Customer Reviews

Dante's Inferno Divine Edition

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(66)
3 star:		(42)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Make no mistake, this game is pure guilty pleasure, hack and slash, dim the lights and camp out on the couch, eye candy goodness. It's LOOSELY based on the poem and isn't about to change your life in any profound way, unless you really love graphics and design work I guess. They basically use the structure of Hell that Dante established and build their own descent from there. The thing about their design that I am absolutely beside myself about is that they had Wayne Barlowe doing the concept. The man is amazing and has basically built his career out of conceptualizing Hell and you can find his books of Hell re-imagined on Amazon as well, which I highly recommend if you're a Dante (the actual poet) fanatic like myself.

His work here is amazing and the graphics are astounding. My only complaint, really, is that you can't actually angle the camera yourself. Which tends to become a bit of a nuisance at best when you're trying to admire the terrific landscape and at worst when you're trying to fight and your enemy moves out of sight. Having the camera adjust itself can really become a thorn in your side at times, but overall, it's an issue I'm willing to overlook in light of all I enjoy about the game. As they've stated multiple times on their production videos, they use a pretty high framerate (believe it's 60 fps) and it definitely shows. The flow is fantastically smooth and seamless. The animated clips are a bit on the cheese side, but the CGI cutsceens are pretty high quality. They also don't make the mistake, like a lot of current games do, of overburdening the game with these cutsceens. For me, they can become a major hindrance to the game's flow very quickly, as I like to play my games, not watch a glorified cartoon. Luckily, Dante does not suffer from this in the least.

The graphics and sound in this game are truly impressive, however. Honestly, the attention to detail is simply fantastic. The walls made of trapped sinners, Minos shouting out verdicts in the background as you approach, the screams of sinners, a man calls out for Ulysses in the bowels of Charon's boat, the detailed backgrounds such as a giant skull spitting out the corpses of the damned at the start. It's simply on a massive, grand scale and if you've ever read Dante and lived to see his Hell brought to the big screen... you will NOT be disappointed playing this video game. From the second I heard they had Barlowe I knew they were interested in the details and the audio and visuals couldn't be more captivating. The soundtrack, which is included with the PS3 version, is really quite great as well. Sets the moods perfectly and makes the whole experience engrossing and just a lot of fun... which is what games are supposed to be.

Gameplay / Controls are easy to learn and have a pretty good configuration. You upgrade your Scythe and Holy Cross talent trees to learn new combos and I'm very pleased with the ease of picking up these new combinations. Again, some games can really go overboard in this area, to the point where you basically have to pause and look up the combo sequence every time you want to execute it. None of that here and I'm exceedingly glad for it, because once they become too convoluted, it really hinders gameplay, flow and inevitably spoils my fun. Along with your two upgradeable trees, you have Magic talents, the ability to dodge, block and jump. While those might seem like minor options, recently playing Darksiders and having to be perfectly still to block, or else it DASHES you across the room, was a HUGE inconvenience and annoyance to me. As well, being able to jump, as silly as it seems, can break a game if it's not an option. I hate feeling restricted in my character's movement and after playing a no-jumping-allowed Demon's Souls (one of PS3's BEST games hands down) for more hours than I wish to reveal, it's nice to have jumping back on the controller.

Also, having come from playing copious amounts of Demon's Souls, I think it's fair to mention this game has pretty frequent save points and when you die, you restart at the beginning of whatever encounter you were on. So, if you're at the boss and die, you start over at the boss, not back at the save point. I know for some it's more of a nuisance to be dropped off at the start of the level / last save point after death, so rest assured, you pick up essentially where you left off / failed and get right back to it.

Last, but not least, this is definitely not for kids. Violence and Nudity are basically the name of the game here, so if you have concerns regarding either of those two things, either don't bother or rent first.

First off I'd like to say that I don't review games unless I have completed the game. How can someone review a game with only playing it for an hour? I was very excited for this game; the graphics are great, creepy atmosphere, good story, lots of blood and guts, spectacular controls, great stuff. Unfortunately there were a few things about this game that really sucked. It was only 6-7 hours long. That was a huge disappointment. Also, the first 3 levels were very good, but the rest seemed to be lacking in development including enemy variety. Also, the puzzles were really not that interesting and just seemed to slow you down. I did really enjoy the game, and would definitely recommend it, but I wish I had rented this game first. $60 is a lot of money to spend on a game that you only play for 12 hours tops. The games that are really good I play at least 30 hours.

