Inside Dante’s Purgatorio, the Cancelled Sequel to EA’s Dante’s Inferno

Dante’s Inferno celebrates its 15th day this year. Not that there’s been immoderate fireworks oregon cake. Visceral Games’ 2010 hack-and-slash, which saw a crusader named Dante conflict done the 9 circles of Hell successful an effort to prevention his fiancee Beatrice from Lucifer, didn’t permission the massive, zeitgeist-defining interaction that steadfast EA had hoped for. Plans for an adjacent bigger, much ambitious sequel were unceremoniously laid to rest.

For much than a decade, the game’s sizable cult pursuing has wondered what the adjacent steps of the travel would person looked like. Dante’s Inferno was precise loosely based connected the archetypal 3rd of Dante Alighieri’s epic 14th period poem The Divine Comedy, which imagines its writer journeying towards Heaven, and truthful a sequel would presumably person carried the communicative into Purgatory and, finally, Paradise. Aside from the information that it would person progressive immoderate benignant of warfare betwixt Heaven and Hell, nary details of the cancelled task person ever escaped onto the internet. All that remains of it has been kept nether fastener and cardinal by EA, gradually fading into legend.

That is, until today. After talking with a fig of sources adjacent to the project, IGN has obtained an assortment of hitherto unpublished interior documents, including conception art, cutscene storyboards, screenshots of rudimentary level geometry, and – past but not slightest – a 240-page publication penned by Assassin’s Creed 2 co-writer Joshua Rubin that outlines each stage, brag battle, and crippled constituent planned for Dante’s Inferno 2: Purgatorio (or, much elegantly, simply Dante’s Purgatorio.)

Taken together, these materials not lone amusement that Dante’s Inferno 2 made it further into the pre-production process than antecedently thought, but besides that Visceral had planned to instrumentality the sequel successful a somewhat antithetic absorption than expected. The plot, for example, would person blended The Divine Comedy with different Biblical epic, John Milton’s Paradise Lost, which reimagines Lucifer arsenic morally ambiguous arsenic opposed to a thoroughly evil figure.

The sequel’s underlying plan doctrine would person been retooled arsenic well. “The archetypal crippled was heavy influenced by God of War,” 1 erstwhile Visceral worker told IGN. “At the clip we were moving connected the 2nd [game], Uncharted 2 was having a large power connected azygous subordinate games: cutscenes and speedy clip events were being replaced with scripted gameplay sequences wherever the subordinate has afloat power implicit the character.”

“So overmuch of the archetypal crippled was classical hack-and-slash successful the arcade, Mortal Kombat tradition,” Jonathan Knight, the archetypal game’s originative director, told IGN, hinting astatine what helium wanted the sequel not to be. “Here’s an arena, immoderate gameplay happens, past you determination done a passageway to the adjacent portion of the level. Some of that’s inevitable successful a game, but the truly large ones fig retired however to marque believable, earthy environments.”

Had the developers been allowed to recognize their originative vision, Dante’s Inferno 2 was planned to beryllium to Dante’s Inferno what Assassin’s Creed 2 was to Assassin’s Creed, oregon God of War 2018 to the archetypal trilogy: a sequel that dared to spell supra and beyond the confines of its predecessor.

We cannot amusement you a crippled that was ne'er made. But we tin connection you an unprecedented penetration into Dante’s Inferno 2’s full campaign. What follows is simply a broad (but by nary means complete) written reconstruction of what playing this crippled would person looked like, from commencement to finish.

St. Lucia, who was archetypal introduced successful DLC for Dante's Inferno, would person been a large quality successful the sequel.

Dante’s Inferno 2: Purgatorio - The Complete Story

Level 1: Dream successful Eden

According to the script, Dante’s Inferno 2 would person opened successful the Garden of Eden. Dante, lying successful the grass, awakens adjacent to Beatrice, cradling a babe miss who – she tells him – is their daughter. “Tell maine this is real,” helium says, but erstwhile helium looks again, some the babe and Beatrice person disappeared.

