The COVID-19 pandemic is a shared trauma. Whether it was the disease itself or the lockdowns, we were all affected by it. There have been several games and movies that have tried to express that brutal experience, but none have captured it as harshly as the video game. Mediterranean Hell and in this review we are going to talk about this impressive work.
This indie game is a visual novel. That means that the gameplay is limited to making decisions at certain moments in the plot. We know that these types of titles are not liked by a certain part of the gaming community, who regret “the lack of interactivity.” That’s a respectable position, but because of it, some of the most powerful stories in video games are being lost.
In 2019, Claudio, Andrea and Mida were known as ‘il ragazzi del sole’ (‘children of the sun’) in Milan’s gay bars and clubs. They were the life of the party, loved and desired by everyone… until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Now, two years later, the three friends can finally reunite for a vacation together. But confinement changed them forever and the promise of a supernatural entity to turn their dreams into reality can lead them to tragedy.
This is a very powerful story about a lost generation. About the extremes to which the pandemic took us and the collective trauma it became. Each of the three protagonists suffered in a different way, w atching their identities dissolve as the world changed around them. The lack of control, socialization and illness damaged them and now they want to make up for lost time, something that may not be possible without divine intervention.
How to reach paradise
The mechanics are limited to passing the texts and making certain decisions at key moments. Some only change some dialogue, but others determine the direction the story will follow. The mysterious being called Madama offers us fruits capable of creating mirages in which the protagonists see their deepest desires come true. In mirages we can select different objects to interact with or follow different routes (although we cannot move freely). So we can find some secrets and Santini Letters, important hidden collectibles.
If any of the protagonists eat four Mirage Fruits before the end of the game, they can “ascend to paradise.” The problem is that the “summer coins” that we get throughout the game to buy the fruits and the decisions we make only allow one of them to achieve that goal. The conflict is served.
There are four possible endings in Mediterranean Hell. One for each character “reaching ascension” and another if we manage to collect eight Santini cards, something that requires several games. As in so many other visual novels, we are encouraged to play the story several times to see all the possible routes and get the “best ending” (note the quotes). To do this, it gives us the possibility of increasing the speed of the game after passing it once. Personally I would have preferred the option to select chapter, but it is nothing serious. The first game is finished in less than three hours and the following ones in less than one.
Eternal summer in the Mediterranean
Another reason why the different routes are worth exploring is to see the different art present in the game. When you see the graphics for the first time, they may not be very striking, but as they say, “appearances can be deceiving.” They are h andmade drawings with a slight ‘manga’ style and without much detail, but they are perfect for the surreal tone that we quickly discovered. It also uses some three-dimensional elements that create a very attractive contrast, making everything look even more strange and intriguing.
In addition to the bizarre mirage scenarios, which reflect the personality of each character, we have a lot of Catholic iconography, sometimes used in a more subversive way than in the same Blasphemous. The result is incredible. We find truly evocative images that combine religiosity with sensuality and others that are quite disturbing, especially in the final part when the plot takes a quite expected turn towards terror.
The melodies that accompany the story—and which are composed by the developer himself—are also wonderful. Electronic and ambient tunes that use dissonance to perfection, while others are relaxing and even happy. ANDIt’s on Spotify and I highly recommend you listen to it..
Post-pandemic hell
Mediterranean Hell takes a philosophical approach to these three boys’ questions about identity and society. The three protagonists are young gays who were completely dedicated to hedonism and defined themselves through sex, partying, drugs and other excesses. Confinement forced them to confront themselves and they did not like what they saw. That’s why they are so desperate to get that life back or find new reasons to move on.
I think the game makes a mistake in trying to provide answers to your questions. There are characters who seem to want to act as therapists for Claudio, Andrea and Mida, giving them advice that—at first glance—seems good, but that clashes strongly with the tone of the game. The omnipresent nihilism loses its force when an “obvious” way out is presented, even if the characters decide not to take it.
The sexuality of the protagonists is also an important part of the development. Although there are no explicit scenes or genitals shown, there is a lot of sexual symbolism and the dialogue leaves no room for imagination.
Speaking of the dialogues, it is very pleasant that it is completely translated into Spanish. Of course, it is the Spanish of Spain. Prepare to read a lot about ‘cocks’ and ‘balls’. Although it is a good translation job, it has some errors that can be annoying. There are words that are not translated and I can’t get over the fact that in the options menu we can put the texts at “normal speed”.
I wish that was the only problem Mediterranean Hell, but there is one really serious one: it has many ‘bugs’. I honestly think this game deserves a grade out of 8, but I can’t give it one considering all the bugs I encountered while playing on PS5. Screens that went black and never loaded, complete crashes, and one occasion when the game refused to record, making me lose almost an hour of gameplay. I hope that all this is corrected through future updates and that the same thing does not happen to those who play on other platforms.
Although it is not necessarily a problem, I must also say that it is a supremely Italian game. It makes many references to the history and popular culture of that European country and those who are not familiar with it may not understand interesting details and elements critical to understanding the plot.
♪ Rumba, rumba gay ♫
Mediterranean Hell offers a great story and introspection about life, love, sex, social media and society from the point of view of a generation z that has difficulty defining itself after the pandemic. It is an experience that can only be offered through a video game despite its limited interactivity.
It’s a shame that bugs, translation problems and the lack of some “quality of life” elements affect the result so much. I also imagine that the theme and its genre will alienate more than one, both due to prejudices and lack of interest. But as I said at the beginning, those people miss out on a great experience.
Mediterranean Hell It is one of the most bizarre visual novels I have ever played, but for the same reason it is one of the most unforgettable. I will never be able to get some of its images out of my head and seeing myself reflected in the existential anguish of its protagonists was a hard but necessary experience. I hope that the multiple ‘bugs’ I found – some of which were quite annoying – and the errors in its translation are fixed so that they do not distract future players.
Review made with a digital copy of Mediterranea Inferno for PS5 provided by Santa Ragione. The game is also available for PS4, Xbox One, Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
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