[:1]90 - 100%
None
80 - 90%
PCGamer (US) - 89%
It doesn't redefine the action RPG, but in a genre laden with derivative games, Hellgate is a refreshing concoction that's likely to have enduring appeal. [Dec 2007, p.48]
NZGamer - 86%
Hellgate: London presents a wonderful story set against an artfully designed world but never goes that extra mile to separate it from the masses. It's unlikely this game will appeal to everyone but it is sure to find a strong cult following. Sure, it's more enjoyable than the demo, but it's worth a try before you commit yourself to another time-sinking adventure.
Pelit - 84%
Hellgate: London takes the elements that made the Diablo series classic, and puts them in new, invigorating setting of demonic threat, dark magic and high technology. The fresh world of Hellgate: London is its greatest asset, but sadly the game fails in capitalizing it properly, with quite shoddy plot and generic missions outside the main story. Nevertheless, Hellgate: London is a good action RPG with plenty to enjoy. How the multiplayer system works when the game hits stores will ultimately determine the staying power of the game. [Nov 2007]
70 - 80%
Play - 79%
If Hellgate: London had appeared on shelves with no hype and no known links to past gaming glories then we'd probably be sat here at the end of the review chatting about how it was a bit of an undiscovered gem that fused FPS sensibilities with Diablo-esque loot collection and character customisation to provide a thoroughly enjoyable, if slightly unpolished, experience. Unfortunately we don't have that luxury and the game's high profile throws niggles like the repetitive level design, the often dull quests and the stability issues into harsh relief. If all you want is a Diablo clone wrapped up in FPS clothes with some MMO features then you'll undoubtedly be satisfied. However, those looking for, or expecting, some kind of new dawn for the action RPG genre will be left wondering what all the fuss was about.
Atomic Gamer - 79%
I enjoyed Hellgate immensely. You have a ton of items to find, lots of fun monsters to kill in the randomized levels and fun bosses to face off with. If you're looking to scratch that pack-rat itch and can put up with the bugs, I'd highly recommend Hellgate.
Action Trip - 75%
Sure Hellgate: London has many features that are found in the Diablo series but they have not made a Diablo clone. The games could be called kissing cousins but for all its downsides, HG:L can be an addicting experience. FlagShip Studios has an uncertain road ahead of them. It remain to be seen whether they will prove to players that paying $9.95 a month is worth it by delivering some good content. If not, that one item may be the holy water that banishes Hellgate: London.
PCZone UK - 74%
Hellgate's done itself a disservice, because it's hidden some decent fun underneath a dated, linear and difficult-to-love veneer.
PCGamer (UK) - 73% [Dec 2007, p.52]
Hellgate: London hooked me, and I think it'll do the same to a lot of other players. But no matter how much I adore its juicy roleplaying sub-systems, I can't get past its wobbly core game.
Eurogamer - 70%
Hellgate: London is filled with gorgeous artwork and dripping with atmosphere; it's got a delicious sense of humour and finely tuned combat systems that will be keeping action RPG nuts happy for a long time. Despite this, we've got vast reservations about key aspects of the game; the randomly generated levels feel increasingly hollow, pointless and gimmicky as you progress, the user interface is clunky in some important areas, and there are clearly some hefty bugs here that need patching.
Gamedaily - 70%
With all its features and the charm from its wicked sense of humor, Hellgate makes for a very entertaining game, but it needs more depth.
Gamespot - 70%
Pros
Gameplay can be supremely addictive because of the way it lets you collect tons of items and upgrade your gear
Good-looking graphics, especially on DirectX 10 machines.
Cons
Most ranged weapons really lack "oomph"
Plenty of technical glitches can get in the way
Story is clumsy and not written or conveyed very well.
Strategy Informer - 70%
All in all, Hellgate is a success in the more revolutionary areas of its gameplay, though more attention could have been paid to the typical action RPG elements that seem to have been taken for granted. There�s a lot to this game, and hardcore players will enjoy sinking their teeth into something with so much meat, but casual gamers won�t have anywhere near enough patience to milk the fun elements from the gameplay. The story�s not over until we see how the integral replay aspects pan out, and initial reactions suggest they could go either way.
60 - 70%
You Gamers - 68%
In summary, Hellgate: London promised to be a lot more than it actually manages to deliver, and while I must admit that the game does grow on you over time, it's a rough road. If you can stay interested past the poor initial experience, and you enjoy the genre, you might end up liking it over time, but I must say it failed to keep me interested.
To be honest, Hellgate: London is a disappointment. Unfinished, unpolished, monotonous and offering poor value for money with the subscription scheme. Yet it kind of grows on you over time. If you like the Diablo-style item hunt across randomly generated maps, by all means do check out the demo - just dial down your expectations.
IGN - 68%
An experience that is fun for a few hours but quickly grows repetitive. The stat-driven combat takes the player one step away from the action and the modular levels and peripheral nature of the story keeps players from investing in the world.
Gameplayer - 60%
The game features randomly generated areas that can get real boring real fast, despite the rather gripping intro cinematic and story involving demons invading the world. Sure, this introductory mood is very engrossing, but the repetitive nature of random environments really does hurt the game�s longevity and, ultimately, its coherence. It becomes difficult to engage with a game world that could simply be called Hellgate: Somewhere (rather than an unrecognisable London) mainly because loot, monsters and important quest items are all random. Things become very haphazard, to the point where the game just comes across as a bit too bland and generic. It doesn�t really feel at all like a war-torn London, despite the odd iconic prop.
GameSpy - 60%
If the development team had poured half the creativity and personality into the setting, character, content or story as they did into the fighting and looting, the game might have become a modern-day classic. Instead, what comes out of this Hellgate often feels a little underwhelming.
GamePro - 60%
You might get sucked into the online world of competing slayers and level grinding for a while, but the tedium will kill you far quicker than any member of Hell's vast.
0 - 60%
1UP - 40%
Dear Hellgate: London,
You should have been a no-brainer. An action-RPG from an independent developer founded by the original creators of Diablo? A sci-fi postapocalyptic setting mixed with the supernatural? A 3D engine of randomized levels built around London's ruined landmarks? Demons and zombies and gnarled fleshy things called Hellmeats? Sign me up! Even the confused announcements about your special content for subscribers were intriguing. After all, with so much competition for online dollars, surely a publisher like EA and a group of veteran developers like the guys at Flagship Studios understand they must rise to the occasion. Surely they know that World of WarCraft is waiting on my desktop, just a few icons over. Surely, Hellgate, you'd be up to the task.
But you and I both know that you weren't ready.|||this game (as it stands) doesn't deserve to be in the same league with d2
(maybe that's what you get for jumping in bed with ea)
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