This is erstwhile you’d beryllium fixed power of Dante, who looks for Beatrice successful the plot arsenic the opening credits rotation crossed the screen. You’d beryllium capable to property a fastener to telephone retired her name, prompting her to respond and, successful turn, allowing you to travel the dependable of her voice. By the clip you drawback up with her, Eden has grown uncharacteristically acheronian and moody.

The game’s opening boss, an tremendous snake made of achromatic smoke, appears from nowhere. Armed with your trusty scythe and cross, you conflict to escaped Beatrice from its grasp, lone erstwhile you get to her, she’s nary longer herself. Having reassumed her corrupted, Queen of Hell-form from the archetypal game, she speaks successful Lucifer’s voice: “You’re dead, Dante!” The crushed beneath you opens up, and you vanish into a bottomless chasm.

Level 2: At the Shores of Purgatory

One rubric series and “previously on” montage later, you resume from wherever the ending cutscene of the archetypal crippled near off: with Dante emerging from a cave and being excessively awestruck by the glory of Mt. Purgatory to announcement that the cross-shaped tapestry helium tears disconnected his thorax transforms into a small, reddish snake upon hitting the ground.

“Though defeated astatine the extremity of the archetypal game,” Knight recalls, “Lucifer is capable to travel backmost done this instrumentality of the tapestry, which is truly a practice of Dante’s sins. He’s not forgiven, and he’s inactive carrying his wrongdoings with him.”

As the snake slithers distant unnoticed, Dante sets disconnected successful hunt of Beatrice, who – helium informs via voiceover – awaits him determination up the mountain.

On a formation astatine the ft of the mountain, Dante encounters Cato, a Roman legislator who serves arsenic a guardian of Purgatory. Giant and half-embedded into the cliffside, helium welcomes a radical of recently arrived souls that includes Beatrice’s member Francesco, a chap crusader whom Dante defeated – and absolved – backmost successful Inferno.

Dante tries to travel Francesco to the mountain, but Cato – sensing the erstwhile is “besmirched by the blackness of Hell” – stops him. When they clash, however, the reddish snake from earlier inexplicably bursts distant from Cato’s mouth, splitting his look successful half. The formation itself splits also, giving mode to a hellfire-filled crevice. “So it begins,” Lucifer’s dependable announces arsenic his service of demons launches a full-scale penetration of Purgatory.

The Roman legislator and pagan, Cato, guards the shores of Mount Purgatory.

A cutscene introduces america to Michael, the elder of God’s archangels. Looking down from Heaven, the divine magistrate sizes up Lucifer’s forces earlier sending down an service of his own. “Angelic airships” pierce done the clouds supra Eden and marque their mode down the mountainside, wherever Dante has present recovered himself successful the midst of a chaotic conflict betwixt angels and demons.

Attacked from some sides, Dante comes look to look with Lilith. The archetypal woman of Adam, she was seduced by Lucifer and present serves arsenic his second-in-command. Similar to the brag combat against Death successful Inferno, your conflict ends with Dante taking Lilith’s weapon: different scythe, but with a unsocial determination set.

As Lilith reports to Lucifer that everything is going “according to plan,” different cardinal quality makes their archetypal appearance. It’s Dante’s guardian angel, Saint Lucia. First Introduced successful the archetypal game’s Trials of St. Lucia DLC, she rescues Dante from a burning airship by teaching him however to execute a Spirit Jump.

Level 3: Ante-Purgatory

Once they scope safety, Lucia tells Dante helium should not blasted himself for unknowingly helping Lucifer flight from Hell. Introducing the game’s cardinal crippled point, she reveals that “there is simply a larger powerfulness astatine work.” The penetration is portion of a program that God communicated to her and her alone, 1 that ends with Dante defeating Lucifer erstwhile and for all.

If lone God had clued successful Michael, too. Taking nary chances, the main archangel decides to adjacent the Gates of Heaven that link Eden to Paradise – a drastic, irrevocable measurement that would support retired not conscionable Lucifer and his demons, but besides worthy souls similar Beatrice. To marque definite she tin participate Heaven, Dante indispensable find her and bring her to Eden earlier the gates are shut.

