Dante's Divine Comedy: Is Hell Finally Getting the Video Game Adaptation It Deserves (Or Just Another Hack-and-Slash Holiday)?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Jyamma Games, creators of *Enotria: The Last Song*, are diving into Dante's epic *La Divina Commedia* for a new action-RPG, promising a unique take where the poem itself is a foundational mythology. While Jeff's gently skeptical about the 'proc-gen extraction dungeons' in Hell, he's cautiously optimistic about the metaphysical world-building potential.
Right, so I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, transforming something familiar into… well, something else entirely? That’s what’s brewing with Dante Alighieri’s legendary 14th-century epic poem, *La Divina Commedia*.
Yes, you heard me. Poor old Dante’s *Divine Comedy* is getting another crack at the video game whip. Now, if you’re anything like me, your mind probably immediately conjures up images of Visceral’s *Dante’s Inferno* from way back in 2010. And let’s be fair, that was… a game. It leaned heavily into the whole 'aping *God of War*' thing, complete with more 'boobwalls for the circle of Lust' than you could shake a crucifix at. It was cheeseball, a bit hacky-slashy, and certainly didn’t have any 14th-century theologians signing up for the pre-order bonus. A cynical mate (or perhaps, a well-read snob like myself, who enjoys a good literary jab) might look at that and groan, 'Here we go again. Another act of wanton literary desecration, eh?' Terza rima isn’t supposed to be a three-hit combo, you blistering philistines!
But hold your fiery horses, because this new adaptation, simply titled *La Divina Commedia*, is coming from Jyamma Games, the studio behind *Enotria: The Last Song*. And *Enotria*, for a Soulslike, was pretty darn metaphysical, building a universe and combat system around the practice of stagecraft. So, when I heard they were tackling Dante, my eyebrow did a little interpretive dance. Could this be different? Could they actually pull off something more than just another trip through hell as a muscular bloke with a scythe?
Apparently, they're taking a rather ambitious approach. Like the poem, you'll be descending through the circles of Hell, each a geological manifestation of a particular Sin. Standard fare, right? But here’s where the Jyamma magic – or perhaps, their particular brand of glorious chaos – kicks in. Unlike the poem, this game features a set of combat classes, a choice of protagonist genders (a nice touch, considering the original's very singular perspective), a narrative alignment system, customisable weapons and armour, and… wait for it… *procedurally generated extraction dungeons*.
Now, I’m all for innovation, mate, but my digital wizard brain did a little sputter at that last bit. Proc-gen extraction dungeons? In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself within a dark wood where I had to grind for crafting materials? The idea of mining hell for loot and progression materials is the kind of video game conceit I’d absolutely *adore* to lay before an actual 14th-century theologian. I’m sure the humour of the situation would be well worth the inconvenience of being burned at the stake. It’s certainly a unique interpretation of divine retribution, isn’t it? ‘Oh, you’re in the circle of Gluttony? Well, good news, there’s a rare crafting drop from that demon over there!’ Sounds quite involved, indeed.
But here’s the rub, and why my gentle skepticism is nudging towards a cautious optimism. Jyamma's take on *La Divina Commedia* isn’t just about slapping Dante’s name on a *God of War* clone. It's turning the poem into a kind of overarching mythology. As the early whispers explain, this new adventure is “set in a world where The Divine Comedy has supplanted the old faith, bringing about a golden age of righteousness among humanity.” And then, as these things always do, dark forces subvert the poem's promises, order collapses, and the world is plunged into chaos. You, the player, take on the role of a warrior-poet (nice!) trapped in the infernal depths, called to descend through Hell, face increasingly powerful demons, and redeem a sinful past.
See, that’s where it gets interesting. It's not just an adaptation; it's a *sequel to the mythology*. The poem itself becomes the bedrock of a new societal order, which then falls apart. That’s a clever bit of world-building, truly. It shifts the context from simply retelling a story to exploring what happens *after* the story becomes gospel. This explains the narrative alignment system and the 'redeem a sinful past' angle – it’s about navigating a world where the very principles of good and evil, as defined by Dante, have been twisted.
So, while my eyebrow might still be doing its interpretive dance about the procedurally generated extraction dungeons, there’s a genuine spark of curiosity here. Jyamma Games isn't just regurgitating an old tale; they’re building a new narrative *around* it. They’re taking a classic, blowing a hole through its reality, and finding themselves in a world of infinite, loot-filled possibilities. Will it be a truly transcendent experience, or just another trip down the fiery depths with more grinding than poetic justice? Only time will tell.
Speaking of time, there’s no release date yet for *La Divina Commedia*. The original poem, a true masterpiece, took Dante about 12 years to write – hopefully, Jyamma will turn their version around a little sooner than that. But hey, if it means a genuinely intriguing, metaphysically-charged ARPG, I reckon it might just be worth the wait. Or at least, worth the grind for those rare infernal crafting materials.
Tags: Action RPG, Literary Adaptation, Jyamma Games, Gaming News, Fantasy
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun