Dante’s Inferno: EA Developing Game Based On Dante’s Inferno.

I fully expected a movie of Dante’s Inferno to come out and then, possibly, there would be a video game based on it. But like the essence of hell itself, everything is backwards; a video game is being made first, then a movie based on it.

This has the potential to be great, except for the fact that most all video-game-to-movie adaptations completely suck. See the Nostalgia Critic for proof. What it takes to be great is dependent on the skilled hands of a good director (for the movie … and a great director/developer for the game).

A movie based solely on the poem could be quite good and interpret Dante’s vision for the modern day and could even transcend its own art. The game will only be concerned with action and fighting your way through the levels of hell. What the game will miss is the inherent love story that provides the motivation for Dante the character (and the author). I always envisioned a story that goes something like this: Dante loves Beatrice. Beatrice dies. Dante falls into despair, letting go of his faith. Beatrice, moved by his love and concerned for him and his soul asks God to help him. God puts Dante through hell (literally) so that Dante can recognize what his own life, his very self, could become if he doesn’t change. Good setup for a movie, not so great for a game.

The game’s story probably won’t go that deeply. Its premise need nothing more than: “You’re in hell, fight your way out from beginning to end.” The movie, would need a little bit of that, too, actually. There would need to be some supernatural action (add that to the deep story and great characters, you got a great movie). But if that’s the premise of the game, and the movie will be based on the game, then I think we’re going to miss a great opportunity here.

All I need to do is write that movie script of Dante’s Inferno that has always lived in the back of my mind. Where the hell will I get time for that? And if this game/movie idea is already in motion, my time is pretty much up. I can relish all I want in the potential of this project, but it will not/could not live up to my expectations. So, I just gotta go into this with the right frame of mind: this is gonna blow!

P.S. And in case you missed this news, Heaven, the Game, is coming out, too. … OMG …

Tagged with Dante, hell, inferno, poem, Video Games | Posted in Dante