Diabolical- Infernal: Hell's Vengeance Reviewed
Infernal: Hell's Vengeance for the 360. Developer: Metropolis Software, Publisher: Playlogic ESRB: M
Occasionally, game developers make some puzzling choices. One of the most perplexing is the incorporation of an underwhelming introductory level that fails to make any sort of satisfactory impression on the gamer. Instead of dazzling the player with graphical lavishness or a rock-solid game mechanic, we’ve too often seen the sporadic introduction which nearly undermines the entire game.
Recent release Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance, a port of a two-year old PC game, begins with one of the most unimpressive levels in recent memory. After a short cinematic introduces protagonist Ryan Lennox, the title sends the player lumbering down a series of decidedly last-gen looking corridors. Armed with only a pistol and the lacking the ability to collect more ammo, players are attacked by a barrage of machine-gun toting enemies. There’s a cover mechanic reminiscent of Gears of War or Rainbow Six: Vegas, but the skill is utterly ineffectual as foes have the ability to shoot through wall edges. While the designers struggled for a slam-bang ballistic prologue, twitch shooting is actually Infernal’s greatest weakness.
After this initial disappointment, Infernal prudently (and temporarily) trades its aspiration for Devil May Cry-style action for a methodical Resident Evil cadence, that is measured enough to allow for narrative development. Players learn that Lennox is a victim of heavenly downsizing, and unhappy with his holy severance package, switches teams. The player’s new employer endows him with a set of unholy powers that allow supercharged shots, teleportation, ammunition collection, and a form of ethereal pick-pocketing.
Unfortunately, the game stumbles when these powers are put to use. With only a handful of foes that all behave similarity, firefights seem lifeless. Worse, the game’s mechanics don’t allow for the level of fluidity that would make clashes against these simple foes compelling. While Lennox can roll with a double tap on the analog stick, you’ll find him performing the maneuver more on accident than intention. Several games have illustrated the splendor of a well-implemented cover mechanic, but Infernal only allows players to stick to certain surfaces, causing players to dismiss the tactic.
Yet there are moments between the gunfights where Hell’s Vengeance shows potential. Navigation through each environment involves light puzzle-solving pieces that evade the game’s clumsy combat mechanics. While puzzles aren’t exactly challenging affairs, they do offer a foster the occasional sense of apprehension and feeling of accomplishment when the next pathway is discovered.
Hell’s Vengeance visual palette varies wildly in both fluidity and detail. While there are set-pieces that show a reasonable amount of graphical fidelity, far too often the game’s camera is zoomed on overstretched textures, making the game look like a first-generation 360 title. There are moments when the game reaches the sixty frame per second threshold, put undemanding acts such as draining a downed foe, can cause the refresh rate to inexplicably plummet.
While Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance offers an intriguing narrative focusing on the struggle between agents of good and evil, the game’s execution is reasonably unrefined. Surely, the two year duration between Infernal’s appearance on PC and its port to the 360 could have been used to polish gameplay, and offer the title a change at salvation. Instead, it appears the title languished in some virtual purgatory, unremorseful of its transgressions. Although the title maybe alluring at its $39.99 MSPR, resisting temptation would likely be in the gamer’s best interest.
Occasionally, game developers make some puzzling choices. One of the most perplexing is the incorporation of an underwhelming introductory level that fails to make any sort of satisfactory impression on the gamer. Instead of dazzling the player with graphical lavishness or a rock-solid game mechanic, we’ve too often seen the sporadic introduction which nearly undermines the entire game.
Recent release Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance, a port of a two-year old PC game, begins with one of the most unimpressive levels in recent memory. After a short cinematic introduces protagonist Ryan Lennox, the title sends the player lumbering down a series of decidedly last-gen looking corridors. Armed with only a pistol and the lacking the ability to collect more ammo, players are attacked by a barrage of machine-gun toting enemies. There’s a cover mechanic reminiscent of Gears of War or Rainbow Six: Vegas, but the skill is utterly ineffectual as foes have the ability to shoot through wall edges. While the designers struggled for a slam-bang ballistic prologue, twitch shooting is actually Infernal’s greatest weakness.