Fortunately, helium won’t person to bash it alone. To amusement Dante the mode up, Lucia summons an aged friend: Virgil. Temporarily freed from Limbo, the Roman writer who guided you done Hell successful Dante’s Inferno explains that, if you succeed, helium excessively volition beryllium allowed to spell to Heaven. With goals, stakes, and ticking timebombs established, the travel officially begins.

Access to Mt. Purgatory due is monitored by the Vicar of Saint Peter, a “massive angel with 5 wings” which helium uses arsenic legs “like a elephantine spider.” As with Cato, mean souls are fto through, but Dante and Virgil are not. A brag conflict – the “biggest and astir exhaustive” yet – ensues, and contempt Virgil’s protests, Dante ends up sidesplitting the Vicar: a transgression guaranteed to spot them connected each angel’s radar.

The Vicar of Saint Peter would usage its wings arsenic some legs and weapons.

Levels 4 and 5: Pride / Envy

From here, the crippled falls into a accordant rhythm. On each terrace, Dante and Virgil interact with souls, immoderate of whom Dante recognizes from his mortal beingness successful Italy. Unlike successful Hell, wherever radical are tortured arsenic punishment, the inhabitants of Purgatory endure successful the anticipation of earning redemption: the prideful transportation elephantine boulders connected their backs, portion the envious rotation astir with their eyes sown shut, conscionable arsenic described successful the poem.

Before they tin permission the Terrace of Envy, Dante and Virgil are ambushed by Gabriel, the 2nd archangel. Once God’s superior mouthpiece, Gabriel hasn’t heard from his Lord successful eons, truthful wherefore would He talk to Lucia? “If God genuinely commands you,” helium warns Dante, “let’s spot Him support you from me.”

In truth, it’s God who ought to support Gabriel from Dante. After losing a tag-team brag conflict successful which helium fights against you with his chap angels – and witnessing your awesome tone powers – Gabriel’s skepticism dissipates. Believing successful Dante’s ngo (“I consciousness Him successful you…”), helium orders his underlings to assistance alternatively than hinder us. From present connected out, the subordinate volition beryllium warring alongside Gabriel’s angels, not against them.

Level 6: Wrath

On the adjacent terrace, Wrath, Dante and Virgil find Beatrice. Greeting Dante by punching him successful the face, she’s inactive aggravated astir everything that happened to her successful the archetypal game, and though – pious Christian that she is – she’d alternatively gain her mode into Heaven done honorable penitence, quality of Lucifer’s approaching service convinces her to travel along.

On this terrace, Dante and Beatrice participate a Vision Cave together. Inside, they are confronted with 2 episodes from their past: 1 of the nighttime Dante slept with different pistillate portion helium was retired warring successful the crusades, and different of the nighttime Beatrice, having learned of Dante’s betrayal, spitefully agreed to wed Lucifer. Afterwards, Dante battles not a sin-demon, but Beatrice’s Queen of Hell-form, vanquishing her for good.

With Lucifer’s forces blistery connected their tail, Dante, Beatrice, and Virgil caput for the adjacent terrace. On the way, they again tally into Gabriel, who offers to springiness them a ride. Before they tin instrumentality off, however, they are interrupted by different archangel, Uriel, who is successful a precise atrocious mood. He’s precocious discovered that neither Michael nor Gabriel person heard from God successful a precise agelong time, and truthful each bid he’s obeyed since Lucifer’s exile has been based connected lies.

The Archangel Uriel would person been 1 of the large antagonists of Dante's Purgatorio.

Gabriel tries to explicate himself, but Uriel didn’t travel looking for answers: helium tears disconnected his brother’s wings and cuts disconnected his caput with a flaming sword.

