Review: Dante’s Inferno

Well, nice in that “grossly disgusting, visually arresting” way.

There’s the plethora of demons, including unbaptised babies with blades for arms. Oh, and the walls of tormented souls that can be scaled and the decaying vistas by hellish firelight.

Yeah, it’s nice and pretty … disgusting.

Developing a video game based on the first part of the 14th century classic The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri sounds like a stretch. The book details Dante’s imagined journey through the nine circles of Hell.

But the book was ripe for life as a game, with it’s detailed imaginings of life – or death – in the pits of perdition. The game’s story was livened up in order to give it a stronger storyline and purpose, with heroine Beatrice playing a more prominent role and fellow traveler Virgil minimized.

The game depicts Dante as a Christian crusader who is killed and sent to Hell. He battle Death and wins, only to return to find his wife Beatrice murdered and hellbound in Lucifer’s grasp.

Dante must journey through the depths of despair to rescue her and atone for his sins.

Directing his travels is Virgil, who appears as an apparition to describe the horrors he is to face and offer advice.

Dante is armed with two items – Beatrice’s cross (good) and Death’s scythe (evil). He must use both as he struggles against the demon hordes.

Along the way, Dante can choose to punish or absolve many of the Damned. Which he chooses affects his progress in upgrading weapons and abilities.

The nine circles he faces are Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery. Each features a boss or a series of challenges at the end in order to proceed.

Dante also possesses magical powers that the book didn’t have, another video game compromise.

Again, he has available to him good and evil magical capabilities.

Combat in Dante’s Inferno at times becomes repetitive, given the large number of the undead out to destroy him, but there is enough diversity over all to keep you on your toes.

First off the bat, the game is a visual delight. The depiction of the Hell below is evocative of pain and torment. The levels veer from burning golden firepits to bleak, frozen wastelands.

Granted, the entire journey is one long descent, but I did grow weary of the sheer number of ropes and columns (made from human remains) that had to be negotiated. Also, I didn’t realize there were that many levers in Hell to pull.

I also take issue with the game mechanic that means you will die multiple times in order to progress, like falling down a shaft, but not knowing what to do until you’re dead.

But other than that, the game was solid.

Dante’s Inferno is a very good game, vivid in its depiction of the underworld and smooth and responsive in combat. The game definitely earns its Mature rating, what with male and female nudity, demon phalluses and those adorably deadly babies.

It’s a Hell of a ride.

Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Rating: Mature Manufacturer: Electronic Arts Score: 8 hellfire chilies