Hell Clock review

Fans will instantly recognize the influences of Hades and Diablo across Hell Clock’s fast-paced action and character-build systems. Yes, developer Rogue Snail borrows the same top-down camera, fluid combat, upgrade selections, and loot-driven progression from in these iconic titles. As such, Hell Clock might initially feel like yet another entry in this congested roguelike genre.

But when the in-game clock starts counting down as soon as you step into demon-infested dungeons, you’ll probably appreciate how Hell Clock pushes against the staccato pacing of its peers. Here, runs feel relentlessly urgent and time just might be the toughest foe you face.

Light on Context, Heavy on Intense Combat

Despite a context that uses War of Canudos, Hell Clock doesn’t really harness the significance of this historical context. The brutal massacre and societal upheavals are largely confined to the backdrop for most of the game. As such, the attempt at integrating a historical event, even loosely, can feel at odds with the fiend-fighting dungeon crawls. So, make sure you’re up for action rather than exposition.

Instead, Hell Clock’s multitude of systems and a sense of progression are the real highlights. Across each run, you’ll harness the potential of new abilities, relics, and stat upgrades. Like some of the best roguelikes, tinkering with builds can be just as rewarding as the gameplay. And the moment-to-moment action is no slouch, with weapons and abilities mapped to almost every button on your controller.

+30% or GTFO

Best of all, Rogue Snail isn’t tightfisted with the upgrades, providing players with area-of-effect and critical bonuses equal to Steam sale percentages. Sure, they give protagonist Pajeú a meager pistol at the onset. But several runs later, he’ll be struggling to save the soul of The Counselor with a beefier loadout. One of the things I appreciate the most about Hell Clock is how powerful you soon feel. By my third run, I was cleaving through peons in the procedurally-generated dungeons once I mastered the timing of the game’s cooldown meters.

Meanwhile, the game’s clock mechanic provides a constant sense of urgency, that increased as you descend deeper into the underworld. While it adds pressure and keeps runs from growing tedious, you can disable the timer if you find it too frustrating. But given that many roguelike runs can stretch toward the half-hour mark, I appreciate the push toward bite-sized attempts and the generous meta-game rewards accrued after each one.

Clocking the Performance

Hell Clock employs a vibrant, comic book-inspired palette to bring its dark fantasy to life. While the amount of detail provided to environments, enemies, and the protagonist is commendable, the fidelity comes at a cost. On low-end PCs and portables like the Steam Deck, the game struggles to deliver sixty-frames-per-second performance, even on the lowest setting available.

Thankfully, the visual payoff is often worth the performance trade-off. Hell Clock’s aesthetic choices enhance the sense of chaos, with plenty of screen-filling explosions, stylized damage indicators, and animations that convey the impact of every strike. Combined with a pulsing metal soundtrack and frequent quips from Pajeú, the presentation gives Hell Clock a hard-hitting personality that complements the game’s hectic pace.

Conclusion

Hell Clock might not reinvent the wheel, but Rogue Snail’s action roguelike spins things like a possessed hamster on a wheel. With its relentless timer, satisfying combat loops, and generous upgrade systems, it delivers a tightly-wound experience that rewards experimentation and quick reactions. While the historical backdrop feels more like set dressing than substance, the heated action and stylized visuals more than pick up the slack. If you’re craving a hell-hot dungeon crawl where the pressure rarely lets up, Hell Clock delivers a devilishly good time.

Hell Clock was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.