By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service



If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the developers at Visceral Games must be praising Sony’s popular “God of War,” because the just launched “Dante’s Inferno” game looks, plays and feels like the same adventure.

If you’re willing to forgive the lack of originality, there’s still a good time to be had in this Mature-rated hack-and-slash title for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3.



Based on Dante Alighieri’s depiction of hell in his classic poem “The Divine Comedy,” Electronic Arts’ “Dante’s Inferno” introduces us to Dante, a soldier during the Crusades, who descends into the bowels of hell to rescue the soul of his murdered love, Beatrice.



Armed with a scythe (retrieved after defeating Death early on in the game), and Beatrice’s holy cross (which provides divine powers), Dante must fight his way through the nine circles of hell, as depicted in part one of Alighieri’s poem: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each ring has its own unique look and demons to fit the theme; you’ll face obese monsters in “gluttony” and battle a giant, topless Cleopatra in “lust,” for example.



This third-person action game does deliver unadulterated, visceral action as you can slice through hordes of enemies, absorb souls to become stronger (thanks to an upgrade system) and navigate through treacherous environments by jumping over chasms, climbing ledges and solving other “platform”-like puzzles like in “God of War.”



Speaking of the similarities between the games, “Dante’s Inferno,” like the “God of War” series, lets you fight grotesque creatures big and small with fast-paced attacks, engage in “quick time” events (by pressing the correct button at the right time), gather health and magic orbs from fountains (instead of treasure chests in “God of War”), and roam through Gothic locations.



Even the controls are quite similar, though the right analog stick used as a “dash” move takes some getting used to in “Dante’s Inferno.”



Another problem with the game is it starts off quite strong with its shocking imagery and deadly enemies but begins to look and feel repetitive toward the final third of the tale. This is when it should become even more intense and gratifying as it builds up to the final confrontation with Lucifer. “Dante’s Inferno” also lacks some replayability — there are no multiplayer modes, for example — but you could replay it with a higher difficulty level for an added challenge.



Shortcomings notwithstanding, “Dante’s Inferno” is an enjoyable action game that, while derivative in design, delivers a satisfying eight- to 10-hour experience for mature players. Perhaps cost-conscious gamers looking forward to this much-hyped disc should rent it over a weekend instead.



Rated: Mature. Price: $59.95 ($39.95 for PSP). 2 out of 4 stars.