The journey through Hell has begun!. Visceral Games, an Electronics Arts Inc. studio, has announced that Dante’s Inferno is now available in Europe for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system and will be in stores in North America on February 9. With scores of 90 from both PLAY Gamer Magazine in the UK and Official PlayStation Magazine in Italy, the birthplace of Dante Alighieri, Dante’s Inferno is being praised by critics for its rich depiction of the nine circles of Hell and its brilliant adaptation to the interactive medium.
To further extend the experience, Visceral plans to release a series of downloadable content packs and expansions beginning in February. In March, Visceral will release Dark Forest, a prequel level that tells the story of Dante’s journey home and features new enemies, puzzles and relics. In April, players can download Trials of St. Lucia, a full expansion to the game that offers a co-operative multiplayer mode, a new playable character, and an in-game combat editor. The easy-to-use combat editor allows players to create custom combat trails, and then upload and share their creations online. In addition to Dark Forest and Trails of Saint Lucia, Dante’s Inferno will offer downloadable packs containing souls, skins, relics and magics to further boost players on their journeys through Hell.
“We cannot wait for players to experience the terrifying and exhilarating vision of Hell that awaits in Dante’s Inferno,” said Jonathan Knight, Executive Producer for Dante’s Inferno. “This team did an amazing job adapting a 700 year-old piece of literature and creating a captivating, thrilling, grotesquely beautiful experience that both gamers and literature fans will enjoy. And to top it off, we are thrilled to bring online multiplayer and content creation to the game in April.”
Dante’s Inferno is set in Dante Alighieri’s vividly imagined nine circles of Hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Throughout this journey, players take Dante on an epic descent through hell, battling their way through a terrifying gauntlet of demons to reclaim the soul of his beloved Beatrice. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons and story elements that are scored distinctly to set the tone that fits each circle of sinners.
Dante’s Inferno is available for the retail price of $59.99. In addition to the game, all those who purchase Dante’s Inferno on the PlayStation 3 will receive The Divine Edition, packed full with developer commentaries, a Wayne Barlowe digital art book, the soundtrack to the game and a digital version of the complete Longfellow translation of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. Dante’s Inferno is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI. Dante’s Inferno will be available for the PlayStation Portable on February 22nd.