's pixel searching like in Point 'n Click adventure but searchable element will be highlighted with white layout to make searching easier. Also i thought the combat skills (e.g. healing, more damage, wearing heavy armor) are vital but non-combat skills are also important like better searching or gambling. You thought gambling only useful for extra earning but as i inspect the skill tree i see gambling skill that increase critical chance, accuracy, and evasion which useful for combat. Not to mention that killing enemies isn't only the way to earn exp but also gathering signs. But still you have to get out of the mission site alive or else you get reduction on exp and money earning. Safety is everything in this game. You can never go wrong with any class. Well as for Drifter, it's for those who like to challenge or dislike pre-determined character setting. The classification only determine initial skills and equipment kind of like Dark Soul. You can't search for ammo or healing item in mission site, you only get signs there. But i can get medic skill that allow me to do autopsy corpses to regenerate health once i reach level 99. Unlike in Kuon where anomalies only serve to scare you, here the anomalies can harm you for real in gameplay context. Also, unlike in Kuon where i can mute the sound and i can still able to play, but in HellSign i need sounds for sign searching. The music and sound are appropriate with the scary atmosphere. There's 2 kind of music so far: combat situation and non-combat situation. I feel that the former is scarier than other. The bad lighting/filter also contribute the scary atmosphere and also the Poltergeist hazards.

HellSign (2018) is worth my money. It's unique action horror game. Despite the difficulty, i feel like i want to play some more. Thus i can recommend you to play this game. It has decent tutorial stages but i get shocked with that scripted defeat. But it could be my PTSD about getting shredded by evil dog. I'm reincarnation spiritual successor of Joseph Frost, you know.

HellSign (PC) - Part 1

After delay after delay, i get to review the latest game that i have: Ballistic Interactive's HellSign (2018).

Nice hat and combat vest there, dude! But why you're missing your eyes like some kind of Japanese Sim Dating's protagonist? Anyway, as the title suggests it's horror game. I didn't do well at the last horror game that i reviewed. So what can possibly go wrong? [Medium-Large Sarcasm]. Where do i know this game? It's probably hard to believe but i know and feel interested with this game from Youtube ads. Advertisement done right, i guess?

 

After selecting save slot, i must customize my character. There's only 4 portrait that i can choose from. I'll be the son of that barely-known unlucky bloke in Resident Evil-verse. He know what misery that fall unto his father therefore he has (maybe) smarter approach. He becomes medic rather than mere scout like his father. That way he has better survivability, maybe. There's several class that you can pick:

• Detective, who has the best search skill for clue among the others. Sounds intellect but i have no idea yet why i need to search for clues
•  Renegade, who's the best at gambling. I don't like gambling so i pass
•  Breacher, which can equip heavy armor and use better medical item. Basically heavy guy
•  Mercenary, who's the best at sidearm (e.g. handgun) handling. Besides he already has submachine gun unlike other who only have sidearm. Sounds too good so (again) i pass
•  Archeologist, who's adept at finding treasure and crafting. This is perfect if you want to create Indiana Jones' illegitimate mysterious son
•  Ninja, who has better dodging capability and can wear assassin's equipment. Can you backstab a ghost? I don't think so
•  Drifter, whose level is 1 instead of 3 like others. No initial skill and has the poorest equipment. He's basically 'deprived' class in Dark Soul 2

I choose Field Medic for his increased health points and ability to use better medicine item. Like Breacher but less badblood.

 

After that, we're presented with this prologue comic. The art style reminds me of Hellboy or Spawn. Given the relation with supernatural, my thought is quite reasonable. Funny that there's 'B' word even though i have turn the "Mature Language Filter" on. So, yeah. A man had a nightmare where he's shredded by demons, wake up, eat pills, receive a phone call about job, and leave. Almost like Hotline Miami without demonic nightmare.   

 

Then this loading screen appears. I don't about you but the looks of the house and trees gives me "Indonesian horror" vibe like in Jailangkung movie even though i'm not fans of Horror movie and yes we have lots of horror movies besides drama comedy. By the way, say hello to Jim who's hanged in that tree there. He must feel cold alone outside like that.   

 

Of course, the tutorial starts with "WASD to move" instruction. Hang on, there man! No need to swear like that!

 

Do you kiss your mother's hand with that very mouth, jerk? -_-

Fine i go scouting there. Let's hope i don't end up like my father.

 

Yes, the game is in isometric view and as far as i know there's no way to rotate camera. But so far the gameplay is fine as it is. With EMF detector that i got from my car, i have to scan for sign by moving mouse cursor (It doesn't appear in screenshot so you have to take my word for it) to where the ping grows strong. 

 

Then i found Ouija board inside a book near dead body. I remember on my first playthrough i find the first sign on the outside, near door. So there's rogue element on this level to make sure you learn well and not rely on memorization.  

 

In other horror game, turning off flashlight usually not a good idea (besides minimize detection from monster or what have you). In this case, it allows me to switch with blacklight cathode. It illuminates blood trail that i have to follow. Sometime the trail doesn't form a perfect continuous path usually obstructed by fallen cupboard.  

 

At the end of blood trail i find a creepy doll. Heavy_negativevocalization06.wav

 

After finding 2 other sign/clue, the tutorial wants me to go back to that git. I hope that door doesn't close and locked itself.  

 

Luckily, the door still open thus allows me to go exit the house. While i do that detective work, the bastard has a bizarre chat with his friend while smoking. I caught him talking about his adultery experience. Sniper_jeers02.wav  

 

He told me to bring the Cryptonomicon and identify the supernatural being that lurks there. I have to drag the clue/sign into that small circle then find the right tab based on the clues. And finally, i click the keyword out of the clue such as "clash", "grudge", or whatever.

