Kotaku – Dante’s Inferno Preview: Looks Like Hell – Dante’s Inferno

Go to the article linked above to read first impressions on EA’s game.

The author points out several ways that the game could be more true to the original poem–even stating that Limbo in the game does not . . . → Read More: Kotaku – Dante’s Inferno Preview]]>

Inferno Diagram

Kotaku – Dante’s Inferno Preview: Looks Like Hell – Dante’s Inferno

Go to the article linked above to read first impressions on EA’s game.

The author points out several ways that the game could be more true to the original poem–even stating that Limbo in the game does not quite match up with Limbo in the poem. See? I am not the only one who thinks about this stuff.

Apparently the game is going to be very much like another EA game, God of War, a game that is highly praised. So, for me, having not played God of War (give me a break, I only have one console, and if I only have one console, it will be a Nintendo console), this will be a new experience for me. For more seasoned players, the similarities to God of War may make the Inferno redundant.

Not much more to say about the game at this point … still no release date as far as I can see.

Since I do not own a PS3 or a 360, I will have to rent this game when it comes out and play it at my cousin’s house. Have hell, will travel …

Now we get some (what I presume to be) gameplay footage of Dante’s Inferno the video game from EA. A bit of plot seems revealed as Dante (your character) is lots in the woods (i.e. The Dark Wood of Error) and sees who I believe must be Beatrice. I thought then that . . . → Read More: Dante’s Inferno – New Trailer]]>

Now we get some (what I presume to be) gameplay footage of Dante’s Inferno the video game from EA. A bit of plot seems revealed as Dante (your character) is lots in the woods (i.e. The Dark Wood of Error) and sees who I believe must be Beatrice. I thought then that she would be replacing the role of Virgil and show Dante the way in and the way through Hell. But instead she gets captured.

Captured? How? Some demon rises up, just grabs her, and pulls her down to the abyss. Dante tried to stop the demon by throwing some weapon at it which did about as much good as you would think a dagger would do against a creature from the underworld. Zero.

So … that is the story, eh? The tried-and-true-and-so-cliché “damsel in distress” that has been used in video games for the last 25 years? The original text has Dante rescuing his own soul through this journey while Beatrice is safe and sound in Paradise. Demons have as much ability to do that as I do flying to the moon by jumping really high.

But, that’s the book. This is a video game. And when you make a video game you follow certain patterns and that often involves obtaining or saving something physical. So if Mario and Link are out to rescue their respective princesses, why not Dante, too? The difference now is that the setting is not the Mushroom Kingdom nor Hyrule, it is Hell.

In the end we get a video game, with a video game plot, and video game mechanics. Good. This time, however, it will have thrilling new backdrops and perspectives. From text to game the story may be changed, but just as important is the vision, Dante’s vision, remains. And that is what has me interested, the visuals. Dante describes what Hell looks like. Let us see how EA models it in interactive 3D graphics. Judging from the trailer, it looks as frightening and disgusting as it should be.

The entire Haunted Mansion ride from Disney World has been recreated here. It even includes the outside grounds, the . . . → Read More: Haunted Mansion Recreated in Counter Strike]]> User-created maps for FPS games are often awesome and I remember being wowed by them so far back as the Unreal Tournament days. This new map for Counter Strike, however, truly takes the cake. Observe:

The entire Haunted Mansion ride from Disney World has been recreated here. It even includes the outside grounds, the line/queue, a moving “doombuggy”, authentic music and narration, and the stretch room effect. This was a labor of love by “nipper”, who programmed it. In my book, you can’t get much cooler than this–a Haunted Mansion you can actually walk through!

For owners of Counter Strike: get this and other “haunted” maps here.