Launched only a few weeks ago, the Dante’s Inferno videogame has prompted a bit of a stir in the gaming community. The subject material, which is vaguely inspired by the titular poem, has been met with contempt by some and various countries even declined to advertise it. However, this sort of notoriety is usually a good factor, as it gets audiences thinking about what could be inciting such an outcry.

The Dante’s Inferno videogame storyline follows Dante as he makes his way through the varied circles of hell on a quest to reclaim his darling Beatrice. However, as he ventures deeper into the pit, darker secrets are exposed and the reality about his journey comes to light. Dante must combat his way through using Death’s scythe, which he claimed from the spectre having defeated him in single combat!

Right, I’ll get this out of the way here- the Dante’s Inferno videogame has been blamed of being a copy of the God of War series, to the point at which the combat system is supposedly virtually identical. Well, this is really dependant on your point of view. God of War definitely did not start the hack and slash style, it simply does it best, and as a result all subsequent titles will be measured against it. If a game can come near emulating God of War surely that is a very good claim?

And the Dante’s Inferno videogame is doubtless its own master. The combat system is actually an intricately fashioned tree of prospects as you employ Dante’s two methods of attack; his scythe and holy cross. These weapons can each be levelled up as you move forward through hell. Throughout the Dante’s Inferno videogame, Dante will discover lost souls in both combat and non-combat situations, and the user can choose to either punish or absolve them. This can level up either weapons correspondingly.

Hell itself has been nicely realised with the Dante’s Inferno videogame, and there are unquestionably echoes of EA’s previous horror title- Dead Space. The landscape is crowded with writhing damned, impaled prisoners and seas of blood, whilst the various circles will offer their own take on things. Journeying through Lust will reveal mutated phallic symbols and darkly sexual enemies, whilst Greed will display unfortunates sheathed in precious metals.

The Dante’s Inferno Videogame has had a tough ride at the hands of all the God of War fanboys, but is unquestionably a great game in its own right. Of course, there are a couple of drawbacks- the game is a little bit too brief and some of the environments start to look over familiar, but these complaints are cancelled out by an empowering combat system and excellent boss battles and imagery. The Dante’s Inferno Videogame needs to be recognised as a great effort from EA, and I urge you to check it out.