Video Game Preview: Dante's Inferno

There are days that I find things that are fun, joyful, informative, and make me feel good about what I do. Then there are days where I learn about other things. Today is one of those days, and the video game Dante's Inferno is the reason.

Before I go any further, this is graphic. It not pleasant. It definitely plays off of religious themes. And I really do not suggest any child read any further. Nightmare will like just be the start of what they go through.

You have been warned.


When I first noticed the video for Dante's Inferno I was captivated by the title. Obviously it is in reference to the medeival poem of the same name which is part of the Divine Comedy (not that there is humor). The poem details a trip through the 9 circles of Hell. The goal was to travel closer to God. This is directly based on the Christian religious beliefs as of the 14th Century.

Hell, as described by Dante, can be broken down into Upper Hell (the first 5 Circles) for the self-indulgent sins; Circles 6 and 7 for the violent sins; and Circles 8 and 9 for the malicious sins. Each level lower is more horrific a punishment for sinners than the last.

The video game takes these ideas and runs with them. There are plenty of changes from the original source material. Such as a back story on Dante, making him a knight that fought and commited multiple sins during the Crusades. That he is on a quest to save the soul of his beloved Beatrice, whose innocent soul was taken to Hell.

As part of this quest, Dante fights Death to start on the path - gaining Death's scythe. The scythe is one of 2 main weapons that you have in the game. The other is a cross.

The scythe is an attack weapon that takes multiple forms. It also adds to the negative morality your charater has. The cross keeps foes at a distance and exorcises them adding to the positive karma. It is stated that defeating all the foes is possible using the cross, but the diffulty is far higher.

There is no question of the surrounding in the game. The visuals, virtually from the start of the game, leaves little question. They are expressive of the pain and torture that Dante's Inferno has always expressed. And I have to believe that the designers have spent many nights waking in cold sweats. Plus it gets worse the furhter the game goes.

Even the sounds are clear in the game. Right at the beginning of Hell the screams of the damn are indications of what is to come. And the sound does not stop after that.

There is really no aspect of this game that leaves the player guessing what they are there to do, or what they are against.

Here are some of videos of the gameplay, showing off some of the levels of the game and the designers thoughts.











Seeing this I cannot, and I'm not sure I want to, imagine what the center of the 9th Ring would be like.

This game is absolutely sure to offend ultra-religious types. It is sure to have various religous groups protest. It is sure to give more than a few people nightmares (not the least of which may be from the thought that if this is what a person can imagine, what could it REALLY be like?).

This game will sell. If only for the fact that people will ant to see what they have envisioned, just as people go to see the SAW movies for the traps. But the gameplay looks solid, and it seems to be well thought out. In fact the marketing for this game has gone so far as to create an animated short movie to go along with the game. Kind of "fleshing" it out.



That will be available on DVD in Febrary, just as will be the game.

I can't recommend this game. Not because of the gameplay or visuals or some other part of its function. It isn't because I am a devout person of faith. It just unnerves me. I can't get past that, so the game is out for me. But if that is not a problem (or a motivation) for you go for it. I can't see a reason otherwise to knock the video game.

It will be available on the PS3 and Xbox 360

Video Game Review: Dragon Age:Origins

I've been feeling a bit down the last couple of days, likely getting a cold, so I decided to pickup the new Dragon Age: Origins game. The version I got was for the PC, though versions for Xbox and PS3 are available.

So far the reviews for the game have been excellent. Which both made me interested, but also cautious. Either this was fantastic or there was just way too much hype. Though the commercials were great, and add to the curiosity. But that's just marketing and not gameplay.

The big questions about the game are

Is it fun?

Does it have great visuals?

Is it open ended?

Is it smooth to play?

How is the sound?

Does the plot work with the gameplay?

Is it worth $50?

Let me answer all of that in the word, Yes. To be specific, I can say having cleared 10% of the game so far that it is addictive. It keeps you involved whether you are a hardcore gamer or just play casually in your spare time.

