The Pit: Infinity
- November 12, 2019
- Kerberos Productions
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"The Pit: Infinity" is a rogue-like, sci-fi shooter that pits players against hordes of alien creatures in a procedurally generated arena. With a wide range of weapons and abilities to unlock, each run offers a unique and challenging experience. The game also features a permadeath system, adding an extra layer of tension and strategy to the intense combat.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the essence of the original Sword of the Stars: The Pit, providing a unique roguelike FPS experience.
- The atmosphere and ambiance are immersive, with great lighting and sound effects that enhance the gameplay.
- The game offers a variety of character classes and skills, allowing for different playstyles and strategies.
- The game is unpolished and filled with bugs, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Many players have reported issues with enemy AI and pathfinding, causing unfair deaths and cheap kills.
- The inventory management and crafting systems are clunky, making resource management tedious and less enjoyable.
- gameplay126 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Pit: Infinity" is a blend of first-person shooter mechanics and roguelike elements, offering a challenging experience that requires players to adapt and learn from repeated failures. While it retains the core mechanics of its predecessor, "Sword of the Stars: The Pit," the transition to real-time gameplay introduces a level of chaos that some players find overwhelming, particularly those accustomed to turn-based strategies. Despite its clunky execution and numerous bugs, the game features engaging mechanics, such as a hunger system and weapon dynamics, that can be enjoyable for fans of the original, though it may disappoint newcomers.
“Gameplay consists of exploring each level, killing enemies, opening rooms to loot supplies/materials, crafting supplies, and avoiding death by enemies, traps, status effects, or hunger (yes, there is a hunger meter in the game, but it goes down very gradually).”
“The gameplay feels somewhat like a mashup of System Shock, Fallout, Doom, and Left 4 Dead (if you play the co-op) all in a roguelike format.”
“There's a respectable amount of items that aren't just stat buffs, but open different abilities, and there's an interesting weapon mechanic with 'shot quality' (which modifies damage), which is affected by whether you're moving or not, whether you're crouching, and the current range class.”
“The gameplay is rather clunky and takes quite a bit of time to get used to.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay, which works very well with turn-based actions, is way too hectic in real time, at least for me.”
“It's a horrible janky broken mess with glitches galore, terrible enemy AI, unfair mechanics, and sometimes the game just doesn't work.”
- graphics49 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the stylized aesthetic and immersive lighting effects, while others criticize the low-quality textures and lifeless character models. Despite being functional, many feel that the visuals do not meet current standards and can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of simplistic design and inconsistent quality, with some players noting performance issues on various hardware.
“Graphics are nice and consistent, leaning a little towards cartoonish versus gritty/horror themed.”
“Neat & clean menus/UI/HUD, variety of graphics options (resolutions, FX including AA & post-processing) and dedicated devs!”
“Graphics: graphics is perhaps mixed with simple textures (that nonetheless fit with the more stylized character models) but what I consider really immersive lighting effects.”
“The textures, model design, and overall art style for player models are lifeless, blurry, and poorly detailed.”
“I don't like to judge games by their graphics, and I know graphic artists can be expensive, but it's bad to the point that it does affect my enjoyment of the game.”
“It lacks optimization and runs poorly considering the graphic quality.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, enhanced by effective lighting, fog effects, and a layered soundscape that creates a sense of dread and anticipation. Players appreciate the spooky, System Shock-inspired ambiance, with creative creature designs and a familiar yet creepy environment that heightens the dungeon crawling experience. While some noted a drop in atmospheric tension due to constant audio cues for enemies, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a captivating and atmospheric roguelike experience.
“I actually was quite delighted with the spooky System Shock-style atmosphere Kerberos achieved here with creative creature designs and a layered soundscape that kept me on edge with impressive sound occlusion.”
“Atmospheric and tense, whether you are searching for anything edible in a pile of rotted viscera, hoping to find an egg before that maintenance robot comes back and tries to 'repair' you with its drill again, or deciding whether it's worth the risk of taking on a crazed alien with a shotgun in hopes that there is something good in that dented storage locker.”
“Best is the groaning and growls of distant monsters you can't yet see but whose cries alert you to their presence, further adding to the atmosphere of this facility when you hear a faraway growl as you sneak through a haze-filled dark corridor lit only by the blaze of broken machinery.”
“There's only like 3 music tracks for atmosphere.”
“I get that it's strategic to learn and know what you're up against, but if they were going for an atmospheric tone, it drops here with you being able to hear an audio cue for every single enemy on a floor non-stop until you kill them.”
“Expect much improved atmosphere and immersion.”