Pros
1) Graphics and sound
2) Creepy and Grotesque atmosphere
3) Controls
4) Battle is fun


Cons
1) Way to short 6-8 hours
2) Recycled enemies
3) Puzzles
4) Some level designs


Conclusion

I feel this was a very entertaining game and I had a good time playing it, awesome graphics and sound, disturbing and gross, and fun battle scenes. Because it was so short and the enemy's were recycled I wish I had rented the game instead of buying it.

Okay, I picked this game up and it has exceeded my expectations. It plays like God of war and it has a very interesting story line. The only thing I would take out of the game is all of the blatant sexual inuendo. I am an hour into the game and I have seen babies explode out of pus filled nipples with tongues, huge golden penis statues, vagina wall entrances and last but not least, the flaming rectal sphincters. Yes, I said flaming rectal sphincters. Who thinks of this stuff? Seriously, I think the game could have done without that, but it is truly disturbing and it adds hellish authenticity to the game. After seeing this depiction of hell I think I am going to start going to church again! The game plays very well, just make sure your kids dont walk in on you when you are playing it because it makes for an awkward moment. I actually pushed the off button on the console to make the nipples squirting babies out of them dissapear so my kids did not see it. I ended up having to retrace the level because I did not save before that. With all of that said, the game is a solid 4.5

First of all I want to address the God of War aspect. For you people complaining about the GoW fanboys dissing Dante's Inferno...

IT PLAYS LIKE GOD OF WAR!!!! Take Kratos, make him a Crusader in a monotheistic world, and chuck him into hell. Basically, picture a blatant ripoff of the level where Kratos is in Hades from the first GoW and throw in several bloated disembodied sexual organs.

This game feels so...disjointed. First, I sew a cross-shaped tapestry into my chest, then I take down dozens of humans with a giant pole arm right before a wussy jabs me in the back with a dagger. I then face death and steal his scythe...and then move on to save my wife...who's named after a cow.

There are little mutant babies that pour out of a giant evil woman's nipples...sphincters that erupt flame while you swing past them on intestines...and succubi that have giant female...uh...organs...that they fling out and smack you with. Apparently the succubi also have a screaming case of gonorrhea because they can squirt it out and splash you in the face with it, which stuns you. The best badguys are the big fat gluttons who fart when they walk and barf all over the place.

My biggest gripe with this game is the rappelling. I want to take this game and drive to the house of whoever thought it was a good idea to take a game with imperfect camera control and somewhat inaccurate controls and then make it to where you have to hit certain areas in JUST the right spot or you fall to your death and then I want to ram the game sideways right up his fire-spurting sphincter.

I also wish a serious case of syphilis on whoever thought it would add to the game to make me hit the "O" button REALLY REALLY fast whenever I want to drink from or "open" a fountain. What the hell? I stab my cross down onto a fountain and then... What? Does pressing the "O" button mean I'm praying REALLY hard? If I could take true control of Dante I'd jump up, squat down, and drop a big giant deuce right in that fountain so that whoever came along next had to stare at what came out of MY flaming sphincter. Pray over that you a-holes!

The game is alright if you have an X-Box 360 but if you have a PS3 rent or borrow but do not buy. I don't care how butthurt the fans of the game get. You have a PS3 for Pete's sake...and Pete says wait for God of War III.

I want to add that I've given this game an extra star to offset the morons that automatically gave it one or two stars. There was some dipstick spouting retarded crap in the forums and though I feel this game isn't a work of absolute perfection it certainly doesn't suck...it just has a few quirks that annoy the ever loving crap out of me.

