devil may cry – JoshM574
Posts about devil may cry written by JoshM574
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JoshM574
THIS PARTY’SSS GONNA GET CRAZY!

Part of the horror-themed UNDEAD COVERAGE 2020 celebration

In the early 2000s, Capcom released the first in a new action series, Devil May Cry. Originally planned to be a new Resident Evil game, DMC1 stole the show with satisfying combat designed to make you look (and feel) good whilst battling grotesque, demonic forces. Whilst it isn’t as smooth as later games in the franchise, DMC1 holds up surprisingly well, providing a short, but sweet ride to hell and back as Dante, son of Sparda, to defeat the demon king Mundus, and his plethora of minions.

SPOILER WARNING!

Spoilers for various plot points, as well as several bosses, weapons and items.

CONTENTS

I | A GUNSLINGING SWORDMASTER | Combat and Abilities

II | REVVING IT UP A NOTCH | Difficulty and Bosses

III | GOTHIC RESIDENCE | Presentation, World and Nostalgia

IV | VERDICT | Verdict looking back on Devil May Cry

I

– A GUNSLINGING SWORDMASTER –

The core of any action game is its combat, and is an area that DMC perfects as the series goes on. This first entry shows clear signs of potential, and whilst not offering the deepest set of weapons or mechanics compared to later entries, there’s still a lot of depth at play that bleeds into both standard fights and boss battles.

Dante is equipped with a standard sword and dual pistols right from the getgo. Both of these have their own dedicated buttons, and don’t pull you out of combat in any jarring way, granting the ability to alternate between both weapons at any point during gameplay, providing ways to attack enemies across close and long distances.

The sword has a basic combo mapped to triangle, along with a couple of pause combos, opening up additional ways to fight just from a single button. When locking onto enemies, additional attacks are available when combining the sword attack with a push or pull on the stick too; pulling back launches enemies into the air (if you hold attack, Dante jumps with the enemy), whilst pushing forward performs Stinger, where Dante will spear his sword toward enemies across a long distance. DMC1 also loops in a couple of aerial attacks too, like his sword slam attack and ranged shots from the dual pistols. While they deal little damage, Ebony and Ivory (Dante’s guns) can not only be used at range, but also to suspend enemies in the air.

BURY THE LIGHT

Early on in the game, Dante acquires ‘Alastor’ which unlocks ‘Devil Trigger’, a supercharged form where more damage is done, health is regained and a boost to movement speed is provided. Via the Alastor upgrade page, DT also has a couple of unique unlockable moves (including an aerial attack) adding more depth to the form. Building up the DT gauge is done by attacking and taunting enemies, the latter of which is actually a fully effective mechanic in itself! I didn’t used to know much about taunting, but over time I’ve learned to blend Dante’s cocky side into combat more and more across each DMC title. I also discovered that (in DMC1 at least), the closer you are to enemies when taunting, the more DT is received in return, very much making it a risk/reward style move, and one that deepens combat with a worthy reward for doing so.

Later in the game, Dante acquires Ifrit, a pair of flaming gauntlets and boots. These too can also be upgraded with both standard and DT specific moves. Whereas Alastor is focused on quick, speedy attacks, Ifrit offers chargeable, more powerful attacks. Admittedly, I never really used this weapon a whole lot, but there were still several moments where I’d break them out, particularly against specific enemies whom they seemed better suited for.

There’s a design philosophy here that’s present across pretty much all DMC games; each weapon has good utility and a worthy place within the combat system, but none are really ever required per se. Each weapon is effective, but not forced; a good design decision that makes later games (like DMC5) so rewarding especially when there’s a whole set of disparate moves and attacks all usable at one time.

II

– REVVING IT UP –

DMC1 doesn’t have the most complex combat in the series by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s certainly not a pushover or super easy either, offering a fair challenge that’s only really held back by its fixed camera angles and somewhat stiff movement.

