Dante's Inferno

[Timstuff]

For me, one of the biggest surprises at the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards was the announcement of a video game adaptation of the epic poem "The Divine Comedy" from EA Games. The poem was written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and 1321 AD, and the game adaptation is based on the first chapter, "Dante's Inferno." In the text, Dante travels through hell, and at the time the work was released, it was so shocking that it has defined the concept of hell in western culture to this very day.

The Divine Comedy was the most important piece of literature of the 14th century, so I am quite interested in see how EA approaches adapting it as a video game. Presumably, the player will take control of Dante as he makes his journey through hell, and witnesses all of the horrors described in the poem. My biggest question though, is whether EA is planning on making a game that pushes the medium as a serious way to convey deep philosophical concepts, or if they're just going to make yet another dime-a-dozen hell themed action game? Apparently, several studios are already bidding for the movie rights to the project, so hopefully it's the former.

On a less serious note, I thought it was hilarious that the trailer was presented by Kim Kardashian, who appeared to have no idea what the game's source material was other than "it's a book." I'm sure Dante would have been proud.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Here's the trailer for it.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43684.html

EA came out of left field and gave us Dead Space this year, which was awesome. This has a chance to be good, though I don't know how accurate it will be to the source material, I don't recall a lot of action in Dante's Inferno.

 

[Timstuff]

Well obviously, they had to modify it to accommodate lots of action. But still if they can keep the dark, stirring tone and theme from the original poem in tact, that's what will really matters. 700 years ago the poem disturbed a lot of people and got them talking about a lot of deep stuff, and I'm curious to see if EA's game can capture any of that in video game form. Games have proven now more than ever that they are a very powerful medium for telling stories, so I really hope that they don't waste the opportunity that The Divine Comedy is offering them. The fact that it's from the same studio as Dead Space definitely is a good start though.

 

[Addendum]

So what would be the point of the game?

 

[Matt]

WHy are movie studios bidding on the rights to the game when they can just...adapt the actual poem?

 

[Addendum]

Matt, that requires something called a "brain"

 

[TheCorpulent1]

So what would be the point of the game?

Presumably, escaping up to Heaven through the devil's rectum, just like in the book.

 

[Addendum]

I had enough of rectums thanks to Prey

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I've never played it and now I'm glad...

 

[StrainedEyes]

Well obviously, they had to modify it to accommodate lots of action. But still if they can keep the dark, stirring tone and theme from the original poem in tact, that's what will really matters. 700 years ago the poem disturbed a lot of people and got them talking about a lot of deep stuff, and I'm curious to see if EA's game can capture any of that in video game form. Games have proven now more than ever that they are a very powerful medium for telling stories, so I really hope that they don't waste the opportunity that The Divine Comedy is offering them. The fact that it's from the same studio as Dead Space definitely is a good start though.

Is it the same studio? If so then yeah, I have no worries that this will be a solid game. Dead Space was fantastic.

 

[Addendum]

The only rectum you actually crawled through was the first door you go through in the spacecraft.

The only other door that resembles another orifice is only used by a particular enemy.

Still a fun game though

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, there's only one rectum in Dante's Inferno as well, if that's any consolation.

So, is this based on just the Inferno portion or the whole Divine Comedy?

 

[StrainedEyes]

Well, there's only one rectum in Dante's Inferno as well, if that's any consolation.

So, is this based on just the Inferno portion or the whole Divine Comedy?

Just the inferno, judging by the trailer.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I totally missed the trailer link.

I don't really know what to think after that. There were some embarrassingly cheesy parts, like that "go to hell" line and some giant dude randomly stabbing a skinny freak with a cross-dagger. I'll have to keep an eye out for further in-game footage because, right now, I don't know how they're even approaching the poem within the game or what type of game it'll end up being.

 

[Addendum]

I agree.

When I first heard "Dante's Inferno: the game" I'm thinking- Is it going to be a virtual tour of hell? Is it going back to adventure games of the 90's where you have to solve puzzles to progress further?

Then I click the link and it looks like an action game where the player character fights the denizens of hell armed with the "power of christ".