In terms of the looks, right off the bat you will be impressed. The images are very nearly the quality seen in the commercials. It moves smooth and is almost like a film as opposed to a game. The fluidity of motion of all the characters is very good. And scenes with background characters have high detail, many with character all having original faces and individuality that normally is just cloned. Even scenes of mass numbers of characters, all interacting at once flow and are visually rewarding.

At this point I should mention that you will notice quickly that the theme of the game is in many respects a take on Lord of the Rings. In fact in many ways it is a rip-off of that storyline. But when you get to see the first upclose image of a screaming Hurlock, you just won't care that it just as easily could have been called an Orc. The theme of the game many not be the most original, but then again this is a fantasy RPG afterall.

Another key factor in the game is the question of openendedness. It's something that has become more of a driving force in the industry, and something I always recommend. It adds to the replayability of the game and keeps things fresh.

Dragon Age is not quite open ended. It's more akin to Fable and Neverwinter in that it is open to your choices. By that I mean that most all conversations will provide a tree of choices that you can make in response. Depending on how you answer, and what you did in the past, the response of any character speaking with you can change. Adding to that is the class, race, and other factors found in the game. It's a nice touch and adds to the intrigue of the game.

My character is a Dwarven Noble, or at least he was. And already I can see how a couple of early choices that seemed somewhat neutral at the time, are going to kick me in the butt later on. Such is the nature of the entire game. So no single choice is generally horrible, but they all add up as the game mocves forward. But it does help to create a character that is truely what you wish to embody at the time.

I will further digress to another point of the game. As I mentioned I chose a Dwarven Noble. But there are several choices of race (Human, Dwarf, and Elf), either sex, and a choice of class (Noble or common). This adds a nice bit of diversity. Of course certain classes are restricted from certain races, but that's part of your choice. As you go further in the game it becomes clear that many of the base abilities are open to any class, but the bonuses and specializations are restricted.

Also, the game does a great job of covering the backstory of your character. The start of the game introduces who you are, early choices you make, and how you come to be in the main plotline. This gives you ample time to get familiar with various classes and the game mechanics. Its a simple device that has been used before, but in Dragon Age it works well and really gets you engaged in what is going on.

I've already discussed how smooth the game runs. No major glitches or skips. Moving from zone to zone will require a load screen, but that is relatively quick and otherwise smooth. As for the sounds, well they are spot on. Not too loud and never too mechanical, the sounds work well for what is going on. The voiceovers are a match to the characters, the background sounds make sense and are in the background, The sounds of battle are crisp and mean. Even the fire sounds nice and toasty.

A key point in a RPG, especially in fantasy realms, is the plot. As stated before this took generous helpings from Lord of the Rings (the books and movie not the online game). But the thought behind tying together the various aspects of this game shows through.

Your character makes sense in how they fit into this world. It makes sense the questions and answers they make with conversations. Answers are given that fit the personality and theme of the character and overall story. There is enough not said right away to make you want to know more. And you want to take the time to figure it all out.

From the outset the final battle, which I have not yet seen, is pretty obvious. The television commercial makes it clear that it will be a battle with a Dragon. The question of how you will get there, how powerful you will be, and who will be there with you are not nearly as clear. Plus there are all those pesky consequences of all the things you have said and done earlier to keep in mind.

So to combine the question of fun and whether it's worth $50, I think so. The game will suck up hours of time if you let it. While this is not a game like Oblivion that took months to finish (I think the fastest time was 6 months) it is hardly a game that anyone will finish in 5 hours. Thus in that alone you know you are getting your money's worth. You can see 2 movies in a theater for about the same price as this game. The game will have better acting, better visuals, be more engaging, and last longer than 10 movies, maybe more. Which says a lot of positives about the game and the designers.

And as aforementioned there is the fact that the game is replayable. So if you want to see how a mage, or a female, or an elf, excetra play through you can do so, and still get a unique experience though new eyes. Plus there is downloadable content available for the game already, so the experience can be added onto beyond the in box game (and I believe more will be arriving shortly).

If you are a gamer, Dragon Age: Origins is a game for you. If you love the look and feel of Lord of the Rings and that fantasy theme, this is your game. if you want to make choices and see unique outcomes as opposed to being a pacman, well you get the point.

I recommend this game to all my readers. It's just that simple.

Video Game Review: Fable 2 for Xbox

Recently I was able to find a copy of and start enjoying Fable 2. This Xbox 360 game is fun. And I’m still not finished with it.

I would love to say that I ran through the game in 20 hours of so. I wish I had the time to be a hardcore gamer like I was back in college. But this isn’t Legend of Zelda, and I am 40.

Given those facts, the question remains is the game worth it to an older gamer like myself. Someone who has severe limits on time.

Well the answer is yes. The game is worth the price ($65 new with tax) and annoyance of finding it – especially if you like in a smaller town than New York City. Because you can really enjoy the game.

This is little different than Fable, but yet it is. The game has far superior graphics and sound. The gameplay is pretty intuitive. And you don’t have a real need to mash buttons in exotic combinations you need a flow chart for as some games do.

Your progress is simple to follow and the rewards flow with ease. I still have yet to figure out how you can have sex, but I have several dozen ladies in various towns in the game that are quite smitten for me. While I have seen commercials and reports that state it can be done (in fact they state you could be engaged in various fetish actions – and this is not limited to just heterosexual encounters for those that wonder) I’m still working through how to make this happen, without cheats.

The hours will melt away in the game as you run from here to there and jump from one quest to another. Enemies are plentiful, but a well maintained arsenal of physical strength, solid shooting skills, and a bit of area magic will keep most of the baddies at bay. All the while you will accumulate gold to spend on gifts, businesses, and/or housing. I’m still working on getting just the right house without killing off the inhabitants. But I do own several businesses and am renting a few place.

One downside is the lack of interest in certain quests in the game. There are a few characters you meet that you could just care less about. They aren’t central to the theme of course, but it would have been nice to flesh out their stories a touch more. Still as you roam the countryside you will be remembered even if you don’t recall the character.

This game is admittedly a tribute to the vanity we all have in some degree. It’s fun to watch the character stand in a courtyard holding a trophy high and watch the various stats in the area jump higher. And of course I am already planning the demise of a few areas just to see what happens.

The game is open-ended, so you can choose to be however you wish. In general I’m trying to just be me. Not trying to learn a single all-evil or good response but just how I am. And that’s what hooks you. Just being you and seeing how the game reacts.

It’s fun to watch people scatter because you accidentally pull out a gun or blast an area with magic. And there are consequences of course. Especially with those you are endearing, for whatever reason.

Well what I can say is that after 8 hours of play, the game is still fresh and interesting. There are still jobs to do, and opportunities to explore. And a few twists to drop on the unsuspecting bits and bytes of the realm.

I recommend the game for those of us best considered casual gamers. It’s time you will enjoy getting lost in, and the replay value looks to be refreshingly high. And if you really want to make the game interesting, there is always the option to play against the world on the Xbox Live option. Call it MMO lite.

Oh, that reminds me. I will have a review of Warhammer Online shortly. I just want to get one more character up to level 10 to make an nice comparison.

Try this with an Xbox360 or PS3

Ok, so I got into a Futbol video kick for a bit. There are some really good ones out there. Inparticular there is this one. Now this is going to be a short post.

American kids may have the money and access to a Playstation 3 or an Xbox 360, but I want you to do this one with either system.



‘nuf said.

Culdcept Saga - video game review - 2.8.2008.2

For those video game fans that enjoy a bit more strategy over action, and fans of the various collectible cards games like Magic: The Gathering, Naruto, and others there is a new game out that you may want to buy. Well it’s not exactly new. Culdcept Saga is the followup to the original game Culdcept that was on the PS2. The current version, which I own for the Xbox 360, became available this week.

