Hellscreen demo playthrough (Nextfest June 2022)
3Advance warning: this game is not particularly kind to eyeballs, especially if you have photosensitivity issues. It also tends to get absolutely destroyed by stream compression.
This game certainly sets itself apart immediately based on its unique visuals. Those same visuals were also the primary reason I was not particularly interested in it, given I tend to be picky about what I subject my eyeballs to. When I heard it was getting a demo for nextfest, however, I figured it seems interesting enough on premise to warrant trying it regardless.
The visuals in this game certainly require some time to acclimate to, and I would definitely still say they're not necessarily for everyone. That being said, they weren't offensive enough to prevent me from finishing the demo. Beyond the visuals, the game has some interesting tricks up its sleeve, including various instances of objects/environments appearing differently through the rear-view mirror, and even a metroidvania aspect in one weapon's additional ability.
One thing I would really hope to see in the full game is customizable controls. Since shooting behind you uses a separate button (currently right mouse button), and since your starting weapon fires MUCH faster when fired manually than relying on autofire, you will end up tiring out your ring finger (or worse, risking RSI) VERY quickly in the current configuration. This doesn't seem to be nearly as much of a concern with later weapons, at least as far as what was available in the demo.