Title: “Hellboy Web of Wyrd: A Faithful, Yet Disappointing Adaptation of Dark Horse Comics”

Release Date: October 18, 2023

Platform: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

In a faithful tribute to the iconic Dark Horse Comics character, Hellboy Web of Wyrd captures the distinctive aesthetic created by Mike Mignola. However, despite its strong adherence to the source material, the game falls short in delivering an enjoyable gaming experience.

Set in 1982, amidst the Falklands War, developer Upstream Arcade takes players on a journey through the Butterfly House, an enigmatic manor linked to psychic disturbances worldwide. Hellboy must venture into the Wyrd, a dimension shaped by narratives and ruled by Nordic gods and Arabian Nights’ Scheherazade, to uncover the cause for its intrusion into reality.

Upstream Arcade, known for their previous title West of Dead, enlists the late Lance Reddick to lend his voice to Hellboy. Reddick’s performance is outstanding, effectively portraying a world-weary and cynical Hellboy who takes each plot twist in stride, fitting the game’s roguelike gameplay.

The game’s strongest aspect lies in its portrayal of Mignola’s distinctive art style. Each of the four worlds players explore beautifully captures the essence of the source material with its simple set-dressing, striking color palettes, and prominent black ink. The attention to detail is commendable, bringing Mignola’s dark world to life in pixel form.

Combat, however, is where the game falters. Hellboy’s moveset is limited to basic punches and the use of a gun, lacking significant variation. Enemy encounters quickly become repetitive, with a limited range of adversaries. The lack of diverse enemy types fails to provide an engaging combat experience, making fights feel interchangeable.

The gameplay’s roguelike nature generates procedurally generated layouts for each trip to the Wyrd. Unfortunately, this variation fails to compensate for the repetitive combat encounters. Although players encounter different buffs and currency drops, the lack of variety in upgrades and rewards limits the game’s ability to surprise and motivate replayability.

Character progression outside of the Wyrd runs is also barebones. Upgrades to health, toughness, and weaponry feel insignificant, and the lack of a gradual introduction to new equipment and charms leaves players longing for more meaningful progress.

Nevertheless, the game’s story, developed in collaboration with Dark Horse Comics, remains a highlight. Web of Wyrd cleverly employs its looping narrative structure, revealing layers of the Wyrd and introducing unexpected villains. The story’s twists and turns are well-crafted, showcasing the writers’ creativity and knowledge of the Hellboy universe.

While Hellboy fans will appreciate the faithful adaptation of Mignola’s art and the engaging performances by Lance Reddick and the voice cast, Web of Wyrd fails to offer enough gameplay depth to sustain interest over time. Similar to its comic book counterpart, the game is lacking in substance.

Accessibility-wise, the game lacks dedicated features but offers options to adjust enemy cooldowns and add attack warnings, benefitting players who struggle with timing in combat. Remappable controls are available, but no colorblind filters or options to enhance text visibility are present.

In conclusion, Hellboy Web of Wyrd falls short of delivering a satisfying gaming experience despite its faithfulness to the source material. Its shortcomings in combat variety, limited character progression, and lack of replay value hinder the game from reaching its full potential.