[h1]Hellmut: The Badass From Hell[/h1]
A biological monstrosity of a twin-stick shooter with a unique transformation mechanic, allowing the player to mutate into all forms of unholy and inhuman creatures. The opening cinematic for Hellmut is like something right out of the classic horror cinemas. Like some kind of Dr. Frankenstein, a mad and deranged scientist conjures up a strange and diabolical entity from the depths of his laboratory in hopes of unlocking the key to immortality. Things don't go exactly as according to plan, and this gullible scientist's laboratory is soon overrun with legions of his dark visitor's demonic army.
In Hellmut, its up to you to take back this maze-like old laboratory while utilizing the bodies and powers of the many strange playable mutants available, and the whole thing is pretty damn metal.
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
You start the game out as the floating disembodied head of the former scientist that owned this overrun laboratory, and the only thing of him left are all that really mattered anyway; his brains. After choosing one of your desired and unlocked mutants to become in the starting hub you take off through the portal on a long series of levels. These feel like a modern and much more hectic SMASH T.V., having you enter randomly laid out rooms that act as arenas for waves of monsters to warp in from every direction.
Combat here is typical and traditional twin-stick action with shooting in all directions, but this time your arsenal is decided by which freakish monster you become. Each playable creature has incredibly fun to play with sets of attacks, with a primary and a secondary that differ wildly between each mutant. The quick and rapid long range of the Rat King, or the slow lumbering lunge of the Stitcher are just some of the starting attack sets that you can alternate between to fit your preferred playstyle.
The mini-map is spotted with points of interest to work your way towards, while smashing and shooting any destructables on your way for sweet loot and coins. Finding the Eye of Amakara will give you a chance at obtaining and becoming a different sometimes new mutant, but not until completing a challenging trial. A shop icon will lead you to a merchant room very similar to the one found in Enter the Gungeon where you can buy a powerful new weapon, ammo, armor, or replenish you health all at a cost of coin.
Hellmut has a simple and familiar roguelite formula to it. The rooms, randomly generated each time, fuel your killing and collecting spree as you build up enough crystal for those Amakara trials and a chance for the one real permanent carryover you can earn; The awesome and unique new monsters and mutants to become and add to your laboratory for consecutive runs. It all has a very nice and balanced difficulty to it and isn't maddeningly frustrating like a lot of the more popular roguelite hits sometimes are, requiring dozens of hours before even passing a dungeon. In Hellmut things are challenging enough to keep you engaged, but they don't require the split-second timing or dodging mechanics in some of the aforementioned top-down shooters.
[h1]Visuals/Sound[/h1]
Crispy, crunchy dark and dank pixel art from the stuffiest of dungeons, Hellmut has a complex modern 16-bit visual style that would stab at even the most hardcore of Castlevania fan's nostalgic heart with a wooden stake. The creepy, decrepit hallways of the gothic castle the player must wade through and the craggy, deep dark red crypts of the underworld you descend into for challenges are all grotesquely detailed with all form of tortured skeletal remains chained to walls and other grisly set-pieces.
Hellmut continues its routine of badassery through its extensive and incredibly talented soundtrack. Awesomely enough, the background music comes in two selectable choices: 'Old School' or 'Modern Crap'. Obviously a lot of love and care went into the production of the "Modern Crap" soundtrack with its real world instrumentation of sweet riffs and brutal wailing of guitars, but if you're an old schooler like me here for that sweet piece of 16-bit arcade nostalgia you're obviously going to go for "Old School". It's seriously a good soundtrack, in both forms, and not just for the nostalgia geek-out value of sounding like something from the past, but because it was composed by some seriously talented musicians with a real knack for metal music themselves.
[h1]Final Thought[/h1]
In spirit Hellmut is probably the most metal arcade game you can find on Steam. The grotesque and ghoulish enemies you slay in droves with each room, the even more mutated and freakish monsters you can inhabit and play as, plus the heavily horror-inspired visuals and music are enough to make your blood boil and your skin crawl. Its a straightforward arcade shooter romp with some wonderfully addictive permanent mutations to unlock, simple in its mechanics and staying pure to the traditions set by classics like Gauntlet or Smash T.V.
[i]This review made possible through the consideration and contribution of [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/24117656-IndiePromo/]IndiePromo[/url] and the developer. [/i]
