No More Room in Hell 2, developed and published by Torn Banner Studios, is available on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox.
Team up in this multiplayer co-op action game in which up to 8 responders must complete objectives to gain supplies, fix infrastructure and survive the zombie apocalypse. Think Left 4 Dead but slower, with more deadly zombies.
No More Room in Hell 2 is a game I have been considering for a while. My partner and I played the original, and we found it could be quite unforgiving, which put me off a little. The early-access reviews were also pretty brutal, which was a shame as the original mod was, despite being hard, fantastic. The early access version suffered from a lack of content and bugs, and there was a myriad of issues. Fast forward to launch, and reviews started being more positive; players’ requests were being met, and more content was being added, so I pulled the trigger and grabbed it.
No More Room in Hell 2 puts you in the shoes of a responder. Responders are people who survived the apocalypse and are helping supply and assist the people left behind. The world is ending, and you must do what it takes to survive. Each level features a narrative told through in-character dialogue, usually by the handlers who orchestrate the missions. For example, when the handlers tell you what to do, they’ll explain who, what, why and when.
No More Room in Hell 2 throws you into matchmaking with 7 other players but you can take these missions on solo. I played in public matchmaking, and 80% of the time you find a good match where people are working together. Sometimes, however, you’ll come across a troll, but they usually get bitten… or at least the team makes sure they get bitten… Once landed in a match folks who want to play the game properly, you must team up to take on the handler’s missions. These tasks usually, range from hacking things, fueling generators, finding important objects and more. Think Left 4 Dead’s mission structure, and that’s what you get here. Get to point A, take on the given objective, progress to point B and so on, then extract at the end. That might sound a bit repetitive for some, but rest assured, each map throws the objectives around a little each time to keep it fresh. This makes it much more replayable each time you come back.
Version 1.0’s release has given us 6 maps: Powerplant, Pottsville, Lewiston, Broadway, Beaulieu Hospital and Government Bunker. These maps are carefully crafted to offer new experiences each time you pop onto them. I never once got bored of repeating the same map twice; there’s enough variation to keep it fun.
No More Room in Hell 2 features permadeath. If you die, you lose your character. Characters can be levelled up with unique skills that buff certain aspects. These aspects range from better damage with pistols, better melee damage, and the usual perks you see in games like this, but all it takes is one bad match, and it’s gone. Most people would find this frustrating; I get that. However, I think that adds to the challenge. I did end up getting infected in one map, but luckily respawned due to a perk. The risk here is one of the reasons I love the game; the challenge is brutal, but that drives you to be more strategic and careful. The combat feels pretty good for the most part but clunky in others. This does add to the challenge, but sometimes it can hinder you. Sometimes wielding the melee weapons against the zombies feels a little rough in places, but some weapons feel like a joy; it’s a real mixed bag. The gunplay is pretty good, though that outshines the melee. Still, finding ammo in later difficulties can be a pain.
No More Room in Hell 2 delivers an incredible apocalypse experience. The graphics: each zombie looks like you’d expect, and when you damage them, you’ll see the brutality of each move you make; it’s near Dead Island 2 level. The maps all have such intricate details; while the game lacks a story, you can see little stories within the environment. It never felt like a copy-and-paste job; they nailed the apocalypse feel, the details and the horror. I felt so immersed in the apocalypse from the sirens in the background, radio hosts taking calls explaining their take on what’s going on, and the gunfire in the distance.
Verdict
I loved No More Room in Hell 2. Some areas need improvement, like melee combat and encouragement for players to interact more. It went from a game ripped apart by players to being loved by many and seems to be growing. If you like a challenge like me with a lot to risk, I recommend No More Room In Hell 2, but I’d suggest having friends to play with; the solo experience is a little unforgiving, and it feels like it was kitted out for multiple players. Matchmaking, as mentioned before, can also be a mixed bag. I came across some folk who will team up together; others seem to think trolling is hilarious and go too far with it. Torn Banner Studios nailed most aspects of a zombie apocalypse. I hope we see more updates down the line to add more content because I hope it thrives after a rough early access period.
