Mediterranea Inferno Reviews
Lorenzo Redaelli follows up 2020's uncompromising The Milky Way Prince: The Vampire Star with a pulverising, shape-shifting visual novel of friendship, post-COVID trauma, and horror in the blistering Italian sun that's as artistically dazzling as it is emotionally raw.
Mediterranea Inferno is an achievement in storytelling - not only through it's uniquely direct tackling of the effects of COVID-19 on young adults, but in how it uses the most outlandish, awe-inspiring visuals and sounds to tell that story.
A visual novel that relies on a syncretic and surreal language to fix exactly the present moment.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno is outrageously weird, intensely homoerotic, and absolutely wonderful, and I never wanted it to end.
Mediterranea Inferno, from a gameplay point of view, is a solid visual novel in which the choices left in the hands of the player lead to radical turns, really giving the impression of being in control of events. However, the quality of the writing and the ability of its young author to deal with complex and multifaceted themes with great maturity, awareness, and courage in taking clear-cut positions (which should be common ground in 2023, but that's another matter) should be even more emphasized.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno offers an effective blend of story, artistic direction and characterization of the characters, flanked by a valuable sound sector.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno is a unique visual novel. Multiple endings allow for replayability, though the drug-induced sequences and unlikeable characters won't be for everyone. Nor will the explicit content. If you like your indie titles on the more obscure side, though, this one might be worth checking out.
Mediterranea Inferno is a compelling adventure that shines when you notice how many questions and thoughts you will hold dear after going through its journey.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno challenges the narrative, social and emotional conventions of what we have already seen in visual novels, and gets it right by problematizing conveniences in an unabashed and incisive way, without shame in saying, showing or poking at themes that are still so sensitive in a world that prefers to ignore its own scars.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
While the plot and characters in Mediterranea Inferno are interesting, the lack of any real gameplay makes this a difficult game to recommend. If you want an interesting journey but don't want much involvement, then this could be one for you.
I am very glad to have experienced Mediterranea Inferno as its themes and messages will stick with me for a long time; maybe even forever. Granted, it's not exactly escapist fantasy nor a fun game most of the time. It is, however, an incredible piece of art by all metrics and I implore you to play it as long as you can handle its mature elements. ☀️
Mediterranea Inferno's potent mix of enflamed sexual energy, pandemic frustrations, and tattered friendships is slightly too inconsistent in execution, but still earns some appreciation nonetheless.
Mediterranea Inferno is an example. Artistic, creative, with strong representativity and a reflex of what we could call the Second Lost Generation. It's tough to recommend the game due to its heavy topics and the lack of [Portuguese] translation, but even so it's a game to, at least, appreciate the design and music. There's beauty even in the hardest moments, especially for those who want to reconnect. Stay well, please.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno offers us a narrative experience with a low interaction level but with an extremely interesting and meaningful story, enriched by an evocative artistic compartment. It is not for everyone due to both its classic visual novel structure and its themes, but if you have the right sensibility for this type of work, you cannot miss this fascinating contemporary novel.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mediterranea Inferno is a brief experience that you can likely see all of in around five hours, but those five hours were some of the most gripping I’ve had all year. I had to go to work between finishing my first run and going back in to see the rest, and it was truly all I could think about. This game isn’t merely a haunting tale of betrayal. It may even betray the player themself with its final twists and turns. It’s queer, it’s brutal, and it’s not for the faint of heart – but if you can handle it, it’s one of the most poignant stories I’ve ever experienced in the medium.