It’s true that iGR has already provided a DMC: Devil May Cry Review by our very own Nicholas Villarreal. But, from time to time it’s important to get a second take on a review. In this case Ninja Theory and Capcom accomplished exactly what they set out to do with DMC: Devil May Cry, they attracted a gamer that wasn’t a fan of the original series.
I think that’s an important aspect you’ll have to keep in mind while reading my take of DMC. I haven’t ever played any Devil May Cry title prior to this for more than half an hour. I’m not sure what I even found distasteful about the original series, but I can tell you that I never so much as batted an eye at any of the previous iterations.
As we move forward I’ll try my best (and fail) to break things down with some structure.
First up I want to cover what impressed me the most about DMC: Devil May Cry. The game play mechanics were fantastic. I’ve always thought (and heard) hack and slash in reference to Devil May Cry, and there’s definitely that element to the combat, but it bears much more depth than it’s given credit for. For example, when I hear hack and slash I immediately think of God of War (not that there’s anything wrong with GOW) but, there’s a distinct difference in the technique of chaining attacks in DMC. The combat system in DMC requires finesse, timing, and constant awareness. Chaining an enormous attack on multiple enemies wasn’t inherently difficult, but crafting a SSS combo was a definite thing of beauty. The arsenal at your disposal created an amazing palette of pain of which to paint Limbo (and your foes) with. Platforming and Quick Time elements worked well to vary the action throughout DMC’s 8-10 hour story.
Capcom isn’t typically on the top of my list when it comes to graphics. DMC suffers from it’s fair share of screen tearing and strange shading effects, but only during cinematic sequences. Typically during close ups of Dante speaking to Vergil or Kat. Then again, the game play graphics worked extremely well, and I was a big fan of the evolving environments that would delve further into Limbo when Dante neared.
The plot of DMC was also surprisingly enjoyable. without playing any other titles in the series prior to DMC I felt that Ninja Theory did a fantastic job of introducing Dante as a brash, foul mouthed, and selfish Nephilim, only to have him develop into a much deeper character the more he learned about his forgotten past. DMC unites the brothers Vergil and Dante for the first time since their childhood when they were torn apart by tragedy. Kat, Dante’s companion throughout DMC helps to flesh out the story with a bit of humanity. Humanity doesn’t play the largest role in DMC, we’re mostly just used as pawns in demonic plots, and helpless onlookers (think The Matrix). DMC reminded me of The Matrix more than once when seeing humanity at the mercy of an unknown, and unperceived force. Kat acts as an exception to the rule, she’s able to see across the threshold of reality into Limbo. She’s perfected the means of aiding Dante and Vergil in the traveling between reality and Limbo to carry out their revenge, and save humanity in the process. The brothers’ reason for revenge is simple, primal, and justified. The source of their hatred is Mundus, an all powerful demon responsible for murdering the pairs mother (Eva) and imprisoning their father (Sparda) for eternity.
The character and weapon progression in DMC was also a welcome addition. I found myself striving for higher scores that resulted in more opportunities for upgrades to Dante’s person and his arsenal of swords, pistols, scythe’s, axes, and shotguns. I found my favorite projectile weapon wasn’t a firearm, but the Aquila. A pair of large throwing stars (of sorts) that were able to inflict damage and large groups of enemies at once. The toggling between weapons to extend combos worked better in DMC than I had ever experienced before. The transition between Rebellion to Ebony and Ivory and back to Osiris was a thing of beauty. The fluidity of combat was an astronomical feat with the amount of melee and projectile weapons available to Dante.
The voice acting and soundtrack of DMC also weighed in above expectations. Louis Hertham of True Blood and The Last Exorcism fame turned in an impressive performance as Mundus. The voice acting was on or above par when it comes to any myriad of AAA games this console generation. The soundtrack during combat sequences complimented the on screen mayhem rather well, and cut scenes were accentuated exceptionally well.
DMC: Devil May Cry created a series fan out of me, and I may even be returning to the previous iterations for more demon ridden action.
+ Extremely Fluid Game Play Mechanics
+ Surprisingly Deep Story
+ Fantastic Voice Acting
- Some Screen Tearing and Shading Issues
Score: 9/10
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