Dante's Inferno Q&A: Deep in Hell Preview - PAGE 1

A chat with a couple of the designers behind Visceral Games' (Dead Space) upcoming literature adaptation Dante's Inferno revealed much about the game. Tthe decisions behind it, difficulties in making it, and the naysayers slamming the commercialization of such a precious work -- it's all here. Lead level designer Mike Cheng and lead combat designer Vincent Napoli were the folks on board for the Q&A session. Interestingly, Napoli spoke very little, quite possibly a testament to the game's focus on environment and atmosphere as opposed to combat, which may come as a surprise, at least to those who haven't played the demo.

First off, we went over the source material. Fans of the original work (Divine Comedy) know its journey as a trinity: "protagonist" Dante travels through Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise, but the video game focuses only on the first. Players won't feel skimped, though -- Hell is terribly epic, so much they had trouble fitting in what they could of writer Dante Aligheri's imagination.

At the moment, no plans have been made for a sequel (the team noted they "feel like they'll need to earn the right to make a sequel first"), however DLC is in the works, and EA plans to blow the game wide open post-launch. Purgatory and Paradise would certainly be tough to adapt given the traditional action approach of Inferno, but it's interesting to see they've not ruled it out.

The approach was taken because engaging the denizens of Hell, being in contact with them they feel makes for a more fun and visceral experience, so melee combat it was. Another motivation was to have a "counterpoint" to Dead Space -- images of Dante traversing Hell, reloading shotguns don't sit nicely...

Comparisons to God of War are warranted because as some know, Cheng worked on that series before departing once the second installment hit. The team isn't afraid to admit Devil May Cry and Bayonetta are influences as well, though they assure tastes are quite varied, and it all seeps into the game somehow. Non-video game influences include the paintings of Dante, one by Salvidor Dali, and many by famed artist Gustave Doré, too, we presume. 

While the game bears likeness to other action titles, there are some interesting mechanics at work. For one, you can take two routes: Holy or Evil. The former will give you certain skills which provide advantages against bosses. Taking a cue from Castlevania and its RPG elements these last number of years, Dante can acquire up to four magic abilities (Holy or Evil), which you can mix and match as you please. And you'll be able to perform up to three magic attacks at once, so for example, Dante could paralyze an enemy while another magic attack is wailing away on them. Additionally, weapons have their own leveling system. All combined, could be mountains of fun.