Hell Clock Could Be The Next Big Roguelike - Preview

If you haven't yet, follow us on X (Twitter), Mastodon, or Bluesky to know when we post new articles, and join our Reddit or Subscribe to us on YouTube to check out our content and interact with our awesome community. Thank you for supporting us!

Hell Clock is an interesting take on the classic ‘guns blazing roguelike’ genre. Like the Grey Goo scenario, it's a game that seems to multiply every time I blink. The roguelike genre on Steam is growing rapidly, but Hell Clock stands out with its unique visual charm.

While Hell Clock is due for a release this June, we were lucky enough to try the beta early. The first thing I thought of when booting Hell Clock was how much it reminds me of Hades. The influence of Hades is evident throughout Hell Clock, although, unlike in Hades, no attractive deities are aiding me in this hellscape. That is unfortunate.

The setting of Hell Clock is heavily based on the real war of Canudos in Brazil that killed tens of thousands of people. It is a unique historical inspiration that drew me to the game. Players take on the role of Pajeú, a warrior fighting to rescue the soul of The Counselor, his fallen mentor, who is trapped in a nightmare world.

It’s not often in a roguelike that we get to play something inspired by such significant historical events, and I appreciate how well Hell Clock weaves environmental storytelling into its gameplay.

While Hell Clock reminds me of Hades, it's not a clone of it. It plays more like Diablo, especially between map zones. The gameplay is heavily focused on loot and weapon upgrades as you battle through an endless horde of growing demons in a race against the Hell Clock, the limited time you have in this shadow realm. Death is only the beginning of these roguelikes, and it creates a fast-paced gameplay loop.

The movement and combat in Hell Clock are smooth, fluid, and a joy to experience. Starting with a pistol, the guns feel just right, with sound design that enhances the immersion. The hellish dungeons are procedurally generated and provide a thrilling backdrop for your adventures.

While this could lead to repetition problems later in the full release, I enjoyed sprinting through the dank tunnels, blowing up undead hordes with my gun, and dodging attacks. All the voice acting is done in native Brazilian, and you can feel the characters' emotions. This is a brutal time in history, and hearing these broken people struggle to survive tugged on the cold tin can that is my heart in video games. It takes a lot to hit my emotions, but Hell Clock manages to pull it off well so far.

Between death and rebirth, you have a hub area that grows naturally as you progress. Characters return after being rescued and offer new weapons and items that are permanent upgrades between runs.

The content in the beta is limited, but the full release looks like a solid package. The 3 Act story, with hundreds of upgrades, permadeath options, and a relaxed mode, provides a nice mix of accessibility choices. Veteran players and newcomers to the genre alike should find themselves at home.

The performance felt solid across the board in my limited time with the beta. While it currently lacks controller support, I was able to get things working decently on the Steam Deck. This is preliminary, as we have a while before Hell Clock fully launches, but it left me hopeful for the full release. There aren't many ways to tinker with graphics yet, and it requires a full 15W TDP Limit to maintain a steady 60FPS, so these are things that could be worked on.

For a preview, Hell Clock impressed me more than I expected. It is the pleasant kind of surprise I enjoy when playing games. Sometimes, we find something interesting that exceeds our expectations. As with all games before release, this is subject to change, but if you want a refreshing addition to the roguelike market with some great gameplay and atmosphere, Hell Clock is shaping up to be something special.

Hell Clock can be wishlisted on Steam, and a demo of the game is available to try out now.

If you enjoyed this article, check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that will help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got you covered!