On this FextraLife video, I’ve one thing particular for you. I’ll be exhibiting you an interview I did with Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the artistic director and artwork director on Hell is Us.
Hell is Us Particular Interview with Jonathan Jacques-Belletête
This interview occurred a number of months in the past at Rogue Manufacturing unit Studio in Montreal, and Jonathan is actually an unimaginable man. I spent numerous time with him exterior of the interview speaking about Hell is Us.
Regardless of our assessment, Hell is Us is a type of video games I used to be pulling for the entire method by means of, and I nonetheless am. I had tons of enjoyable with it, even when it fell quick in some key areas.
I consider this studio goes to do large issues sooner or later and actually deserves the help of avid gamers for making an attempt one thing daring and totally different.
They’re not simply churning out sequels of protected, predictable video games. They’re pushing new concepts. And though execution wasn’t excellent, they nailed components most studios normally fail on. That’s why I wished to share this interview, as a result of Jonathan has some very attention-grabbing insights concerning the trade and about Hell is Us.
Remy’s Look
I kicked issues off with a lighter query:
Did you imply for Remy to seem like Todd Howard?
Jonathan laughed and mentioned no, that wasn’t intentional however as soon as folks pointed it out, he might undoubtedly see why.
He defined the coiffure selection, evaluating it to Stable Snake’s mullet in early Steel Gear Stable. Again then, it was mocked as a “joke haircut,” but over time turned iconic.
“Discover a principal character in any sport that has this bloody ball of curled bone hair. There’s none. Ours don’t seem like the remainder.”
With Remy, they wished one thing that stood out, even polarizing one thing the place simply his silhouette might immediately be acknowledged.
Jonathan admitted it “attracts a line within the sand” the place gamers both like it or hate it, and he’s superb with that.
Defining the Sport
When requested to explain Hell is Us, Jonathan mentioned it’s merely an journey sport.
“Actually, it’s simply an journey sport.”
He wished to seize that old-school feeling the place you begin one thing with out totally figuring out what it’s, discovering the “taste” as you play.
Again then, every sport tried to carve out its personal id, one thing that’s uncommon as we speak.
So for him, Hell is Us is about fight, puzzles, exploration, conversations, and discovery a “good outdated journey.”
What Units It Aside
Probably the most attention-grabbing ideas Jonathan launched was what he calls “participant plattering.”
He defined how most trendy video games overload you with quest markers, mini-maps, journals, and compasses that act like a sixth sense. Gamers are guided from level A to B with out ever actually exploring.
“You’re within the theme of exploration, however you’re not truly doing it—it’s been given to you on a silver platter.”
So as an alternative, they flipped the components. No markers main you on to Bob on the inn. No glowing icons hovering over NPCs. Gamers must take heed to conversations, observe the atmosphere, and make their very own psychological map. He in contrast it to outdated instructions earlier than GPS:
“Drive to exit 63, flip left on the fuel station, search for the loopy man with birdhouses, then the crimson boulder it labored. That’s how we used to orient ourselves.”
That’s the philosophy of Hell is Us: exploration by deduction, not handholding.
Inspirations for Horror Components
When speaking concerning the tone, Jonathan emphasised that Hell is Us naturally fell right into a cosmic horror vibe.
Not Lovecraftian, however within the sense of forces which are terrifying as a result of they’re actual but past our comprehension,like radioactivity in Chernobyl.
He defined that enemies are designed because the bodily manifestation of human feelings.
Feelings can’t stroll on their very own, they want a human anchor. That’s why the Hole Walkers have unusual, fractal, geometric designs. They’re tethered, virtually umbilically, to what spawned them.
“It hopefully tastes a bit totally different. You might want to course of it once you first see it.”
The Position of Music
Music was a core a part of the ambiance.
In contrast to many studios that outsource composers, Hell is Us had an in-house composer as a part of the group, together with a powerful audio director. This allowed the sound design to evolve with the sport.
“The sport is all about temper, man. You’ll be able to minimize it with a knife. The music needed to be completely a part of that.”
Impressed partially by the movie Annihilation, the soundtrack blends horror tones with unusual, moody sounds. Jonathan emphasised that the sport is all about temper and the music makes that temper tangible, typically even stunning gamers with sudden twists within the soundscape.
Fight Design
Lastly, we talked about fight. Jonathan admitted that at the beginning they aimed for one thing extra hardcore, however finally settled on a midcore stability. Nonetheless, it was unimaginable to disregard the improvements FromSoftware dropped at the style.
However as an alternative of copying Souls-like mechanics outright, they added their very own twist.
For instance, in Hell is Us, well being is linked to stamina. Taking harm reduces each, which might create a vicious cycle except you employ instruments just like the Limbic Pulse.
It’s a system that respects acquainted mechanics whereas nonetheless carving out one thing authentic.
Closing Ideas
Speaking with Jonathan Jacques-Belletête made one factor clear: Hell is Us may not have landed completely, however its imaginative and prescient, philosophy, and creative ambition are simple.
This isn’t a studio enjoying it protected. It’s a studio making an attempt to reimagine how we discover, how we battle, and even how we interpret human feelings by means of gameplay.
And that, in itself, is value listening to.