Here are the basics. It costs $40, can be played via Xbox Live, and is rated Teen. You can play up to 4 players and it was the brainchild of BANDAI NAMCO.

The real questions though have nothing to do with the above. The game is based on a storyline where your character discovers they are a culdcept, essentially a magic user whose magic is based on cards in a deck that you use. As the game progresses you learn more of the destiny that you have as you battle to become the most powerful in the world. In-between plot progressing scenes, which are predetermined, is the meat of what the game is.

You will be lead by the plot to events where you and 1 or more culdecepts fight in a battle. Unlike RPG’s and other games this is not a physical fight. It might be best described as a combination between Monopoly and Magic. At the start of a battle you are transported to a battlefield comprised of colored squares arranged in multiple configurations. You roll dice to travel around the board, as you would in Monopoly, passing forts along the way back to your starting point. Each fort you pass adds a small amount of money to your pool, as does passing the starting point. If you land on any square that is empty you have an option, leave it be or claim it.

This is where the Magic portion of the game begins to appear. You have up to 6 cards in your hand. They are made up of creatures, spells and items. Creatures are used to capture colored squares, items are like buffs that allow increases to hit points and/or attack strength, and spells can have many effects, like increasing cash or throwing a lightning bolt. It’s all pretty straightforward.

If a square is empty you use a creature card and claim it. If your creature matches the color of the square you get a bonus. If another player lands on a square you have a creature on they can either pay you the rent (which increased as you up grade it – like adding houses or hotels in Monopoly) or battle your creature for the square.

In a battle there are several effects that can affect your winning or losing. Attacking first, special bonuses against certain colors, upgrading creatures, Items cards, and other factors can all help/hurt your chance to win. The actual battle is pretty direct with each card taking damage based on the creature/item used and the losing card being burned, smashed, or otherwise appropriately destroyed.

It sounds simple, but ask anyone that has played a collectible card game (CCG) and they will tell you that the strategy employed can be wrenching. As your character develops the playing field they gain value for all their properties and the first to hit a certain level (which increases as the game progresses) and reach the start point wins. The prize includes new cards for your deck, and upon reaching certain objectives gear that you can use to modify the appearance of your character in the plot scenes.

The cards for your deck can be modified by you in-between battles. So you can set it to specialize for a particular battle or your own preferences. The better you win the rarer and powerful the cards you can win, as well as a higher number of cards are provided. At a maximum you can get 12 new cards for an outstanding win, and there are hundreds of different cards available. It’s unlikely you will win, or even see every card available in the first run through.

The graphics of the game are most noticeable in the illustrations used to show the card effect/creature/item. Like with Magic they are fantasy oriented and highly stylized. The artwork is very improved from the prior version of the game. The artificial intelligence of the game is also much better, increasing in strength more evenly as you progress. While the first couple of battles will be very easy, and the game will give you a tutorial as you engage in the battle (which makes logical sense as they tell you about new abilities and options), later battles will become more of a challenge.

Each battle can take up to about an hour to finish. Like I said it’s not as simple as checkers, but far easier to learn than Chess and more engaging than Monopoly, I think.

If you like hack and slash, FPS, real time strategy games or anything that needs to involve spies, rifles, world wars, or aliens wielding ray guns you may not enjoy this game. If you like to work through puzzles, outthink opponents, and tweak your performance with upgrades and substitutions to your strategy, this is your game.

Fans of the original will like the increase of creatures and items, plus the improved AI. New players that are even moderate CCG players will enjoy the animation ability to play online. Complete neophytes to either will likely enjoy this as a great change of pace game.

I have been looking forward to this game, and thankfully it has lived up to my expectations. I expect this to be a sleeper, and a hit, much like the first was. Check it out and let me hear what you think of it.

The levity of Parody - 10.11.2007.1

Well after all the serious posts I wanted to take a bit of a break. Adding a bit of levity, and getting back to the entertainment core of the blog.

So I found this video at Video Gaming Blog That I thought was really good. Enjoy!