It’s difficult to take Dante’s Inferno seriously. Whether it’s the faked religious protests at E3 or appearances in Playboy, a series of lame marketing missteps have ensured the actual game will be viewed through a lens of cynicism.
Of course, that cynicism is derived from more than just faintly ludicrous book tie-ins, delivering a box full of cheeseburgers to my office and backfiring promotional stunts which deliver hilarious results.
It’s also a lot to do with just how flagrant Dante’s Inferno is in both its wholesale cribbing from God Of War and its distortion of its literary inspiration, The Divine Comedy. The Hell described in Alighieri’s tale is ripe for videogaming adaptation, but Dante himself was no action hero. But in a crass admission that videogames can only do action heroes, here we find Dante transformed into Kratos.
Also, purple peaks.
How’s your cynicism level when it comes to Dante’s Inferno?
New releases for the w/c February 1:
Dante’s Inferno (360, PS3)
What Is It? Blatant God Of War clone from the team behind Dead Space and the marketing department responsible the abovementioned disasters.
Should You Care? It’ll give you a quick GOW fix before the real thing hits next month.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)
What Is It? Single-player action adventure that hurls platforming, mini-games and lots of combat on top of a typical Square story.
Should You Care? Don’t go in expecting an RPG and you’ll be OK.
The Sims 3: Create A Sim (PC)
What Is It? Expansion pack that lets you customise Sims in painstaking detail and upload to share with the community.
Should You Care? For the givers amongst us, not the takers.
The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff (PC)
What Is It? Expansion pack for the gadget-loving hipster Sim.
Should You Care? Does your Sim need another flat-panel TV?
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