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FACTS:
Publisher: Electronic Arts | Developer: Visceral Games
Genre(s): Action, Adventure
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Release Date: February 9, 2010
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Official Website
GAME SUMMARY:
Dante’s Inferno tells an adapted story that focuses on delivering a blockbuster 3rd person action game experience while bringing Alighieri’s depiction of Hell to the medium. Players assume the role of Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his beloved Beatrice murdered, with Lucifer seducing her soul into the underworld. Dante sets out on a rescue mission to save Beatrice, but he soon realizes he is also in Hell to face his own demons and ultimately to redeem himself. Players take Dante through nine unique circles of Hell as mapped out and described by Alighieri: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle showcases its own distinct look, with demons, monsters, damned and geography that are crafted straight from the poem’s vivid descriptions. To take down the demons of Hell, Dante is outfitted with two primary weapons: the Scythe he takes from Death and the Holy Cross given to him by Beatrice, which has spiritual powers that will help Dante collect souls and spells from the creatures he defeats on his journey. The game also features a deep upgrade system so gamers can customize their abilities to their specific gameplay style, something they’ll need as Dante comes face to face with Hell’s fiercest beasts and bosses. If successful, Dante will be able to tame certain beasts, exacting their will and turning Hell’s punishments back on itself. [Electronic Arts]
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THE GOOD: interesting characters/story. fun gameplay.
THE BAD: Can’t shake the feeling i’m playing a original game. Even with it being a hack n slash, It just feels generic regardless.
THE UGLY: level design is ssssoooooo linear. the game starts to feel like a chore to finish.
THE GOOD: brings up an interesting theme
The AWEFULLY BAD: its a God of War ripoff, with the quality of a theme like the Divine Comedy you can do better than this
The UGLY: some levels are a too linear in terms of design and makes the action repetitive
THE GOOD: Art Style and Depiction of Hell
THE BAD: Repetition and week writing
THE UGLY: Too many ways to die. Dodging(Controls).
I would recommend people to rent it. Based on my time with the demo, the game feels fun, but lacks of character, and depth.
Anyway, the game is fun. Play it for what it is, a brainless hack n’ slash, where you control your enemy’s ultimate demise.
Don’t be afraid of finding a “God of War ripoff” because it isn’t, yeah the game mechanics are similar, but then I would have to say that GoW is a Diablo ripoff because it’s a hack and slash game.
It’s a good filler until GoW 3 comes up, so give it a chance
Cheers Axe heads
Good: It definitely takes from other games, gameplay/combat from God of War, Skill Tree I found very similar to inFamous, but it’s setting is it’s own… Don’t get me wrong, those were GREAT games to steal from, and I have NO problem with it whatsoever. It worked well for Darksiders, being copypasta of LoZ:OoT, and I freakin’ LOVED Darksiders! The Various Pits of hell were all unique and intriguing, and the mix of different styles of cutscenes were pretty cool… (game-engine rendered, pre-rendered, comic style) I did have a fun time playing it, and after unlocking the whole darkside I wanna replay it and unlock the whole goodside… Sure it’s linear, but that isn’t a bad thing. Uncharted is proof of that.
The Bad: a bit repetitive in some parts, with lots of waves of enemies just to expand the playtime, and there’s a couple of cheap deaths.
The Heinous: …only one weapon
The good: Awesome art direction and bold adult content for a mature audience. Cutscenes were awesome and pacing is good. I loved it.
The bad: Story could’ve been presnted a little better. It was only after watching DI Animated Epic did I fully appreciate the story since it elaborated more on key points of Dante’s character.
The Ugly: Its over to soon! The mechanics could’ve been polished a little and re-doing certain areas after dying was wearing on my nerves.
[rant]
The Good: It brings the Divine Comedy into gaming! The poem is just too epic to pass up as an idea for a game! (A bit of trivia but; In Devil May Cry, the sons of Sparda(Dante and Vergil), are the names of the main characters in the Divine comedy :3) The art is also great and has very creative interpretations of Dante’s poem but I was displeased with some of the art… :/
The Bad: Although there was such an epic story to draw from, there’s nothing to Dante’s Inferno that makes me want to play it through besides finishing the game or seeing the circles of hell. The intro all happens so fast that I barely give a crap about Dante or his beloved Beatrice. The only real thing is Dante’s determination to save her and even that can be seen as a fatal flaw since he’s ignorant of the sins that he is committing… Sins that end up condemning Beatrice!
Some boss battles were a bit disappointing in their lack of creativity ; – ;.
The Ugly: Lack of likable characters. I wish the game was longer. I wish there were a bunch of creative plot twists with the bosses and events that went down to keep you guessing.
I wish that you would fight Death again. It was depressing to find out you would fight him a single time. It would’ve been cooler to have a cliche scene with him saying “BIATCH, DEATH BE ETERNAL”
However, I still love the idea of a game about Dante’s Inferno and I hope that if it does have sequels… I hope they are successful :p.
[/endrant]
The Good: Gorgeous cutscenes.
The Bad: Background sound design consists of moaning and screaming. All the way! It gets old.
The Ugly: Combat is repetitive. Finishers are dull after the first five repetitions. Set pieces are non-existent. Boss fights are boring. Lots and lots and lots of button mashing OUTSIDE of combat.
The Good: Dante’s Inferno is a wonderfully immersive game in the way of the look and feel of the different levels of Hell. The combat is solid and fun and the two Holy and Unholy talent trees are unique in the ways they make you fight through the game. Cut scenes in the game look phenomenal.
The Bad: Character models leave something to be desired. And while the voice acting is great, the material isn’t really that epic. Dante himself is kind of a voiceless character. Virgil being in the game is cool, but he feels more tacked on than anything. You have no real attachment to him. The story of the game in general is solid but feels empty for lack of development and exposition. None of the characters grab you emotionally.
The Ugly: The only thing that stood out and bugged the hell out of me was that the 10 inner rings of the 8th circle of Hell weren’t depicted at all. Save for two statues in each ring. That and the arena bit was a little out of place, but it’s kind of an action game staple. So I understand it being there.
Overall, Dante’s Inferno is a satisfying experience. Though it has it’s flaws, the game does enough things well to still make you enjoy tearin’ ass through Hell. And if you’re a God fearin’ man/lady, what better catharsis for all us frightened Christians?