Separated from Virgil and Beatrice successful the ensuing chaos, Dante runs into Lucifer. To everyone’s surprise, he’s not present to combat you but to thank you. After all, you helped him flight from Hell, opened the gates of Purgatory, and mowed down hundreds of angels lasting betwixt him and Heaven. You aren’t fulfilling God’s program – Lucifer doubts He adjacent exists. Instead, you’re a pawn successful Lucifer’s plan, and person been from the precise infinitesimal you archetypal followed Beatrice into Hell.

“Know the truth, Dante,” helium says. “It has ever been I, guiding you successful your darkest moments, destroying everything you loved. Your full beingness starring you to this infinitesimal has been shaped by me, and nary other!”

Having dented Dante’s spirit, Lucifer vanishes. Alone and afloat of doubt, Dante is yet discovered by Lucia, who – erstwhile she’s been filled successful – tin neither corroborate nor contradict what you person heard. She has nary impervious – lone faith. It’s capable for her. But is it for you?

Levels 7, 8, and 9: Sloth, Greed, and Gluttony

Reuniting with Virgil (Lucia has taken Beatrice with her up the mountain), you observe that Lucifer’s forces person overtaken you, turning the remaining terraces of Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust into apocalyptic wastelands littered with dormant angels, downed warships, and enemies Dante antecedently faced successful the archetypal game.

As the duo hurries to drawback up, a cutscene acceptable successful the demon campy shows Lucifer telling Lilith that, from present connected out, she is nary longer second-in-command, but volition beryllium taking orders from Uriel, who has officially crossed implicit to the acheronian side. When Lilith protests, Lucifer – suggesting helium ne'er loved her – casts her out.

The adjacent 3 terraces each revolve astir large acceptable pieces. In Sloth, you person your last brushwood with Lilith. Determined to deed her ex-boyfriend wherever it hurts, she’s decided to termination Dante herself. The brag conflict – which sees her instrumentality Dante by pretending she’s really an guiltless idiosyncratic nether Lucifer’s spell – ends with her death.

On the ascent to Greed, you combat a Phlegyas – 1 of those gargantuan fire-demons you encountered successful the Anger level of Dante’s Inferno – which is scaling Mt. Purgatory similar the Titans from God of War 3. Climbing its body, you decision it by triggering a Possession-powered detonation that leaves a “Death Star”-sized spread successful the mountain.

On the Terrace of Gluttony, Virgil is captured by vine-mouthed demons. They imprison him wrong a cage dangling from the Tree of Knowledge, the aforesaid histrion that bore the effect which Lucifer utilized to thrust Adam and Eve retired of Paradise. Corrupted by Hell, it present resembles the emotion kid of a hydra and a Venus flytrap. To prevention Virgil, you person to combat the histrion and reconstruct it to its archetypal form.

Level 10: Lust

On Lust, the last terrace, Dante and Virgil yet drawback up to Lucifer’s army, which is trying to interruption into the Garden of Eden. After they research the last Vision Cave and face Dante’s lustful desires (complete with.. ahem… a love-making QTE sequence), Lucia shows up with an airship to instrumentality you to the summit.

Before you tin scope your destination, a furious Uriel reappears. Despite hurling his flaming sword astatine Dante, it’s Virgil alternatively who takes the fatal blow. After the writer dies successful his arms, Dante battles the archangel, sidesplitting him successful the aforesaid mode helium killed Gabriel. Part of this brag combat takes spot successful the skies supra Eden, with Dante sprouting angelic wings made of airy and circling his foe.

Dante and Uriel clash astatine the acme of Mount Purgatory.

Level 11: The Garden of Eden

Uriel whitethorn beryllium dead, but Lucifer’s forces propulsion onwards. In an effort to bargain himself much clip to find Beatrice successful the Garden of Eden, Dante helps the angels clasp the enactment successful a two-phase operation defence minigame. After blasting the approaching horde with a cannon and washing distant demons by redirecting waterfalls, you’re yet capable to marque it to the apical of the mountain.

Beatrice awaits Dante wrong the garden. Searching for her successful a gameplay series reminiscent of the opening act, their reunion is erstwhile again interrupted – not by a elephantine snake, but Michael, descending from Heaven successful a chariot drawn distant by a griffin.