Playing through on Hard, DMC1 certainly ups its game, remixing enemies who jump you with surprise appearances, it’s a difficulty that puts everything you’ve learned to the test. As a note about this, if you plan to play DMC1 on Hard, you’ll want to have a solid Normal playthrough saved up; this is because, each time you buy an item, its cost increases, and this cost sticks around when moving from Normal to Hard (which I’d imagine persists when playing on the hardest difficulty, Dante Must Die). Thankfully DMC1 isn’t a super long game, so replaying isn’t too much of an inconvenience, but I do think the game would’ve benefitted from a mission select option to allow specific missions to be replayed and mastered.

DEVIL HUNTERS

In regards to boss fights, DMC1 is in no short supply, albeit not of new bosses; you’ll encounter five different foes, having to fight each of them around two or three times through the whole game. Some of them do come prepared with different moves and arenas to fight in however, so don’t expect the same fight every time.

Some might see it as lazy, but it never entirely stood out as a problem to me; it just might give the reaction of ‘You again!?’, not necessarily in a bad way, but in an almost menacing way that makes these adversaries seem unstoppable. Paired with their new moves, it’s almost like they were determined to beat me, as I was determined to beat them.

If I had to name a personal favourite, I think it’d be ‘Nelo Angelo’, a character who poses a close quarters style fight and is incredibly satisfying to fight. That said, the lava-scorpion-spider ‘Phantom’ can be fun too, dealing damage with its deflected projectiles and weak point on top. There’s a couple of awkward fights, later into the game such as Nightmare, (and the random flying segment in the first phase of the fight against final boss Mundus), but I didn’t hate them as such, though they certainly aren’t as impressive and enjoyable as fights seen in later DMC titles. Regardless, much like a lot of this game, these fights are all pretty nostalgic and will likely forever be memorable.

III

– GOTHIC RESIDENCE –

Speaking of nostalgia, DMC1 is one of the most memorable and nostalgic titles I’ve played. This was a game I played years and years ago for the first time on PS2. Entering the castle on Mallet Island, hearing the eerie ambient music kick in whilst I explored the open halls and small chambers; this game has several places that could very easily be mistaken for a Resident Evil level. The fixed cameras and music really drive that feeling home too. Once you enter combat though, the music makes a dramatic shift into something much more upbeat, a blend of techno beats and whirls that are still some of the most memorable battle tracks to date.

Much of the game world is designed heavily around a gothic aesthetic, leading through medieval-esque corridors and courtyards, even going as far as including a whole pirate ship! The enemies encountered oddly fit the theme too, all disparate and unique, yet well connected to the underlying theme of demons and the underworld.

Those themes become a much greater part of the game as time goes on, not only through strange and grotesque enemies (looking at you, Nobodies), but the world shifts and changes too. The atmosphere is a strong element of DMC1, but it’s taken to a new level when beginning the approach to demon king, Mundus. The visual elements of the island all change, opening new pathways and closing old ones, making you feel like you’ve entered a new dimension, not of this Earth.

There’s audio changes too, with odd sound effects and thunder and lighting cascading outside, with a whole new soundtrack to boot. I seriously don’t know if I’ve seen many other games commit this much to such a tonal shift and rework of their existing environment, but it’s no doubt that DMC1’s shift here has an impressive effect and was an element that stuck out a ton when replaying the game last year.

IV

– VERDICT –

Devil May Cry started off in an interesting place; not only originally planned to be a Resident Evil game, and managing to stumble so, so (very, very, veeery) far with its sequel, the franchise picked itself back up from the depths of hell with its third entry, and impressively re-routed itself onto the right track. Even if the series diverted once more, following DMC4 with an entire reboot that was radically different from any of the originals, it managed to find its way back safely and uncompromised, continuing the legacy with DMC5.

DMC1 might have awkward camera angles and rusty dialogue, but I think it holds up relatively well even today, and suits the title of this article (‘Past Classic’) rather well.

MORE ‘UNDEAD COVERAGE 2020’ CONTENT

Part of the ‘UNDEAD COVERAGE‘ celebration, featuring articles about other horror titles I’ve played, including my top five horror games of all time, my thoughts on The Evil Within 2, and more!

Check out the full list of contents here.

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SOURCES & REFERENCES

All images used are from the official Devil May Cry website.

YIKES!

