The moment has arrived to share what the Metal: Hellsinger experience feels like, without censoring the excitement. With a playable demo and the full game in hand after a summer of intensive play, this title stands out as one of the most astonishing releases of the year. At Gamescom 2022, the title surprised many by winning a major prize at the German fair and capturing attention with its bold presence.
The Most Wanted PC Game
Metal: Hellsinger didn’t just win the award for the Most Wanted PC Game, the most anticipated PC title on the show floor. It also hosted what became the largest concert in Gamescom history. So what makes it tick? It’s a fast-paced first-person shooter that pairs tight, action-packed gameplay with a driving metal soundtrack. The game is crafted by The Outsiders and published by Funcom, the studio behind Conan Exiles and the new Dune: Awakening, among other projects.
The game evokes the spirit of classic, high-octane action while steering clear of imitation. It does not mimic the legendary FPS heritage of id Software; instead, it offers fresh features that give the genre its own stamp. A key secret lies in the music. Indeed, sound design plays a central role, guiding players to perform actions in rhythm with the metal score and making every moment feel like part of a live performance.
music adventure
Speaking of the soundtrack, the team assembled a lineup that metal fans will recognize. Björn Strid and Soilwork, Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer, Serj Tankian from System of a Down, Matt Heafy of Trivium, Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquility, Dennis Lyxzén of Denied and INVSN, Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy, and James Dorton from Black Crown Initiate. Together, these artists helped translate the intensity of the metal world into the game’s core experience, making every run through the arena feel like a guided tour of a brutal, musical spectacle.
The Metal: Hellsinger adventure starts with a tutorial that leads into what is intentionally the shortest, perhaps the least flashy track in the game. After this crucial onboarding, players dive into the action. The gameplay is tightly connected to how well shots and movements align with the music. The better the synchronization with the melody, the higher the score, and the more satisfying the higher combos become, underscoring the game’s emphasis on musical accuracy as a skill multiplier.
sons of metal
Percussion becomes a weapon in its own right from the opening moments, as if the player is stepping onto a stage with a chorus of pyrotechnics and a live crowd. The developers want players to feel the energy—let the gunfire and explosions fuse with the ambience of a private metal concert. That sense of spectacle is maintained even in the game’s most intense firefights, keeping the adrenaline high and the pace uncompromising.
The early stages also introduce a distinctive difficulty curve that complements the rhythm-based challenge. If the fear is that the game will stall, that worry vanishes once the beat locks in. The objective becomes maximizing a Fury multiplier up to x16, ensuring every shot and movement lands with precision in time with the track. But players must stay on their toes, because getting hit ruptures the Fury chain and reduces the scoring potential.
During gameplay, players encounter bunkers called Tormentos, which grant different power-ups to boost scoring opportunities. As a true FPS, Metal: Hellsinger presents a diverse armory tailored to various playstyles. Choosing the right weapons to face a growing wave of enemies is essential as the adventure unfolds and the adversaries multiply in number and variety.
Results
Metal: Hellsinger delivers a singular experience that will appeal to fans of first-person shooters and metal music alike. Its atmosphere is immersive from the start, and the soundtrack intensifies the action, creating a sense of being in the eye of a live metal performance. It stands out as one of the year’s most complete, audacious experiences, inviting players to push the sound to the limit and revel in every explosive beat that accompanies the combat.