Metal: The concept behind Hellsinger is very simple. Combine DOOM’s classic shooter and rhythm games. And the developer’s The Outsiders has absolutely nailed this element of the game. AmazingShooting, dodging, cycling weapons, it’s all great. You can do almost everything in the game to the rhythm of each level’s song, and get bonus points and bonus damage in time with the music.
All the music has a distinct drumbeat that’s easy to follow in the heat of battle, and each level features guest vocalists from fairly well-known bands like Trivium and System of a Down. The song starts with a basic drum beat of his, and then layers like vocals and guitar are added as his combo meter rises. It’s a nice touch and the implementation is seamless. The music is the real star, as the run-of-the-mill story is squeezed into bland cutscenes that conclude each level.
Looking beyond the core gameplay, cracks start to appear. The title itself doesn’t do anything wrong, but everything comes across as barebones. All eight levels have blurry environments, similar color grading and uninteresting level design. Each level is equivalent to a series of arenas connected by corridors ending in bosses, with little in the way of encouraging creative or different combat approaches. .
The encounter design practically stops evolving after the second level, only introducing occasional enemy variations after that. Many of the enemies aren’t all that fun to fight, which is another big problem. Guns can be fun to use, all weapons are satisfying and fun to play, but everything starts to get old quickly. Completing mini-dungeons) adds some variety to things, but these are temporary distractions at best. You can also complete the game 100% in about 6-7 hours, which makes the price of $39.99 surprisingly high.
The end result is a beautifully designed game with one core element – rhythm gunplay – surrounded by many.
