Developer: 43 Studios
Publishers: Joystick Ventures
Platform: PC,
Tested on: PC
Hell Of An Office – Preview
Everyone has had the feeling that work can be hell at some point, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to literally work in Hell? In Hell of an Office, you can find this out. The game puts you in the shoes of Hell’s newest intern: a young office worker taking on a job at HellO. The game is currently in Early Access, and in the preview build, we get to experience the first seven worlds. This means that early adopters can already set their score in a whopping 70 levels. The full game will offer multiple endings and a total of 100 levels. If you have the feeling you’re up for the job, grab your trusty stapler and make sure you don’t get fired on your first day of work.
Veteran gamers might remember playing a fast-paced platformer mode in the famous FPS Counter Strike known as CS_Surf. Hell Of An Office looks and feels like the developers have spent many hours in this mode and decided to turn it into a standalone game. The game closely resembles the adrenaline-inducing stunts we saw in CS_Surf and combines them with a strong speedrunner vibe, for a match made in heaven.
Hell of an Office opens with you arriving at your new job by elevator. Mr. Stapley, your mentor, warmly welcomes you to your interim position at HellO, the best office equipment distributor in the world. After a short tutorial, which shows you how to get through the first level, it is up to you to find the fastest route. The idea is quite simple: you run, jump, and climb your way across the various platforms, to reach the end portal which will take you to the next level. The game is strongly geared towards speedrunners, with each level having multiple ways of completing it. You are encouraged to experiment with different routes, to try and get a better time in. You only have a limited time to reach your end goal as the ground slowly (or quickly) fills with lava. However, the developers are aware that some people prefer to play slowly or learn the routes without time constraints, so you have the option to turn off the lava.
After you make it through the first few levels, you’ll start to notice new mechanics popping up every few stages. These will keep you on your toes as they continuously shake up how levels are completed. They gradually grow more complex but never feel unbalanced. The first levels are simple enough and don’t require a lot of thinking. Later on, however, you won’t just need quick reflexes but some strategic thinking as well, yet it never feels like the game is purposely holding you back. The different mechanics are easy to understand and the game has an accurate response time, with no input lag.
With a wide variety of environments, Hell of an Office is a visual treat. The different worlds are a true sight to behold and it’s clear a lot of time was invested in bringing them to life. There are ten different worlds in total, and the Early Access build allowed us to explore seven of them. Each world has a unique setting, and these settings can range from the vibrant meeting rooms to the graveyard that is the HR department.
It’s not always easy to take in the sights, as there is a lot going on in the background. Since you’re running through the levels at breakneck speeds, you’ll only have a few moments to admire any details that went into stage design. Accompanying you as you speed through the levels is a powerful rock soundtrack. This music fits the atmosphere of the environments perfectly. Hopefully, the soundtrack will be released separately, as we’d love to add the music to our playlist.
In addition to simply completing the levels, you can take on a handful of fun challenges. You can try to get the platinum medal on each level and meet the requirements to unlock different staplers. These will be purely cosmetic but nothing is as great as picking the fruits of your labor when getting a special skin. We hope that the developers will add even more skins when the game is fully released.
Conclusion
Our first experience with Hell Of An Office was quite fun. The core mechanics were easy to understand and we enjoyed flying through the many levels at such a high speed. The Early Access version of the game was over all too soon, so we’re already looking forward to seeing what the full release brings. The increase in complexity throughout the seven worlds certainly sets expectations for the final three worlds. The shifts in scenery between worlds and the sheer amount of details present made Hell of an Office a visual treat as well. Rounding things out is a soundtrack that gets your adrenaline flowing, encouraging you to perform better and rush faster than ever. If you used to play CS_Surf then you’ll certainly get some nostalgic kicks from this game, while newcomers might enjoy the fast-paced action without the need for nostalgia goggles.
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