“The Divine Comedy,” written by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century, is an allegorical vision of the christian afterlife, depicting a journey through the three realms of the dead. This is a big story.
So, as modern, classy people, we remake it into a video game.
With Psyop at the helm, EA’s “Dante’s Inferno” game trailer captured the imagination of the 13 year old boy inside of me (note to audience: I am not a boy). Knowing that fact says something about the impression this trailer has on someone that loves the original story, but hates video games.
“Inferno” is distinguishably different from most game trailers. Psyop’s spin takes us to an organic place that the 3D game trailer genre has seldom gone before. It’s got the elements of being a cheese-ball 3D showpiece: a glow-y woman, a beefed up man in armor grunting.
But “Inferno” could care less about being a glossy 3D trailer, and more about rendering Hell with all its might—slovenly liquefied flames, orifice-shaped monstrosities tearing through the blurry mess of a rotting flesh landscape. It’s poetic and sick. We’re in hell, and I love it.
Read our interview with the creators at Psyop behind “Dante’s Inferno” game trailer.
UPDATE: Psyop has graciously shared their storyboards and some concept development imagery with us.