FANS of horror movies will tell you that no matter how desensitized they have become after years of watching such films, there is always one that still has the power to shock them.
For me it was the remake of The Hills Have Eyes. I have seen a lot of horror films; some obscure (Toolbox Murders), some banned (Cannibal Holocaust) and some just plain wierd (Ichi the Killer), but this film, a big-budget Hollywood remake, made me feel genuinely uncomfortable. The scene where one of the mutant in-breds sexually assaults a girl in a caravan will stay with me forever. Not nice.
Gaming is no different. Throughout the years there have been games with enough atmosphere, ambience and action to shock anyone. Older gamers will remember the original Alone in the Dark series, while Resident Evil and Silent Hill have provided more than a few shocks in their time. A more recent example would be Dead Space, a game where long periods of carefully structured nervous silence are punctured by the noise of these bizarre 8 foot aliens with scissor limbs running towards you. Anyone who played Dead Space will testify that Visceral, the developers behind the game, have good form in creating awesome “what on earth just happened” moments.
It is here that Visceral return with Dante’s Inferno. While the game isn’t meant to be scary, per se, it does offer some of the most original, over the top moments in level and character design. I have seen things in this game that I couldn’t even begin to describe. It hit home on around the fourth level when I was fighting a giant naked Cleopatra, who was firing unbaptised babies with swords for arms out of her oversized nipples. My poor, sheltered mind couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Thankfully, instinct kicked in and I continued to hack, slash and absolve away, using the scythe I stole following a duel against Death early on. I should probably explain...
Dante’s Inferno is a third-person fighting game loosely based on the 14th century poem The Divine Comedy, charting one man’s descent through the nine circles of hell to redeem his sins and rescue his girlfriend. It is almost as if the poem was meant to be a game - a nine level battle through limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery with a final battle against Old Nick himself. The level design is truly breathtaking and, combat aside, is the real star of the show. In Limbo, for example, you start your descent into the underworld by facing a purgatory full of the unbaptised and the non-believers, leading to a showdown with King Minos - ruler of the gates of hell. The walls writhe and wail as thousands of heretics plead for forgiveness. It can be quite unsettling, but you’re never far from a lever-based puzzle or boss fight to remind you you’re playing a video game.
This game is far from perfect - repetition and plagiarism are prevalent throughout - but being an open-minded sort I prefer to focus on the things Dante’s Inferno gets right. The combat system is fantastic. Using your stolen scythe - any game that begins with a boss fight against the Grim Reaper himself is good in my eyes - to hack your way through hundreds of hell’s minions is satisfying and the holy attacks you can call upon add a unique level of excitement to battle. The storyline, while far fetched, is well told using photo-realistic CGI and comic-book style cut-scenes. There are plenty of epic boss fights and a decent level of customisation is available through a choice of skill trees and collectable combat aids.
The best way for me to sum up is to say that if you like this genre of game you will love Dante’s Inferno. It is exciting, audacious, expertly executed and great fun.
I should also say that this review is unique in that I am the first person in the world to review the game without mentioning God of War. However I am happy to forgo that honour because I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention it. The comparisons are painfully obvious, but as a precurser to Kratos’ impending arrival, Dante’s Inferno does a great job of warming up our thumbs ahead of the race for Zeus’ head.
4/5