Hellboy Web of Wyrd: A Faithful Yet Disappointing Game
Upstream Arcade’s latest release, Hellboy Web of Wyrd, offers an authentic portrayal of the beloved Dark Horse Comics character. With its loyalty to creator Mike Mignola’s unique aesthetic, fans will appreciate the game’s attention to detail. However, despite its faithfulness to the source material, Web of Wyrd falls short when it comes to gameplay.
The game is set in 1982 during the Falklands War and follows Hellboy’s exploration of the mysterious Butterfly House. With increasing psychic energy spikes worldwide, Hellboy must delve into the dimension of Wyrd to understand its connection to the real world. The Wyrd, influenced by Norse mythology and Arabian Nights, presents a narrative-driven challenge for Hellboy to overcome.
Upstream Arcade gained recognition for their 2019 title, West of Dead, which featured Hellboy actor Ron Perlman. However, in Web of Wyrd, Perlman’s role is taken over by the late Lance Reddick, who delivers an excellent performance, avoiding any attempts at a Perlman impression. Reddick captures Hellboy’s world-weary demeanor while navigating the game’s roguelike mechanics.
The game consists of four distinct locations within the Wyrd: medieval Italy, the Scottish woods, Russian ruins, and a collapsed Brooklyn subway tunnel. Each area showcases Mignola’s art style and utilizes a simple yet effective color scheme, emphasizing the game’s dark atmosphere. The attention to detail in replicating Mignola’s visuals is commendable and stands as the game’s greatest achievement.
Combat in Web of Wyrd remains largely unchanged throughout the game. Hellboy possesses limited moves, including light and heavy punches, and the use of firearms. Enemy attacks can be blocked or dodged, and players can equip different charms to enhance their abilities. However, the lack of variety in the moveset and enemy types makes the fights feel repetitive and interchangeable.
The game follows a roguelike structure, generating new layouts for each trip into the Wyrd. However, the main variation lies in the power-ups and currency drops players encounter. Unfortunately, the pool of available buffs and upgrades is limited, leading to a repetitive experience. Character progression is also lacking, as the few upgrades available have minimal impact on gameplay.
Despite these gameplay flaws, Web of Wyrd offers an engaging story. Developed in collaboration with Dark Horse Comics, the game delves into deeper layers of the Wyrd as players progress through the narrative loops. The writers have crafted a well-thought-out story with twists and turns that keep players invested. The inclusion of references to the “Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.” spin-off series adds to the depth of the storytelling.
However, Web of Wyrd’s story cannot compensate for its lack of gameplay depth. The game fails to provide enough mechanical variety or incentives to keep players engaged in repeated playthroughs. While fans of Hellboy and Mignola’s art will enjoy the game’s visuals and Lance Reddick’s performance, its overall lack of substance leaves much to be desired.
In terms of accessibility, Web of Wyrd lacks dedicated features. However, certain options, such as tweaking enemy cooldowns and adding attack warnings, can assist players struggling with combat timing. Remappable controls are available, but there are no colorblind filters or text size adjustments.
After 17 hours of gameplay, it is evident that while Hellboy Web of Wyrd captures Mignola’s distinctive aesthetic, it falls short in delivering a satisfying gaming experience. For a more engaging superhero adventure, players may find our list of the best superhero games more appealing.
