Inferno Climber Preview
A survival action RPG, Inferno Climber is an indie title which has enough weight to bring to mind The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls. You play as one of eight winking protagonists and you must navigate through the dangerous (but charming) world of Inferno. From the challenging combat, detailed inventory system, and well-crafted environments, Inferno Climber is a promising title to look out for.
Everything starts out with an epic battle that you are supposed to lose. The player is killed in a decisive battle by a dragon, and are sent to Purgatory. There, they meet Death, and must gather five purgatory stones in exchange for their return to life. Only then can the player return to the decisive battle and defeat the dragon. The story is simple, and ultimately takes a backseat to make room for the meat of the game — the gameplay itself.
From the start, Inferno Climber has a very classic feel to it; it is as if it belonged to the PS2 on the sixth generation of consoles. There is an inexplicable sense of nostalgia because of its familiarity, and can best be described as a mix between Zelda (complete with platforming, dungeons, and jelly monsters) and Dark Souls (where the story isn’t as important as challenging survival gameplay).
Combat is fairly standard until you get to the massive inventory and variety of weapons found fairly early on. The different classes can use all of the weapons (but specialize in magic, fighting, etc.), and Inferno Climber allows you to switch and play any of the eight protagonists whenever you would like.
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“Despite its complexity, all of these systems are introduced gradually and I definitely found keeping track of them all easier than staying alive.”
Players can use swords and shields, bows and arrows, magical staves, or a stick. There is durability on almost everything, even food as it rots in your inventory. Inferno Climber also has a crafting system, and players can repair equipment or set magic runes to weapons. Later on, cooking is also introduced — mix medicines or cook food to increase its effect and keep it fresh longer. Books and skills also add to a player’s repertoire. Despite its complexity, all of these systems are introduced gradually and I definitely found keeping track of them all easier than staying alive.
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“There is a lot of danger in the world of Inferno, and upon death, players must complete a corpse run.”
You will die in Inferno Climber — I’m pretty sure it’s unavoidable. Players must watch out for the hunger meter while dodging arrows and avoiding ambushes by monsters. There is a lot of danger in the world of Inferno, and upon death, players must complete a corpse run. Choose one of the other seven protagonists, purchase a Death Contract, and make your way back to your corpse to revive your previous character. I found this an interesting take on death as it gave it some weight, but I could see it being a nightmare in more difficult areas.
Despite Inferno being overrun with monsters, it has some great environments to run around in. Inferno Climber has some great platforming and height in its levels, from wooden structures to cliffside views. The experience is tailored for a controller. I used an Xbox 360 controller and found the controls a bit counter-intuitive — ‘B’ serves as confirmation, selection, etc instead of ‘A’. It is easy enough to get used to, and Inferno Climber makes sure you can switch between a variety of weapons quickly, allowing for a lot of freedom.
Some menus in-game do have a lot going on and it can be overwhelming. The graphics are very PS2-like, and while I found it charming, other players may find it unpolished. All in all, I find that it does not detract from the game but contributes to the flavor and atmosphere Inferno Climber is going for. The stylized character designs add an adorable streak through the dreariness of it all, a combination that makes for a lovable aesthetic. The monsters have unique names (I fought a Hell Jelly named “Cantu” and a skeleton named “Graham”) and the menus are livened up with jokes. Death is actually very supportive and kind.
Inferno Climber already looks to be an amazing game with complex gameplay and fantastic challenges ahead, despite still being in Early Access. If you’re a fan of Zelda and Dark Souls, I would recommend giving Inferno Climber a try now, or at least checking back once it has been fully released.
***A PC code was provided by the publisher***
