Infernales

Infernales is a first-person shooter set in a visceral, horror-themed world where a wrongfully damned priest battles through the fiery depths of Hell. Armed with holy weaponry, the protagonist fights against demonic hordes in a relentless quest for vengeance, blending action-packed gameplay with a dark, bureaucratic twist on the afterlife.

Infernales: A Visceral Descent into Bureaucratic Hell

Introduction

In the crowded landscape of first-person shooters, Infernales (2017) stands out as a bizarre, blood-soaked anomaly—a game that embraces its absurd premise with unapologetic fervor. Developed by VGstudio and published by Droid Riot Studio, Infernales thrusts players into the role of a priest wrongfully damned to Hell due to a “wild bureaucratic mistake.” Armed with an arsenal of weapons and a time-slowing mechanic, the protagonist carves a path through demonic hordes in a bid to escape the infernal underworld. While its reception has been mixed, Infernales carves a niche for itself through its unrelenting gore, hard rock soundtrack, and surreal atmosphere. This review dissects the game’s development, narrative, gameplay, and legacy, arguing that Infernales is a flawed but fascinating experiment in blending horror, action, and dark humor.

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Development History & Context

The Studio and Vision

VGstudio, a relatively obscure developer, crafted Infernales with a clear vision: to deliver a visceral, over-the-top shooter that revels in its own excess. The game’s premise—a priest battling through Hell—draws inspiration from classic horror tropes and religious iconography, but its execution leans heavily into grotesque, almost comedic violence. The developers embraced the absurdity of the concept, framing the game as a “fleshy, bloodthirsty, killer first-person shooter” where the protagonist’s quest is as much about vengeance as it is about correcting a cosmic clerical error.

Technological Constraints and Engine

Built using Unreal Engine 4, Infernales leverages the engine’s capabilities to render its nightmarish environments and gory combat. However, the game’s modest budget and indie roots are evident in its repetitive level design and occasional technical hiccups. The Unreal Engine 4’s lighting and particle effects are used to great effect in creating an oppressive, hellish atmosphere, but the game’s scope is limited by its resources. The result is a title that feels ambitious in its aesthetic goals but constrained by its execution.

The Gaming Landscape of 2017

Infernales released in November 2017, a year dominated by blockbuster titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Persona 5. In this context, Infernales was an underdog—a low-budget, niche shooter competing for attention in a market saturated with AAA experiences. Its $0.99 price point (later reduced to $0.49) reflected its indie status, positioning it as an impulse buy for players seeking something offbeat. The game’s lack of critical acclaim and commercial success underscores the challenges faced by smaller studios in an industry increasingly driven by big-budget spectacles.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot: A Bureaucratic Nightmare

The premise of Infernales is as ridiculous as it is intriguing. The protagonist, a priest, is mistakenly sent to Hell due to a paperwork error—a twist that blends dark humor with existential dread. The game’s narrative is minimal, focusing more on the immediate spectacle of combat than on deep storytelling. However, this simplicity allows the premise to shine: the idea of a holy man waging war against Hell’s denizens is inherently compelling, evoking themes of divine justice and bureaucratic incompetence.

Characters and Dialogue

The game’s characters are archetypal, with the priest serving as a silent protagonist and the demonic enemies functioning as faceless hordes. There is little in the way of dialogue or character development, but the game’s tone is set by its environmental storytelling. The Hell depicted in Infernales is a grotesque, flesh-ridden landscape, where every corner drips with gore and suffering. The lack of narrative depth is compensated by the game’s atmosphere, which immerses players in a world where the only goal is survival.

Themes: Absurdity and Vengeance

Infernales explores themes of absurdity and vengeance, framing its protagonist’s journey as a quest for retribution against an unjust system. The bureaucratic mistake that sends the priest to Hell is a satirical jab at institutional incompetence, while the game’s relentless violence serves as a cathartic release. Thematically, Infernales aligns with works like Dante’s Inferno (2010), which also depicted Hell as a battleground, but it distinguishes itself through its lack of pretension. This is not a game about moral dilemmas or philosophical questions—it’s about shooting demons until the screen is painted red.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay Loop

At its heart, Infernales is a straightforward shooter. Players navigate through linear levels, battling waves of demonic enemies with an assortment of weapons. The game’s primary innovation is its time-slowing mechanic, which allows players to briefly decelerate the action, providing a tactical advantage in chaotic firefights. This feature, reminiscent of F.E.A.R.’s reflex mode, adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise frenetic combat.