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd love it if it were an adventure game along the lines of Dreamfall. That seems like a much more suitable vehicle for The Divine Comedy than an action game. Still, that stabby bit could've just been something thrown into the trailer to generate interest. It's a concept worth keeping an eye on for now, at least.

 

[The Denialist]

As a fan of both literature and gaming, I am feeling a combination of excitement and weariness towards this game. The Divine Comedy is not exactly light reading. It's going to be a bit complicated adapting such a cerebral, multi-layered piece of work into a video game. That's not to say that video games can't be intelligent, as I know that is hardly the truth. It's just that, like Timstuff mentioned, the source material provides this game with so much to work with, it would be a disappointment if it turns out to be just another action game. Adapting "Inferno" into a straight-up action game just doesn't seem right.

 

[Addendum]

I just hope that this doesn't inspire other developers to make other games from classic literature. I really don't want to see a video game of Canterbury Tales

 

[Timstuff]

As a fan of both literature and gaming, I am feeling a combination of excitement and weariness towards this game. The Divine Comedy is not exactly light reading. It's going to be a bit complicated adapting such a cerebral, multi-layered piece of work into a video game. That's not to say that video games can't be intelligent, as I know that is hardly the truth. It's just that, like Timstuff mentioned, the source material provides this game with so much to work with, it would be a disappointment if it turns out to be just another action game. Adapting "Inferno" into a straight-up action game just doesn't seem right.

I'm hoping that this is a true-blue survival horror game-- that is, a marriage between action and adventure, all wrapped up in an unsetting atmosphere. We know that in at least one point of the game, you will stab a damned soul in the head with a crucifix. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the game will be non-stop God of War wannabe actioneering. Dead Space was not non stop action, and actually followed the survival format a lot more faithfully than genre staples like Resident Evil and Silent Hill have recently. Hopefully, that's similar to what we can expect from Dante's Inferno.

 

[Addendum]

Nothing in The Divine Comedy screams "survival horror" or "action/adventure". It's simply Virgil guiding Dante through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Dante was in no danger at all of being harmed or killed while on the tour. If anything, it's like the train ride through Black Mesa at the beginning of Half-Life

 

[Manic]

Woo! Dante's Inferno in video game form, and it's going to be action-packed! Just look at that awesome clip where he stabbed a demon in the head with a cross!

Who the hell (no pun intended) thought it'd be a good idea to make this game? How will they adapt the first circle of Hell? Will we have to fight our way through an army of mildly inconvenienced people who weren't very bad at all? Followed by a dangerous journey through a cabal of horny souls? Then we endure the vile path of immobile obese people?

Yeah, I'll pass on this one.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Nothing in The Divine Comedy screams "survival horror" or "action/adventure". It's simply Virgil guiding Dante through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Dante was in no danger at all of being harmed or killed while on the tour. If anything, it's like the train ride through Black Mesa at the beginning of Half-Life

It could be easily adapted into a survival horror game while remaining largely faithful to the concept, though. Just remove Virgil from the equation and force Dante to make his way through alone.

An action/adventure, though? Not so much.

 

[Darthphere]

Coming next from EA "Catcher in the Rye" the video game!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Holden will be the next Master Chief.

 

[Timstuff]

Nothing in The Divine Comedy screams "survival horror" or "action/adventure". It's simply Virgil guiding Dante through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Dante was in no danger at all of being harmed or killed while on the tour. If anything, it's like the train ride through Black Mesa at the beginning of Half-Life

It could be easily adapted into a survival horror game while remaining largely faithful to the concept, though. Just remove Virgil from the equation and force Dante to make his way through alone.

An action/adventure, though? Not so much.

Or, they could take Addendum's "Black Mesa" analogy a bit more literally... Half-Life started out on a train, but what happened when something went wrong? Total chaos! Perhaps the game will start out similarly to the poem, with Dante being on a guided tour of sorts with Virgil, but then something goes arwy, and Dante suddenly finds himself on his own. It'd be a pretty effective way to put an action twist on the original story.