Dante's Inferno is one of the few rather large upcoming titles that Electronic Arts have up their collective sleeves. As a result, they've taken the game to E3 this year, preparing a special little fiery piece of hell for gamers and the media alike.

We've got our hands on some very dark and twisted screenshots from Visceral Games (formerly known as EA Redwood Shores) along with the official E3 2009 Trailer from the game. In addition, we've got the E3 fact sheet, which contains a bunch of information about the game.

Dante's Inferno will take players to Hell, in a 3rd person action adventure closely following the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic The Divine Comedy, which many academics agree forms the basis of the modern depiction of the not-so wholesome afterlife.

The game will place players into the role of Dante, who descends into Hell in a bid to find his beloved Beatrice, who was murdered. Dante must not only rescue his live, but face inner demons and redeem himself. As they progress through the game, players will step through the nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery, with each aea to have its own demons, monsters, and geography.

Download Dante's Inferno E3 2009 Trailer

Dante will have two main weapons in his quest through Hell - a Scythe, taken from Death himself, and the Holy Cross, a gift from his beloved Beatrice, which helps Dante collect souls and spells from the creatures he encounters in Hell. Players will be able to use the collected souls of demons and monsters to upgrade their abilities, allowing them to play in a way which suits their own personal play style.

The fact sheet outlines what we can expect from the game, which is an epic endeavour and is bound to be interesting, given the unique setting and development pedigree which Visceral Games established with Dead Space.

An Epic Adaptation of a Classic – Based on part one of Dante Alighieri’s classic poem “The Divine Comedy,” Dante’s Inferno is a 3rd person action adventure game that takes Dante on an epic journey through Hell as he seeks to rescue the soul of his beloved Beatrice. The Nine Circles of Hell – Just like the poem, players will descend through Dante’s unique nine circles of Hell: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Each circle features distinct environments, enemies and story elements befitting the sins committed by their inhabitants. Control the Beasts of Hell – Dante’s Inferno features large scale beasts and bosses, some of which Dante will be able to fully tame, utilizing them to throw back Hell’s wrath to its minions. Fast, Addictive, Responsive Combat – Dante fights through the nine circles armed with Death’s Scythe and Beatrice’s Holy Cross, with magic powers and a deep, customizable upgrade system helping the player take full advantage of a fast and fluid gameplay experience that will never run at lower than 60 frames per second. Bring Hell With You Wherever You Go – Dante’s Inferno gives PSP owners the same level of fast, responsive gameplay through all nine detailed and unique circles of hell the team is aiming to achieve on the consoles. Visceral Games Stamp of Approval – From the award-winning studio that created the critically-acclaimed Dead Space, Dante’s Inferno will receive the same relentless focus on quality and polish Visceral Games has become known for.

Dante's Inferno will be released in 2010, and will be available on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and the Xbox 360. More screenshots and concept art can be found on the mirror.