Hell Pie review

Hell Pie’s combat is bland and the humor is only mildly revolting. But the sense of exploration and navigation are satisfying, so it’s not all sour.

For Nate, whose professional title is “The Demon of Bad Taste”, hell isn’t much worse than suburban tedium. When he’s not BBQing in his backyard, Nate spends his workweek at a cushy office job at Sin Inc. However, his laidback life is suddenly uprooted when he receives a misdialed call from Satan. It turns out that the devil’s birthday is rapidly approaching and he’s demanding a dessert made from a very specific list of ingredients, like a rotten tentacle and a tampon.

After witnessing Lucifer subject his fellow excuse-making employees to excruciating torture, Nate sets out to gather the ingredients on his own. Unsurprisingly, the repulsive constituents are spread out across the vast reaches of the underworld. The devil’s not going to settle for a pre-made pie when he can demand an agonizing rummage across hell’s open-worlds.

Fascist Feces and Other Foes

The six-person team at Essen, Germany-based Sluggerfly are probably tired of platformers that are nauseatingly wholesome. Much like Conker’s Bad Day, Hell Pie offers a regular procession of gags and references to R-rated movies. As such, prepare to battle poop and penis monsters, which are all mildly amusing, but rarely funny or gross enough to be truly memorable. Seeing the teleportation pods from Cronenberg’s The Fly might be cool but Hell Pie doesn’t do anything with the set-up beyond trot out some standard insectoid monsters. Instead, it’s the restrained jokes and the sporadic skewering of corporate behaviors that are likely to produce the laughs. And that from someone who loves a good dick joke.

But that’s not to say Hell Pie lacks a sense of humor. The introductory level is fairly linear, but you are free to smack the asses of NPCs with your clipboard. Watching a demon release a cloud of noxious green flatulence or knock over an immaculate display of pickle jars is certainly fun. But the delight of delinquency doesn’t last. Soon, you’ll encounter a corpulent cherub named Nugget, who becomes chained to you. Although this results in the possession of a useful offensive weapon and navigational tool, there are few additional animations to reward any impulsive acts of mischief.

Even a Demon Needs Some Divine Assistance

On the upside, Nugget contributes indispensable assistance. Permanently attached to you via a chain, the character can be twirled around like Kratos’ Blades of Chaos, eliminating foes closing in on Nate. He’s also useful for picking up purple globs, which are scattered about every time you crack open one of the numerous boxes and barrels strewn around Hell. But largely, combat in Hell Pie is only mildly enjoyable and barely challenging. Typically, groups of foes are easily slain with a repeated hammering of the attack button. Boss battles offer just a bit more challenge, but there aren’t always enough attack patterns to make these fights distinctive.

Instead, Nugget’s most useful ability will offer a mid-air swing at the end of your double jump. But even without Nugget’s help, Nate can air dash and climb up most walls, making him quite an agile demon.  Gather collectable dog food cans scattered across the hellscape and you’ll be able to increase the number of swings fivefold, permitting Nate to clear a sizable gap. While Hell Pie doesn’t have an extensive tech-tree, there are 18 supplemental skills than can be learned, with capabilities like ground slams and damage from air dashes. Largely, each newly acquired skill makes progress a bit easier for you; they’re rarely required for advancement.

Additionally, Nate can sacrifice unicorns, replacing his own horns with their magical appendages. Doing this grants the protagonist new abilities. Some of the talents are instrumental, such as being able to identify the locations of important objects in the substantial open world. But other horns have more limited usefulness. Speed horns can increase how fast Nate moves, but expeditiousness is rarely needed as you proceed at your own pace.

The Five Circles of Hell

Your ingredient collecting journey will send Nate through five massive realms, each containing several linear sub-levels. Out in the open world, Hell Pie usually shines, with far-flung draw distances and level designs that will have you reconnoitering a multitude of recesses on each map. The interiors offer a pleasing change of pace, extending paths that will test your 3D-platforming prowess. Even if most of the game’s enemies are pushovers, the game’s lethal flooring will have you thankful for the liberal checkpointing.

But as pleasurable as Hell Pie’s platforming is, there are quite a few bugs in this otherwise enjoyable dessert. They’re mostly minor, with Nate temporarily getting stuck on a part of the environment. Other times, something will prohibit you from progressing in the game, which can be aggravating, especially when it’s not noticed. Some sections need refinement, such as a Crash Bandicoot-style chase scene that’s more frustrating than fun.

Conclusion

There are multiple moments where Hell Pie shines. Exploring the game’s vast landscapes can be enjoyable, with environments that flaunt verticality and plenty of hidden alcoves. Even the game’s levels within levels are pleasurable, recalling the gratification of 3D platforming of old. But other components aren’t realized, with combat feeling rather lackluster while the game’s humor only occasionally hits the mark. The result is palatable but you’ll wish some of Hell Pie’s ingredients were left in the oven a bit longer.