I Hate this Place

I Hate This Place is a game that oversells itself in the trailer and undershoots on the Switch, but still manages to be very enjoyable. The performance issues, visual compromises, and pared‑back crafting leave their mark on much of the experience, yet the core loop of sneaking, crafting, and blasting through strange supernatural threats has enough bite to carry it.When the action flows, it's easy to see what the developers were aiming for. It just depends on whether you're willing to look past the rough edges to enjoy what does work.

I Hate This Place has some great fundamentals in place, and the game certainly knows how to create an excellent atmosphere. The fact that you can also try to go stealth mode or guns blazing is quite interesting, and it offers plenty of choice to the player.

I Hate This Place is close to being a really good fusion of base building and isometric shooter, but never quite nails the game feel. Stealth is mostly a case of sneaking through vents, combat is repetitive and becomes too easy with more powerful weapons, and the base building parts function more like an idle game. To top it off, the story kind of fizzles out and the game ends just as the mechanics start to get established. There is a fun pulp horror experience here, but it doesn't meet its clear potential.

I Hate This Place has a killer aesthetic and some excellent survival-horror instincts, especially when sound, stealth, and night pressure align. But... rough storytelling, clunky usability, and underfed progression keep it from becoming the cohesive comic-horror it so clearly wants to be.

On PS5, I Hate This Place is an intriguing but uneven survival horror experiment that opens strong, looks fantastic, and has a handful of clever ideas but never quite brings them together. Its comic book visuals and sound design give it an immediately recognisable identity, and there are moments when stalking through the woods or picking through an underground bunker hints at something special. Unfortunately, generous resources, disjointed systems, undercooked storytelling, and rough presentation steadily erode the tension it works so hard to build.

Moody, comic-book survival horror experience that thrives on tension and disorientation, but clunky combat gets in the way

I Hate This Place is a visually appealing video game based on a very attractive idea, but its execution is full of decisions that are difficult to justify. The lack of explanations, the imbalances in its survival approach, clunky combat, and a poorly crafted narrative make the experience suffer from start to finish.

I Hate This Place is a decent game that can keep you occupied for a short while. However, if you're looking for a true survival experience, you're better off checking out other titles. Still, it's worth at least a one-time playthrough.

I Hate This Place is one of those games that draws from strong source material and has a solid concept but fumbles its gameplay mechanics. The story is engaging, and I genuinely enjoyed playing as Elena in this comic book inspired world. Unfortunately, broken gameplay mechanics make it a frustrating experience.

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