Dante's Inferno

PUBLISHER: EA Games
DEVELOPER: Visceral Games
Played on: PS3
Initial impression: GO TO HELL! In a good way. Sort of.

Liked:
- Story
- Settings

Disliked:
- Collectible Items
- Length of Game

On The Fence:
- DLC


"Midway upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost."
- Dante Alighieri


[Preface]
Again, I'm not a religious person. I was raised Catholic and consider myself Atheist. I am rather familiar with the tale told in the epic poem by Dante Alighieri and can point out a few things that [developer] got wrong, but this is a damned video game. And a pretty good one at that.

Dante himself is re-imagined as a Knight of the Crusade, promised a pardon for all his sins and a place in the eternal paradise by a rather corrupt Cardinal. Upon returning home he discovers the love of his life, Beatrice, brutally murdered. Satan himself comes to claim her soul, but Dante will not allow him to take her without a fight. You battle the Grim Reaper, take his scythe and descend into the 9 levels of Hell as described by the classic work of literature that lends its name to this game.

Limbo. Lust. Gluttony. Greed. Wrath. The City of Dis. All in vivid detail. Lust, aside from the music, features a lot of moaning as a soundtrack. There are also a lot of anatomically exaggerated reproductive... Aw, fuck it. Dicks. Dicks everywhere. Where there aren't dicks, there are tits and the occasional vagina. I'm not exaggerating in the least. Also the hurricane of the lustful is prominent, and there's a lot of sexy moaning going on.

The most dressed inhabitant of Lust

Gluttony features a lot of oozy nastiness. Greed is overflowing with gold, both in coin form and molten rivers. The enemies of these environments fit, too. Limbo features rather disturbing swarms of "unbaptized babies" with long blades where their forearms should be. Lust had bare-chested harpy-like demons. Gluttony brought fat, sloppy, disgusting wretches that puke. Greed had one of the most clever creatures: The Hoarder-Waster. Picture a two-legged creature with two conjoined torsos. They flung money while they spun their large clubs around.

I could go on and on but there is one setting that really keys it all in: The final circle of Hell. The depiction of Satan in his prison of ice is modeled directly after a woodcut of that scene and it does not fail to impress. I was taken aback by how disturbingly accurate it was.

Like this, except with better graphics.

Dislikes
There are some skill-boosting items that Dante will stumble across throughout his journey, but a glance to the inventory reveals there are a few dozen. Most of these I found, and I thought I was leaving no stone unturned. These are not imperative to the enjoyment of the game. They just annoy the perfectionist in me.

This game is short. Almost disturbingly short. How short? I went through it twice in one week - once on normal, once on easy. The trophy hunter in me wanted a couple that I missed the first time through so I blasted through on easy, choosing to also load all my previously unlocked skills - which made it insanely easy. There were only a couple places that hung me up for more than a few minutes, though one of those moments did make me call it a night just to get away from the game. Refreshed by a few hours sleep I went back to the game and plowed through the roadblock.

There is an event early on in the game that you, as a player, see happen but apparently that detail is unknown to Dante himself. As a player, and having seen this take place, I was somewhat confused when they "revealed" this information to Dante. It was a moment that would have been a good twist if they hadn't already told me that when I started the game... I think there is one element of it that actually makes it a surprise but overall it was ho-hum.

Fence/Overall
The DLC is interesting. Some of it is odd - extra in-game currency (aka "souls") to purchase upgrades to your skills, new outfits. Some of it is legitimately new stuff - The Dark Forest mini mission, laced with puzzles and so on. I have yet to play the St Lucia stuff. I'm sure it will also be cool. The Dark Forest thing is confusing at first but ends up being true puzzle-solving ridiculousness. I liked it.

Dante's Inferno is a decent game that heavily mirrors God of War in it's linear, smash all things style. The setting makes it different, and knowing the source material can only enhance your experience.

PARENTAL WARNING: This one is rated M, and unlike most M games, there is no way you can play this around kids. The LUST level alone is worth years of therapy.

Darksiders

PUBLISHER: THQ
DEVELOPER: Vigil
Played on: PS3
Initial impression: Non-linear God of War clone.

Liked:
- Graphics
- Story
- Extra game play elements

Disliked:
-  Ambiguity of game path
- Scattered collectibles

On The Fence:
- Replayability



"I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come and see!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest."

— Revelation 6:1-2

[Preface] 

I'm not a religious person. I was raised Catholic and consider myself Atheist. I am rather familiar with the tale told in the Book of Revelation and can point out a few things that Vigil got wrong, but this is a damned video game. Even direct remakes have a hint of difference from the source material. I'm not going to argue the finer points of the tale behind the game's concept.

The only thing I will point out is that the First Horseman of the Apocalypse differs. Originally it was The Conqueror symbolizing conquest, while the Second is obviously War/Violence, followed by Famine/Pestilence and finally Death. Creative license was taken using the roster, and so you get War, Famine, Pestilence and Death. 

And So It Begins...

The game starts off with an epic war between angels and demons. War, the First Horseman of the Apocalypse is summoned to restore order. After a large demon kills the angel's general, it is revealed that the Seals were never broken - that War was out of line for being there. He is brought before the Charred Council, a sort of purgatory court that regulates Heaven and Hell. Accused of trying to kick-start the end of days, War is stripped of his powers and sentenced to death. He pleads his innocence and pledges to find those responsible. The Council agrees, and War gets assigned to a demonic guard known as The Watcher.

