Hellbreach: Vegas Review – A Solid Foundation Awaiting Polish

Welcome to the zombie-infested streets of Vegas! Hellbreach: Vegas is a wave-based zombie shooter now available on Steam. At its core, you’ll find familiar gameplay—surviving ever-strengthening hordes of the undead across various modes. But don’t let that fool you; this indie title delivers its own thrilling spins on the formula.

Helmed entirely by solo developer Infinity Ape Studios, this ambitious project casts players as survivors holding down casinos and attractions along the Strip. Five diverse modes put crushing pressure on your squad. Whether fending off terrors in Survival or battling the clock in Gun Pro, each round brings new challenges. As locations are overrun, new areas open with boosted rewards—and tougher enemies.

While technical polish could still come, Infinity Ape shows clear passion. Atmospheric maps truly transport you to Vegas at its neon-lit best. And diverse customization keeps gameplay exciting from session to session. With ongoing support, this promising start could evolve into something truly special. For now, it offers addictive co-op action, perfect for late nights with friends—even if they can only join virtually. Las Vegas may fall, but the fun is just getting started.

Modes of the Undead

Hellbreach: Vegas pulls you into a zombie-filled Las Vegas through various modes of undead mayhem. Naturally, survival puts you against never-ending waves, barricading an area as it’s overrun. But developer Infinity Ape spiced things up with options like Gun Pro.

In Gun Pro, your weapon autocycles every ten kills. Mastering pistols means upgrading to shotguns against tougher enemies. It’s a fun challenge that prevents status, pushing improvement. My friend and I spent hours seeing how many rounds we could last as the weapons got wild.

My personal favorite was Royale. Much like the blockbuster movies, the play zone slowly shrinks you into a tighter arena. But instead of battling players, you and your squad face ravenous zombies. It’s tense scrambling to the new border just ahead of galloping ghouls. The mode captures the nail-biting excitement of box office hits.

Of course, options like Trapped and the upcoming Nightmare offer delicious new flavors of fright. But no matter the scenario, gameplay proves consistently crisp. Controls feel natural from the start, and each selection delivers balanced action. Graphics bring the neon-lit locations to vibrant life too.

Granted, some number tuning could optimize the difficulty curve. And loading more upgrades takes a grind. But varied modes, deep customization, and continued support leave high hopes these issues will evolve. Even now, swapping strategies with friends makes the scares worth suffering again and again. When survival gets stale, jumping between modes breathes new energy into the fight.

So whether you brave the rounds alone or call up comrades, Hellbreach: Vegas offers countless ways to unleash arsenals and skills against the unliving. Different modes make it perfect for both quick sessions and weekend-long zombie massacres.

Immersive Infection

From the moment you spawn, Hellbreach: Vegas pulls you deep into the zombie-ridden streets of Sin City. Developer Infinity Ape crafted environments dripping with atmosphere to set the scene.

Tall neon signs tower above bustling casinos, their flashing signs reflected in rain-slicked pavement. Palms sway heavy overhead in the stagnant air. Further down lurk darkened alleyways, perfect for ambush. Each location oozes personality to make every match memorable.

And it’s not just backdrops that impress—the enemies plaguing them give chills. Zombies shamble with realistic decay, their ghastly wounds realistically rendered. Demonic foes exhibit clever animations to make each species unique. Though models could use more variety, Infinity Ape showed clear care crafting their terrorized ranks.

Of course, no immersive world comes without room for polish. Pop-ins occasionally jarred the eye, and grimier areas proved too murky. But given one developer’s scale, it’s easy to forgive rough edges for ambitious scope.

Soundtoo pulls you deep. Guns crack thunderously, their reports bouncing perfect off casino walls. Groans and shrieks fill the void to keep nerves on edge. Still, some effects could use beefing to match cinematic flair. And while music goes unmissed in heated combat, atmospheric scores would heighten horror in calmer moments.

Overall, Infinity Ape weaved an absorbing fabric to drape players in. Their chilling vision already draws players in—with time, enriched textures and audio could complete the illusion to keep audiences rapt for reels to come.

Raging Armaments

Nothing gets zombie slayers’ blood pumping like an arsenal of instruments ready to pulp the undead. And in this sense, Hellbreach: Vegas aims to please with its plethora of available weapons. From shotguns perfect for close calls to explosives leaving corpses in pieces, each adds fun flavor to the fight.

Getting hands on the ray gun alone puts a smile on any player’s face. Its blistering beams tear burning holes, reducing ghouls to ash. But while variety excites, some weapons feel lacking in impact. Gunshots crack satisfyingly sharp, yet firing seems to annoy foes more than injure them. Accurate targeting fails to cause zombies visible pain through shredded clothing or pulpy wounds.

This proves even more vexing as difficulties rise. On “easy” modes, survivable damage lets new slayers acquaint themselves without frustration. But soon, a full magazine proves needed just to down a single zombie running straight at you. Baddies soak up shots like sponges no matter where stuck. Even unloading shotguns point-blank into glowing green eyes fails to drop some fiends fast.

