Mediterranea Inferno is by solo indie dev Eyeguys in Milan, a one-man team of Lorenzo Redaelli. It launched in mid-2023 and is available on all consoles and PC.

This is a visual novel and has a narrative set around deconstructing the myth of a stereotypical Italian summer. Set shortly after the end of COVID-19 lockdowns, what plays out is an artistic wonder and all rather cool.

COVID-19 and Lots of Teens in Mediterranea Inferno

The plot is about three childhood friends at a summer retreat. Right after the COVID pandemic, they begin to unearth their inner demons as they reconnect as friends and wallow in the heavy Italian heat.

Claudio, Andrea, and Mida found the pandemic traumatic and are attempting to deal with the aftermath.

Yes, then, it’s a visual novel. But as the player you also get to pick the activities they do on their summer holiday and guide the narrative from there. Whether it’s a day by the pool, a night in a club, or a waltz into the local countryside, there’s something new to uncover about the trio.

Here’s how it all plays out, led by its striking visual style.

It’s a generational story and one with a surprisingly touching edge. There are three hours of gameplay to get/read through, but each ending has a different outcome.

Thus, you should replay a few times to discover each possible outcome (we’re not adding any spoilers here).

Mediterranea Inferno is an unusual game, it reminds us of the satirical psychological slasher Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma we just watched last week at the cinema. Peculiar, but it makes you think, and its many merits are often uniquely inspired.

Mediterranea Inferno Also Has a Fantabulous Score

Lorenzo Redaelli really did everything in Mediterranea Inferno, too. From the art style down to the often excellent music, he drew and composed the lot. OCCHI DA CLORO is our favourite, just wait for the acoustic section at the end.

Synth is how we’d class quite a lot of the pieces. The main theme, Inferno, goes into that territory quite a bit.

At other times it sounds like the Super Metroid (1994) soundtrack or something similar. a very ECLECTIC bag of sounds, one largely designed to sit in the background and guide the narrative.

But its standout moments are impressive and add up to a memorable visual novel with a lot of pink.