Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Disappointing"

I picked this game up not long after the last God of War game came out. And while all my gaming friends tell me it is a mortal sin to compare games, I couldn't help myself. This game is a cross between Devil May Cry and God of War, but has the cheapest of cheap deaths and troublesome controls that make this game a sure-fire pass for any reputable gamer. I will give half points for taking on a very challenging piece of material. The game is based off of the epic tale in the Divine Comedy, where Dante travels through the circles of Hell. I'm currently reading this, but it will take me much longer to complete the book than the game.

As a game, Dante's Inferno is mildly entertaining. The enemies are varied enough that you don't get bored or have a lack of challenge from them, but what becomes increasingly frustrating is the nature with which your attacks don't work if you're not aimed just the right way, as if a scythe couldn't hit someone as it twirled around an arena. There were also countless instances where a jump would be perfect, but the controls wouldn't allow you to move in the direction you'd like to. I wouldn't say the controls were broken, so much as they were too fine-tuned, while not allowing you to enjoy the careful nature of the design. In a word: cheap.

The story was almost laughable at times, to be fair. It started off as an homage to any fifteen year old boy's dream come true with gratuitous female nudity, but ended with far too much male nudity as well. It could be argued that this was an 'artistic' move, but in a game where gore is the weapon of choice, it doesn't fit. It feels inauthentic and disingenuous.

More than anything, what disappoints me is the potential with which the game could have been made, and by the trusted folks over at Visceral. I loved Dead Space, but this, this was a disappointment from beginning to end and there is no dismissing that. I wouldn't have wasted my time on this game had I played a demo, but I bought it, so I suffered through it, as I should have. But if you see this game, for $10 or less, that's the only time it might, might, be worth it.