- stability28 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many users describing it as a "buggy unbalanced jankfest" that feels unfinished and unstable. While some players report no game-breaking glitches, the overall consensus is that it remains lightly to moderately buggy, with frequent crashes and various gameplay issues. Many reviewers advise against recommending the game until significant improvements are made.
“No glitches in 2 hours so far.”
“They seem to have barely gotten past the alpha stage before slapping a 'done' sticker on it, leaving the thing a buggy, unbalanced jankfest and not that fun kind either.”
“This game is a terrible, buggy, unstable mess.”
“The game in early access was extremely buggy and crashy and was quite frankly unplayable.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a significant concern, with players reporting floaty movement, rough gunplay, and severe frame drops, particularly in the jungle biome. While some users find the game playable and enjoyable, many highlight the need for substantial polishing and optimization, citing issues like low FPS, unresponsive UI, and missing sound effects. Despite ongoing improvements, the game currently does not meet expectations for performance and stability.
“So I recommend the game, but it needs polishing and optimization, which is in process supposedly.”
“But tp:i is currently very playable, doesn't seem to have any performance issues, and is enjoyable in my opinion.”
“Still needs optimization and it doesn't match the pit yet, but yeah.”
“The game looks like it is early access too, no music, UI misplaced/not responsive, bad optimization/low FPS, and bad options (video options combo/dropdown box are empty, unable to change settings).”
“I really want to recommend this game but I can't because from the time of early access until full release most bugs like being stuck in objects, missing sound effects when action gets fast, and terrible optimization keep me from recommending.”
“It lacks optimization and runs poorly considering the graphic quality.”
- music18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of a substantial soundtrack, featuring only a few atmospheric tracks. Some users expressed disappointment compared to the original game's music, highlighting the absence of dynamic music during key moments like boss fights. While the minimalistic approach may aim for immersion, it left many feeling that the game lacks the engaging audio experience they expected.
“The 2D pit game had a lot more music, and some of it was pretty jammin' good, even just on the main menu theme.”
“You might even argue that this immersive quality was the intended goal because the game goes for a more atmospheric soundtrack and there is a greater sense of scale provided by the 3D models.”
“One-hit-kill for massive experience is easy to achieve, or if you just want a total re-balance so you can shoot monsters and listen to music without worrying about dying every 10 seconds, you can do that too.”
“If you expect the soundtrack of the original like I did.”
“There's only like 3 music tracks of atmosphere.”
“There's no music buildup or switch up for the final floor, or the boss... it's just kinda quiet... or it would be if you couldn't hear 10 to 50 enemies through the rooms as soon as you enter the floor.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
"The Pit: Infinity" is praised for its high replayability, bolstered by the addition of new playable classes and the potential for future content updates. Players appreciate the smooth combat and the game's roguelike elements, which contribute to an engaging experience that promises to evolve over time. However, some recommend waiting for further patches before diving in fully.
“The Pit: Infinity is a fun roguelike FPS with smooth combat and excellent replayability.”
“This is good, it adds replayability to the game.”
“Only buy it if you are desperate to play The Pit in co-op; otherwise, give it a couple of years to be patched into a more playable state (as is tradition with Kerberos), and go play SOTS: The Pit in the meantime.”
“Can't wait to see the improvements in the future, seeing as how the original The Pit ended up with so much content over the years with endless replayability.”
“Replayability is lacking at the moment, and it feels like the game needs more content to keep players engaged long-term.”
- story12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is considered weak and lacks cohesion, with players needing to seek out messages to piece together the backstory. While it features unique class loadouts and some lore, the narrative does not drive the gameplay, which is more focused on survival and resource management. Overall, the game is enjoyable for its mechanics, but it could benefit from a more engaging and polished storyline.
“Each class has a unique loadout, playstyle, and backstory.”
“Backstory and lore ✓”
“The gameplay itself was fun and somewhat reminiscent of System Shock 2, minus the story and plus the roguelike elements.”
“Instead of a linear, edgy backstory based on a marine, scout, or engineer.”
“If only every early access story had such a happy ending!”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its intentionally absurd and janky character designs, featuring exaggerated postures and oversized hands that evoke laughter. Additionally, the presence of comically backward-running rats adds to the overall comedic tone, making for a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
“Your playable classes look hilariously janky and crusty with giant hands and postures leaning so far back you'd think they are the next step in human evolution.”
“Backwards running rats are hilarious.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users suggest that the game could benefit from a demo on Steam and increased advertising to raise awareness, as well as considering inclusion in Humble Bundle for monthly subscribers to enhance its visibility and monetization potential.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight the emotional aspect of the game through their engaging interactions, emphasizing the importance of emotional support and camaraderie in their strategic discussions. This suggests that the game fosters a strong sense of community and connection among players.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to the need to hold down the shift key for running, suggesting that a toggle option for running would enhance the experience.
