Stuck in Limbo

By Tom Hodgson

By the time you read this, God of War 3 will have thunderously crashed into stores everywhere like a fireball from Helios’ chariot. Yes, I’m aware of how nerdy that sounds, so shut up. Next to it on a shelf will be Dante’s Inferno, the recently released Divine Comedy-themed God of War knockoff. Decisions, decisions…

Comparisons between them are unavoidable. Trade in Greek mythology for Dante’s journey through the depths of Hell and you have almost a spot-on match. I say almost because no matter what this game manages to do, it is always an airport escalator behind God of War. Clipart graphics, clunky controls, rusty combat mechanic, faulty camera angles ~ there is not one facet of this game that isn’t severely trumped by anything God of War manages to do or has already done.

One of the rare moments where this game redeems itself is the leveling system. As you traverse through the nine circles, you have the opportunity to purge or punish your enemies, which rewards points for Holy and Unholy accordingly. Each has its own specific tree of combat upgrades, adding an almost role-playing element to the gameplay.

Also, the art direction is absolutely stellar. Note I said direction, not the actual art. While graphically this title falls incredibly short of an upper echelon next-gen title, the concepts and animation behind the levels, enemies, and attacks are amazing. Traversing walls made up of moaning bodies, enemies themed to every circle’s sin, and the single most horrifying thing I have ever seen in a video game: demonic unbaptized infants with sword arms. The grotesque elaboration of art concepts which were obviously inspired by heavy research inot Dante’s epic poem doesn’t go unnoticed. Unfortunately, that’s about all that doesn’t.

Dante’s Inferno is the poor man’s God of War. Much like Dante’s journey, it hangs in limbo with its mediocrity, and is Arctic tundra pale in comparison to the murderous Kratos and his quest to reach Mount Olympus. It is a generic title that, even amongst its ambitious ideas and aesthetic, manages to fumble the ball Dante handed off to them with his Divine Comedy. It’s certainly not divine, but I sure was laughing.

Pros:
• Fan’s of The Divine Comedy will enjoy this virtual trip through a fully realized interactive Hell
• It isn’t a Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen game

Cons:
• You’re taken through Hell all right, in the form of shoddy graphics, controls, combat, and camera angles
• Won’t help you when it comes time to write a report on The Divine Comedy in college

Rating: 70%

The Best Bad Company Money Can Buy

By Tom Hodgson

After last year’s unfathomable success of Modern Warfare 2 and counting, the Cinderella story of first person shooters, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, storms the war front with guns a-blazin’, looking for its glass slipper amongst the rubble.

The single-player campaign, albeit not the over-the-top summer blockbuster Michael Bay experience of Modern Warfare 2, has a cast of characters that will ultimately grow on you and a rowdy plot filled with international intrigue that will grab your attention ‘til the closing credits.

Continuing with my role as devil’s advocate, you’ll notice right away coming from Modern Warfare 2 to Bad Company 2 that it isn’t as polished a game graphically and is far less detailed. It also doesn’t feel as surgical or precise as Modern Warfare 2, but that’s the point. There is something rewarding about shooting a gun and getting as close to a real life reaction with kickback and trajectory as you would come to expect, and in Bad Company 2, the focus on the gritty mechanics of war is where this game shines through.

Explosions destroy the environments, blowing out walls, taking out cover, and collapsing buildings completely. The destruction engine is almost a selling point in its own right. Coupled with vehicles on land, sea, and in the air, this game manages to pull through where Modern Warfare falls short.

Character classes (assault, medic, engineer, recon) help alleviate the monotony of Modern Warfare’s faceless soldiers and lone wolf multiplayer, and give purpose to being on the battlefield outside of just shooting anything that moves. Everyone has a role and the gameplay feels infinitely more succinct.

As is customary now with seemingly every war-based multiplayer first-person shooter, Bad Company 2 also offers an extensive leveling system, with weapon unlocks and upgrades made available as you progress in rank through the different classes. Some of these remain class specific, while others are universal across all the class loadouts.

While only having a shallow offering of four game types, a standout line-up helps to separate itself from been there, done that. Less is more and two in particular. Squad Deathmatch pits four teams of four against each other, a formula for infinite satisfaction picking off people caught in the crossfire. Rush is far and away my favorite, though. Players must attack the opposing team’s two M-COM stations. If you’re successful, the next section of the map opens up, and players push forward to destroy the next set. Push through to the final two stations and President Obama will be giving you a phone call come Monday morning thanking you for your service.

Looks aside, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a terrific change of pace from the frenetic, arcadey, mind-numbingly unrelenting combat of Modern Warfare 2 and is a breath of fresh air you’ll enjoy inhaling after playing yet another one of their postage stamp sized meat grinder multiplayer maps. With a larger scale and scope, you’re provided a true battlefield experience and the genuine feel of having a role for the greater good.

Pros:
• Destructible environments
• Dedicated servers
• Unique and refreshing multiple modes, like Rush and Squad Deathmatch
• Sniping is reborn with large maps and bullet physics

Cons:
• Some underwhelming graphics make it discernibly harder to spot enemies
• Only four multiplayer modes, albeit awesome ones

Rating: 90%