Dante's Inferno
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Game Information
Release Date: February 9, 2004
Developers: Visceral Games
Publishers: Electronic Arts
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PSP
Genre: Action/Adventure
Players: 1-2

Synopsis
A classic work of literature becomes a sinister action saga in this game inspired by Dante's "The Divine Comedy." Journey through the nine levels of Hell on a quest to save your beloved from the jaws of the underworld. Italian soldier-for-hire Dante returns from war to find his Beatrice murdered, and her soul dragged below. Confront the darkness of your own past as you fight to save her soul. Battle demons with the Reaper's scythe, wield holy powers, tame beasts, and more. Survive limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery and you shall be rewarded...with a confrontation with Lucifer himself. Abandon hope all ye who enter here!

Plot
During the year of 1189, a crusader named Dante had been condemned to damnation for his grotesque sins he had committed throughout his life by Death. Dante refuses his deserved faith and promises to redeem himself for what he had committed in the past. Dante makes his way back to Florence, only to find out that his wife Beatrice had been killed. As the life of Beatrice slowly fades away, her soul slowly appears but is then dragged into the dark depths of the underworld by some shadowy, demonic entity. Seeing her soul being dragged, Dante makes his way into the depths of the underworld in attempt to rescue Beatrice's soul.

Gameplay
Dante's Inferno brings an exceptional and unique style of gameplay that would pretty much get many players of different genres hooked in. Players will get to use a scythe to dismember their foes and also have the ability to use holy and mythical powers. Players will fight their way through the depths of hell in which an array of different demonic creatures will try to kill the player from proceeding forward. Players will be able to purchase unique attacks and moves by collecting souls from soul fountains and enemies. Players will be able to gain holy and unholy skill points from either absolving their enemies, which gives the player holy points, while punishing them will give the player unholy points. Players will also come across the damned souls trapped within the depths of hell, players will get to choose the damned soul's fate, to punish or absolve them for their sins. Players will have to avoid many different obstacles that will obstruct the player's path like trapped fire doors, rotating and spinning blades, and various other hell-like devices. At certain points in the game, players will have to battle various types of bosses that vary depending on how far the player has progressed through the game, bosses like: Cerberus, the 3 headed hellhound. The queen of lust, Cleopatra. Lucifer, the ruler of Hell, and many other mythical creatures inspired from the poem.

Graphics
The graphics in Dante's Inferno are spectacular and very well done. The graphics are well pleasing and really catches the player's eyes. The flow and movement of the lava and water are fantastic and surreal. The details among the characters including the demonic creatures are phenomenal in the way they look, as well as the textures and variety of colors blends so well and fits in with the hell-like theme of the game. The details on the faces on most characters are very clear and have precise movements in the lips, and eyes. The minor details like the lashes, facial hair, nails, and other minor body parts are well detailed and visible to distinguish. As the game also features nudity in certain points in the game, the graphics for those certain aspects are well done and look surreal, but with some of it offering a grotesque look to it. The blood shed and the way it splatters on the floor and walls are marvelous and realistic. Overall, there really isn't anything negatively to say about the graphics. The graphics are marvelous and outstanding, as well as appealing to the player.

Controls
The controls for Dante's Inferno are somewhat difficult to use, but really are basic and similar to certain games. If the player has played different genres of games or is an veteran gamer, the controls shouldn't be difficult to learn and properly use. For the most part, the different attack commands for special attacks and combos prove to be the more difficult part seeing that it requires players to using more button commands and at multiple times. Most of the controls are nothing new to any player but only the attack combos will prove to be the most difficult part of the controls.

Rating
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Controls: 9.7/10
Overall: 10/10