Okay, so these guys, fresh from their *totally* amazing work on Warhammer (you know, the one that definitely didn’t have any issues) and Necromunda: Underhive Wars (a *masterpiece* of strategy), are gracing us with their “original” IP, Hell Is Us. Yeah, because the world *totally* needed another third-person action-adventure game. Mark your calendars for September 4th, 2025, folks, because that’s when the magic (or more likely, the mediocrity) happens!
CGMagazine, bless their hearts, actually talked to these guys. Jonathan Jacques Belletête (Creative and Art Director – because why not?), Yves Bordeleau (Founder and Head – sounds important), and Antoine Vachon (Audio Director – probably the only one doing actual work). They chatted about the game’s audio (probably just stock sound effects), visuals (Unreal Engine 5 carrying the whole thing), combat (button mashing, guaranteed), and “inspirations” (aka, things they ripped off).
So, Rogue Factor’s “culture” is basically a bunch of old dudes who’ve known each other for 20 years. How *inspiring*. Apparently, it’s like a “family,” which probably means lots of passive-aggressive comments and blaming each other when things go wrong. Jonathan, bless his heart, claims he was “fed up” with AAA games. Yeah, right. Probably just couldn’t hack it. Yves claims he brought the “indie culture.” I bet that means free pizza on Fridays and pretending to care about employee mental health. 😂
Jonathan apparently brought his “crew” from Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Cool, so they peaked over a decade ago. Yves “convinced” Antoine to join after “having a beer.” Sounds legit. Antoine claims they’re “right in the middle of being an indie and a big studio.” Translation: they have the budget of an indie studio and the bureaucracy of a big one.
Jonathan then drops the bombshell: Hell Is Us is a “near-perfect game.” Oh, honey, no. He then proceeds to compare it to Resident Evil 4 and BioShock, proving he has no idea what makes a game good. He admits the visuals aren’t “perfect,” but hey, at least it’s cheap! 🙄
Yves chimes in, saying they’re a “small speedboat” instead of a “Titanic ship.” More like a leaky rowboat, if we’re being honest. Jonathan agrees, saying they’re “lucky” to have built this. Luck? Or just low standards?
They used Unreal Engine 5, which apparently made them “buddies” with Epic Games. Sure, Jan. Jonathan claims it “democratized” the level of quality. Translation: anyone can make a mediocre game look decent now.
Antoine talks about the “new 3D audio technology.” Wow, groundbreaking. He encourages players to use headphones. Groundbreaking stuff, really pushing the boundaries of gaming. 🎧
Yves says you can “feel the raindrops” on the controller. Okay, now they’re just making stuff up.
Antoine reveals that their sound designer goes camping and records animals. How quaint. I bet those bear sounds will really elevate the experience. 🐻
Jonathan admits they were “inspired” by Annihilation. Translation: they watched it once and thought, “We can do that, but worse.” He claims it’s not a Lovecraftian game, but there’s a “cosmic horror aspect.” So, basically Lovecraftian, but they’re too afraid to commit.
Antoine mentions Infinity Pool and Under the Skin. Okay, so they have taste, but can they actually execute? Doubtful.
Yves says the Hazes sound “messed up.” Good job, guys. You made a monster sound scary. Groundbreaking stuff.
Jonathan admits they pushed the sound team to be “special.” I bet that involved lots of yelling and unrealistic deadlines.
Antoine says the wind chimes are a “guide.” So, they’re holding our hands through the whole game. How thoughtful.
Jonathan brings up Metroid Prime. Okay, now they’re just name-dropping good games to make themselves look better.
Jonathan then explains the “unique combat characteristics,” which is basically a stamina system ripped off from Nioh 2. He calls it the “Lymbic Pulse.” How original. He admits it was “tough” to make it work. I bet.
Finally, they answer the age-old question: what do they hope players enjoy? Antoine hopes the game “lingers” in their minds. More likely it’ll just give them a headache. Yves wants players to feel the “joy of exploration and discovery.” Good luck with that when the game is linear and boring. Jonathan echoes Antoine’s sentiment. He wants players to be “caught” thinking about the game. More likely they’ll be caught thinking about how much they wasted their money. 💸
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
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