In very impromptu fashion, I recently ended up writing about titles that are either 100% horror focused, or have worlds that capture some of the aesthetic and vibe of an eerie and chilling setting. As such, I thought I’d tie them together in a themed coverage of sorts. This won’t be as cohesive as it probably could be, but I think it’d be interesting nonetheless to look back at some of what I’ve covered in the past, and release a few new articles within a shorter window, all with an underlying focus on the elements of horror.

Read on for information about the next two weeks of coverage, or click here to jump straight to the featured contents of ‘UNDEAD COVERAGE 2020’.

OVERVIEW

First, the high level plan for this event…

To kick this off, I’ve written some short impressions of The Evil Within 2; recently I’ve been checking the title out, and with my experience of horror titles, I wanted to talk about what I’ve been enjoying about it so far.

Secondly, I wanted to deliver an article that’s a bit lengthier, providing a list of my top five favourite horror titles of all time, ranging across the last two generations.

For the third article, I recently revisited the first Devil May Cry game; originally planned to be an entry in the Resident Evil series, the thoughts I shared on this felt like a good addition for the event.

And finally, I’ve taken an unreleased excerpt from my Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time Review and turned it into a full design analysis focused on dynamic difficulty.

Just a note about the design analysis article; it may seem out of place with the overall theme, but I talk about Bloodborne and Dark Souls, both of which are rooted in Gothic environments and visual design, so I believed this felt like an article worthy of including within this themed coverage.

As an added bonus, I’ve also included a list of horror titles I’ve covered in the past. While some aren’t inherently a part of the horror genre, much like Bloodborne and Dark Souls, they feature elements usually associated with that kind of media.

RELEASE TIMING

The four aforementioned articles will be released on different days starting this weekend and across the first two weeks of November.

You can find more information on each of these articles below, alongside the exact publishing dates and more.

INTEGRATING PATREON

I wanted to try something different with a couple of the featured articles here; the plan is to release a Sneak Peek of my Devil May Cry retrospective, and an early access version of my dynamic difficulty design analysis to all Patreon supporters 7 days before the full articles go live publicly.

Regardless of tier choice (even the £1 Tier One), you will gain access to these before anyone else; I believe if you choose to support me, no matter what tier, you should receive the majority of my content and rewards.

As a reminder, I recently updated the tier pricing, creating a more gradual increase in cost alongside a few other changes. If you want to read more about that, check out this Patreon article discussing those changes.

For those of you who are unable to support via Patreon or don’t want to, this article will still be available to all at a slightly later date. More info on exact timings can be found further below.

FINAL NOTES ON EVENT

Before delving into the full set of treats (or tricks?), I called this ‘Undead Coverage 2020’, but if I continue this year on year, I might look at different names that are maybe a bit more flashy and interesting. With such an impromptu idea, I wanted to try something different, and see how it goes from a development standpoint.

Additionally, if I were to continue this project next year, my goal would be to launch and publish all the articles earlier than these are planned for, aiming for dates closer to Halloween itself. Due to the late announcement and planning, this will bleed into the first couple of weeks of November.

UNDEAD COVERAGE 2020 CONTENTS

Click an article title to find out information on its contents, as well as the planned publication date. To be notified specifically when each article goes live, be sure to follow me on Twitter!

PATREON SUPPORTERS

SNEAK PEEK | AVAILABLE NOW!

// PAST CLASSICS – DEVIL MAY CRY | ADDITIONAL INFO

EARLY ACCESS | AVAILABLE NOW!

// DESIGN ANALYSIS – DYNAMIC DIFFICULTY & PLAYER ASSISTANCE

PATREON PAGE

AVAILABLE NOW ON WEBSITE & PATREON

DESIGN ANALYSIS | DYNAMIC DIFFICULTY & PLAYER ASSISTANCE | Additional Info

PAST CLASSICS = DEVIL MAY CRY | Additional Info

EARLY ACCESS | DYNAMIC DIFFICULTY ANALYSIS

TOP FIVE HORROR GAMES OF ALL TIME | Additional Info

SNEAK PEEK | PAST CLASSICS – DEVIL MAY CRY

THE EVIL WITHIN 2 IMPRESSIONS | Additional Info

HORROR TITLES PREVIOUSLY COVERED

LATEST UPDATES

I

THE EVIL WITHIN 2 | IMPRESSIONS

AVAILABLE NOW

Recently I’ve been playing Tango Gameworks’ The Evil Within 2, and wanted to share some of my early thoughts on the game’s creepy and crazy world of unsettling abominations. Have a read of what I think so far.

