EA On Inferno To GoW Comparison: "A Great Compliment"

Dante's Inferno

You know, when we said EA's Dante's Inferno seems to look and play a lot like SCEA's God of War franchise, it wasn't entirely an insult. And Inferno writer, producer and director Jonathan Knight doesn't take it as an insult, either.

In a recent Official PlayStation Magazine interview, Knight was asked how he felt when everyone kept comparing his game to God of War, perhaps implying there has been some "ripping off" going on. Knight's answer was a little surprising, but when you consider the comparison, and the fact that GoW is one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed franchises in history, perhaps it makes sense:

"We never get sick of hearing it because it's the greatest compliment we can be paid. We hope to be worthy of that. Those guys are at the top of their game and there's no question God of War III is going to be spectacular. I'll be the first in line to get it. I hope those comparisons are being made because of our combat system and is just as responsive - the control over the character is very immediate, it's very fast-paced, you can branch out of moves very easily, you feel very powerful and overall is a very fun game to play."

Of course, he's not saying they "stole" anything from GoW but the bottom line is that games continue to influence developers with every passing day. If a mechanic works well and is accepted by the majority, designers will implement a similar mechanic in their game. Is there an entertainment venue that doesn't practice this? No, there isn't. As for other influences for Dante's Inferno, Knight brings us back to the classic novel the game is based upon; Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy." This allowed the team to come up with ideas for the Holy Cross weapon, the chance to absolve or punish the damned, and the giant, horrific demons we'll encounter.

Now, the character in the book is initially in search for his beloved, Beatrice, but it eventually becomes more of a quest as he works through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory, and Heaven. He never fights anything and if I remember correctly, he never has to, even in Hell. It's more of a guided tour. But I suppose EA is allowed to take creative license with a book that's about 600 years old...maybe also 'cuz almost nobody has actually read it. Well, besides me. ;)

10/1/2009 10:45:45 AM Ben Dutka

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