Graphics: A
Gameplay: A+
Mechanics and Controls: B+
Storyline: B+
Artwork / Visual Design: A+
Originality: B
Fun Factor: A+

**First and foremost, THIS IS AN ADULT GAME, NOT INTENDED FOR CHILDREN.**

Storyline: The original Inferno is basically a guided tour through the nine circles of Hell itself. Dante tells the story of his journey, what he sees, and who he encounters in each circle. While this makes level design a breeze, and could make an excellent movie, video games require more interaction, so some tweaks are needed. The end result is that the poet Dante has been replaced by the crusader Dante, a skilled and powerful knight who has stitched a red cloth cross onto his chest. While this is a far cry from the reality of the man, he makes for an amusing character and it certainly makes for better game play. The overall storyline is a pretty typical rescue the damsel in distress scenario, though Hell makes for a unique setting. The literary purists out there will not be thrilled with the changes made, but from a gameplay standpoint, they are fairly necessary. The developers could have approached it a bit differently, by naming the main characters something else and having them explore Dante's vision of Hell, perhaps with Dante as the guide. Personally, though, I'm not enough of a literary purist to be bothered by this.

Gameplay / Mechanics: Anyone that has played God of War will be familiar with the gameplay mechanics of this game. Personally, I don't think that's a bad thing. The combat is smooth and familiar, and you can pick it up and start playing right away, without having to familiarize yourself with a new system. Leveling is actually improved here, in my opinion. You have two paths of abilities to upgrade, holy and unholy. Both paths have different levels of abilities, which are advanced by punishing or absolving enemies of their sins. As you fight your way through the level, you will earn souls to purchase new abilities. The advantage here is that you get to pick specifically which abilities you want to unlock or upgrade, rather than simply which weapon. You also meet and get to judge some famous historical and mythological characters, and pass judgment on their sins, which certainly adds an interesting element to the overall theme of the game.

The gameplay mechanics are not quite perfect, however. I was disappointed by some of the mini games. In order to use a health fountain, you are required to button mash O. Many of the absolution finishes and some of the punish finishes require the same. If you were bothered by the tank and helicopter mini games in Prototype, this will annoy you. It's not a huge problem, but it feels unnecessary. After all, there's not even really any skill involved in simply mashing a button repeatedly.

Graphics/Artwork: This is one of the areas in which this game truly shines. It is amazingly conceived and detailed, and while beautiful might be the wrong word considering the subject matter, you will quickly find yourself immersed in the hell swirling around you. The levels and the enemies are minutely detailed and stunning to behold. The artwork and the world that is created here definitely adds a lot to gameplay. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of some of the cut-scenes, many of which feature old school animation, and frankly feel like a plug for the Dante's Inferno movies that they released alongside the game.

The bottom line to this game is simple. If you like God of War style gameplay, you aren't going to be offended by the subject matter, and you're not a literary purist, buy this game. It's not for kids, and it isn't strictly true to the Inferno storyline or Dante the man, but it is definitely a fun, enjoyable game, and it does take you Inferno's nine circles of hell, which makes for quite the trip.

Wow, what a great idea for a game. Take the classic descent into Hell, ripped from the pages of medeival poet Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy," but just make it all a little more kickass -- for example, instead of Dante the poet as the protagonist, let's make Dante a scythe-wielding crusader with a cross stitched into his bare chest. And do it in the style of the classic action franchise "God of War." Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout right there! What a concept!

Well, I'd be lying if I said this game wasn't fraught with missed opportunities. But not nearly as many as you've probably heard. Critics were unduly harsh back in early 2010 when "Dante's Inferno" streeted, perhaps because it is undeniably a "God of War" clone and perhaps because the game does admittedly lose some steam near its conclusion. But as for me, I had more fun slashing my way through Hell than I've had in quite some time. Gamespot's score of a 6.5 out of 10, for example, certainly doesn't do this game justice. "Dante's Inferno" may not deliver on all of its many promises, but it comes damn close.

Again, you are cast as Dante, but not the Dante we know from history. This Dante is a deeply flawed individual who manages to earn your affections merely because of his stubborn refusal to accept his fate, or that of his lover Beatrice whose soul is condemned to Hell for having a little too much faith in his virtue. He's a dark, brooding character in much the same vein as Kratos from "God of War" (which is undoubtedly not a coincidence). And like Kratos, he's a real badass. At the beginning of the game rather than die from a should-be fatal wound, he hands the Grim Reaper his ass and steals Death's own scythe, claiming it as his own before heading south toward Hell in an attempt to redeem himself and rescue his beloved Beatrice from the affections of a very horny Lucifer. It's dark but overblown enough to still feel like a video game story instead of a somber meditation on the afterlife. In fact, peeling back the onion that is Dante's character makes for a very compelling story, and the title character is certainly one of the deeper and more interesting video game characters to come along in quite some time -- this side of the Ghost of Sparta, anyway.