II

TOP FIVE HORROR GAMES OF ALL TIME

AVAILABLE NOW

With Halloween just passing and my recent time playing The Evil Within 2, I wanted to look back at and rank my favourite horror games, ranging across PS3 and PS4. Check out my favourite titles from the genre.

III

PAST CLASSICS | DEVIL MAY CRY

AVAILABLE NOW

To celebrate the upcoming release of Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, I thought this was the perfect time to share my retrospective of the first game after recently returning to it. How well does Dante’s first outing hold up 20 years later?

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SNEAK PEAK VERSION?

Patreon supporters can check out part of an earlier edit of this article here, featuring the first few paragraphs and original contents. For clarity, not much has changed between that sneak peak (which had already been edited a couple of times) and the final, fully edited version available now, but it’s there for anyone interested in seeing some in-development work of mine.

Additional information on the ‘Sneak Peek’ Patreon access for this Devil May Cry Retrospective can be found in this article.

IV

DESIGN ANALYSIS | DYNAMIC DIFFICULTY & PLAYER ASSISTANCE

AVAILABLE NOW

Closing out ‘UNDEAD COVERAGE’, I shared some thoughts on the dynamic checkpoint system of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, with comparisons to difficulty systems in other games such as Bloodborne and Dark Souls III.

This article was previously available as an early access benefit for Patreon supporters; you can still check out this version of the article on my Patreon page here.

While the early access version isn’t massively different from the final version available on my site, supporting me on Patreon, regardless of tier, will grant you access to future Sneak Peaks, Early Access articles and more.

IV

PREVIOUS HORROR (ISH) COVERAGE

While I typically don’t play horror games, I have covered a few on my website in the past, along with a bunch of other action titles that have taken inspiration. Below is a list of the games I’ve covered that either are of, or feature elements from the horror genre.

Oh, and one other thing; several of these articles were written years ago. That means that some of it might not hold up as well as my current work, whether it be what I said, or the quality of writing. Just something to bear in mind…

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Zombies

Dark Souls III

Dead Space 2

Dead Space 3 | Awakened DLC

Death Stranding | Top Games of 2019

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep (Review Part I) | Part II | Top Games of 2019

Devil May Cry 1

DOOM (2016)

DOOM: Eternal

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

The Evil Within 2

The Last of Us

The Last of Us Part II Spoiler-Free Impressions | On Completion

The Order: 1886

Resident Evil 2 | Top Games of 2019

Resident Evil Revelations 2: Episode 1

Vampyr

World War Z

Note: Publication dates are subject to change.

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THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

Devil May Cry is back!

It’s been 11 years since the last proper DMC outing, but Nero and Dante are back and at the top of their game with the fifth entry in the hack n slash series. Devil May Cry 5 raises the bar for the action genre and the franchise itself, whilst simultaneously telling an entertaining story that keeps you guessing at every moment. DMC5 is quite simply the jackpot of the action genre; it kicks ass, and looks good while doing it.

STORY AND PRESENTATION

Despite combat being the main attraction, I was extremely interested in DMC5’s story. This might’ve been due to a bit of theorising and speculation leading up to launch, but like the trailers suggest, there are many mysteries to unravel. The questions and plotlines presented during the twenty missions kept me guessing throughout, and I was constantly going back and forth on ideas and predictions thanks to the multiple twists and turns. To an extent, maybe the story is somewhat predictable (more likely if you know the series’ history), but the narrative arc holds up fantastically from beginning to end, and it’s easily my favourite story of the five games.

