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Dante’s Inferno Review for Xbox 360

Dante’s Inferno Review for Xbox 360

Eternally Condemned

When I first saw a trailer of Dante’s Inferno, I thought what everyone else did: “Oh my! This looks suspiciously similar to God of War.” I was worried about EA’s new move, yet at the same time I found it interesting for the exact same reason. I’ve always been a huge fan of Kratos’ game series, so I figured a game of the same style would be very fun and entertaining, which, in the end, is all I really care about. I understand some may see this as a questionable move on EA’s end and may not want to feel like they’re betraying Jaffe and his old team, but Visceral Games has put together a great game that shouldn’t just go unnoticed.

Dante's Inferno screenshot

Dante’s Inferno tells the tale some of you might have learnt about in literature class back in the day. This may not sound appealing when you think about it, but getting a tour of Hell the way Dante Alighieri pictured it in the Divine Comedy is quite a treat. In the story, Dante is a battle weary crusader who comes back home to realize his loving wife Beatrice has passed. Not only that, but she’s been taken by the devil and now her soul is being consumed in the depths of Hell. Angry and desperate, Dante himself is dragged into the Abyss, with little choice but to travel his way through Hell trying to find her. Of course, he’s not there by accident; he’s committed his fair share of sins, including a betrayal that will be tough to forget.

Dante Alighieri imagined nine distinct areas within Hell, each of them devoted to the punishment of different sins. These nine circles are carefully depicted in the game conforming to their themes, including limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud, and betrayal. The designers have done an amazing job of portraying these different sections in totally different ways, all with great variety and detail. Characters like the revolting gluttons found in the third circle and beyond, architectural elements like the blatantly phallic columns adorning the circle of lust, and coarse and entangled environments such as the circle of violence are all great examples of the rich visual experience the game has to offer. As an added plus, all the action happens at 1080p resolution (on full HD screens) and 60 frames per second, offering a sharp picture with no hiccups and smooth combat all around.

Dante's Inferno screenshot

The gameplay relays almost entirely on action. Foes come at you from everywhere, ready to take the best of you. Some are just weak little minions that stand no chance against you, but other enemies carry strong, deadly weapons you should look out for. Others you can defeat and then ride at your leisure. Last but not least, you’ll have to deal with many tough, wicked bosses that’ll fight till the end… their end. Granted, nothing really stands a chance against Dante’s combat skills; especially if you chose to play in Classic mode. After trying out both Classic and Zealot difficulty levels but beating the game in Classic, I have to say Zealot is the way to go for the gamer at heart; there’s definitely a more balanced amount of challenge to be found there. Of course, if you’re just playing for the story and prefer a frustration-free experience, you might as well go for Classic. Or, how about Hellish? Then you’ll know what “tough” means!

Either way, the combat mechanics are simple and well thought out. Dante carries a scythe and, as in most hack ‘n slash adventures, he can perform a light attack and a stronger attack. There’s also a special attack assigned to the B (or circle) button; it’s Beatrice’s cross he carries, which shoots powerful energy blasts. If lighter attacks are not your thing, you should make sure every soul counts, as collecting them (by killing enemies) will let you unlock other special combo attacks, which is where the fun is at. As you advance, the soul count will go towards the Holy or the Unholy side, depending upon your actions in the game. They have different special moves you can unlock, so you’ll have to pick and choose what sounds good to you. Luckily, you can spread the love in between the two (Holy and Unholy) and get the best of each world. As you fill up the meters for either side, you’ll reach higher levels within them, which will open up new unlockable abilities.

Dante's Inferno screenshot

Some enemies can be absolved of their sins, or you can just condemn them to a life in Hell. This is how your spirit starts leaning towards one side or the other. You’ll also have encounters with notorious people throughout the game (e.g. Pontius Pilatus, Electra, and many others). These lost souls depend solely on you; it’s in your hands to redeem them of their sins and send them to heaven or to have them rot in Hell. If you choose to exonerate them, you’ll have to play a quick mini-game that consists of pressing the right button at the right time while sin bubbles travel through the screen. It’s a simple premise and a nice change of pace after some intense fighting.

