Return to Pixhell mixes Dark Souls with Vampire Survivors for a grimdark challenge
- Return to Pixhell is out now on iOS and offers Souls-like, Survivors-like action
- Journey to the depths of Pixhell as one of three distinct classes
- Light bonfires, fight the ever-encroaching fear and try not to die
The tagline for Vampire Survivors is 'become the bullet hell', and that's undoubtedly part of the appeal of the genre. The power fantasy of sending hordes of evil creatures hurtling back to hell is part of why it proved so popular. But for some, the grimmer, grittier difficulty is what attracts them to the world of gaming, and that's what Return to Pixhell offers.
Coming to iOS with an expected late May release date, Return to Pixhell bills itself as a Souls-like, but there are undoubtedly elements of Vampire Survivors present here. You'll play as one of three distinct classes (Mage, Reaper, Aura) of adventurers exploring the wilderness on a journey into the very depths of Pixhell.
Gameplay is a mixture of classic auto-firing Survivors-like and Dark Souls difficulty. You'll need to light campfires for safe havens and manage your fear in the darkness, while contending with the extremely Souls-like permadeath mechanics.
Pixhell's Bells
Return to Pixhell is undoubtedly an indie release; that much is obvious. Which is not to denigrate it, but don't go expecting a visually stunning Unreal engine-tier take on the format. However, in terms of content, there's a surprising amount to dig into here.You'll be able to take on seasonal and all-time leaderboards, showing off to your friends how well you've done. There's a full soundtrack to enjoy, and plenty of different upgrades and equipment to help craft a world-beating build. And given the difficulty on offer here, you'll need that optimisation to help you make your journey all the way to Pixhell.
If you're looking for more fiendishly difficult fun on mobile, why not check out our list of the best roguelikes on iOS? It's one-and-done fun where you'll find that even a single wrong move can lead to the end of an otherwise successful run.
