Inferno - Beyond the 7th Circle

I've never felt the need to leave a negative review on a game before, but this experience has pushed me to do so. While the game’s themes are right up my alley and the world is clearly crafted with care, the current balance feels extremely punishing — to the point where it undermines the enjoyment. After multiple playthroughs and restarts with different hero builds, I consistently run into the same frustrating loop: running low on water, being unable to rest, and getting trapped between monsters that always seem to dodge my attacks and take way too many turns in combat. It starts to feel less like a tactical challenge and more like a dice roll, which isn’t satisfying. I understand from community discussions that this game is aimed at a niche, hardcore audience. However, I worry that the current level of difficulty and randomness will alienate even that group over time. There needs to be a better balance between challenge and fairness to give players room to learn, experiment, and improve — not just suffer through unlucky runs. I really want to enjoy this game, but right now it feels like I'm just banging my head against a wall. I hope the developers take this kind of feedback seriously and consider adjustments to the game’s balance and RNG systems.

I really wanted to love this game, swear to God, but just can't. The first Inferno game was fairly... bad. There are no better words for that, but this one is a definite improvement over the first game. Still, falls short in multiple areas. It is atmospheric for sure, looks nice, plays fairly well, but jeez, it has some very serious issues. Quality of life and control wise. First and foremost it's too heavy on RNG. To the extent, that a single, medium tier enemy is going to wreck your face or at least drain 50-60% of your HP. Or you just kill the enemy with barely any scratches. The RNG works to such an extreme that it can seriously ♥♥♥♥ up your gameplay. Sometimes I had an enemy getting 7 moves before I could do something. The whole initiative system is super obfuscated, I don't doubt that there is logic behind it, but it's never explained. If you are unlucky, after resting you can immediately get a bleed debuff during a fight, which means extra HP loss during combat. It can be treated only by resting again, which consumes precious resources to the level, that you can stuck and won't be able to progress. Even if you come over this issue by save scumming, issues are dime by the dozen. The levels are literally labyrinths (which is fine, here comes the but ->), but the minimap is so small that it is super easy to get lost. So you always have to conjure the map, like every minute or so. I used the word conjure, because seeing the map is a spell. Which requires you to get into casting mode, then type the codeword for it, then you can see it. Fun for the first few times, then it becomes a pain in the ass to get into casting mode and cast the spell. Especially that it wastes mana, which you can spend on healing yourself. Other parts of the game are severely clumsy as well. If you gain a new level, you are not notified, have to manually check your status screen. Or memorize the next XP level and remember it. Loading a game requires you to confirm it, by clicking to the rightmost corner of the screen. Super uncomfortable and redundant. Comparing obtained and equipped gear is a pain in the ass, there is a 3-5 seconds long loading screen between menus (WTF, on a high-end gaming PC). Resting requires fireplace, which you can craft from wood (moderately rare resource) and flint (quite rare). You can place a fireplace anywhere, but when you try to rest, you may be notified that an enemy is nearby. Which means, that you just wasted precious resources (even if there is a wall between you and the enemy, seemingly the code is only looking for the number of squares between you and the foe). Lockpicking gives you a very short timeframe to read strings of up/down/left/right symbols on the screen and type it on your arrow keys. I have lower arm muscle issues/injuries and even with maximum level of lockpicking, I literally had pain to unlock locks. Which is random generated as well, so you can end up with walk in the park combination or pain in the ass. In all fairness, it's not a bad game, but feels like someone wanted to reproduce golden era dungeon crawlers with happily reproducing their issues and lack of consideration for playability as well. It's a shame, since the game is clearly a labor of love.

I wanted to like this game. The art is good but the game itself is all over the place. The Magic system is cool. The crafting system is a disaster, nobody needs cluttered resources on a dungeon crawler map. The combat music is some of the most unfitting music I have ever heard in my life, I had to legit turn off the music in the menu because I could not stand the insane mood clash between the hellish monsters and generic "your step uncles rock band" music. The character creation tries to fool you that its deep but it could not be any simpler.

An excellent traditional dungeon crawler. It adds a bunch of interesting new mechanics like various survival mechanics, and a unique spell system, the combat system is also quite original. There's a lot of depth here and a lot of systems to play around with. The highlight is the vibes and especially the weird n gruesome monster designs. If you are interested in crawling some dungeons, this game is one of the best modern interpretations of the genre.

