The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline [REVIEW] – Hell is a Brainteaser

If you have ever thought your family traditions were a bit much, spare a thought for poor Gabriele Alighieri. The protagonist of The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline is a direct descendant of the famous Italian poet, and his inheritance is a massive, otherworldly headache. Brought to us by the same studio behind The Suicide of Rachel Foster (which is one of my favourite releases in the walking simulator genre), this new title is set in the early nineties and reveals a brilliant secret: The Divine Comedy wasn’t just a classic piece of literature, but a literal family curse.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Every thirty-three years, an Alighieri has to venture down into the underworld via a hidden portal in their basement to keep the gates of Hell firmly shut. I think this is a genuinely fantastic hook, but sadly, the narrative does not quite live up to the initial promise. Gabriele is quite a detached character who is tough to warm to, and if I’m being honest, the story struggles to build any real emotional stakes with him or his relatives. By the time I hit the end, there were just a few too many narrative threads left hanging – and sure, it isn’t awful by any means, but I think I just hoped for more from such a cool concept.

Thankfully, the gameplay is where The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline proves its worth. If you are expecting to fight off hordes of demons or survive terrifying chase sequences, you will probably need to adjust your expectations – this is strictly a combat-free experience that leans heavily into the walking simulator genre, with its main focus squarely placed on environmental brainteasers. Your journey is split between exploring the dusty, restricted corridors of the family’s grand Italian estate and venturing into ‘The Dive’. However, rather than classic fire and pitchforks, this version of Hell is a surreal, twisted reflection of Gabriele’s own internal trauma and memories, making for a genuinely fascinating place to wander through.

“The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline might fumble its storytelling, but it delivers great puzzle design that really makes it worth your attention.”

Puzzling will make up the vast majority of your playtime, and to seal the gate, you have to complete three central trials, backed up by a handful of smaller, clever riddles. These challenges are wonderfully varied and require genuine lateral thinking: one minute you might be working out a sequence using a mixture of sound cues and specific environmental objects, and the next you are trying to decipher visual symbols. The logic is usually spot on, and when you finally crack a tough room, there’s a real sense of achievement.

Just be warned: the game completely refuses to hold your hand. There is absolutely no hint system built into the experience, and while most of the puzzles are well-designed enough that you can figure them out with a bit of patience, there will be moments where you are REALLY left scratching your head.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It’s not a long game (coming in at around four hours), which I think is the ideal length for something like this. Still, the brevity did leave me wishing there was just a bit more substance outside of the puzzling, especially since parts of the sprawling mansion feel a bit empty and underutilised. I think that’s the problem with The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline – there was a lot of potential here for it to offer something unique and special. And sure, the puzzling is great, but everything else just feels like it could have offered more.

Presentation-wise, The Alighieri Circle: Dante’s Bloodline does a good job of building a thick, moody atmosphere. Instead of relying on cheap jump scares, the tension is built through quiet details and a sense of isolation, and you will constantly hear rain hammering against the windows and floorboards groaning under your feet to keep you on your toes. The visual transition from the decaying manor to the bizarre landscapes of the underworld is highly effective too, with the game certainly offering a world that’s a treat to be a part of.

Developer: One O One Games
Publisher: Entalto Publishing
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://entaltostudios.com/the-alighieri-circle/