In Infernax: Halloween Update, players can experience the game as The Stranger, offering a departure from the original knight protagonist. This character embodies the spirit of 80s anti-heroes, evoking comparisons to both Ash from Evil Dead and Jason Vorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise. Wield a shotgun or baseball bat to battle through relentless enemy hordes. The core gameplay remains consistent, allowing players to choose a path of good or evil, and featuring the same over-the-top boss encounters. Expect intense, gory combat requiring focus and skill to overcome the dangers within the kingdom.
Infernax – Halloween Update largely mirrors the original Infernax, a title heavily inspired by the Retroidvania genre. The original was released earlier this year by The Arcade Crew, an independent division of French retro gaming specialists Dotemu (Turtles, Wonder Boy). The key addition is the “The Stranger” character, accessible by starting a new game and selecting that name. Employing the shotgun is satisfying, but be mindful of the recoil – maintaining a safe distance from cliffs is advisable.
As in the original release, player choices have consequences, impacting your character’s alignment. Maintaining a positive reputation within the game world can be challenging. Infernax – Halloween Update retains its demanding difficulty, with considerable distances between save points. However, players can select between Classic and Casual modes. The latter provides a more forgiving experience, respawning players immediately before their point of death, rather than at the last save location. Note that once Casual mode is selected, reverting to Classic mode is not possible.
While the addition of the new character in Infernax – Halloween Update is a positive, the implementation is inconsistent. Some cutscenes still utilize the original graphics, including the death animation. This oversight, which could have been easily addressed, creates a somewhat unpolished feel. The mixing of old and new graphical assets is particularly apparent in the initial sequence, where the choice to save or kill a character is presented with updated visuals, but the act of killing still depicts the knight’s club instead of The Stranger’s baseball bat. This inconsistency detracts from the overall experience.
The game supports multiple simultaneous save files, allowing players to begin a playthrough as The Stranger without disrupting progress on their original save.
The game features appealing retro-style graphics with significant levels of gore and brutality. Infernax – Halloween Update performs well both in docked and portable modes on the Nintendo Switch. Despite the reduced screen size in handheld mode, the details remain discernible.
In conclusion, Infernax – Halloween Update builds upon an already enjoyable foundation. While the changes introduced in this update may not be transformative, playing as The Stranger provides a fresh perspective on the game. However, the somewhat inconsistent implementation prevents a wholehearted recommendation. Ultimately, Infernax – Halloween Update is a worthwhile, if flawed, addition to the original title.
The Arcade Crew provided a review code for this analysis. Content providers do not influence editorial decisions.
