History YMMV / DantesInferno

* Narm : Lucifer is not only completely naked, but also hung like a horse for no particular reason, which kind of makes his boss fight hard to actually take seriously.

* Narm: Lucifer is not only completely naked, but also hung like a horse for no particular reason, which kind of makes his boss fight hard to actually take seriously.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Many reviewers have praised the game's first several levels, but have stated that the later levels fall into this. That is, Malbolge is just a series of trials (although in the game's defence, it would have been hard to make a level based on fraud very interesting) and Cocytus is nothing but the FinalBattle.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The game is very loosely based upon the original poem and doesn't meet all of its events. Still, it's safe to say that many young people think on this game when they heard Dante or Inferno.

* SoOkayItsAverage: The main line the reviewers are taking is that it's a very competently-executed ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' clone -- but still, ultimately, a ''God Of War'' clone.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Many reviewers have praised the game's first several levels, but have stated that the later levels fall into this. That is, Malbolge is just a series of trials and Cocytus is nothing but the FinalBattle.

* CompleteMonster: [[{{Satan}} Lucifer]] was once a great but vain angel of God's before he turned against him out of disgust for humanity and was [[FallenAngel cast into Hell]] with his followers as punishment. Seeking revenge by trying to [[TheCorrupter tempt and corrupt humanity]] into Hell and torment, Lucifer plotted on using the sins of others to make his escape. Lucifer makes a [[DealWithTheDevil deal]] with the pure Beatrice to test her beloved Dante's faithfulness in exchange for her soul. When Dante fails, Lucifer drags Beatrice to Hell to turn her into a spiteful succubus bride; when Dante comes to her rescue, Lucifer's attempts to break and hinder him include turning Dante's abusive father into a monster to kill his son. When Dante ultimately rescues Beatrice, Lucifer reveals that her capture was an elaborate ruse to bring Dante to him. It's revealed Lucifer seeks to destroy and recreate both Heaven and Earth [[InTheirOwnImage in his own image]] as to take what he believes his rightfully his, and makes his escape attempt in the ensuing fight with Dante.

** In a meta way. This HackAndSlash game is an obvious clone of ''VideoGame/{{God of War|Series}}'', a Sony-owned series that was created [[DuelingGames to compete against]] (and partly inspired by) the ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' series... which was in turn inspired by Dante Alighieri's ''Literature/TheDivineComedy''. So it now seems things have gone full circle.

* CounterpartComparison: Well, gee. A badass Italian fighter travels through a dangerous kingdom filled with monsters to rescue his hot girlfriend from a fire-breathing demon. [[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros Sound familiar?]]

** In a meta way. This HackAndSlash game is an obvious clone of ''VideoGame/{{God of War|Series}}'', a Sony-owned series that was created [[DuelingGames to compete against]] (and partly inspired by) the ''Franchise/DevilMayCry'' series... which was in turn inspired by Dante Alighieri's ''Literature/TheDivineComedy''. So it now seems things have gone full circle.

** Seducers, especially for how early they appear in the game: they're [[LightningBruiser wicked fast, durable]] and [[ConfusionFu unpredictable]] to boot, pack a nasty ([[{{Squick}} particular emphasis on 'nasty']]) unblockable attack, and they never, ''ever'' show up alone. It's all-too-easy for Dante to meet his end in the middle of a flurry of slashing claws from three of the stupid things.

** Seducers, especially for how early they appear in the game: they're [[LightningBruiser wicked fast, durable]] and [[ConfusionFu unpredictable]] to boot, pack a nasty ([[{{Squick}} particular emphasis on 'nasty']]) unblockable attack, and they never, ''ever'' show up alone. It's all-too-easy for Dante to meet his end in the middle of a flurry of slashing claws from three of the damned things.

* DemonicSpiders: Heretical Priests, which have the nasty habit of rendering themselves and anyone around them cross-proof (but not magic-proof!) until the Priest dies. On their own, they can be handled relatively easily, but they get really annoying when they use their protection on angered spirits, shades that catch fire and can only be attacked by using the cross attack (or holy magic) to put out the flame.

