Ever since Visceral Games announced that the next game their team would be working on would be set in the deepest depths of Hell, I have made no secret of my near child-like excitement. Honestly, few game companies, if any, would have the balls to take on such a potentially controversial subject matter. Further, after the amazing game that was Dead Space (Visceral's first foray into an original IP), I'm not sure that there is another developer that could deliver on the potential of Satan's backyard. Since the announcement, every bit of art, clip of developer diary, and shred of news that has come out about Dante's Inferno has only gotten me more and more pumped. I mean, for God's sake, do you realize that the entire Lust level is made up of a repeated motif of penises and vaginas? How can you not be excited for that?

Anyway, in much the same way the company promoted Dead Space through a series of comics, websites, and an animated movie, Visceral is gearing up for the release of Inferno with a multi-media blitz. Today the company, in conjunction with Film Roman, has released the first trailer for the upcoming animated film based on the events preceding the game, as well as some of Hell's circles.

Watch, damnit:

I really only have two words to say about that: fucking epic. I just don't think that enough cartoons tackle the weighty subject matter of disembowelments, decapitations, or Cerberus devouring the souls of fornicators. While I'm entirely aware of the fact that my increasing level of expectation may ultimately lead to my own disappointment in the game, until I'm shown otherwise, this is quickly becoming my most anticipated game of early next year.