Inferno: Beyond the 7th Circle
- April 30, 2021
- 68k Studios
Get on SteamInferno: Beyond the 7th Circle is a first-person shooter set in a hellish underworld. Players fight their way through hordes of demons using an arsenal of futuristic weapons. The game features a unique twist on the shooter genre, with puzzles and platforming elements integrated into the fast-paced combat.
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Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and an engaging combat/leveling system that many players find enjoyable.
- It offers a deep character customization system, allowing for various builds and playstyles, which adds to the replayability.
- The atmosphere is dark and immersive, reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers, appealing to fans of the genre.
- The game can be extremely punishing, especially for new players, with limited resources and a steep learning curve that may lead to frustration.
- Combat mechanics are heavily reliant on RNG, leading to inconsistent experiences where players can feel unfairly punished.
- Quality of life issues, such as cumbersome UI and frequent loading screens, detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of complex mechanics, including survival, crafting, and character progression, but the extreme RNG can disrupt the experience. While it offers interesting elements like hereditary points and various skills, some players find the combat too basic and the learning curve steep, particularly for those unfamiliar with classic dungeon crawlers. Overall, it presents a nostalgic yet challenging experience, with quality of life improvements for modern gamers.
“A game with many interesting mechanics, survival, leveling, crafting, and for anyone who would find it too hard to progress - possibility to both grind and save scum loot and some rewards.”
“There are also a lot of new features and skills, like lockpicking, hunting, sidequests, a 'town' of sorts, and a food/hydration/rest level mechanic.”
“The gameplay is good and classic and will be familiar to gridder fans, yet it does have a few twists.”
“The RNG works to such an extreme that it can seriously mess up your gameplay.”
“All the complex mechanics he's so proud of either don't affect the fun or get in its way.”
“Combat gameplay is way too basic for me to recommend this.”
- music28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players finding the combat music to be jarringly inappropriate for the game's dark themes, often comparing it to generic rock band sounds. While some appreciate the atmospheric qualities and the inspiration drawn from iconic Italian horror composers like Goblin and Fabio Frizzi, others feel the soundtrack becomes repetitive over time and lacks variety, particularly in exploration themes. Overall, the music contributes to the game's ambiance but may not resonate well with all players.
“The art and music are great, albeit the latter slowly got stale over my 50-hour run.”
“Oh, the monster art is wonderful as well, and combined with the battle music makes this far more metal than any of the older games it calls ancestors.”
“Now a few words about the soundtrack – it is just right for this type of game and setting.”
“The combat music is some of the most unfitting music I have ever heard in my life. I had to turn off the music in the menu because I could not stand the insane mood clash between the hellish monsters and generic 'your step uncle's rock band' music.”
“Just wish it had more exploration music themes since it's only one on loop.”
“The combat music is some of the most unfitting music I have ever heard in my life. I had to turn off the music in the menu because I could not stand the insane mood clash between the hellish monsters and generic 'your step uncle's rock band' music.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by beautiful artwork and a unique illustrated art style that enhances its dark and atmospheric setting. While some players appreciate the imaginative monster designs and improved interface, others criticize the outdated graphics reminiscent of older games, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent but not groundbreaking, with a mix of old-school charm and modern artistic flair.
“I particularly enjoyed the illustrated art style and its details, with monsters in particular being very grotesque and imaginative.”
“Dark, atmospheric, fantastic artwork, challenging and plenty of build options.”
“The art style in the game really sets it apart from others in the genre.”
“Decent old-school graphics, but that doesn't make up for this game's other shortcomings.”
“It'd be one thing if there were solutions available somewhere but there don't seem to be, and what precious little free time I have ought not be wasted clicking through menus, waiting for graphics from 1998 to load, or being forced down one very specific path because the creator couldn't be bothered to balance his own game.”
“It's odd because it doesn't seem like the game would be that demanding graphically.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, oppressive tone and impressive art direction, effectively immersing players in a survival horror experience. While the initial sense of desperation and resource scarcity is compelling, this intensity diminishes as gameplay progresses, making survival feel less impactful. Overall, the combination of strong visuals, eerie music, and grotesque enemy designs contributes to a memorable atmospheric experience, particularly for fans of the genre.
“A fantastic atmosphere with some great art direction and enemy designs.”
“It's dark, atmospheric, and the monsters are just grotesque and creepy.”
“Dark, atmospheric, fantastic artwork, challenging and plenty of build options.”
“The start of the game was great, every single step mattered and being forced to drink dirty water just to survive along with the oppressive atmosphere really hammered in the point of just how screwed I was. Unfortunately, this feeling doesn't really stick around for long as farming for resources becomes trivial rather quickly and always having food, water, and a flint for a campfire becomes a non-issue.”
“Incredibly oppressive atmosphere.”
“Graphics seem decent and the music/atmosphere definitely make you feel like you're in a survival-type situation.”
- story20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being simplistic and lacking depth, often relegated to the background while players engage in gameplay. Many reviewers note a lack of progression and a poorly developed plot, with some finding the narrative implausible and uninspired. Overall, the storytelling fails to engage players, leaving them frustrated with its execution and minimal interaction with the game's lore.
“Every once in a while, a game comes along that offers a fair but doable challenge, a fantastic storyline, and a real sense of accomplishment.”
“And at a place called the shelter, you will find trainers, merchants, and people who will give you quests and bounties for various rewards.”
“- While there is a story, it stays in the background for a lot of the game.”
“Absolutely no sense of progression or any plot whatsoever.”
“There is very little to interact with in the environment and the story/lore is close to nonexistent.”
“While there is a story, it stays in the background for a lot of the game.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players initially appreciate the survival challenge and atmosphere, but the excitement quickly fades as resource farming becomes overly simplistic and tedious. The game's clunky user interface exacerbates the grind, leading to frustration and a sense of monotony that detracts from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game shifts from a promising start to a repetitive and uninspired grind.
“The lack of interrogation of his intentions vs. implementations means this game becomes remarkably tedious almost immediately.”
“Add to this the simple, constant, grating frustration of an impressively clunky UI that needs to reload the game every time you exit out of a menu (I'm not kidding) and where you thought you'd be playing Ravenloft: Stone Prophet 2021, you actually end up with a tedious, uninspired stinker that's so far up its own ass the creator expects you to teach yourself Picross (or nonogram) puzzles just to get some loot and perhaps advance the story.”
“The start of the game was great, every single step mattered and being forced to drink dirty water just to survive along with the oppressive atmosphere really hammered in the point of just how screwed I was; unfortunately, this feeling doesn't really stick around for long as farming for resources becomes trivial rather quickly and always having food, water, and a flint for a campfire becomes a non-issue.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in RPGs, often enjoying the experimentation with unconventional and funny character builds rather than sticking to traditional, effective strategies. This playful approach adds a layer of enjoyment and creativity to the gameplay experience.
“RPGs tend to be a genre where I try to experiment with unusual, funny builds rather than going for something that obviously works.”
