15 Years Ago, Dante's Inferno Became The Most Edgelord Action Video Game Ever
A truly bizarre game.
In 2005, Sony’s smash-hit God of War kickstarted an obsession with mythology, both for players and developers. Dozens of games have followed in the footsteps of God of War, but none quite as closely as a little game called Dante’s Inferno, an adaptation of the classic epic poem written by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century. It’s an utterly bizarre idea that’s a pretty shameless ripoff of God of War’s formula, but somehow, in spite of all that it manages to be compelling. Dante’s Inferno is sort of the fusion of the worst and best elements of video games, and it’s a fascinating encapsulation of where gaming was at in the era.
Adapting Dante’s Inferno into an action game sounds ludicrous on paper, and as it turns out it’s just as ridiculous in practice. This is a game that feels like a real victim of the grungy “edge-lord” style games were obsessed with at the time — everything has to be as grim and violent as possible. Developed by Visceral Games, the studio behind Dead Space, Dante’s Inferno is a brutal, sometimes disgusting, romp through some of the most off-putting environments you’ve ever seen in a video game. But it’s an effective representation of the idea of the underworld, especially as things are tweaked and tailored to suit the personal trauma and damaged psyche of Dante.
Just like God of War, Dante’s Inferno features hulking boss battles.
Visceral truly held nothing back with this game, with consistently horrifying enemy designs. The Circle of Lust is a nightmarish realm that reflects Dante’s infidelity and passions, with a boss that quite literally fires dangerous insects from their nipples. Meanwhile, the Circle of Violence is a nauseating place filled with torture, rivers of blood, and a gnarled forest where those that committed suicide writhe in agony as trees for eternity. Dante’s Inferno really dives into the source material, and interprets it in the most video game-esque way possible, for better and worse.
In Dante’s Inferno, Dante himself is reimagined as a stoic member of the Knight Templar. After surviving an assassination attempt by Death, Dante is informed he’s condemned to hell for his sins — and upon returning to Florence his promised love, Beatrice, is whisked away to hell by Lucifer. Thus Dante, who literally has a giant cross stitched into the skin on his chest, has to travel through the circles of hell to get Beatrice back.
Structurally and mechanically Dante’s Inferno really is a straight riff on God of War — you can’t deny it. Wielding a massive bone scythe and a smattering of other weapons, Dante can unleash various combos, execution-style finishers, and magic spells. The flow of combat feels exactly like those old God of War games — and looking past the similarities it’s a good thing.
Dante’s Inferno feels good to play, if a bit derivative and uninspired. In terms of being an actual playable game, Dante’s Inferno feels fine, but not exceptional. But what’s truly fascinating about the game is how it applies the same stylization we give mythology to Christianity — and that’s utterly fascinating.
Dante runs into other major historical and literary figures, including the Roman poet Virgil.
Dante’s Inferno doesn’t make any bold religious statements but rather treats the poem’s exploration of Christian text as a mythological backdrop. Video games have certainly featured Christian themes and iconography before, but usually just as story elements or art inspiration — not as an entire thematic basis. Dante fires burning crosses at enemies, biblical relics grant you new powers, and you can “absolve” enemies to save their souls rather than eliminate them.
This almost mythologization of the game’s religious inspirations gives it a remarkably different flavor than anything else out there — especially when you’re seeing it all through the lens of something that feels like it’s written like a Michael Bay movie. It’s not the smartest game out there, but its bold representation of its source material, and Christianity as a whole, is absolutely what stands out the most to this day. It’s proof that games can use so much more than just mythology and folklore to fuel their stories.
The way Dante’s Inferno uses religious iconography is fascinating.
Dante’s Inferno was a bit shocking in 2010, and by today’s standards, its almost joyful use of gore and trauma can feel a bit juvenile. At the same time, its action combat and platforming don’t do anything revolutionary, or even better than its competitors.
But in spite of those issues, it’s a game that, somehow, adds up to be more than the sum of its parts. Its remarkable aesthetic and themes keep you invested in the game, fascinating to see what it’s going to do with its next area or the next ridiculous religious power you’ll get. There’s nothing else like Dante’s Inferno, and there likely never will be.
