Infernal: Hell's Vengeance (Xbox 360)

Infernal was originally released to middling reception more than two years ago for the PC, and the years spent porting this third-person shooter to the Xbox 360 have not done the game any favors. Clunky controls and shoddy cover mechanics make this an easier game to put down than to pick up, and perseverance is rewarded only with repetitive enemy encounters and inconsistent logic. The story does provide the occasional moment of levity, presenting the battle between heaven and hell in such an over-the-top fashion that it's hard to not smirk at the ridiculous dialogue. But this tiny glimmer of light is not strong enough to pull this otherwise soulless game from the depths of darkness.

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You play as Ryan Lennox, an earth-bound agent fighting the endless war between heaven and hell. After being sacked by heaven's EtherLight corporation, you team up with hell's public facade--The Abyss--in order to strike back at your former employer. Your new boss is Lucius Black, the embodiment of evil, who is more than happy to give his newest turncoat agent all the information needed to destroy his rivals, as well as demonic powers so no one will be able to stand in your way. The story is full of celestial puns and silly non sequiturs; thus, the goofy dialogue makes the plot amusing and weird at times, though it often doesn't make sense. The story provides an odd contrast to the endless bloodshed of combat, but considering how wonky the combat is, this is a welcome respite.

The action plays out like a typical third-person shooter, albeit with cumbersome controls. Aiming is extremely finicky, so hitting a moving enemy or lining up a precise headshot is a practice in futility. The cover mechanic is so poorly implemented that it only serves to make the game more difficult. You jump into cover by tapping toward a solid object, but it's far too easy to get sucked into cover by accident. Getting unstuck is also a chore, so you will often find yourself desperately trying to become unglued from a box while an angry monk throws shurikens at your noggin. Double-tapping in any direction allows you to perform an invincible roll, but is too easy to pull off by accident, making you tumble around the battlefield like a fool. The idea of slowly somersaulting in front of angry men with assault rifles may seem funny, but when you roll off a five-foot-tall ledge to your death, you won't be laughing.