The latest developer diary for Dante’s Inferno doesn’t do anything for the crowd who are whining about the game’s wobbly connection to its 14th century source material. Wake up: Dante’s Inferno is a brawler. Brawlers don’t deal with the acknowledgment and rejection of sin. They deal with fighting and monsters.
Below the fold you can watch the diary. Initially, the developers discuss Virgil’s epic. Then they talk about the good stuff: Limbo, monsters, hell in general, and other disgusting things.
Our most recent preview of Dante’s Infernowas written during E3 2009, when Visceral Games gave a behind-closed-doors look at a new, terrifyingly disgusting enemy and monster-jacking. We were impressed by the size of the monsters shown, but left wanting more. Read it before the game releases in 2010.
From what I saw of the closed door footage at E3, I concluded it looked like more of a God of War clone than I once thought, but the locales are a million times better. I left the viewing pretty satisfied. I've also talked to people that went to the viewing and thought it was utter shit.
I still think that if you base anything on one of the defining works of western literature, you can at least do a proper job of it. Feels a bit like turning Hamlet into an action film staring Shia Labouf as the Prince fighting his evil Uncle played by Alan Rickman. Just feels like gaming could do better, and that gaming will never really be taken seriously if we're doing this to such important works.
i don't know what i'm getting more sick of: blatant God of War rip-offs, or pretentious gamers and bloggers waxing philosophical and complaining about Dante's Inferno being a God of War rip-off.
Do a proper job of it? To start, this kind of action game isn't for everyone. And while we are used to seeing most of these games come from japan, its nice to see some balance occuring. So far I like what I see, and I'll more than likely buy it.
Uzzy, do you really give fuck if gaming is taken seriously, by outside myopic muppets? While I care for the industry, I think it panders too much for acceptance, by the established media. It matters not if they understand or acknowledge what we play, because there's is a world of media molded over decades, if not longer. I've stopped that kind of thinking, and frankly, don't give a fuck about being in everyone elses cool club. Games should be judge on their merits, pros and cons and build from there, by people who take the time understand them.
I think its easy to look, from too literary a perspective on this game, like books are untouchably perfect because of age or something. For you to expect it to be exactly like the written work is unfair. Games are primarily about fun and have to appeal. How else would you have done this game then, Uzzy?
The only kind of adaptions we've had before are books to film, and not all of them have been great. Book to game is unheard of (more or less), until now. Whatever your nit picks, you should give EA some credit, since few are brave enough to try such things as Dante's Inferno.
God of War clone? Exqueeze me? Did God of War not build upon what the DMC series had done before, for 3d action games? Better yet, did God of War not bastardise established greek mythology, for the games own ends? If its okay for that game, then anyone can do it, since such works are public domain, surely.
This looks fabulously weird and original, and so long as EA continue to make games like this, they'll get my money. Love it and it looks good enough, I might buy it twice.
@Cowboy
I hate to break it to you, but I could go on ALL day about how Dante's Inferno is almost an EXACT clone of God of War, down to the weapon Dante uses in the demonstration video (Death's Scythe) in comparison to The Blades of Chaos that Kratos wields. I had dismissed these claims until I saw it at E3 for my own eyes. I even laughed at loud when Dante did an exact move, with the exact same pause sequence from God of War (Square Square Triangle: the leap jump).
A lot of the encounters are the exact same, the "mini-boss" QTE sequences look exactly the same (wrap extended blades around): hell, even the soul wells, which Dante replenishes his life and mana look exactly the same (as does the health and mana UI)
As a huge fan of both series, I can say that God of War was considerably different than DMC, in numerous methodologies included but not limited to:
Weapon Handling/types of weapons
QTEs
Boss Encounters
Storytelling
Style
I think it looks great, but not as great as you seem to think. I do agree with you on the "to hell with literary merit" point though. EA also made it clear that they're going to have all of Virgil's dialogue throughout the game mimic the poem, and the locales will be modeled "directly from the source material".
"EA also made it clear that they're going to have all of Virgil's dialogue throughout the game mimic the poem, and the locales will be modeled 'directly from the source material'."
Except the part where Limbo contains generic baby monsters instead of the souls of dead intellectuals, I guess.
