Diabolical- Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance Reviewed

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.