PS3 Demo Impressions: Dante's Inferno + Bayonetta

DANTE'S INFERNO: You’ve undoubtedly heard of Dante’s Inferno now. You know, the ultraviolent action game by EA and Visceral Games that butchers a piece of classical literature in the name of swinging a scythe around hacking shit up. The demo was just released for it on the PSN yesterday, and my friend and I took it upon ourselves to download that shit and give it a spin.

I’m going to come right out and admit, on my first play through, I did not enjoy it a whole lot. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the game, per se. From the moment I took up the controller I knew that the game played almost EXACTLY like God of War. I mean, I knew it, we all knew it, it was fairly obvious that the game was basing itself heavily off of God of War, but once you start playing and seeing everything in action, you realize that it’s…well, it’s TOO MUCH like God of War. I feel weird about it, because if more games were like God of War, there would be fewer shitty games in existence, but at the same time it feels almost like outright plagiarism and, being a fan of God of War myself, I felt kind of dirty. And while I want to judge it on it’s own level as a game, you cannot help but make comparisons unless you yourself have never played the God of War series.

The controls are virtually the same (albeit a wee bit slower since you‘re swinging around a big scythe), the Quick Time Event bits are virtually the same, there’s very little difference between the soundtracks, you gain health and magic through fountains much like how Kratos uses treasure chests, and fuck, even the spirits that come out of destroyed objects and slaughtered enemies used to gain new attacks and abilities are identical with the exception of a color swap. My first time through the demo, I kept thinking, “man, I could just be playing God of War 2 right now and probably be having more fun.”

So is any of this a really bad thing? Not necessarily. Controls are tight, the action is, erm, visceral (ugh), the Crucifix is a nice touch, and the graphics are brain-meltingly spectacular. A lot of time, effort, and money has gone into this game, and it shows very clearly.

What REALLY bothers me, however, are little nagging things concerning the cinematics and a lack of, how do I put this, thrills? which God of War provides. The first time we see Dante in the opening cinematic, he’s sitting by a fire in the middle of the forest, sewing a red fabric cross to his fucking chest. Why? I have no clue. Then we cut to strange-looking 2D animation of the crusades, and then it goes straight into the gameplay. I had no real idea where I was, what was going on, or why I was really killing these people. Then in the most anticlimactic, boring fashion, someone shoves a dagger in Dante’s back, Death shows up, and you two throw down.

Should Death really be that much of a pushover? REALLY? It’s such a dull fight too. Think back to the beginning of God of War: You’re jumping from ship to ship fighting the motherfucking HYDRA. Here, however? You kill a bunch of generic dudes and then have a boss battle against Death, and it just feels like something is not right.

But that’s not just it. Dante, to me, is not an endearing character. We don’t hear him speak much, he’s alarmingly quiet, and the cutscenes are so very convoluted that I have no real idea why things are happening. His motives are clear after he finds Beatrice dead, sure, but before that? I was lost. I just don’t really feel connected to this guy.

But I’ll probably still get the game, just not on day one or anything like that. If only because the shots of Hell that you see at the end of the demo are extremely disturbing and enticing at once, and I want to see that shit, even if I don’t care about the story or characters and even if it feels too damn derivative of God of War.



BAYONETTA: Ah, now here is my favorite of these two demos. Bayonetta has been getting quite a bit of attention. Developed by Platinum Games, the former Clover guys responsible for Madworld on the Wii (which you may recall I reviewed). Much like Dante’s Inferno, this demo fails utterly at letting you know what the fuck the story of this game is about and doesn’t let on much about who the characters are.

However, strangely enough, this time around I don’t really care. Bayonetta herself oozes personality, not just in her off-the-wall design, but in her behavior as well. One of her taunts is, I shit you not, “I have a fever, and the only cure for it is MORE DEAD ANGELS!”

Yes, my friends, you’re playing as a tall, sexy, bespectacled witch with guns on her feet, and the enemies you face are angels. Very vicious and slightly disturbing looking angels, might I add. Why? Who knows, but it beats hacking up a bunch of generic guys with swords, doesn’t it?

I’ve heard this game draw comparisons to Devil May Cry, specifically because this is directed by the same dude, but I’ve never played DMC, so I have no idea how similar they are. I can say, however, that this demo is incredibly fun and stylish. Bayonetta kicks, shoots, and punches (or slices, if you switch to her katana) her way through foes with grace and power as hyperactive Japanese piano-heavy music plays. Get your magic bar filled up and you can do “Torture Attacks” to enemies, which involve fun torture devices. The only two I’ve witnessed are an Iron Maiden which Bayonetta kicks them into, and a guillotine. She’ll actually spank the enemy while they’re in the guillotine until the blade drops.

Yes, it’s all so very over-the-top and wild, super-fast paced, and just all kinds of fun. This is a game with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek. While Dante’s Inferno is trying to be super serious and heavy, Bayonetta is light-hearted colorful. The graphics are beautiful, with all kinds of colors and the enemy designs are just as imaginative and crazy as Bayonetta herself. It’s a hell of a lot more thrilling, too, when a giant angel has grabbed the bridge you’re standing on and is swinging it around as you’re trying to fight the damn thing.

I confess, I had a bias for this from the very beginning. This is a game coming from the makers of some of the best damn action games that no one ever played on the PS2, not to mention Madworld. I can see elements of their former games in this demo alone, the ability to grab enemy’s weapons and use them is almost right out of God Hand and Madworld, as is the fact that you cannot block, only dodge, for example.

I cannot wait for this game to come out next year, yes.

(NOTE: These impressions are from the PS3 demo. I hear the 360 Bayonetta demo is actually a little different)

[Brett]