Green Hell

Pros

• Includes both survival and story modes
• Huge map with naturalistic and intuitive design
• Expertly layered survival sim mechanics

Cons

• Steep and early learning curve
• Tension of managing health and sanity may overwhelm some

Green Hell draws on the horrors of human nature and the wilderness to create a compelling and tense survival simulation game. This is a genre that's known for its challenging difficulty and lack of player hand-holding, and Green Hell doesn't shy away from those characteristics one bit. But if you're willing to make it through a steep but short introductory curve, you'll find an experience that teeters on a compelling but fair sense of environmental awareness and practical resource and time management.

Chances are that the story alone won't draw you in. You play as a man who has lost his wife while searching for a hidden tribe in a tropical wilderness and now has to survive with only what he can make with his hands and a journal that keeps track of his discoveries. The latter is especially valuable, as your main character is suffering from a serious case of memory loss. As with most other games in the genre, progression deeper into the world can only happen when you've gotten a grasp of the systems of crafting and survival at work — and Green Hell makes some compelling choices in its more granular survivalist elements. A GPS watch on your wrist tracks your nutritional and hydration needs, and the fact that you need to balance different nutrients in your diet informs the systems for foraging and hunting.

But the systems at play really differentiate themselves in terms of how it handles injuries, illnesses, and other negative health conditions. Bacteria can be spread by something as simple as eating food without first cleaning your hands, while wounds can often be acquired without being noticed and quickly run the risk of infection out in the wild. Leeches and other parasites necessity regular body checks and sanitary maintenance to keep your body healthy, and players will eventually come to acquire an intuitive understanding of what leaves or herbs can help alleviate which issues. As you progress deeper into the game, your journal transforms into a voluminous repository of survival information. Each death brings a little more knowledge to make your next attempt a little easier.

As if players weren't presented with enough metrics to measure already, they also have to contend with their character's loosening grip on reality. The rigors of the environment will wear down a character's sanity in addition to their health and their stamina, and lower sanity levels result in irrational actions and the introduction of auditory and visual hallucinations. The systems may be densely entwined, but the landscapes are equally as elaborate. The jungle is filled with unique areas and plenty to do, but it's an overlapping network of passages wherein it's easy to get lost. But once you begin to get comfortable with the environment, you'll find yourself immersed in a world that truly feels alive. Just get used to feeling regularly lost and uncomfortable throughout the journey.

Pros

• Includes both survival and story modes
• Huge map with naturalistic and intuitive design
• Expertly layered survival sim mechanics

Cons

• Steep and early learning curve
• Tension of managing health and sanity may overwhelm some