In 2005, Sony’s smash-hit God of War kickstarted an obsession with mythology, both for players and developers. Dozens of games have followed in the footsteps of God of War, but none quite as closely as a little game called Dante’s Inferno, an adaptation of the classic epic poem written by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century. It’s an utterly bizarre idea that’s a pretty shameless ripoff of God of War’s formula, but somehow, in spite of all that it manages to be compelling. Dante’s Inferno is sort of the fusion of the worst and best elements of video games, and it’s a fascinating encapsulation of where gaming was at in the era.
Adapting Dante’s Inferno into an action game sounds ludicrous on paper, and as it turns out it’s just as ridiculous in practice. This is a game that feels like a real victim of the grungy “edge-lord” style games were obsessed with at the time — everything has to be as grim and violent as possible. Developed by Visceral Games, the studio behind Dead Space, Dante’s Inferno is a brutal, sometimes disgusting, romp through some of the most off-putting environments you’ve ever seen in a video game. But it’s an effective representation of the idea of the underworld, especially as things are tweaked and tailored to suit the personal trauma and damaged psyche of Dante.