Combat and Weaponry

The combat in Infernales is brutal and unrelenting. Enemies swarm the player in overwhelming numbers, forcing constant movement and aggressive play. The arsenal includes standard fare like shotguns and assault rifles, but the game’s true appeal lies in its over-the-top violence. Limbs fly, blood sprays, and the screen often becomes a blur of carnage. The lack of weapon variety is a notable flaw, but the sheer intensity of the combat compensates for this limitation.

Character Progression and UI

Infernales features minimal character progression, with no skill trees or RPG elements to speak of. The UI is functional but unremarkable, prioritizing clarity over style. The game’s focus is squarely on its moment-to-moment action, and while this approach keeps the gameplay tight, it also limits replayability. Players looking for depth or customization will find little to engage with beyond the core shooting mechanics.

Innovative and Flawed Systems

The time-slowing mechanic is Infernales’ most innovative feature, but it is underutilized. While it provides a brief respite from the chaos, its implementation feels more like a gimmick than a fully realized gameplay system. The game’s lack of checkpoints and punishing difficulty can also frustrate players, as deaths often result in lengthy retries. These design choices reflect the game’s indie roots, where ambition occasionally outpaces polish.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Setting and Atmosphere

Infernales’ Hell is a nightmarish fusion of flesh, fire, and decay. The environments are claustrophobic and oppressive, with narrow corridors and cavernous chambers that amplify the sense of dread. The art direction leans heavily into body horror, with walls pulsating like living tissue and enemies that resemble grotesque amalgamations of flesh and bone. This aesthetic choice reinforces the game’s themes of suffering and damnation, creating a world that feels both alien and viscerally real.

Visual Direction

The game’s visuals are its strongest asset. The Unreal Engine 4’s capabilities are used to render a Hell that is as grotesque as it is mesmerizing. The color palette is dominated by deep reds, blacks, and sickly yellows, evoking a sense of decay and corruption. The enemy designs are particularly noteworthy, with each demonic creature boasting unique, unsettling features. However, the game’s repetitive level design and lack of environmental variety can make the experience feel monotonous over time.

Sound Design and Music

The sound design in Infernales is a mixed bag. The hard rock soundtrack, while fitting for the game’s tone, lacks memorability. The sound effects—gunfire, demonic shrieks, and squelching flesh—are effective in creating an immersive atmosphere, but they are not particularly innovative. The absence of voice acting further limits the game’s auditory impact, leaving the soundtrack and ambient noise to carry the weight of the experience.

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Reception & Legacy

Critical and Commercial Reception

Infernales received a lukewarm reception upon release. On Steam, the game holds a “Mixed” rating, with only 43% of reviews being positive. Critics and players alike praised the game’s atmosphere and premise but criticized its repetitive gameplay and technical issues. The game’s low price point and niche appeal ensured that it remained a cult curiosity rather than a mainstream success.

Evolution of Reputation

Over time, Infernales has gained a small but dedicated following among fans of horror shooters. Its absurd premise and unapologetic violence have earned it a place in the pantheon of “so bad it’s good” games, where its flaws are part of its charm. The game’s legacy is one of a flawed but ambitious experiment, a title that dared to be different in an industry often dominated by safe, formulaic experiences.

Influence on Subsequent Games

While Infernales has not directly influenced major titles, its approach to blending horror and action has resonated with indie developers. Games like Ultrakill (2020) and DUSK (2018) share Infernales’ penchant for fast-paced, gory combat, suggesting that its spirit lives on in the broader indie shooter scene. The game’s time-slowing mechanic has also appeared in other titles, though rarely with the same visceral impact.

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Conclusion

Infernales is a game of contradictions—a title that is both absurd and earnest, ambitious and flawed. Its premise is undeniably compelling, and its execution, while uneven, delivers moments of genuine thrill. The game’s greatest strength lies in its unrelenting commitment to its vision: a priest’s violent crusade through Hell, fueled by bureaucratic rage and divine retribution. While it may not be a masterpiece, Infernales is a fascinating artifact of indie game development, a reminder that sometimes the most memorable experiences are the ones that embrace their imperfections.

Final Verdict: Infernales is a cult classic in the making—a game that will appeal to fans of over-the-top violence and surreal horror, but one that may frustrate those seeking depth or polish. Its place in video game history is secure as a curiosity, a title that dared to be different in a sea of sameness. For those willing to overlook its flaws, Infernales offers a uniquely visceral descent into Hell.