Inferno+ ($2.99, Universal App) brings plenty of neon explosions to the table. It looks likes like a mishmash of Pac-Man and Geometry Wars.

It plays like Geometry Wars with linear levels and some light RPG elements thrown in. Are you detecting a theme? Inferno+ is a mixture of the good parts of many other games, crafted into its own little package. Is the game any fun? Read on to find out.

Presentation

Inferno+ is quite the slick visual package. The graphics should immediately remind you of Pac-Man and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. It is a beautiful looking game filled with plenty of intense explosions to your eyes dancing around the screen as you play.

The game uses a minimal color palate, which actually adds to the visual appeal. If there were too many colors, it would detract from the neon style of visuals. The colors they choose work well for the style of the game. Overall, the visuals are an absolute joy to take in.
The soundtrack for the game is also good, but not nearly as impressive as the visuals. The music is pleasant, and fits the tone well, but the sound effects did not do much for me. That’s not to say they are bad, they just do not stand out as anything too special.

Gameplay

Inferno+ plays like most dual joystick shooters. The difference comes from the way the game progresses. Instead of fighting endless waves of enemies that get harder, there are actual linear levels. As you move though the levels there are plenty of enemies to kill, and there is are keys that allow you to move forward.

Another thing that sets the gameplay in Inferno+ apart from the competition is the light RPG elements. After each level, you get a chance to visit the shop where you can spend experience points and in-game currency to add new skills to your ship. This gives the game a greater sense of purpose besides beating your friend’s high score.

There are only 40 stages in the game, and you will burn through that fairly quickly. There are three difficulty levels, so you do gain some replayability there. That said, if you do not like to go through the same levels again, it should not take you too long to go through Inferno+.

Overall, the game is a ton of fun. There are plenty of different types of enemies as you move through the game.

Controls

The controls are damn near perfect. They are silky smooth and they just work.

As you would expect, you move your ship with a joystick on the left, and shoot with a joystick on the right. There are also buttons that deploy your shield and bombs. It’s pretty standard affair for first person controls, but it is executed incredibly well. I never once felt as if I had to fight with the controls, and that is the key to any fast-paced game like this.

Suggestions

I wish there were a few more levels in the game. Adding the extra difficulties helps, but if you start with the hardest, there is not a ton of game here. I also wish the levels were varied a little. As you get into the game, things start to change-up a bit, but in general, the levels all look very similar.

Conclusion

In the end, this is a really well done game. It looks and sounds great and the controls are executed to perfection. It is a little on the short side, but for people looking to break away from the same old twin-stick shooter; Inferno+ is most certainly worth a look.