I Hate This Place Review

I Hate This Place has been marketed as an Craft-based isometric survival horror game, it immediately stands out thanks to its bold comic book art style and unapologetic 80s horror attitude. Developed by Rock Square Thunder and published by Broken Mirror Games, the game blends survival crafting systems with classic survival horror tension, creating an experience that constantly shifts tone in smart and surprising ways.

Based on the comic book series of the same name, the game feels confident in its identity. From the very beginning, it establishes a warped reality filled with twisted creatures, strange locations, and an overwhelming sense that the world itself is hostile. While it is marketed as an isometric survival horror title, that label only tells part of the story.

I Hate this Place Gameplay and Structure

At its core, I Hate This Place is built around exploration, scavenging, and crafting. You spend a significant amount of time searching environments for resources, building tools, upgrading your shelter, and preparing for what comes next. During these moments, the game leans heavily into survival crafting territory, rewarding patience, planning, and careful resource management.

Where the game truly shines is in how it shifts gears. As you progress, you will encounter areas that feel unmistakably like classic survival horror spaces. The bunker like laboratories and dungeon style locations completely change the pace. Here, resources become limited, tension rises, and every decision matters. These sections feel closer to traditional survival horror design, where atmosphere, uncertainty, and vulnerability take center stage. You also have a notebook to keep track of your quests which comes in handy for tracking progress, which I learned to love quickly.

The transition between these two styles is handled remarkably well. One moment you feel relatively empowered, managing systems and preparing for threats, and the next you can find yourself with limited supplies, forced to think carefully about every encounter. In many ways, it feels like an open world survival horror game. It is hard to put into words as a survival horror fan, but the feeling is unmistakable. Add familiar survival crafting systems into the mix and the experience becomes uniquely tense.

Enemies and Combat

Enemies are one of the strongest aspects of the game. Each creature feels distinct, not just visually but mechanically. Enemies often require specific strategies to take down, encouraging experimentation and observation rather than brute force. Sound plays a major role, as many enemies track you by noise, making stealth a viable and often preferable option.

The game gives you meaningful choices. You can evade enemies, distract them, or engage directly if you feel prepared. Combat is not about constant action but about calculated risk. This design reinforces the survival horror identity, especially during the more confined and oppressive sections of the game. Sometimes you end without enough resources for a full-on fight which makes you wonder ” What now?”. On the flip side if you do well with strategy and planning, you can craft what you need or simply lure monsters away or use traps that you can place and get all creative with it.

Atmosphere and Presentation

Visually, the comic inspired art style is striking and memorable. The bold colors and heavy outlines give the game a unique personality that separates it from more muted horror titles. Despite the colorful presentation, the atmosphere remains oppressive and unsettling, proving that horror does not need darkness alone to be effective.

One of the smartest design choices is the use of onomatopoeia through comic style sound effects, something the developers shared with us during our interview last year. These visual sound cues are not just aesthetic flair. They actively communicate danger, movement, and enemy presence. Paying attention to them can give you a crucial advantage, helping you anticipate threats before they reach you. Ignoring these comic strips, however, often comes at a cost, reinforcing the idea that information is survival.

The 80s horror influence is felt throughout, from creature design to overall tone. There is a constant sense of unease mixed with surrealism, making the world feel unpredictable and dangerous. The sound design further supports this, especially during nighttime sections where silence and subtle audio cues keep you on edge.

Length and Replay Value

A standard story playthrough takes around eight to ten hours, while full completion can extend closer to fourteen hours. This length feels appropriate for the experience, never overstaying its welcome while offering enough depth for players who want to fully explore everything the game has to offer.

Optional exploration, crafting upgrades, and learning enemy behaviors add replay value, especially for players who enjoy mastering systems and experimenting with different approaches. Meridiam Games also announced Physical Copies coming later this year!

Verdict – Recommended

I Hate This Place blends survival crafting and survival horror into a cohesive and highly enjoyable experience. What could have felt like a clash of genres instead becomes the game’s greatest strength. A side from few bugs that in my opinion sometimes are expected for indie games on release, my experience was enjoyable and fun overall. The constant shift between methodical preparation and high-tension horror keeps the experience fresh from start to finish. I’m pretty sure patches will start coming after release.

Highly recommended for fans of survival horror daring to try new things, isometric games, and anyone looking for something that dares to mix comfort with dread in equal measure. This is not a traditional or Classic Survival Horror Game, but it does excellent in using some of the hallmarks that made the genre great!

We invite you to try it out for yourself that is the best way to enjoy new game experiences! Until the next one!

Get I Hate this Place from January 29 on:

Steam: I Hate This Place on Steam

PS5: I Hate This Place

Xbox: Buy I Hate This Place | Xbox

Switch: I Hate This Place for Nintendo Switch – Nintendo Official Site

Trailer: