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[Sipowicz]

The comparisons to Darksiders are pretty apt, in that they're both pretty much direct rip offs of superior games.

Darksiders is an "extreme" copy of Zelda that was designed to appeal to 12 year old boys. Complete with a character that looks like rob liefeld or todd mcfarlane drew him and a post apocalyptic setting.

Dantes Inferno again is pretty much an exact copy of GOW, but this time it looks as if they've pussified it and tried to shoehorn in a bastardised version of a literary classic.

both are creatively bankrupt, both are butchering something cool to make it appeal to little boys

 

[adamsapple]

Oh god the giant talking boat head :lol

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Yeah, it looks really creative.

WTF

 

[Haunted]

Yeah, it looks really creative.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Man, this thread just got a whole lot more fun.

 

[MyEpitomeCliché]

I find it amusing that not much of a fuss was made over God of War bastardizing Greek mythology, but people won't shut up about Dante's Inferno doing the same thing to its respective source literature. Personally, I couldn't care less either way. God of War is fun and judging by the Quick Look, this looks equally fun.

 

[Loxley]

both are creatively bankrupt, both are butchering something cool to make it appeal to little boys

You're acting as though Darksiders being a grittier Zelda is a bad thing, name the last "Zelda-clone" we ever got? Vigil set out to make the dark Zelda game they know Nintendo will never make, and they did with a surprising amount of success. From a mechanics standpoint, it's very similar to Zelda, but that's essentially where the comparison end. Aesthetically and tone-wise it's got it's own thing going on. Whereas Dante's Inferno isn't even pretending to be aesthetically or tonally different from God of War, and could be mistaken for some sort of GoW texture pack.

I understand people knocking Dante's Inferno because it's a God of War clone, but I don't understand people knocking Darksiders because it's a Zelda clone, because as I (and many others) have said, considering how few actual Zelda games we get much less clones, Darksiders is actually refreshing compared to the God of War formula.

 

[Massa]

I find it amusing that not much of a fuss was made over God of War bastardizing Greek mythology, but people won't shut up about Dante's Inferno doing the same thing to its respective source literature. Personally, I couldn't care less either way. God of War is fun and judging by the Quick Look, this looks equally fun.

God of War doesn't ship with a digital copy of a Greek mythology book or anything like that. Unlike the marketing people behind Dante's Inferno Sony understands what God of War is.

If you're full screen, bring your mouse icon to the very edge of the screen.

Thanks, indeed that works for full screen.

 

[Ceebs]

I think if they had just called the game something else Dante's Inferno would be getting way less blind hate. It looks like a very competent GOW clone to me, and is that really such a bad thing? Preferable to another military FPS or a generic 3rd person shooter IMO.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

You're acting as though Darksiders being a grittier Zelda is a bad thing, name the last "Zelda-clone" we ever got? Vigil set out to make the dark Zelda game they know Nintendo will never make, and they did with a surprising amount of success. From a mechanics standpoint, it's very similar to Zelda, but that's essentially where the comparison end. Aesthetically and tone-wise it's got it's own thing going on. Whereas Dante's Inferno isn't even pretending to be aesthetically or tonally different from God of War, and could be mistaken for some sort of GoW texture pack.

I understand people knocking Dante's Inferno because it's a God of War clone, but I don't understand people knocking Darksiders because it's a Zelda clone, because as I (and many others) have said, considering how few actual Zelda games we get much less clones, Darksiders is actually refreshing compared to the God of War formula.

I wouldn't knock Darksiders for going after Zelda, that's fine. I would knock it for being merely functional blaha. Which could be forgiven if there was an original hook or had spectacular presentation, but in the time I played, all I found was a lukewarm, castrated amalgam of God of War and Zelda, with a bit of [insert some other game] here and there, and topped off with mediocre presentation.

But you're right, it's not a trace and recolor, like DI seems to be to God of War 1.

 

[wolfmat]

I find it amusing that not much of a fuss was made over God of War bastardizing Greek mythology, but people won't shut up about Dante's Inferno doing the same thing to its respective source literature. Personally, I couldn't care less either way. God of War is fun and judging by the Quick Look, this looks equally fun.

Greek mythology is a whole topic that includes hundreds, if not thousands of works of literature, tales and so forth. They vary from ridiculous to inspiring. You can't really shit on Greek mythology as a whole with an interpretation of it. You can just, you know, do something with it. Greek mythology isn't high art or something, and it was never regarded as such by itself.

The Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of literature, coming from one man. He defined an era of literature. It's one of the most important pieces of art ever made.

Of course, that doesn't really have a big impact on you directly because you live in the days of porn and Schwarzenegger.

But you should at least understand the difference.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

I think if they had just called the game something else Dante's Inferno would be getting way less blind hate. It looks like a very competent GOW clone to me, and is that really such a bad thing? Preferable to another military FPS or a generic 3rd person shooter IMO.

I agree. If they hadn't called the main character Dante and just said the game was inspired by Dante's circles of hell instead of actually based on the Divine Comedy, I would be happier. Not a fan of religious imagery used without any sensitivity to its original context, but that's happened far too many times for me to be overly concerned with it here. Butchering one of the greatest literary masterpieces ever is something to be concerned about.

 

[Denzar]

WTF

Oh god, bunch of elitists.

It's creative in it's visual design. Charon is the fucking boat, not the man on the boat. Walls you climb on are made of people, squirming, etc....

It's very crass indeed, but to me that has it's own charm.

It's completely ludicrous.

 

[wolfmat]

Oh god, bunch of elitists.

It's creative in it's visual design. Charon is the fucking boat, not the man on the boat. Walls you climb on are made of people, squirming, etc....

It's very crass indeed, but to me that has it's own charm.

Who's disputing that it's got crass imagery and goes out of its way to deliver a puzzling experience?

That doesn't make it a good referential work though.

What's elitist about criticising a lack of respect towards your reference? It's common sense in my book.

If I interpreted 1984 as a porn flick and made it a mass rape orgy, wouldn't you just shake your head, even while sporting a raging boner in your pants?

How is there even a discussion about this?

 

[Denzar]

I'm not talking about the source material, 'cause we all know (and knew all along) the game would shit al over the divine comedy.

Defending the source material is fine and all, an I did not mean to use the word "elitist" for people that try to defend it from that regard.

I got a comment on the fact that I call the game creative, and I wasn't talking about the gameplay (obviously) but about the visual design. It's a video game. I enjoy the fact that the game is taking this direction, even though it is probably not Viscerals intention. EDIT: If you got a problem with that, I can understand 'cause indeed it's treating the source material with little respect.

It's just plain wrong, and ludicrous and I get my enjoyment out of that. Like watching a really bad movie but still enjoying it, just because it's so bad.

 

[-tetsuo-]

People have to latch on to something to hate about Dante's Inferno now that it looks to be good.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

I think if they had just called the game something else Dante's Inferno would be getting way less blind hate. It looks like a very competent GOW clone to me, and is that really such a bad thing? Preferable to another military FPS or a generic 3rd person shooter IMO.

For the consumer? Perhaps not, it's not a bad format to ape, and for someone without a PS2 it should make for a decent hint at what went on elsewhere some years ago. Generally speaking though, and I know the word "homage" is the popular one, what they just showed did feel like borderline plagiarism. Not "inspired by" or "homage to," it looks like a straight up, slightly remodeled trace.

It's not really my place to give a shit about that, but then that's the lifeblood of this forum so I'm going with the flow. I have never seen anything like this, not even in FPS-ville.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

People have to latch on to something to hate about Dante's Inferno now that it looks to be good.

I'd hardly call "continuing to hate on it for being the crass, stupid calculated-extreme interpretation we've known it was going to be and should be ashamed of" latching onto something.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

People have to latch on to something to hate about Dante's Inferno now that it looks to be good.

Yeah, it's looking sweet.

Keep troth.

 

[MyEpitomeCliché]

Greek mythology is a whole topic that includes hundreds, if not thousands of works of literature, tales and so forth. They vary from ridiculous to inspiring. You can't really shit on Greek mythology as a whole with an interpretation of it. You can just, you know, do something with it. Greek mythology isn't high art or something, and it was never regarded as such by itself.

The Divine Comedy is a masterpiece of literature, coming from one man. He defined an era of literature. It's one of the most important pieces of art ever made.

Of course, that doesn't really have a big impact on you directly because you live in the days of porn and Schwarzenegger.

But you should at least understand the difference.

I sincerely beg to differ, as would anyone who understands its historical relevance. Regardless of the amount of stories or interpretations, there's still a base for serious evaluation and study on the whole just as there is with any single important piece of classic literature.

You make it seem as if Greek mythology was a fart in the wind of literary history, and yet there are several Greek cultural references and influences in The Divine Comedy itself. There's not much difference as you might think.

Don't be pretentious and condescending, you live in the same era of pop-trash as we all do, just because you choose to believe that you aren't a part of it doesn't mean you're a supreme cultural braggart.

 

[Aaron]

Oh god, bunch of elitists.

It's creative in it's visual design. Charon is the fucking boat, not the man on the boat. Walls you climb on are made of people, squirming, etc....

It's very crass indeed, but to me that has it's own charm.

It's completely ludicrous.

I actually like Charon as the boat a lot. If his head didn't get torn off, I wouldn't have a problem with it. The problem with going to extremes is nothing is shocking, and nothing has the potential to really stir the player. I felt that way with FEAR 2. None of the shocks in that game startled me for a second because it kept packing them on. It didn't know when or how to make use of mood.

 

[-tetsuo-]

I'd hardly call "continuing to hate on it for being the crass, stupid calculated-extreme interpretation we've known it was going to be and should be ashamed of" latching onto something.

I'm not really following the "Hell is bad" thing. It's kinda like... ummm duh. It's about as extreme and loyal to the source material as God of War.

 

[wolfmat]

I sincerely beg to differ, as would anyone who understands its historical relevance. Regardless of the amount of stories or interpretations, there's still a base for serious evaluation and study on the whole just as there is with any single important piece of classic literature.

Greek mythology is a collection. It's not a monolithical work of art. It grew over hundreds of years, thousands of people were involved.
There are pieces that belong to Greek mythology that are high art, but the whole complex as an abstract is not high art.

You make it seem as if Greek mythology was a fart in the wind of literary history, and yet there are several Greek cultural references and influences in The Divine Comedy itself. There's not much difference as you might think.

I make nothing seem as anything. I know there's a relation between the two. I don't know where you got the idea that I'm the Greek mythology hater.

I was just talking about what you're working with if you reference Greek mythology (a collection of stuff) versus the DC (a book by a dude).

Don't be pretentious and condescending, you live in the same era of pop-trash as we all do, just because you choose to believe that you aren't a part of it doesn't mean you're a supreme cultural braggart.

I am neither pretentious nor condescending. I know who I am. I enjoy Death Metal and splatter movies from the 80s. I sometimes listen to bubblegum pop. I don't give a fuck about culture at all myself.

I'm not even into classical literature before 1700. It bores me to death. It's not my thing.

I can still express why respect for such a piece is expected. Because it's obvious.

 

[elrechazado]

What's hilarious is all of this faux outrage from literary wonks is really just a cover for "it's not god of war and I love sony" rage.
:lol

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

I'm not really following the "Hell is bad" thing. It's kinda like... ummm duh. It's about as extreme and loyal to the source material as God of War.

For one, God of War doesn't have "source material" in the same way that DI is directly attached to a very specific source material. But ignoring that, because I don't give a shit, God of War succeeds in balancing the ghastly and the beautiful, or magnificent. Hell, this hell, is just wholly unappealing. As it probably should be, but that doesn't make it any less of a negative for me. The core game apparently being an uninspired rip doesn't help.

What's hilarious is all of this faux outrage from literary wonks is really just a cover for "it's not god of war and I love sony" rage.
:lol

Good grief dude, is this board drama shit your whole act? Talk about the games or bug off.

 

[kafka rock opera]

What's hilarious is all of this faux outrage from literary wonks is really just a cover for "it's not god of war and I love sony" rage.
:lol

God damn you hit the nail on the head. And let me say that if this game even gets 1 kid to go out and buy dantes inferno proper (IE the epic poem) then it has my GOLD FUCKING STAR of approval. Also hell babies.

 

[elrechazado]

Good grief dude, is this board drama shit your whole act? Talk about the games or bug off.

Wait...altogetherandrews actually just typed that?

classic

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Wait...altogetherandrews actually just typed that?

classic

Oh look, more board drama! What a great shtick! Talk about the game, that's what everyone else is doing.

 

[dollartaco]

Wait...altogetherandrews actually just typed that?

classic

yop

 

[elrechazado]

Oh look, more board drama! What a great shtick! Talk about the game, that's what everyone else is doing.

You talking about people's schtick and not talking about the game continues to be funny, friend. Pots and kettles and so forth. I thought we were talking about literature and its role in this game, or haven't you read the last few pages?

 

[Servbot #42]

Let's steer this thread into the right direction with the new Glory of Heracles quick look.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

You talking about people's schtick and not talking about the game continues to be funny, friend. Pots and kettles and so forth.

Blah blah blah board drama blah blah. Evolve, ape.

 

[elrechazado]

Blah blah blah board drama blah blah. Evolve, ape.

Mirror, hold it up. Or go to a few official threads to do your "this game sucks" routine, nobody's tired of how hilarious it is!

 

[kafka rock opera]

Blah blah blah board drama blah blah. Evolve, ape.

Haha you mad dude?

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Mirror, hold it up. Or go to a few official threads to do your "this game sucks" routine, nobody's tired of how hilarious it is!

So you're saying that I usually talk about games? I absolutely agree, not sure how that mirrors the board soap/fanboy drama shit that you're so narrowly attached to, but hey.

Let's steer this thread into the right direction with the new Glory of Heracles quick look.

And hey, we can continue the discussion on Greek myth in games. Best segue of the year.

 

[stupei]

I think if they had just called the game something else Dante's Inferno would be getting way less blind hate. It looks like a very competent GOW clone to me, and is that really such a bad thing? Preferable to another military FPS or a generic 3rd person shooter IMO.

God of War itself barely innovates so a 100% by the numbers clone doesn't exactly seem necessary in a year packed with legitimately interesting releases.

What's hilarious is all of this faux outrage from literary wonks is really just a cover for "it's not god of war and I love sony" rage.
:lol

Your point is well made and very original!

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

God of War itself barely innovates so a 100% by the numbers clone doesn't exactly seem necessary in a year packed with legitimately interesting releases.

Yeah, but not everyone has access to the game that, uh, inspired it. If it is well designed and functional, which it seems to be, then there is its raison d'être.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

I'm not really following the "Hell is bad" thing. It's kinda like... ummm duh. It's about as extreme and loyal to the source material as God of War.

I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about with the "Hell is bad" thing. But while God of War might not be "letter of the law" perfect, it at least captures the tone and feel of Greek mythology far better than Dante. No, Cronous may not be wandering around a desert with a castle housing Pandora's Box on his back, and there may not actually be a way to kill a god, but it gets tone and feel of these myths right enough that it doesn't matter; as a total Greek mythology nerd, I'm able to suspend my disbelief and the only parts that really bothered me were tiny factual errors that had little-to-no effect on the liberties they were taking.

Dante's Inferno, however, takes a poem that was basically intended as political and social satire and turns it into "MURDER DEATH KILL XXXTREME" to the point where calling it "Dante's Inferno" is fucking offensive to people who actually know what Dante's Inferno is. It's another classic example of someone taking the easy way out and adapting something for the lowest common denominator to sell on name recognition and extremity, and another reason why games aren't taken seriously as mechanisms for storytelling... and rightfully so, if this is as good as we're going to get of an adaptation of Dante's Inferno.

All this is making me wish The Lost never got cancelled.

 

[TheLegendary]

Edit: Not spreading it!

 

[legbone]

P.B. Winterbottom's art style is great. I'm concerned the game may become overly complicated in the later stages when you can have large numbers of clones. But I guess it is a puzzle game and that is sort of the point. I just hope my feeble mind can keep up with all of them.

As for Dante's Inferno, I think it looks good. God of War clone set in Hell. I'll take it. I am concerned the punishments and absolutions may get repetitive. I hope there are more variations on them as you progress. It was promising that there were at least two different punishments shown during such a short segment of the game.

 

[megalowho]

Speaking of which, Jeff paid the $240 lifetime fee for STO.
Ouch.

Ouch indeed. He could have purchased much more useful things with his $240. Like pudding.

 

[-tetsuo-]

I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about with the "Hell is bad" thing. But while God of War might not be "letter of the law" perfect, it at least captures the tone and feel of Greek mythology far better than Dante. No, Cronous may not be wandering around a desert with a castle housing Pandora's Box on his back, and there may not actually be a way to kill a god, but it gets tone and feel of these myths right enough that it doesn't matter; as a total Greek mythology nerd, I'm able to suspend my disbelief and the only parts that really bothered me were tiny factual errors that had little-to-no effect on the liberties they were taking.

Dante's Inferno, however, takes a poem that was basically intended as political and social satire and turns it into "MURDER DEATH KILL XXXTREME" to the point where calling it "Dante's Inferno" is fucking offensive to people who actually know what Dante's Inferno is. It's another classic example of someone taking the easy way out and adapting something for the lowest common denominator to sell on name recognition and extremity, and another reason why games aren't taken seriously as mechanisms for storytelling... and rightfully so, if this is as good as we're going to get of an adaptation of Dante's Inferno.

All this is making me wish The Lost never got cancelled.

God of War does just the same with Greek Mythology. Greek mythology has many tones because there is so much of it but Santa Monica still did whatever the hell they wanted with it. Ripping the wings off of Icarus and ripping off Acheron's head is about the same on the ridiculous scale. Kratos walking around killing gods and Greek heroes works because they wanted to make an epic action game even if they threw the actual stories into the wind. Yet, now that Visceral is doing it they deserve to get all the criticism? Talk about a double standard.

