Hell is Us: The Great Game That 2025 Buried (And I’m Still Sad About It)

Ever shown up to a party only to realize you’re wearing the same outfit as the host, but the host is a literal rockstar and everyone is screaming their name? That’s basically Hell is Us in 2025. I played it, I loved it, and then I watched Hollow Knight: Silksong drop on the exact same day and absolutely obliterate the internet. Now it’s 2026, and I’m still here, nursing a grudge and a save file. 😤

Hell is Us is Rogue Factor’s greatest creative leap so far. It’s a grimdark, semi-open-world action game that refuses to hold your hand. No map markers? Check. No quest arrows? Check. Just you, a weird drone, and a world that wants you dead. It’s the kind of game that makes you feel smart when you figure something out, and then immediately stupid when you walk into an ambush. But that’s the charm. It rejects traditional open-world design with passion and panache, as the reference article says. And I agree. It’s respectable and fascinating.

But here’s the thing: 2025 was an absurdly packed year. Every month felt like a new blockbuster. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2? Great, but forgotten. Death Stranding 2? Wild. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? A masterpiece. And then there’s Hell is Us, a brand-new IP with no established fanbase, launching into a hurricane. I’m not saying it’s a tragedy, but it’s definitely a ‘what if’ scenario.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Horizon. Remember Horizon Zero Dawn? Gorgeous game, new IP, launched five days before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Five days! And then Horizon Forbidden West launched a week before Elden Ring. A week! Talk about bad timing. Here’s a handy table:

Game
Release Date
Competitor
Competitor’s Release Date

Horizon Zero Dawn
Feb 28, 2017
this price tracking tool

#game