It's satisfying as Hell (pun intended) to kill waves upon waves of demons with Dante's stolen scythe. But as scary as that weapon looks, it's Beatrice's crucifix (which literally shoots crosses into his demonic enemies' faces) that really gets the job done. In fact, that cross must be twice-blessed by Jesus Christ Himself, because its mere presence greatly reduces much of the game's challenge factor on lower difficulty settings, as it's a powerful ranged attack that can never be depleted. Combining this with the scythe, some very cool magical attacks, a quite fair number of combo moves, and, best of all, some tight controls makes killing things in this Hell seem like Heaven.

And the design of the game, by and large, is very inspired. Morbidly inspired, granted, but such is the source material. Sure there are a few typical horned demons to contend with as well as some flying creatures that could just about cameo in any action game ever made, but then there are the truly grotesque souls of Lust who, despite a very feminine appearance at first glance, are not shy about thrusting a huge, claw-tipped penis directly at your face. Likewise the mutant souls of Gluttony are gas-filled flesh bags who don't mind using vomit and/or shite as a weapon. Boss encounters are likewise quite memorable, including such baddies as one who rips swords from his own body and throws them at you and one which pits you against the eyeless guardian of the gates of Hell -- the decider, so to speak, of which souls belong in which circle of Hades. It's unfortunate that Lucifer, "Big D" himself, in all three of his guises no less, comes off as just plain silly. First he's a groping shadow-man, then he's a giant laughable beast with bat wings for a goatee, and finally he's your typical horned satyr whose only memorable trait is his giant swinging balls and a member that could make Mr. Ed jealous. After fighting a three-headed beast with mouths for eyes and a demonic Cleopatra with tongues for nipples, Lucifer himself just doesn't get the blood pumping.

But perhaps this boss encounter with the Devil himself best describes the "Dante's Inferno" experience. Early on, the game is amazing -- a true contender to the "God of War" throne with its epic story, cinema-quality production values, and of course its depiction of Hell. Again, you've barely been playing the game for five minutes when you challenge the Grim Reaper himself to a duel. Now that's how you kick off an action game! And despite what you've probably read, the game stays strong up until maybe the 80% completed point. After the tangled forest of Suicide, it's admittedly all downhill, but just getting to this point -- what a ride it's already been.

Unfortunately that's when the real suffering begins, as the devs clearly tried to pad out a somewhat short experience by scrapping solid level design and forcing you into a series of trials that would be better suited as bonus content. For example, you are tasked with killing a series of respawning enemies without using magic at one point, and then killing five creatures while attacking from the air without ever letting them touch the ground. It's silly, it's boring, and it feels like exactly what it is -- padding. Many reviews have mentioned this portion of the game as something of a deal-breaker, but I argue is it any worse than the final portion of "Devil May Cry 3" that forced you (again bearing the name Dante) to repeat several previous boss encounters before you could proceed to the endgame? And that game was quite acclaimed when it came out despite an equally, if not far more annoying buildup to the final confrontation. Those bosses were hard as hell to beat the first time -- fighting them again was just plain infuriating.

All this leads to the aforementioned final battle with the Devil himself, which again fails to fire on all cylinders, but the same is true of many good games. One just wishes "Inferno" didn't feel like two development teams worked on the damn thing -- one, creating 80% of the game, doing a "God of War" worthy job, while the other, responsible for that last 20% not really having much of a clue what makes a good hack-and-slash actioner work. It's this split personality that sadly prevents me from hailing "Dante's Inferno" as a modern classic, but it still comes dangerously close. The music, the voice acting (apart from a silly-sounding Lucifer), the story, the atmosphere, the cinemas, and the gameplay are all excellent. Perhaps the only other flaw that bears mentioning is the annoying 40 second long minigame one must slog through to save the tortured souls of Hell -- it makes the notion of damning them instead and salvaging those 40 seconds of your life, even if you want to redeem Dante's own tortured soul, far too tempting indeed. But virtually everything else in "Dante's Inferno" achieves A-list status, and were it not for such an epic fumble near the finale, what a ride this would be. Hell, even opening doors is fun -- you impale a fat demon with your scythe and pound a button until the stubborn S.O.B. rolls up like an iron curtain and gives you access to the next chamber. Good stuff.

