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Overall: 6.5/10
Story:
As a very casual Hellboy fan who has only seen the Guillermo del Toro films featuring Ron Perlman (and several years ago at that), I went into Hellboy: Web of Wyrd with no prior expectations for its narrative. I’ve never read the comics, so I wasn’t sure if I’d be missing out on important context or references. Thankfully, the game’s story stands entirely on its own, with a completely original narrative and cast of characters.
As a result, what struck me immediately was how accessible the story felt. Whether you’re a longtime Hellboy enthusiast or someone brand new to the world, the game does a fantastic job of introducing its unique universe. The writing leans into the quirky, dark humorous tone that fans might associate with the character, but it never felt alienating as someone unfamiliar with the deeper lore.
The plot revolves around a mysterious structure called the Butterfly House, which serves as a gateway to bizarre and dangerous realms. Hellboy is sent into the chamber to investigate after another agent goes missing, and from there, the game takes you on a journey through a series of eerie, otherworldly environments. The narrative balances supernatural intrigue with Hellboy’s trademark dry wit, who is masterfully performed by the late, great Lance Reddick (rest in peace, legend), which made the story entertaining and kept me invested.
The original characters also stood out. They felt well-realized and added layers to the unfolding mystery. While some of the twists were a bit predictable, the journey was still engaging enough to hold my attention. Additionally, The narrative's chapter structure worked well for the comic book-inspired style, and I appreciated how each segment had its own mini-arc that tied into the larger story.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is undoubtedly one of if not THE biggest focus, but unfortunately, it falls short of being truly engaging. It’s not that the combat is overly difficult by any means; it’s just that even when you meet the game where it's at and engage with the mechanics on their terms, the experience still just feels slow and repetitive.
As a roguelike, some repetition is par for the course, but due to the middling quality of the gameplay here, that sense of redundancy sets in much faster and hits way harder than you’d expect. You’ve got your standard mix of heavy and light attacks, dodge/block mechanics, and a couple of different charms and guns sprinkled in to add variety. While these tools help to shake things up a bit, they don’t do enough to elevate the experience beyond "serviceable."
To be fair, there were moments where the combat clicked, and I genuinely had fun; it’s not outright bad. That said, those moments felt fleeting as the core combat loop quickly ran out of steam, and the best word I can use to describe it is mediocre. By the time you hit the 3–4 hour mark, you’ve effectively seen all the gameplay WoW has to offer, and that’s a tough pill to swallow in a 10–12 hour narrative.
World:
When it comes to the world and level design, I found myself torn between admiration for its aesthetic and frustration with its execution. The game leans heavily into its comic book roots, with environments that feel like panels brought to life. The cel-shaded art style is undeniably striking, and the moody lighting adds an extra layer of depth that complements the dark, supernatural tone.
However, once the initial awe of the visuals wears off, the cracks in the level design start to show. Many of the areas lack the complexity or variety you’d expect from a game set in such a rich, otherworldly universe. Corridors and rooms often feel repetitive, as though the game is content to recycle layouts with minimal effort to disguise them. While the Wyrd is CONCEPTUALLY a place of endless mystery and danger, the actual exploration feels disappointingly linear.
The sense of mystery is further diminished by how predictable the pacing becomes. Most levels fall into a repetitive rhythm of “walk here, fight the same enemies unique to that level, repeat,” which makes the world feel less alive and more like a series of combat arenas stitched together. This is a shame because the lore and visual details hint at deeper potential that’s left untapped. I wanted to linger in these spaces, uncover secrets, and feel immersed in the Wyrd, but the game rarely rewards curiosity in meaningful ways other than general health and blessing pickups.
On the plus side, the environmental storytelling is strong when it’s present; subtle details like scattered relics or ominous architecture do an excellent job of setting the tone. It’s just a shame that these moments feel like isolated gems rather than a bigger part of the experience.
Visuals:
As someone who’s never read the comics, all I knew to expect visually from WoW was the general vibe and art style, which I was already a big fan of coming in. The bold, cel-shaded aesthetic and the heavy, dramatic lines give the game a unique personality. It’s the kind of visual direction that makes every moment look like it could belong on the pages of a graphic novel. Even without familiarity with the source material, I found myself captivated by how the style pulled me in.
That said, the lack of animated cutscenes was a bit of a letdown. I’m someone who enjoys seeing scenes brought to life in motion, and static panels of characters just standing there left the storytelling feeling a little flat at times. Nevertheless, I could tolerate it here because it aligns with the comic book-inspired design. It’s an artistic choice that makes sense in this specific context; All the same, in a game without this visual foundation, this approach would have felt far more out of place and jarring.
Despite this, the visuals remain a highlight. They’re striking, immersive, and undeniably memorable. While the visual storytelling methods left me wanting more, the cohesive aesthetic helped keep the overall experience engaging.
Music/Sound Design:
The audio elements are a mix of great highlights and a few missed opportunities. Starting with the music, the score is undeniably immersive and does a fantastic job of setting the dark, atmospheric tone that fans of Hellboy would expect. The brooding melodies and eerie undertones fit the supernatural themes of the game like a glove. Yet, the biggest issue with the sound design is the lack of variety in the music. While what’s there is excellent, it quickly starts to feel repetitive during extended play sessions. I think a wider array of tracks or more dynamic shifts could have elevated the overall experience significantly.
On the sound design front, I really don't have many gripes. The effects are crisp, punchy, and well-layered, whether it’s the boom of a fist, the metallic scrape of a weapon, or the guttural roar of an enemy. Each sound immerses you further into the Wyrd, making moments feel more alive and visceral.
As for the voice acting, it’s genuinely impressive across the board. Of course, as previously mentioned, Lance Reddick’s portrayal of Hellboy is a very significant highlight that delivers a powerful, gruff, and nuanced performance that I personally feel does the character justice. However, what’s surprising is how strong the entire cast is. Every character feels distinct and well-acted, further adding immersion and personality to the story, while giving you more incentive to actually listen to the impressive dialogue.
TL;DR:
Web of Wyrd is a solid step forward for Hellboy games, capturing the character’s tone and world beautifully with unique visuals and Lance Reddick’s stellar voice performance. However, repetitive gameplay and limited level variety hold it back a LOT. I recommend it for the fan service aspect it provides, but even if you're a fan that has prior sentiment toward the character, you'll more than likely struggle to stay engaged long-term, so I really can't recommend it to anyone who doesn't know or care about Hellboy.