 

[stupei]

God of War does just the same with Greek Mythology. Greek mythology has many tones because there is so much of it but Santa Monica still did whatever the hell they wanted with it. Ripping the wings off of Icarus and ripping off Acheron's head is about the same on the ridiculous scale. Kratos walking around killing gods and Greek heroes works because they wanted to make an epic action game even if they threw the actual stories into the wind. Yet, now that Visceral is doing it they deserve to get all the criticism? Talk about a double standard.

The best thing about Dead Space was its tone and atmosphere. Visceral's newest game is pretty much tone deaf. What exactly is unfair about holding a developer up to their own standards?

 

[Darklord]

I'm not sure I get your point. You really think the girls in the game are constantly topless for any reason other than for 13 year olds to go, "Dude, that's so awesome"? Like, what, for the artistic merit? I'm not saying I'm shocked and offended, I just think it's a really lame attempt at pandering.

If the game was made for 13 year old's they'd have toned it down a lot more. I didn't see any tits that I thought could be hot. Oh yeah a dead body that's hot, a rotting corpse, a corporeal ghost. Yeah, not really the things I look for in a women. I just think it's silly if there are tits on a tv show, music video or movie that's fine but in a game? Must be for 13 year olds. There can be nudity without the "lolz omg bewbs" bit attached to it.

There will probably be a lot of nudity in the Lust level but that is the whole theme of the level.

I just completely disagree with this. It doesn't add any depth or come across as legitimately hellish or messed up. It just seems like a very juvenile interpretation of what Hell is. It's Like Brutal Legend except instead of being self-aware and tongue in cheek, it's completely earnest. Honestly, it's funny that you bring up Gears of War, because they both feature muscular archetypes with zero depth in search of their wives. The difference being that Dante's Inferno tries to pull off Biblical and literary references in the same breath as minotaur decapitation and cut scenes played out over silk sewn into his bellybutton.

Someone else already said why he sows the cross on. And the interpretation of Hell isn't juvenile at all. It's how Christians saw it for a long time...it's how some see it today. It's shown like that in drawings and old descriptions and seeing as the poem was written about 700 years ago they went with that. Yeah ok there's a big boat head or some huge beast you can ride, it's a game shit like that goes in a game. It's an action game at its core no matter what it's based off or how you think they should have done it.

 

[Jocchan]

The best part in the Quick Look was Charon's head speaking lines that in the Comedy were actually engraven on the Hell's gate and thus completely unrelated to him, showing that Visceral Games never saw the poem once and presumably only hit wikiquote or something to take random lines here and there (see the random quotes that show up when you die) :/

Dante's Inferno, however, takes a poem that was basically intended as political and social satire and turns it into "MURDER DEATH KILL XXXTREME" to the point where calling it "Dante's Inferno" is fucking offensive to people who actually know what Dante's Inferno is. It's another classic example of someone taking the easy way out and adapting something for the lowest common denominator to sell on name recognition and extremity, and another reason why games aren't taken seriously as mechanisms for storytelling... and rightfully so, if this is as good as we're going to get of an adaptation of Dante's Inferno.

What really irks me is what they did to Dante (a self-flagellating crusader that murders brutally everything on his sight but can somehow absolve the damned from their sins? what?) and especially Beatrice (a symbol of purity, love and reason flashing her tits in every single scene and eventually getting raped by horny demons? what's next, the Virgin Mary in a porn? not that far-fetched considering what Beatrice symbolizes in the Comedy - the Divine itself - actually).
If they just said they used Dante's nine circles of Hell as the setting for the story of their badass crusader trying to save his fiancee while slaying demons GoW-style I wouldn't have had any problem, but we all know why they did what they did.

 

[Railer]

Glory of Heracles QL

 

[Hot Coldman]

Glory of Heracles QL

Something bizarrely charming about this. Don't think I'll pick it up, but I think I wouldn't be disappointed if I did.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Dantes Inferno definitely looks great. They are using the environment to great effect. Ill be picking it up, as long as it has a decent length.

 

[Kazuma Kiryu]

What's hilarious is all of this faux outrage from literary wonks is really just a cover for "it's not god of war and I love sony" rage.
:lol

you sure nailed it.
god them sony fans, who gives them the right to not like visceral's literary interpretation of dante's inferno and the liberties they took with it? no one! you people make me sick.

 

[panda21]

this is stupid :lol

its set in hell, its a videogame, what were you expecting? its not like god of war is high brow entertainment. or any similar videogame for that matter. who cares that its named after some stupid book of a film about volcanos or something, the film wasn't that great either.