The story is told in a similar way to DMC3 and 4, featuring superb cutscene direction, all developed in the impressive RE Engine, making it the first non-Resident Evil game to do so. Thanks to this, the characters are now more alive and realistic than they’ve ever been. Paired with the mostly solid performances, it allows them to be more believable, especially when it comes to the more serious story beats. These are still the same characters you know and love though, and this is still well and truly a Devil May Cry game. Some of them are perhaps a little underutilised, but nearly everyone gets their time in the limelight, allowing the game to maintain its focus on the story. To me, it felt like the narrative drove this game forward a bit more than usual (perhaps an influence from other story driven games), and I think it’s a key reason why the pacing felt consistently on point. With a captivating plot and overall great performances from a lively cast, this is the strongest execution of character and story in the DMC series yet.

[INTERLUDE – HISTORY AND BACKSTORY OF DMC]

Those less well-versed in the lore and history of DMC might feel differently about the narrative, but I think the game does a pretty good job of explaining who’s who and providing the information necessary to grasp what’s actually going on. If you want to get caught up on the events of the previous games though, there’s a video that goes through key events from before DMC5, as well as extensive lore entries on all the characters, enemies, weapons and more, with some additional notes about some of the other miscellaneous parts of the story.

INTERLUDE END –

The RE Engine boasts a new level of graphical prowess that’s very different from what was seen over 10 years ago, and it achieves this while retaining a smooth frame rate of 60. There were moments where cutscenes dipped below 60 (I played on a base PS4), but these didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment. All the environments and character models look glorious, and the world comes to life with superb lighting and a wide colour palette. You can see the stunning attention to detail on the character models (in addition to all the weapons, enemies and bosses) in the model viewer, giving you a good look at just how much work has gone into each design.

[INTERLUDE – ‘NICO’S REPORTS’ AND BONUS MENUS]

Like the Resident Evil 2 remake, DMC5 has a bonuses menu wherein (along with the model viewer), cutscenes can be re-watched, lore can be read, combat music can be selected and more. It reminded me of how a lot of games (moreso in the PS2/early PS3 era) used to feature extras you could unlock by playing the game and completing challenges. It does pop up in some games here and there, but I wish more games had unlockable bonuses and the like.

Hell, DMC5 has FOUR additional difficulties you can unlock, and they change subsequent playthroughs by more than just adjusting enemy health; the harder modes remix encounters with different enemies and apply gameplay modifiers, testing you as a player in numerous ways.

INTERLUDE END –

COMBAT AND ENEMIES

While the story and presentation might be the best the series has seen, the real meat and potatoes of the Devil May Cry games is the combat. Much like the past couple of entries, DMC5 is deep, frenetic and fun, once again proving to be the standout part of the package. The combat is somewhat similar to DMC4’s, but here it goes above and beyond to improve and expand, and then some. The core gameplay is unmatched by anything else in the genre, and is quite simply some of the best hack n slash gameplay you can get your hands on. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s the best. Devil May Cry 5 once again sets the standard for action games, and I’m interested to see how Capcom will surpass this in the future.

The biggest couple of reasons as to why the combat is the best yet are the expansion of existing systems and the new ways to fight; Nero (DMC4) and Dante (DMC1-4) return, both receiving a number of upgrades (some more immediate than others) that make them feel fresh to play as. Another reason is the introduction of an entirely new playable character who is vastly different to anything previously seen in the series. These enhancements paired with the level of complexity in all their fighting styles encourage replayability, and I’ve constantly felt like returning to the game since I finished it. And it’s all accompanied by a banging soundtrack that transforms as you increase your style rank (by executing skills and combos), becoming more and more over the top as you show off your ‘Sick Skills’.

Like the other games, DMC5 teaches and encourages you to be a better player. While there is an ‘Auto Mode’ option where the game will automatically execute certain moves without the need for specific button inputs or timings from the player, the game is much more enjoyable when you invest into and learn the different skills at each character’s disposal. As you progress through levels and complete missions you earn Red Orbs, and these can be used to purchase items (like health upgrades and second chances if you die), but primarily abilities that complement and broaden each moveset. Learning these moves help you become a better player, and you’ll see this represented in real time by the style ranking, but also the overall ranks per mission. These systems incentivise replayability even further, not only to unlock the full potential of each demon hunter, but also to master their playstyles and perfect all the missions. There’s a vast array of unique upgrades to unlock, but basic abilities (such as the double jump or an extended range for collecting Red Orbs) do have to be purchased per character. Considering the amount of Red Orbs the game hands over (and the cost of these abilities) however, I didn’t find this to be a hindrance.

