Hell is Us PC Controls

Hell is Us on PC supports keyboard and mouse plus Xbox and PlayStation controllers through Steam Input. Default binds favor FPS-adjacent layouts: left mouse for attacks, shift for sprint and charge attacks, number row for glyphs. Because combat, drone modules, and relics overlap on similar keys, spend time in Settings → Controls before Auriga Timeloops — remapping early prevents bad habits that reviews describe as stiff combat feel.

Open the pause menu (Escape) and select Controls to view or rebind every action. The game warns against overlapping binds; glyph keys 1–3 and drone keys 1–4 both use the number row but activate under different modifiers (no modifier vs right mouse hold).

Movement and camera

Action	Default key
Move	W, A, S, D
Look	Mouse
Sprint	Shift (hold)
Sidestep / dodge	Spacebar
Lock on	Mouse scroll button
Change lock target	Mouse scroll

Sprint and charge attack both use Shift — tap for sprint, hold while clicking for heavy attacks. Sidestep on Space is your primary i-frame tool until Surge Step drone module unlocks; see drone modules for upgrade timing.

Combat basics

Action	Default key
Quick attack	Left mouse button
Charge attack	Shift + left mouse
Guard	Alt (hold)
Sheathe / draw	T
Switch weapon	R
Healing Pulse	X

Healing Pulse triggers after successful attack chains when white particles form a ring around Ren. PC players often remap Pulse to a mouse side button for faster access — critical on Balanced difficulty where stamina max shrinks with missing health.

Lymbic abilities (glyphs and relic)

Action	Default key
Glyph 1	1
Glyph 2	2
Glyph 3	3
Active relic	4

Glyphs require Grade 2+ weapons and spend Lymbic energy. The active relic fires regardless of equipped weapon. Pair key 4 with a thumb key if you frequently swap between polearm and twin axes setups from best loadouts.

Drone controls

Action	Default key
Drone modifier (hold)	Right mouse button
Module 1	1 (while holding RMB)
Module 2	2 (while holding RMB)
Module 3	3 (while holding RMB)
Module 4	4 (while holding RMB)
Drone light	H
Dock drone	T (shared with sheathe — context sensitive)

Hold right mouse before pressing number keys for modules. Distract on RMB + 1 should become muscle memory by the first Acasa Marshes Timeloop.

Items and UI

Action	Default key
Interact	E
Use item	D-pad equivalent via keys (see in-game UI)
Previous item	F
Next item	G
Compass / usable wheel	Q
Open Datapad	Tab
Show HUD	F1
Pause menu	Escape
Photo Mode	F7

Post-launch patches added remappable interact actions — verify E still matches climb, loot, and Investigation prompts after updates on patch news. Compass on Q is mandatory for no-map navigation praised and criticized in launch reviews.

Controller on PC

Many PC players use a DualSense or Xbox pad. Layout mirrors console controls: L2 for Lymbic modifier, R2 for drone. Steam Input allows gyro off and deadzone tuning. UE5 performance varies by GPU — confirm specs on system requirements before maxing settings.

Recommended remapping tips

Move Healing Pulse to mouse button 4 or 5 if X feels awkward during combos. Separate dock and sheathe if T conflicts cause accidental drone dismissals in stealth sections. Keep glyph 1–3 on the number row — moving them to numpad slows mid-fight reactions. Do not stack interact on E with modded keyboards that remap E to macro keys without testing in Lenient mode first.

Difficulty and accessibility

Switch among Lenient, Balanced, and Merciless in settings anytime. PC ultrawide users should enable appropriate FOV if available after patches. Photo Mode (F7) pauses combat for screenshots without affecting achievements in single-player runs.

Related pages

Compare PlayStation and Xbox layouts on console controls. Build glyph-heavy loadouts using the Build Hub after mastering inputs.