Canvas Infernumis a unique game on several fronts, sharing a space in the tile placement puzzler genre with cozy and contemplative titles like Dorfromantik while bearing a distinct aesthetic and some novel game mechanics. Like its cousins in the genre,Canvas Infernumtasks players with placing matching terrain tiles to assemble a landscape. In stark contrast to similarindie games,Canvas Infernumhas players building their own personal rendition of Hell.
Canvas Infernumalso stands out on the gameplay front thanks to its mechanical twists. Players choose from various “pacts” with the avatars of theseven deadly sins, which encourage different playstyle approaches and certain tile “factions” to maximize rewards. Game Rant recently attended Gamescom LATAM and spoke withCanvas Infernumdeveloper Eduardo Saffer Medvedovski, who went in-depth about why Hell was chosen as the game’s setting.
Canvas Infernum Is an Art Gallery
Outside ofshooters likeDOOMand action RPGs likeDiablo, there are remarkably few games that venture into the infernal realm. In addition, fewer still take the same art-based approach thatCanvas Infernumdoes. Based on classic depictions of Hell and demonic imagery like Hieronymous Bosch’sGarden of Earthly Delightspainting,Canvas Infernumserves as a gallery of historically significant art. Medvedovski says:
I don’t think there are that many games set in Hell, not in the way we’re doing it. What makes our approach unique is how we’ve used Hell as a canvas for incredible art. That was something very distinctive inCanvas Infernum. We weren’t just trying to create our own version of Hell — we were channeling it through existing works of art, reinterpreting them in a new way.
For example, when we bring in these “tractors” — that’s what we call them — we treat them as tributes. You’re animating these artworks, giving them new life, and it’s been amazing to see that process unfold. We’ve used over 100 pieces of art, not only from Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings but from other sources too. And we want to keep adding more.
Canvas Infernumalso experiments somewhat withusing generative AIin conjunction with these paintings, though the Steam page notes that less than 5% of the game’s visuals are AI-generated. Medvedovski spoke to the game’s use of AI, saying, “I still want to show people what can be done — what’s possible when you combine classical art, modern technology, and a creative vision.”
Canas Infernum Is Surprisingly Philosophical
Canvas Infernumis more than just an aesthetic exploration of classic art pieces, however. It’s also a deeply philosophical look at sin, virtue, morality, and punishment. Throughout their playthroughs, players will be faced with choices about how to punish sinners for their transgressions, inviting introspection into the player’s own values. The game also has plans tointroduce a morality systemto delve even deeper into the subject. Medvedovski reveals:
Part of my personal mission with the game was to ask: what’s the line between sin and virtue? How do we explore that in a meaningful way? That’s where the narrative comes in. Every time you interact with one of the game’s characters — these avatars of the seven deadly sins — they ask you questions about how to deal with those sins. You can respond with punishment, or with reflection — like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the mountain.
There’s something ancient in that. Even before the Renaissance, before Catholicism reshaped a lot of these stories, Greek mythology was already exploring these moral struggles. I wanted to connect that with what we know now from neuroscience and psychology. Like — why do we want to punch someone when we’re angry? Why do we eat when we’re sad?
Canvas Infernumis full of surprises. While on the surface it carries distinctions thanks to its unusual setting, it’s also a far deeper game philosophically than one would expect from an otherwisestraightforward puzzle game genre.
Canvas Infernum is currently in development and has a demo available on itch.io.
