Console players are about to get their first taste of Hell is Us, as developer Rogue Factor and publisher Nacon prepare to roll out a playable demo for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on August 12, 2025.

The announcement came with little fanfare, but it’s a big moment for the title, which has steadily built anticipation since its reveal. Touted as a surreal action-adventure set in a war-ravaged land overtaken by supernatural forces, Hell is Us is not your typical third-person experience. There are no traditional quest markers. No over-explained objectives. Just you, your sword, and a world that doesn’t want to be understood.

This demo will offer roughly 45 minutes to an hour of gameplay, giving players a hands-on introduction to its unique design philosophy. Expect to explore a grim, desolate landscape, where every direction feels like the wrong one and that’s by design. The developers want players to feel lost, curious, and slightly unnerved. That’s where the game thrives.

The project is being led by Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, best known for his work as art director on Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided. His influence is unmistakable. The environments are sharp, stylised, and laced with symbolism. The enemies if that’s even the right word aren’t just obstacles. They’re pieces of a broader puzzle, entities that reflect the internal conflict at the heart of the story.

You play as a nameless protagonist returning to a homeland in collapse, caught between a brutal civil war and an otherworldly infestation that defies logic. There’s no clear right or wrong, no neat answers. Just choices, consequences, and the unknown.

Importantly, the game avoids holding your hand. There are no objective markers. No minimaps. You’re meant to rely on your senses, your memory, and your instincts. If that sounds frustrating, that’s kind of the point. The team behind Hell is Us believes that modern games have grown too safe, too clear-cut. They want to bring mystery back.

For console players who’ve been following the project, this demo could be a turning point a chance to see if the game’s ambitious vision holds up under the weight of player control.

Whether Hell is Us lands as a masterpiece or a misfire remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: it’s not playing by the rules. And that might be exactly what the industry needs.