HellStation Review

How to begin a review for a game like HellStation... Hmmmm. Well, the phrase, "Great things come in small doses" springs to mind. HellStation was produced by Peter Rylander over a period of five months and was an entry in the 2002 Blender Game Contest. Developing the game in time for the contest deadline meant there was very little time from conception to completion so Peter made the wise decision to keep it small and manageable. Therefore, HellStation is more like a single level than a complete game, but what you get in this small demo is extremely impressive.


HellStation is first and foremost a First Person Shooter but in fact this description, although correct, doesn't quite cut it. You see, there are only two occasions in the game where you actually shoot! The reason for this is obviously due to time restrictions (in fact, Peter originally intended to include a large selection of enemies), but as a result the game is more of an adventure than a shooter.

The theme is horror and it's obvious where the inspiration came from. As soon as you walk through a door into a new room a familiar door opening sequence appears just like in Resident Evil. The structure of the game is very similar to RE also, with the player being required to tread back and forth collecting items and solving puzzles.

The graphics are like nothing you've ever seen in a Blender game. It's not the textures (in fact, they are quite bland), it's the sheer level of detail evident throughout. For example, when you enter the large office, you can hear sound effects of rain drops hitting the roof above you. If you look up, the ceiling is actually made from glass and you can see the rain drops hitting it. When you return to this room later, some of the glass has been broken and the rain actually falls through and patters onto the desk. This is attention to detail that most players will never notice, but it gives the game that extra feel of professionalism.

So far this review has been very positive but there are a few, albeit small issues that warrant a mention. By far the most concerning is an error in the structure of the game. In one of the first rooms - the Interrogation Room - there are two objects: a flashlight and a screw driver. You can pick up the flashlight but not the screw driver. Later in the game, once a scripted set of events has occurred, you are able to pick up the screw driver. Obviously, it should've been placed in a locked room until these scripted events have been completed, and the developer will no doubt argue that this omission is due to time constraints, but nevertheless this is a glaring oversight and very confusing.

The other issue to consider is the length - it's very short, even for a single level it's relatively short. Also, once complete there is little incentive to play again, other than to replay through the same experience (which I have done, three times!).

Summary

HellStation is by far the most impressive Blender game to date, which is an achievement considering it's over a year old! Although there are a few niggling problems, it's nothing that detracts from the experience. When the biggest disappointment of playing a game is simply the fact that it ends, you know you are dealing with something special. We should all start a petition to convince Peter Rylander to continue developing HellStation into a complete game!

spBlended judgment

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Graphics: 7/10
Textures are average but everything looks amazingly detailed.

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Sound: 8/10
Sets the mood perfectly.

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Potential: 10/10
If developed into a complete product this could compete with commercial games.

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Longevity: 1/10
No more than an hour from start to finish.

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spBlended Rating: 8/10

A fantastic piece of work - it's just a shame it ends so soon.

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Developer: Peter Rylander ProductionsAuthor : Peter Rylander Download:file1 file2

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