So yeah, it's true that this game has some very tragic flaws. But if you're a fan of hack-and-slash action games like "God of War" or even "Devil May Cry," miss Dante's descent into woe at your own peril. This is very nearly a classic, but, as per usual, the Devil had to go and screw it up.

Final Score: 8.0

The atmosphere of 'Dante's Inferno' is truly stunning. Far too many PS3 games have mediocre graphics but that certainly can not be said about this game. The attention to detail is just amazing. A rich, saturated color palette, fine texture patterns and the amazing attention to detail is impressive. For the voice work, all of the characters do a good job but the script can be cheesy and the comments often seem misdirected. Dante is the least likable character by far. The sound effects throughout the game and most notably during battle are quite good. The music is also spot on.
For the overall look, sound and atmosphere, this game succeeds.

The game progresses as Dante works his way down through the different circles of Hell, each filled with grotesque, twisted souls and various creatures that usually drop in from out of nowhere to attack you. Dante is armed with a rather wicked scythe that was wrestled from Death himself. As for weaponry, it's nice to see something other than the old run-of-the-mill sword. The game presents choices during gameplay...such as absolving or punishing a soul. This allows you to level up as you collect experience and you have lots of choices as you progress. Your player can be balanced or lean more toward one side or the other depending on the choices you make. This has a direct impact on your magic and weapon abilities however, some upgrades appear to be more gimicky than useful.

The controls of the game are tight and intuitive. The only complaint is while fighting, Dante seems to lunge around a lot. I fell off quite a few cliffs during the course of battle. Other than that, the controls were very responsive and moves and combos were easy to learn and master. I enjoyed the ability to conquer and control the large creatures. It was kind of like being Godzilla for a few minutes but the cumbersome, bulky creatures move very slowly and I sometimes found myself growing impatient especially when traveling longer distances. Initially, there is a wide variety of demons/creatures though once you hit about the half way point, the creatures are the same, you'll just get more of them in a different combination. There are several difficulty levels but normal seems more like easy and once you determine how to most efficiently dispatch an enemy, you can zip right through most battles and challenges. Playing a higher difficulty adds slightly to the play time only by making each creature require more hits before dying. Still, few battles pose much challenge and most times I was killed was due to a mistimed/mispositioned jump and not during the heat of battle. The same is true for boss battles.

The game is extremely linear. There are very few places to search or secret items to find as most are laid out directly in front of you. Even the puzzles are very straight-forward and often simplistic. It's quite clear what you are supposed to do so those looking for more challenging puzzles should look toward other games such as 'Darksiders'. The game is also very short and can be completed in 10-12 hours. Replay value is minimal.

The story...well, it's certainly an interesting and unique approach. Fighting your way through the depths of hell...I mean come on, talk about potential. The problem is that you whip through each section so quickly that you often don't realize you've completed it til you see old Virgil glowing in front of you. There is all of this build up as you approach a new level and then after one or two small battles and a few minor obstacles to overcome, that's it, you're done!

Overall, its a good game but kind of a let down. I would rent instead of buy.

Visceral Games propelled themselves seemingly out of nowhere to become a top-tier developer after 2008's Dead Space. I liked Dead Space so much that I've played through the game 4 times! So when I heard Visceral was working on a video game interpretation of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy I followed the development of the game closely. Having recently completed the game I have some mixed feelings on Visceral's Dante's Inferno.

The storyline somewhat follows the Divine Comedy though notable deviations are made. In Dante's Inferno, Dante returns from the Holy Land during the period of the 3rd Crusade to discover his father and wife, Beatrice murdered. Shortly thereafter Dante is himself stabbed in the back and confronts Death. This encounter amounts to the games first boss battle. Dante eventually triumphs Death and takes the symbolic Scythe as his own. This is Dante's only physical weapon for the remainder of the game. What proceeds is Dante's quest to redeem his wife Beatrice (and himself) that pays for Dante's sins in the afterlife by being condemned to an eternity in Hell.

As Dante progresses in the game he will first encounter Virgil, his guide through the 9 Circles of Hell at the Gates of Hell. Immediately the first thing I noticed is the amount of detail poured into the environments. Burning rivers of blood, bodies piled high into walls, souls plummeting through the red-ashen burning skies - it's all a visual treat. The artists at Visceral definitely deserve praise for their work depicting the horrific scenes of Hell, perhaps better than any game (or movie) before. As Dante progresses deeper and deeper each of the 9 Circles features detailed and grotesque scenes that truly portray Hell as well, a hellish place.

