Infernax quickly became my single-player game of the year when it launched in early 2022. The game's dark gothic atmosphere, morality system, and excellent retro graphics all made for an extremely memorable Metroidvania platformer - as detailed in our Beyond Co-op review. While the solo experience was undoubtedly special, Infernax will soon become an even bigger and better game when the "Deux or Die" update arrives later this spring. The update will add 2-player local co-op, a new playable character, and more.
Berzerk Studio and The Arcade Crew's Infernax takes place during the Crusades. Lord Alcedor, the protagonist, returns to his European kingdom after some time away at war to find that a darkness has overtaken the land, with monsters and disease threatening to wipe out the human population. The hero must make many tough choices (leading to three different endings), platforming challenges, and huge bosses on his quest to restore the kingdom.
The "Deux or Die" update will introduce a playable partner for Alcedor: Cervul the Squire. Cervul wields throwing axes and other tools, giving him distinct abilities compared to Alcedor. The new hero can be played in local co-op or in the new single-player tag team mode that lets solo players take advantage of both warriors' skills. The new modes will be rebalanced, so don't expect them to just be a walk in the park. Nothing is all that easy in Infernax!
One of Infernax's coolest features is the ability to play as hidden characters that dramatically affect the gameplay. For instance, the playable "Stranger" was added via update around Halloween-time last year. Wielding a club and a shotgun, the Stranger seems to be a combination of Casey Jones from TMNT and Ash from Evil Dead. Infernax also launched with a secret Contra-style character called Maxime Gunn. To play as him, simply input the classic Konami code at the title screen. The Contra-style mode will support co-op when the "Deux or Die" update rolls around!
The "Deux or Die" update will arrive on all platforms sometime in the spring. Infernax is out now and costs $19.99 on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and Steam.