Dante's Inferno

Dante's Inferno is an action game loosely inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, in which the knight Dante journeys through the nine circles of hell to save the soul of his beloved Beatrice, abducted by Lucifer himself. The game combines fast combat with a death scythe and a holy cross with the option to either forgive enemies through absolution or brutally destroy them, letting the player gradually upgrade either a holy or a demonic branch of abilities — much like the God of War series, which the game openly and unabashedly echoes in both its combat style and camera work. Each of the aforementioned circles of hell — from lust through wrath to treachery — offers its own visual motif, puzzles, and a unique boss symbolizing that particular sin.

On PS3 the game stood out with its visually reworked, grotesque depiction of the nine circles of hell, full of monstrous bosses, deformed bodies, and dark symbolism inspired by medieval religious art and Bosch's paintings. The musical score, with its dark choirs and orchestral music, effectively underscored the grim, at times outright shocking atmosphere, while the combat system offered brisk combinations of attacks, dodges, and magic abilities unlocked as the player progressed through the game and collected the souls of the dead. Animated sequences explaining Dante's past as a crusader also appeared between chapters.

Reviewers couldn't help but notice the strong resemblance to God of War, yet they praised the game's visual boldness and atmosphere, which didn't shy away from depicting extreme violence and nudity as part of its story about sin, temptation, and redemption. Dante's Inferno didn't sell well enough commercially to receive its planned sequel despite an open ending, but it remains an interesting example of combining genre clichés with an unconventional artistic approach. Today it's valued especially by fans of dark fantasy aesthetics and the literary source material, who appreciate the bold visual treatment of its infernal scenes.

Why play it: For fans of dark fantasy aesthetics and the literary source material, Dante's Inferno offers a bold visual treatment of infernal scenes, even though its gameplay draws heavily on God of War.