Gameplay is best described as a cross between God of War and Devil May Cry. I know there are fans of each that rabidly decry Dante's Inferno as a rip-off of those two games, but I like to think that plagiarism is one of the best forms of flattery. The combo system is very similar to God of War right down to the quick-time button pressing finishing moves for enemies and bosses. The currency of Dante's Inferno is souls which can be used to purchase new combos. A twist to this system is that the player can choose to be either benevolent or malicious. Throughout the game players will encounter named NPC's that can be punished or absolved. Punishing an NPC will result in Dante earning Unholy points. Absolving NPC's will grant Holy points. Players will then use the souls to upgrade skills via an in-game skill tree. Access to higher level skills is only possible by choosing a specific path.
All told I'm a fan of the gameplay but caveat that by saying that a lot of the same issues present in games like God of War and Devil May Cry translate to Dante's Inferno. The camera for example is completely fixed and at times isn't in and ideal position for platforming or for combat. At various times I found myself frantically mashing the attack buttons to attack off-screen enemies.

Also, although Dante's Inferno isn't a particularly short or a particularly long game - about 10-12hrs for a first time run through the game there are times where the game does bog down. A lot of the same types of enemies are recycled again and again. Like the aforementioned games, Dante's features areas that seal the player in a small area and require the player to defeat all the enemies before moving on. Dante's Inferno absolutely spams this gameplay mechanic to the point of being somewhat aggravating and monotonous. I guess the correct phrase is that the game starts to lose some of its steam along the way. Some of the levels (Circles of Hell) are excellent whilst others are just recycled. There are some other frustrating design choices in parts of the game that require specific feats for the player to accomplish that really spike the difficulty. For example in one area the player is tasked with completing specific trials. Each trial restricts the player in some way. For example one trial tasks the player with defeating all enemies in an area without using magical abilities and so forth. An extremely frustrating trial tasks the player with defeating all the enemies (lots of them) while maintaining one continuous combo. It's a spike in the difficulty that feels out of place in the game and tacked on to add hours to the completion time.

Other minor annoyances I had with the game include the completely predictable ending. The character that Visceral built into Dante is also somewhat unlikeable and probably the most poorly voiced out of the cast. Also at times I felt that the script/voice acting bordered on corny and cheesy. All of these issues are relatively minor but still worth mentioning.

Is Dante's Inferno worth playing? Absolutely. Is it on par with a game like God of War? In my opinion, no. However, this is a good first outing.

Just got this game yesterday and stayed up all night playing it. I'm more than a little sleep-deprived, and on the verge of conking out at my keyboard, but I need to urge people to pick this game up before I get some shut-eye. "Dante's Inferno" is one of the most
artistically refreshing games I've played in a while, and while it doesn't live up to last month's "Bayonetta", or the two PS2
"God of War" entries, it still manages to entertain and surprise for the length of it's playtime.

Plot: 3/5

Drawn (LOOSELY) from the first part of Alighieri's epic "Divine Comedy", "Dante's Inferno" follows the titular Dante, a weary warrior
who has returned home from a crusade, only to find his beloved Beatrice slaughtered. All hope is not lost, however, and Dante sees
Beatrice's soul being dragged into the depths of the underworld. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaps after her, hoping to save her from an eternity of torment. Whilst questing through the rings of the Inferno, Dante's checkered past comes back to haunt him, and he must literally battle his personal demons. Dante's story has genuine moments of intrigue, but it also comes across as the age-old, cliched
"I've gotta save my lady from having her purity stolen" tale, and therefore loses some of it's zest.

Gameplay: 4/5

I'm not going to dwell too long on this, for one reason: "Dante's Inferno" rips off "God of War"'s gameplay wholesale. If you've
played that series, then you'll feel right at home here. Use a chained weapon to slice into demons, rapidly press buttons to open
doors, partake in timed button sequences, etc. A few unique things are added (choosing whether or not to damn souls and riding beasts
are unique to this game), but for the most part Visceral Games managed to carbon-copy Sony Santa Monica's formula with success.

