Video game giant Entertainment Arts has found inspiration in literature — specifically, Dante Alighieri's classic "The Divine Comedy." In the company's heavily-promoted new title "Inferno," the poet goes to war against Satan's armies — including "a giant Cleopatra demon who spurts knife-wielding unbaptized children out of her nipples" — armed only with a scythe and fireball-spewing crucifix. While some Dante scholars are up in arms over what they see as a crass commercialization of the 700-year-old epic poem, a prominent gaming site lauds "Inferno" as a "metaphysical journey" that engages players "morally and existentially." Does EA's new game desecrate or celebrate Dante's work? (Watch a trailer for the "Dante's Inferno" video game)
EA deserves kudos: While the concept of creating a video game from a classic novel's storyline is a "highbrow idea that deserves praise," says Dan Ackerman at CNET News, playing "Dante's Inferno" isn't quite the same as reading the original. Truly, "we weep" for the poor freshman who will try to muddle through a class assignment based on the game rather than "springing for the Cliffs Notes."
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