* ThatOneAchievement: ''It's in the Trial'' from Trials of St. Lucia DLC. To earn this achievement/trophy, the player must complete 25 single player and 15 two player EA trials. However, this is the hardest achievement/trophy to earn in the game because of how unrelentingly HarderThanHard the online trials can be. Not helped in the multiplayer aspect, where if one player dies or fails the trial then the game is over for both players.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Many reviewers have praised the game's first several levels, but have stated that the later levels fall into this. That is, Malbolge is just a series of trials -- probably because it's pretty hard to make fraud interesting -- and Cocytus is nothing but the FinalBattle.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: While many have criticized the game for it's UnfortunateImplications for giving Beatrice massive {{chickification}} by making her a DamselInDistress over the more competent hero she was in the source material, ''The Trials of St. Lucia'' sort of rectifies this by introducing a badass ActionGirl Angel named St. Lucia, who fights just as well as Dante by his side in combat challenges.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Many reviewers have praised the game's first several levels, but have stated that the later levels fall into this. That is, Malbolge is just a series of trials - probably because it's pretty hard to make fraud interesting - and Cocytus is nothing but the FinalBattle.
* EvilIsCool: [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig-zagged]] in regards to Lucifer. TheDevilIsALoser is very much in effect in the original ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' in which he is depicted stuck in the Icy center of Hell powerless to do anything about his torment. The Lucifer of this game on the other had is given some AdaptationalBadass and cleverness and also gives him a case of being a VillainHasAPoint, namely given that HumansAreBastards is in full effect, but even then it is also juxtaposed with him being StupidEvil.

** At (almost) the top of the other side of the upgrade path, you get the passive ability to regain mana... By killing things. That's right, the game lets you go invincible, regain health while doing so, then regain mana by killing the enemies you can't be touched by.
** The fully charged blast of the cross comes to mind. It is very powerful, has a long range and area of effect, breaks all defenses and knocks the enemy over. The only downside is of course a charge-time, which isn't very long. Furthermore, with upgrades, you can make the cross attack even stronger, and regain health from every enemy that dies from a cross attack. Single enemies (even some bosses) can just be spammed to death by it and even groups can be reduced to dust pretty quickly if you let them hug together on a tight area.
* GeniusBonus: In addition to being an adaptation of the "The Inferno" the game also incorporates some details about Dante Alighieri that will be interesting for anyone who is knowledgeable about the Florentine poet. Two notable tidbits are those about Bella when [[spoiler: Dante finds her in the Wood of the Suicides]] saying that she died of the fever (which is how the real-life Bella Alighieri (née Abati) died) and that the character Francesco shares his name with Alighieri's real-life half brother.
** On that note, the game's version of Dante grew up believing that his mother died of the fever [[spoiler: when in actuality, [[DrivenToSuicide her husband's abuse pushed her to hang herself]]. Even through the mid 20th century, it wasn't unusual for relatives/loved ones of suicide victims to cover up the suicide so the dead could receive a burial in hallowed ground and thus have a chance at salvation]].

*** In Manga/RurouniKenshin, Makoto Shishio, voiced by Creator/SteveBlum in the American English dub by Creator/MediaBlasters, occasionally compares himself to being a demon (granted he [[NecessarilyEvil believes that he is right]]) and expects to go to Hell when he dies and, [[spoiler: following his death via internal combustion, is shown along with Yumi and Houji in the underworld with the drawing up plans with them to achieve taking it over]]. Later in 2010, Blum would provide the voice of {{Satan}} himself in ''VideoGame/DantesInferno: [[AnimatedAdaptation An Animated Epic]]'' [[spoiler: who in turn has an ambitious goal of his own in ruling all three realms (Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven) of the afterlife]].

* LoveItOrHateIt: You'll either think that ''Dante's Inferno'' is a fun, entertaining game that raises interest in a classic poem with amazing graphics and epic fight scenes or absolutely despise how it takes too many elements from ''God of War''.

* FreudWasRight: Lust, in its entirety.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The game is very loosely based upon the original poem and doesn't meet all of its events.

* RonTheDeathEater: The Historical [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alighiero_di_Bellincione Alighiero di Bellincione]] gets this treatment from some people who are too lazy to do any research on the real person and foolishly assume the fictional Alighiero in the game is an accurate representation when [[{{Expy}} he isn't him]].