Graphics: 5/5

The art direction in this game is absolutely gorgeous. Each ring of hell has it's own unique feel, and navigating them
is a blast. Climbing on walls made of people and walking on gross intestine-like floors are experiences that you won't
soon forget. The only bad thing here are the enemies. While they are all very cool-looking, the game starts recycling them
a bit too fast, and by the time you reach the circle of Anger, you will be fighting armies upon armies of clones. This isn't
bad, per se, as much as it is just lazy. Still, everything is rendered beautifully, and make this game worth playing on the PS3
due it's high rendering capabilities.

Sound: 3/5

Music is... fine. Unremarkable, but still good. It doesn't really strike any new chords, but it's serviceable. The voice acting is
pretty good, but again: unremarkable. The only noticeable things: Dante yells Beatrice's name a bit too often, and the Shades of the Inferno's utterings become grating to the nerves.

Overall: 4/5

In terms of gameplay, "Dante's Inferno" doesn't bring a whole lot of new stuff to the table. However, the art design and beautiful
graphics make up for the lack of an original combat system. Those in waiting of "God of War III", and those simply looking for a good
game, will find their trip to hell to be an enjoyable thrill ride.

You will feel that this game is exceptional if you even remotely appreciate the art form. This game does 4 things very well: soundtrack, graphics, storyline, controls. The people responsible for this game clearly delved completely into turning Hell into a visceral experience and they did a "damned" good job of it!

Soundtrack: haunting and powerful, orchestra and opera-style vocals provide additional feelings of being trapped in a place of loathing and incredible power for which one should "abandon all hope, ye who enter here"- Charon. Voices beg for their souls at your back (from your surround speakers), King Minos individually judges souls and assigns them to their own level of Hell, main characters taken from the epic poem lament their tragedies, like Pontius Pilate going on and on about his involvement in the condemning of Christ. Honestly, the sound experience is my favorite part of this game. The Divine Edition comes with a soundtrack that you can listen to whenever you want. You will get the full experience only with a full 5.1 or 7.1 surround home entertainment system hooked to your PS3.

Graphics: so long as you have the proper equipment (LCD HDTV or better) , you will get the full blown experience all in 1080p and 60 frames per second! At no time have I seen this game bog down or otherwise lose framerate. I am blown away by this and I still don't know how they did it. The experience of Hell on a grand scale is what you get here and it's loosely based upon Dante Alighieri's epic poem. Again, the people responsible for this game spared no expense. The monsters are incredibly detailed, Dante himself is beautifully rendered, but I can't say enough about the environments. At any one time in the background you can see things on an epic scale; Charon in the background warning the damned souls for what they are about to experience, thousands of damned pouring from the gaping maw of giant skulls, and walls built from the tormented souls of the damned. Every single little detail is there and I'll be playing the game for a very long time just to try and see it all. I'm saying this all without even having finished the first level of Hell, Limbo! I can't wait to see all 9!

Storyline: The game is based upon the epic poem, which is available in text form in the Divine Edition of this game. I've read this poem a couple of times in the past and know the characters and plot. Being that I am a fan of history and literature, I can appreciate what they have done with the story line here. I strongly suggest reading the original epic poem either before you play the game or as you are playing the game level by level. Doing so will enhance your experience.

Controls: I have to say that I'm not the biggest fan of action games. I usually play RPG's, RTS's, and the occasional military simulator. This game looks very similar to games like God of War and Devil May Cry. The controls are very easy to handle even for a novice. You have your choices as well. You can either just hack and slash through the entire game, or you can slow down a bit and complete tasks like finding relics, and punishing or absolving damned. You gain unholy or holy abilities based upon points you gain from either punishing or absolving damned. The fights with larger monsters are a lot of fun too. I got a particular kick out of slaying the rider of the giant wolf creature, only to gain control of the creature for myself.

This game got some less than stellar reviews from some online places, but their primary reason was that it was too much like God of War. I ask these people why. Why is it so bad to take a game that was/is so popular and steal elements from it? Does it make it any less fun? For example, do people dislike playing Madden Football because it's too much like it's 20 predecessors? Hell no! I don't care if the controls are like other games that have come before it. Neither of those other games have the incredible art detail that this one does, backed up by a popular story line.

Lastly, I dare you to play it in a dark room with a full 5.1 surround system and 52" or bigger 1080p tv!