After this initial disappointment, Infernal prudently (and temporarily) trades its aspiration for Devil May Cry-style action for a methodical Resident Evil cadence, that is measured enough to allow for narrative development. Players learn that Lennox is a victim of heavenly downsizing, and unhappy with his holy severance package, switches teams. The player’s new employer endows him with a set of unholy powers that allow supercharged shots, teleportation, ammunition collection, and a form of ethereal pick-pocketing.
Unfortunately, the game stumbles when these powers are put to use. With only a handful of foes that all behave similarity, firefights seem lifeless. Worse, the game’s mechanics don’t allow for the level of fluidity that would make clashes against these simple foes compelling. While Lennox can roll with a double tap on the analog stick, you’ll find him performing the maneuver more on accident than intention. Several games have illustrated the splendor of a well-implemented cover mechanic, but Infernal only allows players to stick to certain surfaces, causing players to dismiss the tactic.
Yet there are moments between the gunfights where Hell’s Vengeance shows potential. Navigation through each environment involves light puzzle-solving pieces that evade the game’s clumsy combat mechanics. While puzzles aren’t exactly challenging affairs, they do offer a foster the occasional sense of apprehension and feeling of accomplishment when the next pathway is discovered.
Hell’s Vengeance visual palette varies wildly in both fluidity and detail. While there are set-pieces that show a reasonable amount of graphical fidelity, far too often the game’s camera is zoomed on overstretched textures, making the game look like a first-generation 360 title. There are moments when the game reaches the sixty frame per second threshold, put undemanding acts such as draining a downed foe, can cause the refresh rate to inexplicably plummet.
While Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance offers an intriguing narrative focusing on the struggle between agents of good and evil, the game’s execution is reasonably unrefined. Surely, the two year duration between Infernal’s appearance on PC and its port to the 360 could have been used to polish gameplay, and offer the title a change at salvation. Instead, it appears the title languished in some virtual purgatory, unremorseful of its transgressions. Although the title maybe alluring at its $39.99 MSPR, resisting temptation would likely be in the gamer’s best interest.
I heard this was one of the worst games of the year.
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How much of the grade was you right wingers uncomfortable killing God's troops?
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Satanic Troll.
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I don't want to create any spoilers, but you there's a few cutscenes that indicate what side you are truly on.
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Never heard of this game, must be a smaller company.
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Wow, a D-, this must be bad!
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Shipwreck called in one of the worst in last week's Foreplay.
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A 42 on Metacritic is one of the lowest 360 scores. Beat only by Damnation and Hannah Montana.
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/infernalhellsvengeance?q=infernal
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Thanks for the review. Hell hath no fury like a bad game.
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Does it at least have Nazis or Zombies?
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This game is getting a unhealth beat down by the reviewers .
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I heard the game is so bad that the spoken lines of dialogue don't even make sense. The developers were Polish and didn't bother for a decent translation.
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So it is worse that Hour of Victory?
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They sound equally bad.
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Is there at least plenty of blood?
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An FPS with guns you didn't like? WHA?
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It's actually a third person shooter, as you can see the protagonist
Sorry to be such a nerd!
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Well, at least the lighting seems cool. Didn't this game use a special physic engine?
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Reminds me of Dark Sector, which I hated. Everyone else seemed to like it, though.
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I bet this will be $20 in the next two week. Any takers?
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The guy in the pics looks like my brother in law. Almost exactly.
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You better make sure he doesn't work for the Devil then...
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Why hot an "F" then? It seems like the game is a failure.
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Well, they did like the story and the RE bits were too bad, it seemed.
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A good read. I though the last paragraph was really funny.
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If you're working for Satan, a leather jacket is a must.
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Do you guys write for X-play. I see/hear a lot of same words/cheesy concepts.
"Instead, it appears the title languished in some virtual purgatory, unremorseful at its transgressions."
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my friend bought this and tried to return it to GS opened. The clerk put in on their display 360 to see if it worked, saw the game and gave him a CASH refund.
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This one sound damned to the bargain bins!
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I saw this came out last week. I almost picked it up.
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I saw one other "D" review. Everyone else flunked the game.
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I just rented this. I can't describe how pathetic it is.
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Well, you got to give the publisher credit for putting this game out when things are slow.
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A friend just twittered that he though the game was programed by retarded grammar school kids.
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Wow, I almost want to see how bad it is.
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I expect a quick and healthy price drop on this.
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I think Satan himself coded this game.
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