* DudeNotFunny: The Achievement/Trophy called "Bad Nanny." To unlock this, it requires the player to slaughter at least 20 or so [[WouldHurtAChild unbaptized babies]] in Hell. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even non-Christian people]] found this joke to be in poor taste.

* UnfortunateImplications:
** As stated above, not too many fans of the original work appreciated the decision to turn Beatrice from one of the most interesting, epic female heroes into a DamselInDistress that needs saving. Her whole character is essentially being a beautiful woman that Dante has to recue and not much else, which naturally angers a few people.
** When Lucifer is first encountered in the game, his spirit form just happens to be a bald, black shadowy figure coming on to Beatrice's white astral projection while she tries pushing him away and calling him a dark monster. This may raise a few eyebrows for some gamers.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Does Dante really regret the sins of his past or is he just merely seeking a way to escape being punished for them.

* DesignatedVillain: The first three bosses. Death is... well, [[TheGrimReaper Death]], Charon is just there to move souls, and King Minos only sorts the souls into the proper circles. Not terribly glaring, though; no one likes Death when he visits, the other two "work" for Hell regardless, and all three [[TheDeterminator got in Dante's way]].

* EvilIsCool: [[ZigzaggedTrope Zigzagged]] in regards to Lucifer. TheDevilIsALoser is very much in effect in the original ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' in which he is depicted stuck in the Icy center of Hell powerless to do anything about his torment. The Lucifer of this game on the other had is given some AdaptationalBadass and cleverness and also gives him a case of being a VillainHasAPoint, namely given that HumansAreBastards is in full effect, but even then it is also juxtaposed with him being StupidEvil.

** On that note, the game's version of Dante grew up believing that his mother died of the fever [[spoiler: when in actuality, [[DrivenToSuicide her husband's abuse pushed her to hang herself.]] Even through the mid 20th century, it wasn't unusual for relatives/loved ones of suicide victims to cover up the suicide so the dead could receive a burial in hallowed ground and thus have a chance at salvation.]]

*** The 1986 Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar film had TheHero Kenshiro's traits of MessianicArchetype emphasized [[FauxSymbolism to egregious extremes]]. John Vickery, who voiced Kenshiro in the English language dub of the film, now ironically provides the voice of Lucifer in this game.
*** In Manga/RurouniKenshin, Makoto Shishio, voiced by Creator/SteveBlum in the American English dub by Creator/MediaBlasters, occasionally compares himself to being a demon (granted he [[NecessarilyEvil believes that he is right]]) and expects to go to Hell when he dies and, [[spoiler: following his death via internal combustion, is shown along with Yumi and Houji in the underworld with the drawing up plans with them to achieve taking it over]]. Later in 2010, Blum would provide the voice of {{Satan}} himself in VideoGame/DantesInferno: [[AnimatedAdaptation An Animated Epic]] [[spoiler: who in turn has an ambitious goal of his own in ruling all three realms (Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven) of the afterlife]].

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: In relation to the [[TheDivineComedy original Inferno]] by Dante Alighieri. Some literary scholars and feminists have taken issue with this game's portrayal of Beatrice. To quote TheOtherWiki "Columbia University Professor Teodolinda Barolini, a former president of the Dante Society of America, criticized the game for its depiction of Beatrice, declaring, 'Of all the things that are troubling, the sexualization and infantilization of Beatrice are the worst. Beatrice is the human girl who is dead and is now an agent of the divine. She is not to be saved by him, she is saving him. That’s the whole point! Here, she has become the prototypical damsel in distress. She’s this kind of bizarrely corrupted Barbie doll.'[54] Other reviews of the game include similar comments from professors regarding the characters: 'Beatrice saves Dante... not the other way around,'[55] says Professor Arielle Saiber, an Italian literature professor at Bowdoin College."

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: There is some very impressive animation during the game's cinematics.

* EvilIsCool: [[ZigzaggedTrope Zigzagged]] in regards to Lucifer. SatanIsALoser is very much in effect in the original ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' in which he is depicted stuck in the Icy center of Hell powerless to do anything about his torment. The Lucifer of this game on the other had is given some AdaptationalBadass and cleverness and also gives him a case of being a VillainHasAPoint, namely given that HumansAreBastards is in full effect, but even then it is also juxtaposed with him being StupidEvil.