With a title like I Hate This Place, you might assume a bit of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness. Sadly, after a few hours on PS5, it feels less like a witty joke and more like a mission statement. This top-down survival horror game aims for comic-book flair and nerve-jangling tension, but often stumbles into something closer to mild irritation with monsters.
Gaming Heaven
Credit where it’s due: the art direction has personality. The bold, inked outlines and lurid colours give everything the look of a pulpy graphic novel left out in the rain. It’s striking at first glance and helps the game stand out from the usual murky horror palette.
The sound-driven mechanics are also clever. Noise genuinely matters. Every footstep and clumsy sprint creates visual cues that alert nearby creatures, turning movement into a cautious little dance. It’s a neat risk-versus-reward system that makes sneaking about feel tense in a way the rest of the game rarely manages.
Enemy designs are suitably grotesque too, all squelches and unpleasant silhouettes. And you’re free to tackle encounters your way, whether that’s stealth, blunt force trauma, or crafting oddball weapons from whatever you’ve found down the sofa.
Gaming Hell
Unfortunately, actually playing it can feel like steering a shopping trolley with a broken wheel. The top-down perspective and fading walls constantly mess with spatial awareness, while movement animations are stiff enough to drain the drama from supposedly tense moments.
Dialogue doesn’t help. The protagonist’s endless sarcasm feels manufactured, as if the script is desperately nudging you in the ribs. Conversations pop up awkwardly, disrupting the flow rather than adding character.
Then there’s the death system, which gleefully punts you back to the beginning. It’s less “high stakes horror” and more “administrative punishment”. After the third restart, fear gives way to paperwork.
Final Judgement
There’s a decent horror game buried in I Hate This Place, but it’s trapped under clunky design and forced personality. Stylish and occasionally smart, yes – but mostly exhausting. Ironically, the title ends up being the most honest thing about it.
