Hellboy Web of Wyrd review: "A solid effort in need of further iteration"

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is a fitting swan song for Lance Reddick. The late actor embraces the role of reluctant, sardonic hero with aplomb – his gravely, rhythmic cadence the perfect point of entry to a battle that lurks in the Wyrd, a pocket dimension spewing forth from the spiraling corridors of The Butterfly House. Hellboy isn't one to waste words, so every spoken syllable is there to punctuate a point; a rhetorical retort towards some twisted monstrosity, or curiously oblique commentary with other agents of the B.P.R.D. It's truly a shame that circumstances have resulted in this collaboration being a one-shot, rather than the start of something special.

Less fitting, at least in its current composition, is the roguelike structure – informing the foundational approach to combat, exploration, and progression that underpin developer Upstream Arcade's efforts. Hellboy: Web of Wyrd has moments of impact, typically the confluence of its heavy brawling and captivating visual design, but they are far and few between. Too often does Web of Wyrd feel like a compelling concept in need of further iteration and continuing evolution. 

Welcome to the Wyrd

Created in collaboration with Dark Horse, Web of Wyrd is an assertive love letter to its source material. Upstream Arcade hasn't merely brought comic book panels to life, but rather it lets you experience the action that occurs between them. Stepping into the Wyrd, a series of distinct dimensions wherein folklore from around the world informs environs and enemy types, evokes this otherworldly sensation – as if you have tumbled onto a drawing table, becoming trapped in the thick ink blots and sharp linework that Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has made legend. 

The visual design is honestly astounding, an otherworldly fidelity born out in the sludgy shadows and stark smattering of colors. That Upstream Arcade has been able to translate the creative style of Mignola into a 3D space with consistent cohesion should be commended. So too should the way the story (and the characters who inhabit it) feels like a natural extension of the Hellboy universe, letting longtime fans roleplay as an active B.P.R.D. agent as an occultist oddity draws demons, witches, and Nazis into one overarching conflict.  

Things get a little trickier for the West of Dead developer once you look beyond the artistry of the assets and animations. Web of Wyrd employs roguelike elements to underpin its progression. The Butterfly House acts as a base of operations, a space to equip Hellboy with different ranged weapons and charms, as well as upgrade a handful of core abilities, before descending into the Wyrd – a series of largely self-contained, procedurally-generated worlds. The problems are twofold, in that there isn't enough challenge to make good on the structural design, nor enough variation in the generation to justify repeat visits mandated by the narrative arc. 

Web of Wyrd can get a little tiresome as a result, with Reddick's presence and the visual design acting as something of a propulsive force forward against a pervasive sense of boredom. That's largely the result of exceptionally limited combat, and each environment offers just a small selection of enemy variants to tussle with. It's a shame, because Upstream Arcade comes close to nailing the purposeful movement and heavy motions of the starring Cambion. The Right Hand of Doom, Hellboy's oversized right hand made of stone, is a compelling weapon – particularly when used in tandem with an equipable hand cannon, shotgun, or grenade launcher. 

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Fights are methodical slugfests, echoing the sort of conflicts Hellboy has a tendency to tumble between in his best adventures. Smaller enemies are little more than fodder to refill your 'toughness' gauge, a meter that temporarily protects your health as you enter into battles with the bigger foes who prowl contained combat arenas. If you die, you're sent back to The Butterfly House to regain your composure. The thing is, outside of boss battles, it's exceptionally unlikely that your health will take a hit, with just about every battle necessitating the same cycle: expend ammunition to stagger an enemy at range, dash into close proximity, pummel them into dust with the same four-hit combo, move onto the next enemy or arena. 

There is an exceptionally rudimentary dodge and block system in place, but I found the signposting of these systems to be barely fit for purpose. The windows are tight, necessitating that Hellboy weave in a particular direction before a strike connects to circumvent an incoming attack, but it was widely frustrating to enact – not to mention a relative waste of time, as you're able to dispatch most threats you encounter with relative ease, particularly once you begin working upgraded shield and stagger charms into your arsenal. 

Hellboy Web of Wyrd should work better than it does. If there was more variation in the procedural generation it would feel more akin to exploring interconnected, bewitched labyrinths, which is perfect for Hellboy's slower, inquisitive approach to world exploration. So too would the idea of independent stories working towards one broader overarching narrative goal, were there more to see and do than pummel a repeating handful of enemy variants along the way. Web of Wyrd has sprinkles of magic, it just needs more refinement and distraction to really reach the potential of its concept.