Turning London Into A Survival Horror Playground
There is always something exciting about spotting where you live in a film or a game. Be honest – how many of us loaded up Microsoft Flight Simulator and immediately flew towards our own house, probably crashing into it in the process?
I’m lucky enough to live in London, so I’m always pleased when a game uses my home city as its setting. The Getaway games on the PS2 felt like a dream come true, while Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and Watch Dogs: Legion also scratched that itch.
Beyond Hanwell is a survival horror game set in a dystopian version of London, focusing on Westminster. Alongside landmarks like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll also find mutated humans, teleporting witches and spiders. Lots of spiders.
A Mysterious Story Filled With Environmental Storytelling
Beyond Hanwell is the sequel to Welcome to Hanwell, which arrived on Xbox back in 2019. I never played that game, but thankfully you don’t need any prior knowledge to enjoy this one. Hanwell itself is a fictional town, but this adventure begins in London as you emerge from Westminster Station into a rain-soaked city where abandoned cars litter the streets.
Your goal is to uncover what has happened to the world and eventually find the mysterious figure known only as “The Director”, who may hold the answers you’re searching for. To reach them, you’ll need to recover four ID cards from four different people scattered across separate locations. From there, the story gradually unfolds as you explore, and I found it both engaging and well paced. Along the way, you’ll meet some memorable characters while discovering audio recordings and notes that slowly reveal the secrets behind this ruined world.
I really liked the world-building in Beyond Hanwell. Much of the storytelling comes from the atmosphere and environmental design rather than lengthy cutscenes. Progression isn’t completely linear either, allowing you to tackle the main locations in whichever order you prefer. Alongside the four major story areas, there are plenty of optional locations, including police stations and hotels, that contain additional lore, useful resources and rewarding discoveries.
Constantly On Edge
Gameplay is classic first-person survival horror. You can sprint, crouch, collect items and manage an inventory, although that inventory fills up surprisingly quickly. Crafting also plays an important role, requiring you to visit workbenches, collect blueprints and gather resources to create ammunition, projectiles and other useful items. The system works well enough, although I did feel the blueprint mechanics were a little more complicated than they needed to be.
Exploration is easily one of the game’s strengths. It’s an enjoyable world to wander through, even when it’s trying to terrify you. There are puzzles to solve as well, from decoding notes to uncover door combinations to activating computer terminals needed to progress through the main story.
Combat offers both melee weapons and firearms. Melee weapons range from claw hammers to church crosses, while guns are much rarer and ammunition is deliberately limited, forcing you to think carefully before opening fire. The enemies can be brutal, with infected humans, teleporting witches and spiders all capable of overwhelming you quickly. Combat can become a little chaotic, particularly when enemies seem to appear from nowhere, and those moments felt more frustrating than frightening. On the other hand, the boss battles are pretty impressive, with each encounter offering something a little different.
Rain-Soaked London Creates A Beautifully Chilling Atmosphere
In terms of the visuals and Beyond Hanwell is a real treat. Exploring a rain-soaked London at night never gets old, whether you’re walking through the Houses of Parliament, climbing Big Ben, exploring a theatre, searching a luxury hotel or venturing into St Paul’s Cathedral. The interior lighting is particularly impressive, creating some wonderfully atmospheric locations, while the creature designs are equally strong.
The audio is excellent too. The soundtrack shifts between quiet unease and frantic tension whenever danger appears. The voice acting is solid throughout, particularly from the villains you encounter, but it’s the sound effects that really stand out. Every creak, distant noise and sudden movement helps build the constant feeling that something unpleasant is waiting around the next corner.
A Memorable Horror Journey
Beyond Hanwell offers fantastic atmosphere, impressive visuals and some excellent environmental storytelling. Combat can be frustrating in places, and the crafting system is just about okay, but those issues never overshadow what the game does well. Even though London has fallen apart here, exploring its haunted streets somehow made me appreciate my home city even more.
Important Links
Beyond Hanwell: A Haunting Journey into the Heart of London’s Darkness – https://www.thexboxhub.com/beyond-hanwell-a-haunting-journey-into-the-heart-of-londons-darkness/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/Beyond-Hanwell/9NPMJL7DS3D6
