Dante’s Inferno
Visceral Games, otherwise known as EA Redwood Shores Studio, was one of the best developers in the industry, responsible for the some of gaming’s highest profile titles during the sixth and seventh console generations. Recreating popular book and cinema franchises in addition to crafting its own IP, Visceral Games will most certainly be missed now that EA has officially announced its closure. The following is a list of the developer’s most noteworthy titles in order from worst to best.
Dante’s Inferno in video game form hides absolutely nothing from those who play it. Taking inspiration from the first canticle of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the title is a literal interpretation of the poem complete with the appropriate circles of hell and the various monstrous creatures that inhabit them. Dante, reimagined as a Templar knight, must venture through these nine levels in order to reclaim the soul of his beloved Beatrice, the likes of which was brutally slaughtered by Lucifer himself.
Gameplay was a lot like that of God of War, allowing users to wield both a scythe and a cross in a variety of ways to perform lots of flashy combination attacks and finishing moves. Magic-based moves and abilities were unlocked through souls, which served as the title’s in-game currency. Additionally, a quick-time system was implemented to discharge demons of its masters, and experience was mostly gained by punishing or absolving the damned souls of many famous figures in history (of which the book actually refers to). Visceral Games certainly did their homework when making Dante’s Inferno, and making it appealing to modern audiences was nothing short of an accomplishment.
Battlefield Hardline
Visceral Games was the best developer to handle a new take on the Battlefield formula, and it certainly showed upon Battlefield Hardline’s release. Focusing on crime, heists, and the life and times of the police as opposed to military warfare, this “war on crime” game played very much like a cop drama. Fans were given the ability to make choices that drastically changed gameplay experiences compared to prior entries in the series, including the option to take out a police badge to intimidate criminals to lay down their weapons. Stealth mechanics were also introduced to slip by enemies unnoticed.
The main draw of any Battlefield is its multiplayer portion, of course, and Hardline didn’t disappoint in that regard either. The title shipped with a variety of fun modes like Heist, which saw criminals extract money out of a vault before the police stopped them, Blood Money, where two factions were pitted against each other in order to retrieve money from an open crate in the center of the map, and Rescue, where S.W.A.T. officers were tasked with trying to rescue hostages held by criminal forces. Each was a unique take on the standard multiplayer deathmatch and fit the game very appropriately, cementing Visceral Games as an observant connoisseur of its craft.
Dead Space
Dead Space was Visceral Games’ first original IP and earned the studio its name change from EA Redwood Shores Studio. In many ways, it marked a significant step in the right direction for the developer, heightening it in the eyes of parent company EA and making it well-known around gaming communities as one of the best companies in the industry. Indeed, it’s not too hyperbolic to say that Dead Space was single-handedly responsible for rejuvenating the entire survival horror genre as a whole.
A nail-biting experience from beginning to end, Dead Space was essentially a modern take on Resident Evil, only in space. The game was meticulously designed in scope and included a compelling narrative that kept fans guessing right until the credits rolled. Its atmosphere was as daunting as its name, as players felt isolated, threatened, and afraid throughout most of the nightmare and there was no telling what lied just around the corner. Incorporating a fresh shooting mechanic that forced gamers to unlearn the head shot as well, Dead Space established itself as an essential for an horror fan out there, regardless of their preference in medium.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Visceral Games developed the game tie-in to the last installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, titled The Return of the King,and it turned out to surpass everyone’s expectations. Video game tie-ins to major film releases were always assumed to be bad upon release, but Visceral unsurprisingly managed to change that perception by not only working closely with the film’s crew, but by providing their own flair on it.
Easily setting the standard for movie adaptations, The Return of the King was lauded by critics and fans alike for its graphics and THX-certified audio, not to mention its animations, scenery, player models, cutscenes, music, and voice acting. Gameplay – which could be experienced cooperatively with a friend – felt immersive in that chopping into enemies would produce a very realistic thud, and more often than not players were forced to multitask and keep track of enemy hordes while they were hacking and slashing. It may not be so well-known today, but this movie tie-in actually helped influence the entire industry with its unique mechanics.
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 2 perfectly exemplifies how to do a video game sequel right. Visceral Games preserved the unsettling yet enthralling atmosphere of the original and added to it so much more, especially in the way of giving players nightmares. Having a seven-foot monster that vomits acidic bile and tries to impale Isaac with razor-sharp appendages was one thing, but watching tons of necromorph babies scream as they ripped out his throat can haunt any sane human being for days on end.
Indeed, Dead Space 2 not only had great enemy variety, but many more options for players to fight the necromorph hordes. Weapons were upgradable, different suits were acquirable, and more could be done with Issac’s telekinetic abilities aside from just temporarily putting fiends in stasis, including the option to send miscellaneous objects flying toward enemy weak points. Visceral Games definitely dialed up the horror element, but thankfully provided for more methods to survive in this new iteration.
In many ways this sequel can be compared to the difference that classic sci-fi horror film Alien has to its successor Aliens. The first entries in each of these franchises offered a calm yet exhilarating experience, yet their sequels only started that way. By the time the credits begun to roll, both Aliens and Dead Space 2 morphed into full-on sci-fi action, in fact. Though fans will still divide themselves among similar camps as they do with the Alien films, each remains just as mandatory to play as the other, especially for horror connoisseurs out there.
Visceral Games will undoubtedly be missed for more than just its contribution to the survival horror genre, as the developer was responsible for some of the industry’s most unique and innovative titles. Here’s hoping everyone affected by the closure finds themselves new work under EA.
About the author
