Impressions: Dante’s Inferno Demo

Every now and again, a game comes along that really piques my attention.  Usually, it’s a game that isn’t a AAA title, but for whatever reason, I really look forward to it and have high expectations for it.  As of late, that title is Dante’s Inferno.  I’ve always loved Dante’s Divine Comedy, and the idea of a “God of War-esque” game based on the epic poem really excited me.  With that being said, the demo was released to the Xbox Live Marketplace last week, and I finally got to play it after the holiday madness died down.

The demo opens with a cut scene of Dante “lost in a dark wood” (which just happens to be the first line from the poem).  Dante is a Crusader in the Third Crusade, which is a far cry from the meek and timid Pilgrim that he is in the poem, but I suppose a video game about someone that doesn’t really interact with demons wouldn’t make for a very exciting time.  The cut scenes skip back and forth between realistic-looking and evil cartoons; they both look really cool, though.  This segues seamlessly into the first fight.

As soon as I gained control of Dante, the first thing I noticed was how fluid everything felt.  EA and Visceral had been touting that the game was running at 60 frames per second, and the result feels amazing.  The game controls incredibly well and feels very natural.  Also, it quickly became apparent that they want you to have ridiculous combos; in the first battle alone, I had a 100+ hit combo.

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After the first fight, you get to take on Death, himself.  Now, stop me if I’m wrong, but I’m under the impression that a game that lets you fight Death in the first five minutes is going to have some insanely epic boss battles.  After you conquer Death, you take his giant scythe, which serves as your primary weapon.

From here on out, the rest of the demo is much of they same.  There are a bunch of cut scenes that aren’t family-friendly to say the least, you obtain a cross for long range attacks, and you keep fighting off wave after wave of minions.  Dante also meets Virgil, a poet who will guide you on your journey to the center of Hell.  Ultimately, the demo ends as you enter Hell on the shoulders of a giant beast.

Overall, the demo has a lot to offer.  If you haven’t played it yet, do yourself a favor and give it a shot.  Judging by the demo, Dante’s Inferno will exceed my expectations, which were relatively high to begin with.  The bottom line is that it’s a blast and entertained me through-and-through.  The demo has cemented Dante’s Inferno as my most anticipated game of 2010.