''Hellpoint'' is a 2020

action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild. It released for Windows, Linux, MacOS,

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...

, and Xbox One on July 30. The player takes on the role of a nameless humanoid stranded on derelict space station Irid Novo, and must battle vicious creatures in order to solve the mystery behind the events that happened there. Irid Novo orbits a massive black hole; the station's position in relation to the black hole affects the strength of enemies. Versions for

Stadia Stadia may refer to: * One of the plurals of stadium, along with "stadiums" * The plural of stadion, an ancient Greek unit of distance, which equals to 600 Greek feet (''podes''). * Stadia (Caria), a town of ancient Caria, now in Turkey * Stadi ...

and

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...

were released in February 2021, with

PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, it was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North Ame ...

and

Xbox Series X/S The Xbox Series X/S are home video game consoles developed by Microsoft. They were both released on November 10, 2020, as the fourth generation Xbox, succeeding the Xbox One. Along with Sony's PlayStation 5, also released in November 2020, t ...

versions released in July 2022.

Gameplay

In ''Hellpoint'', the gameplay revolves mainly around combat. The player has both light and strong attacks in their arsenal, as well as an evade mechanic. The game progress can be saved at breaches which do not resurrect foes as they respawn after a certain amount of time. Up to two healing injections can be stored. The healing gauge is refilled by dealing damage to monsters. The game relies heavily on exploration, offering a number of secrets to discover. They may be hidden behind secret doors or in seemingly inaccessible places that can be reached by utilizing the jump mechanic. ''Hellpoint'' has been dubbed a "

Soulslike A Soulslike (also spelled Souls-like) is a subgenre of action role-playing and action-adventure games known for high levels of difficulty and emphasis on environmental storytelling, typically in a dark fantasy setting. It had its origin in ''Dem ...

" game, due to similarities in gameplay mechanics with the '' Dark Souls'' series.

Development and release

In 2017, Cradle Games initiated a

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...

campaign to fund the development of their project. With the initial goal of CA$50,000, they managed to gather CA$64,500 over a span of two years. In 2019, the project was declared funded. A playable sequel chapter, ''Hellpoint: The Thespian Feast'', was released on February 20, 2020. The events of this chapter take place half a century after the events of the main game.Hellpoint: The Thespian Feast Is a ‘Free Playable Sequel’ Chapter Out Now on Steam
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Reception

''Hellpoint'' received "mixed or average reviews" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

References

{{reflist 2020 video games Action role-playing video games Dark fantasy video games Windows games Linux games Classic Mac OS games PlayStation 4 games PlayStation 5 games Nintendo Switch games Xbox One games Xbox Series X and Series S games Multiplayer and single-player video games Kickstarter-funded video games Video games set in outer space Video games developed in Canada Science fiction video games Soulslike video games Stadia games tinyBuild games