Helltaker is a puzzle game developed and published by vanripper. It is a short yet comedic game about a guy who ventures into the dungeon of hell on a mission to collect a harem of demon girls and solve intricate puzzles.

As with most indie games, Helltaker is relatively short. However, puzzles are very challenging, so you can take longer if you are bad at puzzle games. The art is also striking, and you want to see it to the end. This game is free to download and play, so your only investment is time.

Solve the puzzle, find true love

Helltaker is a series of short, intricate movement puzzles in which the hero has to move from one side of the screen to the other. The game kicks off with the hero dreaming of amassing a harem of demonic girlfriends. Upon waking up, however, he conveniently finds a portal leading down into the nether realm. He then descends into the hellscape with hopes of reaching his potential bride. 

However, finding true love will prove to be difficult. Skeleton warriors, traps, locked rooms, and boulders are blocking his way. Each obstacle will increase in complexity as the game progresses. To help you, the game will smoothly introduce the mechanics. The early levels will focus solely on block-pushing or jumping over traps, while the later puzzles require you to juggle multiple hazards simultaneously.

Adding to the challenge is the limited move. Wasting too much time can lead to the protagonist’s demise. The difficulty of the game abruptly spikes in the final level, however. During this time, the game slows down, requiring you to analyze the screen and contemplate how to solve the puzzles. The final level also violently shifts the genre, making you face a hell-like showdown with the final boss.

This shift is a bit of a slap in the face since there will be no mini-boss to prepare you for the final challenge. Additionally, in this game, your objective is to solve puzzles with maximum efficiency, yet you also have the option to bypass puzzles through the menu section. However, as previously noted, the shortness of this game may leave some players longing for additional content.

A solid puzzler with strong aesthetics

Helltaker offers devilishly fun puzzles amid a comedic journey through hell. With striking art and challenging gameplay, players navigate through intricate levels while collecting a harem of demon girls. However, the game's shortness may leave some longing for more. Nonetheless, its free-to-play model and engaging storyline make it a worthwhile experience for puzzle enthusiasts seeking a brief yet entertaining adventure into the depths of the underworld.