One of the most interesting trailers (and announcements) I saw during Summer Game Fest this year was for a game called Hell Clock. Based on a real-world event, The War of Canudos in Brazil in 1896, Hell Clock reframes a real historical event with supernatural elements. However, after playing through Hell Clock for a while, it strikes me that these supernatural forces are an effective symbol for the horrific oppression that those in Canudos faced.

I am not qualified to dive into the full history of the War of Canudos. However, without delving too far in, here is the basis so you’ll understand the setting. Canudos was a municipality in Brazil that served as a refuge for thousands of people. Canudos wound up in a conflict with the Brazilian Republic at large, which led to the eventual extermination of the people of Canudos.

25,000 men, women, and children lost their lives to this needless conflict in an era of drought and famine, just coming off the back of the abolition of slavery. Hell Clock takes these elements and uses supernatural horror to tell this tale by framing the War of Canudos as a battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell.

You play as Pajeú, a warrior looking to save the soul of his mentor. This requires Pajeú to dive into hell, fighting the undead minions of those who have oppressed his people. The further down you go, the closer you are to revealing the truth and saving Pajeú’s mentor from damnation.

This is where I am grateful for accessibility settings. By default, each run is limited to seven minutes, hence the name “Hell Clock.” If the timer runs out, your run ends. You can increase your time by killing bosses or fulfilling other various criteria. However, there is a “relaxed mode” that stops the timer, allowing you to play Hell Clock as if it were a typical Isometric Rogue-like.

There are other elements where the clock will come into play thematically post-release, according to the updates on the Steam page. For someone like me who has a hard time with timed gameplay, it is nice to have the option to opt out of the timed requirement. I did a few runs with the timer to see how forgiving it was, and while some players won’t have any issues with it, I’m too slow of a player as a rule for it to work for me. I’m self-aware enough to know it would just frustrate me.

Hell Clock has enough reasons for difficulty even if you play on Relaxed Mode, however. The enemies and areas are tough, and you should scour areas for as much gold and loot as you can in order to progress. Gold, levels, and Trinkets (stat buffs) are lost upon death, but Soul Stones are used to purchase a variety of permanent upgrades, as well as skills.

This gives Hell Clock a mix of gameplay between things like Path of Exile or Diablo, and Rogue-likes like Hades. It is a clever twist, and something that I found very engaging. It is even better that as you play, this intimate, heartbreaking reimagining of the atrocities of the War of Canudos unfolds. It is impactful and reminds you that not only are you killing the denizens of hell, but you are also trying to seek justice for those held hostage by the undead hordes within the depths.

Cutscenes have gorgeous artwork, as well as voice acting that can be in either the intended Brazilian Portuguese or the English dub. It is a well-crafted experience in either option. The characters add to the bleak, war-torn setting with a small amount of hope. Pajeu is a ray of hope for the NPCs that you rescue, and it is reflected in your interactions with them.

The controls are easy to understand, and there are many ways to customize them to suit your needs. The amount of customization in general is outstanding overall, as it makes things accessible for a wide range of players.

If you like darker, grittier Rogue-likes, Hell Clock is definitely one to keep an eye on. Even if the timed concept initially turned you off, I guarantee that even the slowest of players will be able to dig into this with the Relaxed Mode. Hell Clock shines a light on a part of Brazilian history that most of us in the US (or worldwide) don’t often learn about. Because of that alone, I think Hell Clock is worth spending a little time on.

A PC Review Copy of Hell Clock was provided by Mad Mushroom for the purposes of this review.

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Hell Clock

$19.99 USD

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Impactful, Historical Narrative
• Accessible Gameplay
• Timer is Optional
• Many builds and ways to play
• Beautiful Cutscenes

Cons

• Progression can be slow