Dante's Inferno will be burning up store shelves beginning in February of next year, but the game's developer sent out a press release this morning that ensures gamers will not have to wait nearly that long to try it out. On some unspecified day in December, Visceral Games will deliver a demo for the game to both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. The demo will include the game's entire opening level, introducing Dante, the hero of the story, as he fights off wave upon wave of enemies, eventually going toe-to-toe with Death. Victory over the Grim Reaper will give Dante his main weapon for the game, the powerful scythe, and will also open the gates of hell.

"Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell," said executive producer Jonathan Knight. "The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface."

Again, no definitive date was mentioned in the press release for the demo, but we've been assured it will arrive in December. Just think of it: your parents have come over for Christmas Eve dinner, maybe they brought Grandma along with them. The kids are running around the living room, vision of sugarplums dancing in their heads. And you, the gracious host, decide to get everyone huddled around the TV so they can all bask in the wonderous glow of Dante laying waste to scores of damned souls. These are the moments memories are made of.

Feel free to read the full press release:

Visceral Games Invites Players to Tear Open the ‘Gates of Hell’ with Dante’s Inferno Demo

Experience One of the Most Anticipated Games of 2010… in 2009

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spend the holidays in hell! Visceral Games™, the award-winning developers behind the critically-acclaimed Dead Space™ franchise and a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), today announced a demo for Dante’s Inferno™. Coming this December, the ‘Gates of Hell’ demo includes the entire opening level and gives gamers a taste of Visceral Games’ blockbuster adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy.

The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.

“Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell,” said executive producer Jonathan Knight. “The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface.”

EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.

Gamers will get to go to hell in North America beginning February 9, 2010 and in Europe on February 12, 2010 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation® Portable (PSP®). The Gates of Hell demo will be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Dante’s Inferno has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow the Dante’s Inferno team at Visceral Games on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com where the team explores a new circle of hell, with new content and updates on the ninth day of every month.