Finishing some enemies during combat and attacking certain bosses also relies upon button presses. They’re typical quick-time event (QTE) segments, with no major challenge. Sometimes, if you miss a press, you’ll have to start over, but it’s not much of a punishment, considering the game is very generous with checkpoints and save statues.

Dante's Inferno screenshot

You’ll also find plenty of health regenerating fountains, and others with magic, extra soul points, and even collectables. It might be a hard task to find everything that’s hidden throughout all the nooks and crannies, but it’s definitely not an impossible task. Whatever you may find is well worth it, from silver Judas coins to relics you can equip for special effects, plus it’ll help to build up your achievements or trophy count. Killing key bosses and other combat encounters will also grant you magic powers such as the Righteous Path, which leaves a trail of icy shards as Dante dashes towards the enemies, or a magic pendant that protects him from incoming attacks.

Although Dante’s Inferno is mostly a hack ‘n slash kind of game, the level design is witty, including solid platforming segments and interesting, though not mindboggling, puzzles. There’s a movie-quality soundtrack, groans, moans, and other realistic sound effects that’ll make you giggle, and the voice acting is entirely professional and engaging.

Even if I tried, I couldn’t find anything wrong with the game; as it stands, it all depends on taste. It’s about eight to ten hours of pure, fast-paced action no one should look down on, unless you’re just not a fan of the genre. With such an appealing story and addictive gameplay, Dante’s Inferno’s only sin seems to be its shameless similarity to Sony’s celebrated franchise.

Dante's Inferno screenshot

Of course, despite the superb marketing efforts and its terrific gameplay, Dante’s Inferno is eternally condemned to judgment. Not only is it an obvious clone of God of War, but it also contains a good amount of explicit content that might not go well with fanatics. The developers already have part of the church against them because of their representation of hell! The good news is, these issues will certainly not stop EA from scoring major sales figures, and I hope it doesn’t stop you from playing it either, because good games are there to be played… from beginning to end! Without a doubt, this is one you shouldn’t miss; ahem… unless you’re under 17.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.8 Graphics
Spectacularly detailed environments throughout the game, sharp textures, smooth action, and realistic characters make Dante’s Inferno a must-watch, even for those who aren’t playing the game. 4.2 Control
Smooth but intense combat relies a bit on hack-n-slash action, unless you decide to learn and make good use of the combos you unlock, which is the true way to enjoy the game. 4.4 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The game’s packed with a movie-quality soundtrack, excellent voice acting, and outstanding sound effects that transport you right to hell. 4.5 Play Value
Dante’s Inferno is not very long, and it’s also quite similar to the God of War series, which you might have already played. However, it’s fully enjoyable and entertaining, so you must play through it at least once or you’ll be really missing out! 4.6 Overall Rating – Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • An Epic Adaptation of a Classic – Based on part one of Dante Alighieri’s classic poem “The Divine Comedy,” Dante’s Inferno is a third-person action adventure game that takes Dante on an epic journey through Hell as he seeks to rescue the soul of his beloved Beatrice.
  • The Nine Circles of Hell – Just like the poem, players will descend through Dante’s unique nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. Each circle features distinct environments, enemies, and story elements befitting the sins committed by their inhabitants.
  • Control the Beasts of Hell – Dante’s Inferno features large scale beasts and bosses, some of which Dante will be able to fully tame, utilizing them to throw back Hell’s wrath to its minions.
  • Fast, Addictive, Responsive Combat – Dante fights through the nine circles armed with Death’s Scythe and Beatrice’s Holy Cross, with magic powers and a deep, customizable upgrade system helping the player take full advantage of a fast and fluid gameplay experience that will never run at lower than 60 frames per second.
  • Visceral Games Stamp of Approval – From the award-winning studio that created the critically acclaimed Dead Space, Dante’s Inferno will receive the same relentless focus on quality and polish Visceral Games has become known for.
  • Be Righteous or Unholy – choose to punish or absolve the damned, affecting your character’s abilities throughout the game.

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