I was about to refund the game at exactly 117 minutes played, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I kept going. Inferno Beyond is like a grid-based, heavy metal love letter to the era of the early Ultima games with a level-by-doing system akin to Morrowind. If you want to get better with a skill from weapons to the magic system, you need to use it more. This lends itself to a painful first couple experiences, so you first few attempts might end in death, but the game has auto save systems which default to a save every 100 steps, so you'll never be sent too far back even if you go hours without saving. The first hour or two might seem really rough, but once you get a feel for how the game wants you to interact with it, it really can become a power trip. Keep your stamina high and defend before enemy attacks and you'll get by with some early-game rationing. Enemies won't respawn, but you can get a random encounter by resting without a campfire in the wild. From there, it becomes a demonic dungeon crawler with an enjoyable sense of progression! It isn't very clearly explained early on, but your current stamina and your speed stats have a direct effect on how often you or the enemy will get to take an action. If you are letting yourself run low on stamina by attacking over and over, the enemies will get the opportunity to attack you multiple times in a row. If you let it bottom out, you will get debuffed which makes you even less effective in a fight. Take your time, take the rest/defend as needed as not only do you recover stamina this way, but using defend decreases the chance for enemies to hit you by 20% With herbs respawning every midnight and other materials respawning somewhat randomly, a shop to buy and sell extra resources, and the ability to safely rest once you reach Shelter, the resource starvation of the first area or two can be mitigated entirely by using hunting traps to pass time outside of Shelter and gathering the nearby herbs and water. Keep what you need, sell off some excess, and head out into the world again with all the water, food, and campfire kits you need to press on! It took me somewhere around 25 hours to see the end screen for the first time, and I'm excited to get back in and try it on harder difficulties.

Reload save simulator

Inferno – Beyond the 7th Circle, developed and published by 68k Studios, is a strikingly faithful homage to the first-person dungeon crawlers of the late 1980s and early 1990s, yet with its own identity shaped by grim atmosphere, survival mechanics, and a haunting post-apocalyptic world. It transports players into a desolate, demon-infested Earth where humanity has all but collapsed, and the player must fight for survival against the encroaching darkness. Unlike many modern role-playing games that guide the player with constant handholding and markers, Inferno revives the harsh sense of discovery and consequence that once defined the genre. Every step into its labyrinthine corridors feels deliberate, every battle risky, and every scrap of resource earned through struggle. It’s a game that embraces its old-school DNA unapologetically, daring players to learn, adapt, and survive through trial and error. The game’s premise is deceptively simple but works well to frame its setting. You awaken as one of the last humans in a world consumed by infernal forces, left to explore the ruins of civilization where demons prowl and survival depends on cunning as much as strength. From the very beginning, the atmosphere is oppressive. The dungeons are shrouded in darkness, the flicker of your torch revealing just enough to keep you uneasy, and the audio design amplifies that tension with distant growls, metallic echoes, and faint whispers that make every corridor feel alive. The presentation captures the essence of its classic inspirations—particularly titles like Eye of the Beholder or Dungeon Master—yet it overlays them with modern elements like survival management, crafting, and skill progression. This blend of systems gives the game more depth than its retro façade might suggest, and it creates an experience that is as much about resource management as it is about combat or exploration. Mechanically, Inferno is a hybrid of dungeon crawling and survival simulation. Movement is grid-based, and exploration unfolds one step at a time as you map out twisting corridors filled with secrets and danger. Alongside traditional RPG systems like attributes, spells, and equipment, you must also manage hunger, thirst, fatigue, and encumbrance—each of which has a tangible impact on your performance. You scavenge for food, purify water, and craft makeshift tools and weapons, often improvising with whatever limited materials you can find. The crafting system, though simple, adds a satisfying layer of progression, making the discovery of resources meaningful rather than cosmetic. Combat is turn-based and tactical, rewarding preparation and positioning rather than button-mashing reflexes. The game’s spell system is particularly notable: rather than handing you a pre-set list of magic, it encourages experimentation, letting you combine runes and formulas to discover new spells. This approach recalls the inventive systems of early CRPGs and gives spellcasting an almost alchemical feel that’s rare in modern games. Character customization is another of Inferno’s strengths. At the start, you can choose from preset archetypes or create a custom build by allocating points into skills and attributes. As you play, skills improve through use—swing your weapon, and your melee skill rises; craft potions, and your alchemy improves. This organic growth system mirrors the design philosophy of games like Ultima Underworld, emphasizing that progress is earned through action, not just experience points. It also means that your playstyle naturally evolves as you experiment and adapt. The difficulty curve, however, is steep. Enemies hit hard, resources are scarce, and mistakes are costly. Players accustomed to forgiving checkpoints or autosaves will find Inferno punishing at first, but once you internalize its logic, the sense of accomplishment becomes deeply rewarding. This difficulty is part of the game’s identity—it wants you to feel small, vulnerable, and mortal in a world that has no mercy left to give. Visually, Inferno achieves a grim and distinctive aesthetic. The environments are rendered in simple yet effective 3D, evoking the claustrophobic dungeon layouts of early PC RPGs while incorporating subtle lighting and shadow to convey mood. The color palette is dark and muted, filled with rusty tones and ominous reds that reinforce the theme of decay and corruption. Monster designs range from grotesque humanoids to demonic entities, and while they may lack the polish of high-budget productions, they carry a raw menace that fits the game’s tone perfectly. The soundtrack is sparse but effective, combining low ambient hums and eerie choral tones that keep the tension high without becoming intrusive. Everything in Inferno’s presentation is designed to pull you into its bleak vision of a ruined Earth, and in this respect, it succeeds admirably. Despite its strengths, Inferno is not without flaws. The survival mechanics, while engaging early on, lose their edge as you progress and acquire a stable base of supplies. Once you learn how to manage resources efficiently, the sense of desperation diminishes, and the game shifts from survival horror to more traditional dungeon crawling. The world, though expansive, can feel repetitive after several hours; many environments share similar visual structures and enemy types, which weakens the sense of discovery. The interface is utilitarian and functional but lacks polish, and some players may find the lack of quality-of-life features—such as clearer quest tracking or faster navigation—frustrating in longer sessions. Yet, for those who embrace its uncompromising design, these limitations feel less like oversights and more like deliberate nods to the era it seeks to emulate. Inferno’s greatest achievement lies in its atmosphere and authenticity. It manages to recreate the sensation of being lost in a hostile world where danger lurks in every shadow and survival is never guaranteed. Its punishing mechanics and slow pace won’t appeal to everyone, but for players who crave that methodical, old-school challenge, it delivers a sense of immersion and tension that few modern RPGs can match. Every victory feels earned, every corner turned carries the thrill of uncertainty, and every retreat to safety feels like a relief. The developers clearly understand the balance between frustration and satisfaction that defined the classics of this genre, and they have captured it with remarkable precision. Ultimately, Inferno – Beyond the 7th Circle stands as a passionate tribute to a bygone era of role-playing games. It is unrefined in places, occasionally repetitive, and merciless in its difficulty, but those very traits form the core of its appeal. It rewards patience, curiosity, and careful planning while offering an atmosphere thick with dread and mystery. For players who grew up with dungeon crawlers or who simply appreciate games that challenge their endurance and intellect rather than their reflexes, Inferno is a haunting and rewarding journey. It may not cater to mainstream tastes, but for its niche audience, it delivers exactly what it promises—a descent into darkness where every choice matters, and every step deeper into the unknown feels like a triumph over despair. Rating: 7/10