 

So i conclude that it's Banshee although i don't think Ouija Board is related to Banshee. Really. Now that they know what they deal with, my service is no longer need and Banjo told me to go away. When i ask for the payment, he tell me to meet him later at bar. If he still alive, that is.    

Goblog, siah! [translate: You Bloody idiot!] -_-#

The first time i play this game, i thought there will be "Hell break loose" event happens when i'm gone. But no. Everything is under control, so far. The mug survives and points me to other person that will buy sign/clue that i found. In other word, he doesn't pay any money for my service. The bastard just use me for free!

 

Here's the guy named Redback. He gets jumpy and suspects me that i work for cop. But he settles down after i say that Banjo sent me. That's behavior is reasonable, especially if he looks shoddy like that. Banjo said that Redback cheated when they play card together and he lost his money and his cat. In Redback's defense, Banjo is bad at "poker face" expression and the cat isn't well attended. I don't know who i can trust here.

 

Yes, you can have this creepy Doll for $3. Actually, any price is fine as long as it stays away from me.

 

After selling the stuffs, i head back to my safe house. I can browse my skill tree but i haven't leveled up so i don't have any skill point to spend. Then i re-read Cryptonomicon. And then i browse crafting table but i can't make anything yet. They all feel pointless.

 

And now we're back on the right track. I go back to bar to look for job. But first i talk to anyone else beside Banjo including this guy. He chicken out when i say i only gamble with souls.

 

Banjo told me to get him a puzzle box at "Guns n Baits" shop here in return he will hook me up on next job. Noah, the shopkeeper doesn't like Banjo for some reason so i have to lie. This dialogue interface reminds me of modern Shadowrun. Maybe this game was intended to have branching dialogue solution (such as: lying, intimidation). By the way, the puzzle block is in left corner shelf and its price is $0. No kidding!

 

There's instruction that tell you that there's requirement on some of advanced item. So in my case, i can use advanced medical items without penalty. But i don't have enough money to buy them. :\

 

I did what i asked but Banjo points to Redback, again! That damned guy sure can't reward anyone directly, can he? Anyway, Redback hook me up to my first termination mission. Sure i'll accept. But i want to rake money from other mission, first.

 

Although there's Scouting or Forensic mission on the map, i can't do those yet as my reputation stills considered low. So off i go to extermination sweeping contract. No, i don't mean i'm going to do cleaning service there. I'm bad at interior cleaning.  

 

Of course, there's still more tutorial in this. That's me in the middle of dodge rolling, by the way. So awkward!

 

The game think that i'm not high leveled enough to fight ghost or other supernatural being. Instead, i must fight giant spiders! What's this a RPG? Or maybe the game like to test me whether i have arachnophobia or not. No, i don't. If you really like to make me falter, game. Send giant frogs with nasty wart all over their body!

 

After killing 2 giant spiders, Joseph Frost Jr. though there must be better way to deal with those oversized arachnids. So he scan for clue around (while the game stops the spider's spawning). I find the clue hidden in a book that obscured by this locked door. I thought the clue is on the other side of this door so i walk around it and scan around with no result. This clue placement is kind of bad in my opinion.

 

I open the Cryptonomicon and find out that they're albino spider that susceptible with oil puddle so i grab gasoline on my van later. I notice that there's word 'Australian' and 'Tasmanian' so the game takes place in Australia? I take Australian as home of dangerous animals, but supernatural being's? I think that's more like our (Indonesian's) domain. Our region is full of Pocong, Toyol, Sundel Bolong, Kalong Wewe (Demon bat), Genderuwo, you name it.  But the problem is our gun control is very strict although there's criminals who use homemade gun. Maybe we will resort with more paranormal method instead of guns.

 

I was thinking to use the petrol to burn entire house so i don't need to do all the exhausting job. But the petrol isn't powerful enough to do that. If i shoot the oil puddle it will fizzle and can ignite the spider really good. So there's that.

 

There's 2 aiming method in this game: one straight and other is with low angle that use to shoot at the spider and lock on jammed door so i can open it. If only i have lockpicking skill of Jill's, i don't need to waste bullets like this. Although i have plenty of them. 

I was searching for other spider but suddenly i'm whisked into this dark realm. Then a group of wolf bite me to death. The End. Like father like son, eh?

 

I'm back to my safe house. I think this kind of modern game where you don't get game over but there's penalty from failure. I lost my only 1 clue! I don't have anything else to sell. Soldier_negativevocalization05.wav   

 

As i go back to bar, Banjo is shocked that i'm alive after being ravaged by Shadowbeast at shadow dimension back then. He's looking for me in that realm because the puzzle box goes missing and it's said that it will return to the owner (i'm the one who bought it, remember?). Anyway, you can only go to the shadow dimension with a HellSign (Cue the title!) which is weird massive tattoo on my back. After those explanation, he goes to Melbourne because he's really late for date with the twin sisters. Hey! We're really in Australia. Banjo also refer to me as 'mate' so there's that indication too.

Of course, i'm mad for the sudden teleportation. Thus i suspect that Redback sets me up. He denies that and my payment is cut by 90% because i'm not return on time though the client doesn't file a complaint which mean i did the job well. Later he needs me to do scouting but suggests not do the full investigation as my equipment still inadequate. So his advice is only collect the sign/clue as many as i can and cash them for better equipment. He also know that i have HellSign but he can't tell more about it. So he directs me to...

 

...the cryptozoologist behind his seat. Zoe Roper is the name. She's busy with her research but she offer me a contract to help her with $70 and 20 exp reward. She need me to search for evidence sign to fill her missing data. Thus i need to detect and collect those paranormal stuff. To be continued on next part.