Infinity Ape showed care crafting uniquely grotesque enemies. Gaunt’meth heads’ writhe erratically while bloated ‘fat zombies’ waddle with surprising speed. Yet all zombies simply absorb endless lead without flinching or reacting to strikes. Their persistence loses impact when players feel hard-pressed to harm, not hone skills against, the infected.

Still, hope remains that this single creator will fine-tune systems to raise terror and tension. If future updates bring opponents greater vulnerability and visceral feedback fitting R-rated fare, slayers may find higher difficulties a thrilling challenge rather than frustration. With tweaks amplifying brutal fun against these neon-lit foes, Vegas’ arsenal may earn a place among horror fans’ all-time favorites.

Infestation Across Sin City

With zombies overrunning the Strip, Infinity Ape spreads chaos across a diverse set of superbly themed maps. From casinos and hotels to back alleys and sewers, each new locale feels ripe for infection.

First-timers will gasp stepping into the Neon Dreams Casino, its grand atrium awash in flickering signage. More seasoned survivors know to watch for spawn points behind the roulette tables. Further down glittering Las Vegas Boulevard lies Vendetta Theater—its marquee spelling imminent doom in blinking lights. Backstage holds secrets best uncovered with friends.

Beyond iconic settings, varied modes stave off repetition. Survival pits players to an endless gauntlet; teamwork and tactics are essential to endure waves into the night. Meanwhile, Trapped confines survivors to claustrophobic defense that ratchets stress. Or royale-esque showdowns shrink the battlefield, the last squad standing earning bragging rights.

Yet for all excellent foundations laid, opportunity exists for expansion. New modes could twist formulas in delightful ways. Perhaps a mode tasks players protecting VIP survivors through throngs. Objectives that switch up objectives keep formula fresh. A story mode may wow by tying maps together and fleshing out this authentic undead playground.

Still, even in beta, Hellbreach: Vegas provides endless entertainment. Its addictive core ensures hours disappear battling the ravaged remnants of Sin City. And as developer support continues, potential looms for this beginning to become something truly massive. For now, graveyards stretch from Glitter Gulch to the fabled Stagger Inn—the perfect stomping grounds for zombie slaughter under neon lights.

Gearing Up for the GRIND

One thing’s for sure in the zombie-plagued streets of Vegas: you’ll want to look good doing whatever it takes to survive. Thankfully, Hellbreach delivers personalization in spades with its robust character customization.

From hairstyles and facial features to clothing colors and accessories, you’ll spend hours crafting the perfect look for your squad. My soldier wears aviators scavenged from a gift shop, helping halt the undead in style. And don’t get me started on weapon skins! Flaming shotguns and rainbow sniper rifles never looked so fun or fear-inducing.

It’s not all about looks, though. Progression equips players with vital tools, from starting pistols to railguns that decimate the demonic. The trouble is, earning them demands a longer grind than some may enjoy.

I get it—Infinity Ape wants unlocking dopamine hits to keep players slashing. But requiring such high counts of kills or rounds completed sometimes felt like a part-time job. Chipping away at objectives removed focus from actual zombie annihilation. If adjustments balanced rewards against time investment, sessions might stay fresher for more.

Still, constant updates hint balance changes coming to respect all player time. And as new modes further diversify mayhem, varied goals could spread out the grind. For now, setting personalization challenges with squadmates makes the manual labor more lively.

In the end, looking fly as we fight off Rivington’s scourge more than makes up for repetitive gameplay loops. The fact I can now flex customized weapon charms really ties the whole apocalyptic look together. So strap on your stomping boots, Vegas—it’s about to get ultraviolent down here!

Raising the Dead

As zombies stagger along the Strip, Hellbreach: Vegas proves itself a perfectly enjoyable way to spend an afternoon mowing down the undead horde. Its familiar-yet-inventive take on wave defense feels tailor-made for co-op carnage. Meanwhile, options like Royale ratchet tension to Edge of Tomorrow levels.

That said, this early access build still shows signs of needing more development time in the oven. Performance hiccups and unresponsive menus pull you from the action more than desired. And while its creator deserves praise for such an expansive project solo, smoother execution could make this a true gem.

Luckily, as Infinity Ape continues supporting the game, potential shines through cracked foundations. Regular updates hint at tighter mechanics and new modes on the horizon. And you gotta respect a developer so dedicated to their craft. With time, this could rise from the ranks of the rote to stand apart as a memorable zombie slayer.

Until then, those seeking mindless cooperative action against the walking dead will find much to adore. Style and variety offer countless hours replaying missions alone or with chums virtually. Chapter one proves a perfect premiere to the zombie saga of Las Vegas: Just leave your critical thinking at the door and enjoy the ride. Future episodes may find this rising to new bloody heights.

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