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.