Dante begs Michael to clasp unfastened the Gates of Heaven truthful Beatrice tin walk through. But the archangel won’t budge, having concluded that God has abandoned him successful favour of Dante. “For what does it substance who rules successful Heaven, if God has forsaken me?” helium says, grabbing Beatrice and ordering his champions, a 24-strong squad of elite angels, to termination Dante.

Over the people of the fight, Eden is gradually consumed by hellfire. Eventually, you are interrupted by Lucifer. He wields a spear, and connected it – the severed caput of Saint Lucia. Realising the standard of the menace connected his doorstep, Michael reluctantly promises to fto Beatrice participate Heaven if Dante manages to decision Lucifer.

With Lucifer defeated, Michael lets Dante and Beatrice walk done the Gates of Heaven conscionable earlier they close, arsenic promised. Seeing the dazzling City of Paradise successful the distance, they hardly person a accidental to respire earlier Beatrice walks up to Michael and, to everyone’s surprise, slits his throat. Smoke spews retired of her mouth, and Lucifer rematerializes. Thanking you erstwhile much for carrying retired his plan, helium takes your scythe – his scythe – and kicks you disconnected the borderline of Paradise.

Dante falls. Past the Garden of Eden, past the terraces of Mt. Purgatory, past the beach, past the 9 circles of Hell, each the mode down to the frozen aboveground of Lake Cocytus, wherever Lucifer was primitively imprisoned. A caller traitor – Uriel – has present taken his place.

Utterly defeated, Dante doesn’t determination until helium notices the deepest parts of Hell being illuminated by aureate light. The tone of Saint Lucia, descending from Heaven, tells him thing that changes everything: “Don’t fear, Dante. Even this is portion of God’s plan.”

The credits rotation connected Dante’s Inferno 2.

Dante’s Inferno 3: Paradiso - The Not-So-Complete Story

But there’s more. Another interior papers acquired by IGN outlines what God’s program entails, and however it would person factored into the crippled of the 3rd game, Dante’s Inferno 3: Paradiso. Put simply, God’s program is to destruct the Christian afterlife we’ve journeyed through, to teardrop down the unfair, overly strict strategy of punishment and redemption administered by Michael and his chap angels, and found a caller bid based purely connected love.

“I retrieve reasoning that if Lucifer’s penetration is portion of God’s plan, past that program cannot effect successful the attraction of the presumption quo,” says scriptwriter Joshua Rubin. “On the contrary, God saw his strategy corrupted by his angels, over-administered, overly bureaucratic. He wanted everything torn down, and the lone mode to bash that was to marque a antheral combat his mode done it all.”

According to the aforementioned document, the warfare betwixt Heaven and Hell would dispersed to Earth, with a ample portion of the 3rd crippled taking spot successful medieval Florence. This time, it seems, it’s Dante – joined by his daughter, calved portion helium was disconnected connected the crusades and near down successful Italy – who would person played the relation of the invader, storming Paradise with an service of radical and angels to combat Lucifer and prevention Beatrice 1 past time.

For those involved, looking backmost connected the aboriginal improvement of Dante’s Inferno 2 is bittersweet. On the 1 hand, the sequel, cancelled successful its infancy, is simply a practice of mislaid potential, an invitation to ideate what could person been. “The fig of games that don’t get a sequel but should,” Rubin muses. “It takes an full crippled for a squad to gel, to fig retired however to enactment together. Often, it’s lone successful the 2nd crippled wherever things truly travel to life.”

On the different hand, the enactment that Visceral poured into the Dante franchise was not for nothing. While the sequel ended up successful Limbo, the radical who had worked connected it went connected to use what they had learned to different projects, from Visceral’s Dead Space 3, to Uncharted 3 and God of War 2018. It is done these franchises – the precise franchises that inspired Visceral – that the tone of Dante’s Inferno lives on.

Tim Brinkhof is simply a freelance writer specializing successful creation and history. After studying journalism astatine NYU, helium has gone connected to constitute for Vox, Vulture, Slate, Polygon, GQ, Esquire and more.