Malebolgia

[h1] I smell trouble. [/h1]

Graphics are terrible and mechanics feel outdated and clunky. difficulty is poorly balanced and the game quickly gets boring. more of a disappointment than a fun experience. definitely not worth the time unless you love nostalgia for bad old games.

This was an utterly delightful experience. I came in expecting to make a lot of concessions for a 10 year old, early career passion project and found myself not needing to at all. Its short and simple mind, but pretty well polished. Very rudimentary blocking, no souls dodge, but a large focus on backing up and side strafing, really classic survival melee combat. The bosses are numerous and they really stand out between eachother. But, what really gripped me is a really effective atmosphere. While you may get lost finding an objective for a short but, the direction on the moment to moment story beats and the bosses they lead to consistently hit. And nothing overstays its welcome (which it would be hard to anyways considering the length. And the length is the only part that makes this a tentative recommendation, because at full price its a little steep for what could be 3.5 to 4 hours for anyone that DOESN'T get lost and picks up on the bosses pretty quickly. But its a no brainer on sale, if you like classic horror with just a touch of modern souls. I'm certainly glad I didn't treat this one as a skip when I decided to buy this devs whole gameography. If it really only gets better…

The PC controls make [b][i]Malebolgia[/i][/b] effectively unplayable, despite its very appealing visual style. The start-up utility does not support mice, while the in-game prompts do not show the bound keys, but do show the controller buttons.

The concept is not bad, I understand what the creator means and tried to do, but the game plays and feels like a demo from itch, and I'm not talking visuals here. As someone who plays tons of indie, this should not be offered as is. Good intentions with a bad execution.

Malebolgia is a dark and atmospheric indie game that sets out to blend horror, action, and exploration into a unique experience. Developed and published by DascuMaru, it places players in the shoes of Leopold, a weary figure trapped within a shifting demonic palace deep in Hell. The game draws inspiration from gothic traditions, Dante’s Inferno, and occult references, building its world around torment, decay, and haunting uncertainty. From the moment you step into its cursed halls, the sense of oppression is immediate. Rooms do not always remain the same when revisited, storms and fire hazards can alter the environment without warning, and enemies emerge from the shadows as if summoned by the palace itself. This design keeps players uneasy, never able to rely on familiarity, and strengthens the horror roots of the experience. The presentation is one of the strongest aspects of the game. Malebolgia employs cel-shaded visuals with stark contrasts, where light sources like torches or lanterns carve fleeting clarity into the surrounding gloom. The darkness is not just aesthetic—it defines the experience, concealing both secrets and threats. The minimalistic but deliberate use of light…