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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: FPS Developer: Metropolis Software Publisher: PlayLogic |
As “Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance” opens players are introduced to Ryan Lennox is enjoying a drink with a blonde. When her betrayal is
made clear metal music kicks in with the militant Heavenly forces of Etherlight through the bar’s windows. It is at this point that players
are introduced to the third person shooting controls. Lennox joins up with the demonic outfit and is given magical powers and a
mission to move against Etherlight, his former employer. Along with his ammunition, his mana pool can be used to unleash
supercharged shots. Shuriken, machine guns and sniper rifles are used to drop Etherlight troopers that stand in the way, and from
their corpses their souls can be absorbed in order to boost ammunition, health and the occasional security card for locked doors.
The stage has been set for a mindlessly fun videogame. While the elimination of health packs and traditional ammunition might seem
like a good idea, the soul sucking mechanic in the game just seems to get in the way of the experience. The game seems to try to be
the equivalent of a B movie, with bad dialogue seem quite absurd and takes place in a world of nonsense. The game can’t quite
achieve the charming simplicity of other games because it seems to try too hard. Amid the looping music that moves players through
every battle sequence, Lennow’s ridiculous tattoo spikes across his chest and jacket, and the comic book henchmen insignias on all
the Etherlight uniforms, the game gets tangled with itself and loses its direction.
Character movement seems a little sloppy in the game, especially if players try to use any evasive moves or use cover, which are
basically useless. Lennox’s aim, even after adjusting the sensitivity never quite feels natural enough that player are able to fall in a
rhythm, so it is difficult to step into the experience. To try and offer some variety into the action a few special powers have been added,
such as a short range teleport system and enhanced vision mode. Aside from upping the cap on the number of successive teleports
players can perform, this system isn’t put to work in any creative ways.
An infernal vision mode will also come into play in a few sections to identify danger zones such as land mines or poison gas triggering
tiles, but it is all very basic and underwhelming. Other sequences end up being almost funny because some of the parts of the game
that would seem to be intended to be difficult are often labeled and pretty much tells the player how to complete it. The objects needed
to complete puzzles are rarely ever difficult to find and are oftentimes number so that players know what order they need to complete the
actions.
The action of the game spans a number of different locations, from a moving train to an aircraft carrier, so players won’t get bored with
the scenery of the game as the environment type changes several times throughout the game. However, players will find that enemy
routines and behaviors vary little between each level of the game. This means that although the background in the game seems to
change, the battles in the levels seem to feel the same, making the background feel the same as well.
Enemies will commonly hide next to explosive barrels, but once players figure out this strategy and the game realizes that players are
able to use the same sidestep and back flip bullet maneuvers that the enemy uses, it gives the enemies a new power which turns them
transparent. Now players only have a limited time to hit them as they go through the usual routine. There are special types of units
throughout the game that include the beam weapon shock trooper who needs to circle around the player and get behind them to
detonate their backpack and flying assault soldiers and teleporting snipers, but the encounters do not offer anything interesting and
have very little effect on the overall game play.
The boss fights in the game aren’t anything to brag about either, especially a battle between a helicopter and a rocket launcher near the
end of the game. Even the final boss battle, the climax of the game, doesn’t offer much. There just isn’t enough done in this area to get
players excited about getting to the end of the game and moving onto the next level. The laser pistol is just like the regular pistol, just a
little stronger. The heavy flying enemies are just like the normal flying enemies, just a little stronger. Over time, the weapons get a little
better, the enemies get a little tougher, but nothing about the basic game play ever really changes, leaving players to work there way
through a game that is a lot of the same thing. Luckily the game offers Achievements, though they are pretty easy to come by, which
again takes part of the fun out of it.
“Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance” seems to have all of the elements requires to make a great B movie type videogame experience. It has a
lot of cheesy dialogue that is brought to life by over-exaggerated voice acting, a plot that involves heaven versus hell and a God that is
unable to see everything that is going on, and all of this is set up so players can plow through a mostly linear stage with enemies
popping up occasionally waiting to get hit with bullets and demonic powers. Unfortunately, the jumpy character controls and aiming
system, the terrible cover and evasion system, repetitive enemy encounters and some underdeveloped special abilities offer more
inconvenience to players than anything else. Most players will stamped out this title before it has a chance to get off the ground.
made clear metal music kicks in with the militant Heavenly forces of Etherlight through the bar’s windows. It is at this point that players
are introduced to the third person shooting controls. Lennox joins up with the demonic outfit and is given magical powers and a
mission to move against Etherlight, his former employer. Along with his ammunition, his mana pool can be used to unleash
supercharged shots. Shuriken, machine guns and sniper rifles are used to drop Etherlight troopers that stand in the way, and from
their corpses their souls can be absorbed in order to boost ammunition, health and the occasional security card for locked doors.
The stage has been set for a mindlessly fun videogame. While the elimination of health packs and traditional ammunition might seem
like a good idea, the soul sucking mechanic in the game just seems to get in the way of the experience. The game seems to try to be
the equivalent of a B movie, with bad dialogue seem quite absurd and takes place in a world of nonsense. The game can’t quite
achieve the charming simplicity of other games because it seems to try too hard. Amid the looping music that moves players through
every battle sequence, Lennow’s ridiculous tattoo spikes across his chest and jacket, and the comic book henchmen insignias on all
the Etherlight uniforms, the game gets tangled with itself and loses its direction.
Character movement seems a little sloppy in the game, especially if players try to use any evasive moves or use cover, which are
basically useless. Lennox’s aim, even after adjusting the sensitivity never quite feels natural enough that player are able to fall in a
rhythm, so it is difficult to step into the experience. To try and offer some variety into the action a few special powers have been added,
such as a short range teleport system and enhanced vision mode. Aside from upping the cap on the number of successive teleports
players can perform, this system isn’t put to work in any creative ways.
An infernal vision mode will also come into play in a few sections to identify danger zones such as land mines or poison gas triggering
tiles, but it is all very basic and underwhelming. Other sequences end up being almost funny because some of the parts of the game
that would seem to be intended to be difficult are often labeled and pretty much tells the player how to complete it. The objects needed
to complete puzzles are rarely ever difficult to find and are oftentimes number so that players know what order they need to complete the
actions.
The action of the game spans a number of different locations, from a moving train to an aircraft carrier, so players won’t get bored with
the scenery of the game as the environment type changes several times throughout the game. However, players will find that enemy
routines and behaviors vary little between each level of the game. This means that although the background in the game seems to
change, the battles in the levels seem to feel the same, making the background feel the same as well.
Enemies will commonly hide next to explosive barrels, but once players figure out this strategy and the game realizes that players are
able to use the same sidestep and back flip bullet maneuvers that the enemy uses, it gives the enemies a new power which turns them
transparent. Now players only have a limited time to hit them as they go through the usual routine. There are special types of units
throughout the game that include the beam weapon shock trooper who needs to circle around the player and get behind them to
detonate their backpack and flying assault soldiers and teleporting snipers, but the encounters do not offer anything interesting and
have very little effect on the overall game play.
The boss fights in the game aren’t anything to brag about either, especially a battle between a helicopter and a rocket launcher near the
end of the game. Even the final boss battle, the climax of the game, doesn’t offer much. There just isn’t enough done in this area to get
players excited about getting to the end of the game and moving onto the next level. The laser pistol is just like the regular pistol, just a
little stronger. The heavy flying enemies are just like the normal flying enemies, just a little stronger. Over time, the weapons get a little
better, the enemies get a little tougher, but nothing about the basic game play ever really changes, leaving players to work there way
through a game that is a lot of the same thing. Luckily the game offers Achievements, though they are pretty easy to come by, which
again takes part of the fun out of it.
“Infernal: Hell’s Vengeance” seems to have all of the elements requires to make a great B movie type videogame experience. It has a
lot of cheesy dialogue that is brought to life by over-exaggerated voice acting, a plot that involves heaven versus hell and a God that is
unable to see everything that is going on, and all of this is set up so players can plow through a mostly linear stage with enemies
popping up occasionally waiting to get hit with bullets and demonic powers. Unfortunately, the jumpy character controls and aiming
system, the terrible cover and evasion system, repetitive enemy encounters and some underdeveloped special abilities offer more
inconvenience to players than anything else. Most players will stamped out this title before it has a chance to get off the ground.
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