Hell Pie by Sluggerfly

Hell Pie by Sluggerfly is a 3D platformer a few demon named Nate. Nate is tasked with gathering elements to assist make a pie for Satan’s birthday. He rapidly finds a pet angel named Nugget to assist him in his quest.

Show, Don’t Tell

Hell Pie’s narrative premise is easy and finally isn’t actually expanded upon. There isn’t a lot when it comes to a story on this recreation apart from random NPC dialogue alongside the way in which, so don’t anticipate many cinematic cutscenes to flesh out a deeper story right here.

The recreation expands upon its personal lore by means of gameplay as a substitute: discovering a manufacturing facility the place they kill people to show them into meals or visiting a sushi restaurant positioned inside a whale. Plenty of small touches like these in odd locales assist fill the narrative void one would come to anticipate from a 3D platformer. So not all is misplaced as there may be loads of attention-grabbing locations to assist create a cohesive world with loads of small particulars.

Besides these world-building traits, what makes the 5 hub worlds on this recreation so enjoyable to discover is that they’re so expertly designed. Whether it’s enjoyable platforming sections, boss fights, or different extra unconventional sequences, there may be loads to understand. Hell Pie saved me guessing and mixes issues up in order that the hub worlds all have totally different design components and construction to them.

Besides the anticipated platforming obstacles and traps, Hell Pie additionally introduces extra diversified sequences. One part had me wielding a machine gun, whereas one other had me being chased by a gluttonous pizza-loving demon. It’s all so well-crafted that I can’t recall a boring second, and as somebody who grew up on 3D platformers like Ratchet & Clank and Super Mario 64, I’ve by no means stopped taking part in them. I have to say that this recreation options among the finest degree design I’ve seen within the style.

Lots of Filling

There are quite a few issues to search out inside every hub world. Many hub worlds even have extra centered, linear structured ranges to them. Collectibles on this recreation are rewarding to search out as a result of they’re helpful. Currency is used to unlock beauty outfits. Lucky Cats are given to a demon to unlock doorways. Unicorns are used to unlock talents like a dash or the power to glide. And Candymeat can be utilized to purchase Nugget upgrades which permit for extra choices in relation to leaping and traversal. They are addicting to search out as a result of they’re helpful versus simply being one thing to gather.

Great degree design is made higher if the sport has good mechanics. Thankfully this recreation feels so easy and polished to play. Controls really feel snappy and responsive. Jumping feels satisfying with the correct amount of in-air management. With loads of talents and unlockables to broaden upon its core mechanics, there may be loads to like right here.

The recreation’s important gameplay hook is that Nate can use Nugget to swing-jump in mid-air, which may later be upgraded for extra swings. This mechanic makes exploration numerous enjoyable, and lots of platforming sections really feel much less constrained consequently.

Smell Pie

I suppose the large elephant within the room is that this recreation’s model. Hell Pie leans closely on crass and crude humor, with loads of feces, gore, and gross imagery on show. I fought troopers product of feces in a sewer, collected a used tampon as a pie ingredient, and even visited a membership within the jungle hub world full of NPCs formed like genitalia. It’s actually not for the faint of coronary heart. It’s at occasions very in your face. But I’ll say that it’s at the least toned down in three of the 5 hub worlds.

This model could be a turn-off for a lot of, and I can see why. While it’s not my favourite kind of favor and humor, it was one thing I rapidly obtained used to. I sort of turned desensitized to numerous it. And though it wasn’t my most well-liked design selection, it actually didn’t cease me from having fun with all the pieces else I appreciated concerning the recreation.

The Devil Has the Best Music

Sound design deserves a point out. Music is jaunty in all the proper locations, incorporating a myriad of devices from percussion and guitars to keyboards and synths. The music does quite a bit to provide Hell Pie a peppy, lighthearted really feel. Sound results for gross issues are suitably moist or squishy, whereas results for assaults and talents have a pleasant punchy bass tone to them. Sound design on this recreation is nice throughout the board.

Hell Pie is well top-of-the-line 3D platformers in years. It does lack an attention-grabbing narrative, and its off-color humor is just not my cup of tea, however its degree design and gameplay make it straightforward to miss the problems I’ve with it. If you’re a fan of 3D platformers, give this one an opportunity.

Hell Pie is obtainable through the Nintendo Store, Sony PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and GOG.