This is really where the game starts. Sure, you interact with junk before this point, but this is where it drops you to head up the path of revenge.

The game elements were rather unique. Settings varied from an arid desert, an abandoned, cobweb covered structure, a ruined city street and a murky graveyard - for starters. Each of these locations were diverse and unique enough to not make you bored with the game's visual style. Enemies varied based on location as well - spiders and other bugs inhabit the obvious locale. 

The story was an interesting tale of betrayal, where you, as the Bringer of War, take the fall for someone's grab for power. You have some unlikely allies - and enemies - along the way. Angels hate you as much as the demons for most of the game.

There are other things they throw in, like the upgradable weapons and unlock-able powers. You gain the use of the Reaper's Scythe and the ability to glide with spectral wings among other things. Your horse even comes back to you, which helps when you hit the long, expansive desert areas. There is also a Rage Mode, where War transforms into an unstoppable hulking demon with extraordinary power, allowing you to take down difficult or swarms of enemies with ease.

Dislikes
Among the only things I didn't like was the sudden ambiguity that comes up about midway through the game. I stalled out and ended up running back and forth trying to figure out where I was supposed to go. Eventually I figured it out but I felt like the game left me hanging - up to this point it seemed to nearly hold up a sign with an arrow on it showing me what I was supposed to do.

Another gripe I had was the collectible junk. There are items you can find that, when all completely assembled, give you the best armor. I thought I was doing OK with those for a while, but the task of hunting them down became tedious. 

Fence/Overall
Replayability is questionable at best. There were some sections that were really cool and a lot of fun, but there were also areas I'd be just as happy to never play again. Then again, the completionist in me notes that there are some trophies I did not get in areas where I didn't realize there were goals...

I'd totally recommend Darksiders. It was a fun game that kind of plays like God Of War, but I feel is different enough to merit it's own place on the shelf.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft
DEVELOPER: Ubisoft
Played on: PS3
Initial impression: Like the second one, but better.

Liked:
- Story (both parts)
- Environment (Past)
- Assassin's Guild
- Leonardo's Gadgets


Disliked:
- Some Quirky Controls
- Bugged Trophies
- Shop Quests
- Subject 16's puzzles


If you read the Assassin's Creed II review, this is going to sound really familiar. Desmond and crew are on the run from Abstergo. You're still assuming the role of Ezio in the Animus world, except he's a tad more mature. The Borgia attack the stronghold at Monteriggioni and force Ezio and his family to retreat back to Rome. Accepting his role as a Lead Assassin, he instructs others who are being oppressed by the Pope to become silent killers.

Oh and here's an update on ACII... I actually found all the feathers. ACII is currently the ONLY PS3 game where I have obtained a Platinum Trophy. I liked it that much.

Likes
The story is still awesome, though it gets surreal toward the end. Without giving away massive spoilers, I was totally left scratching my head. I helped find a final item and a cut scene took over. Someone gets stabbed. Credits roll. What?

The environment is rich and vibrant. Overall the playfield is smaller, confined to just Rome and the undeveloped areas just to the south. Being able to interact with landmarks like the Coliseum is a great bonus.

The Assassin's Guild, as a whole, sucks. Side missions that you never really see help give your recruits experience. You access the list of missions and send them off. Sometimes there's a reward of shop quest items. The part I love about the Assassin's Guild - BACKUP! In a huge fight with 20 guards and getting your ass kicked? NO PROBLEM. Call the Guild! With an eagle's screech they come leaping into the fray. As they level up they can use better weapons, smoke bombs, etc. When you get a lot of recruits you have access to an Arrow Storm, which is as awesome as it sounds. A volley of arrows kills all the enemies near you.

Leonardo Da Vinci makes another appearance. This time he remakes your second hidden blade (it gets lost during the Monteriggioni attack), gives you a pistol and invents a rather useful thing called a "parachute" - so clever. I found this last item to be INCREDIBLY useful.

Dislikes
The quirky controls from before are better but still have issues. I found Ezio trying to run up walls, fail, then immediately try to run up the exact same part of the wall. He would choose to climb a building via various window ledges and so on instead of using the ladder I directed him to. He would get on a ladder from the wrong side and refuse to let go until he reached the top and couldn't go further.

As much as I picked on the ubiquitous and sometimes laughable trophy awarding for doing things you couldn't avoid (watching the game opening cut scene, for instance), I became rather annoyed when some of those dumb "thanks for playing this far" trophies started to disappear from my list. I've completed the game, yet three trophies you get for essentially playing the beginning mission are now blank. I may have to start a new game just to pop three trophies... that I already had.

Shop Quests are an annoying piece of crap. They want you to obtain special items to trade for the ability to purchase some of the gear in the shop. By the time I got the items I needed, I no longer needed the gear. I STILL don't have two of these done and I beat the game a week ago. I've been collecting Flags and Treasure Chests as well as working on the Guild Challenges.

Subject 16 - the nutjob who decorated his cell in his own blood in Assassin's Creed I, left you some clues to The Truth in ACII - is back in ACB. He's just as vague as ever. I went through his trials but didn't really understand a whole hell of a lot of what I was seeing. I'm all for some mystery, but this reeked of "no idea; red herring" storytelling.

On The Fence/Ending
For once I'm not on the fence about anything. I either liked it or didn't. Thankfully, ACB I liked a lot. Slightly more than ACII for the story. For now I'm about 10 flags and some trick-assassinations away from having all Single Player trophies. Unfortunately there are Multi-Player trophies, and I don't think I'll ever get those to bring myself up to Platinum.