I don't worry about adaptations of books into other mediums, just as long as they are done with the aim of translating the story and the meaning behind the work. Often they are good things, as they can take a story and bring it to a wider audience. If more people get to know really great stories, then that's a good thing.
I agree that games are mainly for fun, but that's not all they have to be, and I think it's selling the gaming industry short if we assume it's all they should be. It's not so much that I'd want games to look good in the eyes of other media, but in the eyes of society as a whole. I want games to have real cultural value, not just for the immediate enjoyment that takes place right now, but for generations to come.
I think it's a shame that rather then actually have a game that explored the ideas of sin, the discovery and rejection of it, EA went for just a brawler. They could have done more, especially with such an important work of culture.
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Contest:
12:40 PM on 06.12.2009
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What do you guys think?
That said, the game looks alright.
Uzzy, do you really give fuck if gaming is taken seriously, by outside myopic muppets? While I care for the industry, I think it panders too much for acceptance, by the established media. It matters not if they understand or acknowledge what we play, because there's is a world of media molded over decades, if not longer. I've stopped that kind of thinking, and frankly, don't give a fuck about being in everyone elses cool club. Games should be judge on their merits, pros and cons and build from there, by people who take the time understand them.
I think its easy to look, from too literary a perspective on this game, like books are untouchably perfect because of age or something. For you to expect it to be exactly like the written work is unfair. Games are primarily about fun and have to appeal. How else would you have done this game then, Uzzy?
The only kind of adaptions we've had before are books to film, and not all of them have been great. Book to game is unheard of (more or less), until now. Whatever your nit picks, you should give EA some credit, since few are brave enough to try such things as Dante's Inferno.
God of War clone? Exqueeze me? Did God of War not build upon what the DMC series had done before, for 3d action games? Better yet, did God of War not bastardise established greek mythology, for the games own ends? If its okay for that game, then anyone can do it, since such works are public domain, surely.
This looks fabulously weird and original, and so long as EA continue to make games like this, they'll get my money. Love it and it looks good enough, I might buy it twice.
I hate to break it to you, but I could go on ALL day about how Dante's Inferno is almost an EXACT clone of God of War, down to the weapon Dante uses in the demonstration video (Death's Scythe) in comparison to The Blades of Chaos that Kratos wields. I had dismissed these claims until I saw it at E3 for my own eyes. I even laughed at loud when Dante did an exact move, with the exact same pause sequence from God of War (Square Square Triangle: the leap jump).
A lot of the encounters are the exact same, the "mini-boss" QTE sequences look exactly the same (wrap extended blades around): hell, even the soul wells, which Dante replenishes his life and mana look exactly the same (as does the health and mana UI)
As a huge fan of both series, I can say that God of War was considerably different than DMC, in numerous methodologies included but not limited to:
Weapon Handling/types of weapons
QTEs
Boss Encounters
Storytelling
Style
I think it looks great, but not as great as you seem to think. I do agree with you on the "to hell with literary merit" point though. EA also made it clear that they're going to have all of Virgil's dialogue throughout the game mimic the poem, and the locales will be modeled "directly from the source material".
Except the part where Limbo contains generic baby monsters instead of the souls of dead intellectuals, I guess.
I don't worry about adaptations of books into other mediums, just as long as they are done with the aim of translating the story and the meaning behind the work. Often they are good things, as they can take a story and bring it to a wider audience. If more people get to know really great stories, then that's a good thing.
I agree that games are mainly for fun, but that's not all they have to be, and I think it's selling the gaming industry short if we assume it's all they should be. It's not so much that I'd want games to look good in the eyes of other media, but in the eyes of society as a whole. I want games to have real cultural value, not just for the immediate enjoyment that takes place right now, but for generations to come.
I think it's a shame that rather then actually have a game that explored the ideas of sin, the discovery and rejection of it, EA went for just a brawler. They could have done more, especially with such an important work of culture.
My guess is you have to get into hell to see the respected source material! ;D
Now that you mentioned it, they didn't start talking about authenticity until after they passed through Hell's Gate through Limbo. Haha, wow.
to the poem other than the title of it. it kind of looks like god of war,
ninja gaiden 2, and a little prince of persia with less than 1% of the Divine
Comedy. Also, is Virgil going to be featured in this at all?