Первая половина игры потрясающе хороша. К сожалению, если правильно развиваться, вторая половина превращается в избиение младенцев. Но это мнение любителя хардкора и странных билдов. Остальным, вероятно, проблема второй половины игры не будет близка. Игра атмосферна, красива и продумана. Хиддн джем, такскать.

Overall the game's a solid turn based RPG. The art and music are great albeit the latter slowly got stale over my 50h run. My weird run: RPG's tend to be a genre where I try to experiment with unusual, funny builds rather than going for something that obviously works. In this game I decided to kill Hell itself with fisticuffs so I built around unarmed combat and quite a large chunk of my criticism stems from this decision as in retrospect I don't think the game was designed with someone actually playing this way, especially not on the hard difficulty. 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. So let's talk about the turn order and how it influences everything in an odd way. Instead of buffs/debuffs lasting for a specific time and turns then representing how much both combatants can do in the said amount of time the concept is sorta flipped on its head. For example, if the enemy heals 1% every turn, by increasing your initiative/speed and being able to act multiple times compared to your opponent you're inadvertently boosting said regenerative ability as the heal doesn't care whose turn it is. Furthermore if the enemy hits you 4 times in a row and the first attack inflicts poison you're losing a large chunk of your health to it before you can act. Another example is that if the enemy triggers an on-hit damage buff that lasts 4 turns in a 5-hit combo by the time you can use it it's already expired. Without reworking the entire turn system all this could be fixed by buffs and debuffs only ticking down on their appropriate turns. Enemies healing from regen only during their turn (increase value to compensate the overall healing) and buffs/debuffs only ticking down when appropriate. The upside of having low damage and high speed is that almost every fight ended in a massive boost in blood drops which I later exploited by dropping pianos on all my problems via a maxed out rune spell. The main issue with the build was the aforementioned regen which meant I was simply unable to kill a specific, buffed tree enemy forcing me to grind levels to the point that, once I could overcome its heal I was overpowered and the rest of the game was sorta mindlessly easy. Pros: * I cannot praise the monster art enough. The spider enemy is especially a delightfully screwed up creation and I adore it so, so much. * Incredibly oppressive atmosphere. * The magic system. Although I didn't use many of them in combat, the sheer variety and lots of utility spells probably make a magic build much more fun than what I played. * Huge map with lots of neat secrets although all puzzles were on the easy side. Cons: * The turn order system has issues especially on quicker builds. * Melee combat seems dry compared to spell combat. * Bad balance when it comes to traits. 2% chance on hit for a short damage buff? Really? * Low variety in environments. Either forest or dungeon. * My hand hurts from all the movement you gotta do to cross the giant map, a quick-travel option or more shortcuts would be much appreciated especially considering there's no random encounters while just walking about. Final thoughts: Just play a spell build and you'll have a fun time.

Too much fiddling with menu's and systems. Map reveals too much for my taste as you go too. Can't see myself enjoying this one.