Welcome to a Nightmare World
I’m someone who likes a good horror game, so when one comes around, it will always get my attention. I Hate This Place is one such title that got my attention a few months ago for all the right reasons. Interesting artwork, great chracter and a need to survive. On the surface, it has everything I want in a horror game and more, which is why it got my attention.
Based on the comic of the same name, I Hate This Place puts players in the role of Elena as she searches for her missing friend and a way to escape this nightmare. It’s a game with a creepy atmosphere, a solid story, great characters, and all the ideal elements of survival horror. However, it falls short in its execution, thanks in part to its unpolished gameplay mechanics.
It should be noted that I’m not at all familiar with the I Hate This Place comic series. Hence, this review will not be comparing the game to the comics. Instead, my critique will be based on the video game adaptations’ own merit and how they hold up to other horror games. I did take the time to glance some pages just to get some idea about the series.
Evil in the Family
The story follows Elena, who travels to her aunt’s ranch with her best friend, Lou, seeking a quiet escape. Before arriving, Lou attempts to summon the Horned Man through a forbidden ritual that spirals out of control. The failed ritual causes Lou to vanish and unleashes demonic, otherworldly forces across the surrounding land. Trapped in a living nightmare, Elena searches for her friend while struggling to survive relentless horrors. As she pushes forward, she uncovers hidden truths about the ranch, the ritual, and darker powers manipulating events. Each discovery drags her deeper into danger, revealing a sinister purpose behind the chaos consuming everything.
Like I said, I haven’t read the comics, so I’m approaching this with a completely fresh perspective. That said, the story is classic in structure yet thoughtfully fleshed out. At its center is a hero thrown into a living nightmare while maintaining composure and inner strength. The world is filled with strange inhabitants and grotesque creatures, creating a constant sense of unease. Meanwhile, the narrative is carefully drip-fed throughout the game, steadily revealing mysteries without overwhelming the player. This slow unraveling keeps tension high and encourages curiosity, making each discovery feel earned and impactful rather than forced.
How to Survive a Nightmare
The gameplay builds on the foundation of survival horror by blending it with the mechanics of a traditional survival experience in an isometric setting. This creates an experience where you must manage not only resources, but also other aspects of your well-being. At the same time, you need to be cautious with every action, as resources are scarce.
I Hate This Place requires players to manage not only their inventory, but also item weight and multiple aspects of health, including hunger and stamina. Resources exist on their own, yet remain useless unless combined to craft essential tools or weapons. It is also essential to learn crafting recipes, otherwise players end up carrying unnecessary items. Thankfully, the daytime allows you to collect all the resources you need before the real fight begins at night.
Combat takes the form of a mix between the use of melee weapons and firearms, but every fight demands a tactical approach. There are blunt weapons along with bladed weapons that can be found or crafted at certain points. Melee weapons deteriorate over time, forcing you to either craft replacements or scavenge for new ones as supplies run low. Firearms are also available, but ammunition is also scarce, making them best suited as a last resort or when you’re overwhelmed. Combat is also not your only option, as using stealth can save you resources.
Lost in a Dying World
From the first trailer, I Hate This Place immediately caught my attention with its comic book inspired visuals and setting. From a visual perspective, this adaptation not only recreates the artistic style of its source material but also captures the true feeling of a comic book brought to life. It succeeds in translating Artyom Topilin’s distinctive artwork into a video game format without sacrificing detail, atmosphere, or visual impact. Every environment and character feels deliberately stylized, preserving the bold lines and striking contrasts that define the original comic.
Going further into bringing the world to life, I Hate This Place knows how to set tone and atmosphere. Like the comic, it aims to recreate 1980s horror, balancing terror through grotesque set pieces with camp conveyed by its use of color. Its dark yet vibrant palette, accented by deep crimson tones and a chilling soundtrack, perfectly captures the intended mood. This time, however, that haunting atmosphere is reimagined for a horror video game, delivering the same impact in an interactive form.
I also enjoyed playing as Elena, as her character strikes the perfect balance for this type of experience. She isn’t a trained soldier or an unstoppable force of destruction. At the same time, she isn’t so terrified that she becomes helpless. Instead, she feels like a believable survivor, uneasy about her situation, yet strong enough to push forward and fight to stay alive. This balance makes her reactions feel natural and grounded, allowing players to connect with her fear while still rooting for her resilience.
But, I Hate This Place
I Hate This Place is one of those games with strong ideas, promising gameplay, and solid presentation, but it ultimately stumbles in its execution. Its shortcomings boil down to broken mechanics and gameplay systems that are not properly fleshed out, resulting in an experience that feels far messier than it should.
The issue begins with a broken combat system, which mixes bullet-sponge enemies with an unrealistic range requirement to inflict damage. From the start, you encounter enemies that act as bullet / attack sponges, requiring far too much effort to take down. This remains true even after sneaking up on them and striking their weak points. There is almost no balance between the number of hits or shots required and the damage dealt, even against basic foes.
On top of that, there is no consistency with firearms as the range makes little sense. At the sametime you must be close and have enemies fully visible on screen to inflict damage. As a result, being at a distance or hiding behind a vent opening simply doesn’t work. Yet this inconsistency isn’t limited to combat but extends to other gameplay mechanics as well. The stealth mechanics feel broken, as you can be sneaking around only for something random to trigger detection. Hunger also comes and goes regardless of how often you feed yourself.
Make Good Use of These
I Hate This Place is one of those games that draws from strong source material and has a solid concept but fumbles its gameplay mechanics. The story is engaging, and I genuinely enjoyed playing as Elena in this comic book inspired world. Unfortunately, broken gameplay mechanics make it a frustrating experience, lacking consistency and overall quality. This makes it one of those games that will primarily appeal to horror fans and readers of the comic.
That said, I should give the comic a read through now that I’ve played the game.
Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this review.
This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt then check it out on OpenCritic.
8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.
I Hate This Place (PC)
Pros
- Gets you interested in the comic series.
- Artistic style and design bring the comic world to life.
- Solid story and Elena is a great character to play as.
- Survival gameplay is polished and easy to understand.
Cons
- Broken mechanics that don’t function properly.
- Most enemies are damage sponges.
- Inconsistency with firearms and the range of effectiveness.
- Stealth mechanics and hunger system feel broken at times.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
