Video Game Review: Green Hell

Green Hell

Developer: Creepy Jar

Genre: Survival

PlayStation 4

Green Hell gives players an incredibly brief tutorial that will teach them just enough to build a fire, light it, eat, and tend to their wounds. After that, players will be brutally forced into the middle of the jungle as they look for their missing partner and more importantly, survive.

The first thing that players are likely to realize is that Green Hell doesn’t hold any hands. After players finish their tutorial, they are dropped into the middle of the forest with no equipment. The only thing players are given is an objective which is essentially to find their missing partner. There is no indication of where to search, though players are fairly likely to find their first clue not from where they begin.

Green Hell is equally overwhelming and impressive. There is a real sense of survival as players need to constantly manage their hunger, thirst, energy, and even macronutrients. Certain foods will help the players in certain ways, and a lot of a player’s success will be trial and error. In fact, it might take some time before players are even able to save since the game is so hardcore. Saving requires shelter, which requires materials, which requires tools. Players do have access to a notebook that updates as players make discoveries, but players will need to often hurt themselves to get there.

For example, players won’t immediately know what kinds of foods can be eaten to naturally kill the parasites they ingested while drinking dirty water. Maybe a certain mushroom will help, maybe it will only make things worse. Players won’t know until they eat the mushroom. The notebook will then reflect on what eating the mushroom does. The notebook will show if cooking the mushroom will do anything different.

Green Hell can be unforgivable. but that’s kind of the appeal. Finding new ways to survive is satisfying, and learning how to play the game is actually fulfilling.  Without online guides, it might take hours to even survive a night for inexperienced players. After some patience, the gameplay loop is enjoyable, with players able to fully explore the forest without worrying too much about losing hours of progress. Discovering new unique locations or finding a new way to hunt or forage is always entertaining in Green Hell.

Green Hell looks solid graphically. The lush jungle is equally beautiful and intimidating. There are multiple instances of the environment flickering and even some clipping throughout the game. It’s noticeable to the point where the graphical bugs catch the players’ eyes and can make them think they are in danger. It’s an unpleasant distraction that will be seen every few minutes.

There are also some weird audio decisions that detract from the experience a bit. Certain cues alert players to things like rattlesnakes or nearby mammals, which is fine. Some creatures make noises that players wouldn’t usually hear, like from ants or mice that are simply too loud to be realistic. It’s nice from a gameplay perspective to alert the player, but it doesn’t help with immersion.

While difficult, Green Hell is a rewarding survival experience that will challenge players, especially early on. Those who put in the work (or just get some tips online) will be satisfied with their time in the wilderness as they remove countless leeches off their arms and legs.