Green Hell – Review

Fiction has pretty much been around since the dawn of humanity. As long as people have walked the Earth, they have been coming up with stories and tales to entertain themselves with. The gaming industry is much the same, and these days it feels like the trick isn’t so much coming up with an idea that has never been done before (since that is near impossible anyway) but to change the formula in such a way as to still keep gamers coming back for more. Nowhere is this as obvious as in Green Hell, developed and published by Creepy Jar. Technically, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it still manages to be different in enough ways to garner some interest.

Story

Green Hell does not, in fact, take place in actual hell. It does situate itself in a metaphorical one though, as our story starts in the middle of the Amazonian rainforest. The tutorial at the start of the story mode basically functions as an introduction to the characters as well, as we are treated to a few cutscenes and ample dialogue in-between the game telling us how the gameplay works. We play as Jake, who is an anthropologist specialized in studying plant species. Together with your lovely wife Mia, a linguist herself, you have undertaken the dangerous journey to find an ancient tribe living remotely without technology or contact with the outside world. Exactly why it is so important you find them remains a mystery at first, though some notes indicate it might have something to do with averting a horrible disaster. Soon enough Mia is off to make contact with the tribe while you remain at the camp learning how to start fires and eat protein bars. Naturally, things don’t go well and after a disturbing distress call, a wild chase through the jungle and an unfortunate case of amnesia, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere without supplies or a trace of Mia. Hopefully, you can survive long enough to find her.

Graphics

There really is no complaining about the visuals in Green Hell. You will find plenty of detail went into the environment. Keep your eyes open for various colorful plants and animals that might or might not pose a danger. It’s especially nice to actually see birds fly around quite realistically, and it goes a long way to make the jungle feel alive and dynamic, though the downside is that if your computer is of older stock, you might experience a small amount of lag here and there, or a texture failing to load as promptly as it should. If it annoys you, turning down the graphics settings would be the solution, though the game really will still look nice if you do.

Sound

The sound design is pretty standard. There’s plenty of animal-related sound effects, grunts and groans as you climb or fall your way through the terrain and the occasional music. The game does include full voice acting for any spoken dialogue, which isn’t bad at all. All in all, it’s nothing too memorable, but it serves its purpose just fine.

Gameplay

Green Hell is a survival game through and through. There are various modes to choose from, and depending on which you pick your long term goals might change slightly, but your short term goal is always survival. We did mention the game sets itself apart from other games in the genre though, and the first way you will notice this is in your stats. Instead of just a general hunger bar that can be filled by eating anything, Green Hell actually shows you the different types of food you will need to survive. This means you can’t just collect food willy-nilly and call it a day, but you actually have to make sure you get enough of each type of food. For example, proteins will have to be found in meat, or protein bars if you’re lucky. But you’ll also need to find fruit and vegetables to stay healthy, as well as water to drink and to rest in-between your adventures.

The crafting system is also slightly different than what we’re used to. You have a book full of recipes, in which case you will need to collect the items needed to make whatever you want. Various tools, such as machetes, can be used for chopping down trees to acquire materials, though you will also find a lot of useful things scattered around the jungle for the taking. Upon opening the crafting menu, you will see all the materials gathered and can drag them over to combine them, eventually crafting what you need. For bigger structures, such as fires, you can decide where to put them down first before collecting everything you need. However, don’t expect things to be as easy as clicking the mouse. If you want to start a fire, for example, you need to not just make the fire, but also a fire starting tool. Then combine this tool with something dry to serve as tinder, such as a bird’s nest, and then manually bring this smoldering tinder to the fire to light it. Similarly, if you need to heal you need to first craft a bandage and then inspect your body to locate the wound and apply it. On one hand, it certainly adds some realism opposed to most survival games where you just press use on an item to instantly heal yourself. On the other hand, these actions can become tedious really quickly, and if you’re into a more fast-paced kind of gameplay, it will become annoying. Luckily you will also notice that your skill at doing certain things, like fishing or crafting, increases over time, making them easier for you.

Besides the story mode, there is also a regular survival mode, in case you don’t care about finding Mia and just want to do some backpacking through the jungle. There are also challenges to complete with their own set of goals. Furthermore, the difficulty is fully customizable, including a tourist mode where nothing poses a danger to you.

Conclusion

Green Hell is a great survival game for those who want to challenge themselves or add some realism to their virtual outdoor experience. It might not suit all players, it will definitely suit a lot of them seeing as there are so many modes to choose from. If you like survival games, Green Hell is definitely worth a go.

Jessica

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Games are my escape and writing is my passion.

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