Reviewed by Geir Gunnarsson
From the same people that made the very funny and entertaining "Manual Samuel" comes "Helheim Hassle" a puzzle platformer and I have to say it's been pure joy from the start.
Helheim Hassle is a narrative adventure game that is as much about friendship as it is about body parts. The humour is there, the artwork is very pretty and the controls are tight, and Just like the previous game this one has some unique game mechanics.
Set in the same universe as Manual Samuel, comes this macabre adventure where you play as Bjørn, a pacifist Viking who hates the idea of dying and going to Valhalla.....
.......who then ends up dying and going to Valhalla.
When Bjørn is resurrected to assist with a task for the mysterious Pesto, he sees a way to negotiate his way out. Using Bjørn’s undying corpse with its ability to detach and combine limbs at will, players must solve challenging puzzles and navigate tricky levels in order to retrieve a certain magical item... In return, Pesto will try to grant Bjørn a permanent residence in Helheim - what a hassle!
Each limb has a different function, for example the arm is good for grabbing and throwing while the leg is good for running and jumping. You can then combine the limbs to solve various puzzles. So far the puzzles have not been overly hard though I have not completed nor found all. There are over 90 of them!
The game is animated beautifully with the same unique hand-drawn style as "Manual Samuel" and I am really enjoying the modern twist they've put on Norse mythology.
The writing is really good, there are over 3,700 spoken lines with a cast of 24 voice actors and the performances are fantastic. The world is very fun and full of secrets. Plenty of backtracking for those who want but if you just want to follow the story you can do that.
Speaking of the story you do not need to have finished Manual Samuel but it would give you some insight and there are Easter eggs and references.
This is a short review, as I really don't want to spoil a single minute of this game and all I can really say is Helheim Hassle is well worth a try and highly recommended if you like fun original games!
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