Unraveling the Mysteries: A Gripping Review of Hellboy's Web of Wyrd

Hellboy Web of Wyrd, pronounced "word" in reference to the game's Norse influences, presents a rogue-lite adventure where players guide the iconic hero through four biomes inspired by real-world locations. While the combat mechanics are satisfying and offer a rewarding dodge and counter system, other aspects of the game feel incomplete and lacking in polish. The story, dialogue, and environments fail to captivate, and the biggest disappointment lies in the portrayal of Hellboy himself, as he lacks the beloved acerbic attitude and heart that fans have come to expect.

The game revolves around Hellboy and his Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) colleagues, who are stationed in the enigmatic Butterfly House. From here, they embark on missions into the mystical realm known as the Wyrd. The Wyrd is a constantly shifting dimension influenced by the thoughts and desires of its inhabitants. Hellboy "dives" into four different levels, each reflecting a different real-world location: Italy, Scotland, Russia, and New York. Following the rogue-lite genre conventions, the level layouts are randomized, and missions are based on runs.

During his adventures, Hellboy encounters various inhabitants of the Wyrd, including Norse deities associated with storytelling. These gods offer him beneficial powers. Additionally, players can collect a selection of relics that contribute to the game's narrative and provide additional enhancements. Once acquired, these relics randomly appear in levels and grant Hellboy unique abilities when attached to his fist, gun, or charm. Striking enemies with the corresponding weapon inflicts debuffs, such as increased damage or freezing. If a relic is found multiple times in a run, its buff can be upgraded to a higher level.

Unfortunately, the implementation of rogue-lite elements in Web of Wyrd is underwhelming. While it is expected to be a "lite" rather than a fully immersive experience, the decision to incorporate rogue-lite mechanics adds a touch of uniqueness to Hellboy Web of Wyrd in comparison to other superhero games. However, the choices available are severely limited and often insignificant, rendering their inclusion unnecessary. Although these additions do provide some variation, they lack any substantial potential for character progression. Moreover, it is relatively effortless to overcome levels by repeatedly using basic punches, without truly engaging with the additional abilities.

Despite the lackluster ancillary elements, the core combat in Hellboy Web of Wyrd is solid. Its simplicity and admittedly repetitive nature still deliver a satisfying experience. Each strike lands with a satisfyingly robust impact, embodying the necessary power and aggression for a Hellboy fight. Dodging or sidestepping enemy attacks provides a chance to counter with perfectly timed maneuvers. Moreover, well-timed blocking or parrying fills the Payback meter and leads to unleashing a devastating attack. This system promotes an intense, scrappy playstyle and rewards players who pay close attention. The downside is that once players master the timing for dodges and parries, combat becomes too easy. Bosses, like regular enemies, succumb within moments, utilizing identical attack patterns. Consequently, the allure of guns and charms diminishes significantly, often being overlooked. Players will likely spend the majority of their time engaging in close-quarters combat, only briefly turning to guns or charms to apply their debuffs.

At the Butterfly House, players can use the currency earned during missions to finance permanent upgrades. Hellboy has the option to purchase and upgrade three guns and three charms, along with a few improvements like increased health or limited revives. However, these options are limited and unexciting, lacking a sense of progression and variety in gameplay. Additionally, players often rely on Hellboy's powerful Right Hand of Doom, rendering the other options irrelevant. The charms, while more interesting than the guns, still take a backseat to punching enemies. Returning to the Butterfly House briefly allows players to interact with BPRD members, though none of them stand out as particularly interesting. The exception is Martinez, a psychic who communicates with Hellboy through the relics he finds, potentially offering an intriguing subplot. However, the execution falls short with major events occurring off-screen. The other characters have little impact, and Hellboy's usual supernatural companions are noticeably absent.

Hellboy himself lacks the enthusiasm he's famous for, the fiery hero often reduced to the role of the serious one. His lines, delivered by the late Lance Reddick, who is best known as the voice of Destiny's Commander Zavala in gaming circles, are often nonsensical and include phrases like "better than an aspirin" when regaining health. Although this may not have been Reddick's finest performance, he did his best with the material he was given. Unfortunately, the material was not exceptional.

The art in Hellboy Web of Wyrd captures the essence of Mike Mignola's work, the creator and illustrator of the comic and collaborator on the game. The cel shading technique effectively portrays Hellboy's design, bringing the comics to life. The enemies also exhibit cool and flashy designs, staying true to their inspiration. However, the environmental aspect falls short. While it occasionally looks good, the lack of visual variety and the floating levels detract from the overall experience. In terms of adaptations, Hellboy hasn't had much success lately. Hellboy Web of Wyrd, while not a complete disaster, is still underwhelming. There is immense potential in Hellboy and his world, as Guillermo del Toro demonstrated in his films from the early 2000s. Unfortunately, Web of Wyrd fails to fully capitalize on this potential, despite having some positive aspects.

Pros Combat feels appropriately crunchy

The art style makes Hellboy look great

Cons Gameplay lacks depth

Story is bland

Hellboy feels underutilized as a character

Repetitive enemy design, levels feel flat

Hellboy Web of Wyrd is available October 18th on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. Our website was provided a PC code for this review.