MILD GAMEPLAY SPOILERS AHEAD

I DISCUSS EACH CHARACTER’S PLAYSTYLE AND THEIR BASIC MOVESETS, AS WELL AS THE ENEMIES AND BOSSES, BUT I DON’T SPOIL ANY STORY OR GAMEPLAY RELATED DETAILS NOT SHOWN IN THE EARLY TRAILERS.

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ ANY DETAILS/MY THOUGHTS ON HOW EACH CHARACTER FIGHTS AND THE LINEUP OF ADVERSARIES (I NAME ONE BOSS FROM THE EARLY HOURS OF THE GAME), SKIP TO THE ‘WORLD AND LEVEL DESIGN’ SECTION.

NERO | COMBAT

In Devil May Cry 4, Nero was the more accessible character; his skillset was large enough for those wanting to dig deep for mastery, but he didn’t have many other abilities that would overwhelm newer players. In DMC5, he has been built upon in a way that retains his accessible nature. Nero now has ‘Devil Breakers’ replacing his Devil Bringer arm from the previous game. Certain abilities (like the grapple to yank enemies about) remain, but there are several new functions that the different Devil Breakers offer. I didn’t experiment with all of them, but the ones I did try add to the plethora of options already available. One of my favourites is ‘Punchline’, which allows you to fire Nero’s arm at enemies and watch as it swarms them with constant stun attacks. The arm can then be called back, and Nero will hop on top to surf it around like a hoverboard. Various attacks can be performed in this state, and I found it to be very effective against basic, fodder-like enemies.

https://twitter.com/JoshM574/status/1104832763713208320

The Devil Breakers, paired with Nero’s expanded set of upgrades (and other evolutions I’m intentionally not talking about), broaden his repertoire of abilities in a way that keeps him true to his relatively simple fighting style. These extra advancements really help Nero evolve and become more complex in a way that’s closer to Dante, without directly copying that style. After playing the demo, I thought the DBs might take a bit of time to get used to, but I found myself naturally combining them with my other attacks. It might take some time to effectively incorporate them, but they open up more avenues for experimentation, feeding right back into DMC’s trademark replay value.

V | COMBAT

As a newcomer to the franchise, V had to make a good impression to match up to the two other kings of combat. When I was first handed control of the Adam Driver lookalike, there was something obviously very different and unique about him: instead of attacking enemies himself, he summon 3 creatures to battle for him: there’s Griffon, who is good for long range and aerial attacks, Shadow, who’s best for close quarters attacks, and Nightmare, whom is only summonable when you have maxed out V’s ‘Devil Trigger’ metre. Due to V’s initially limited set of moves, I found myself mindlessly spamming buttons until all the enemies had been eliminated. The only actual role V plays in combat is to finish off adversaries himself once enough damage has been dealt by his familiars. Once more upgrades are obtained however, it does start to become a bit less button spam-y and more fun, but it still takes a bit of time to get to grips with.

Overall I think V is my least favourite out of the 3 playable heroes. It should be noted though, that like Nero and Dante, he has been given lots of attention to ensure his fighting style is separate and extensive in its own way. I see him taking a long time to master, but he refreshed the gameplay with a new taste of hack n’ slash we haven’t had before in his own set of missions that explore his intentions and goals as a character.

[INTERLUDE – V ON ‘SON OF SPARDA’]

Since beating DMC5, I’ve been replaying the game on the ‘Son of Sparda’ difficulty (unlocked once you beat the game on ‘Devil Hunter’ mode) and with the remixed enemy waves and their increased health and lethality, playing as V doesn’t feel as fun as it did in my first playthrough. His playstyle paired with a more hectic battlefield (SoS remixes the enemies you encounter) makes these parts of the game feel more like a slog, and this is a shame considering how solid the game’s combat felt across the board on the previous difficulty.

INTERLUDE END –

DANTE | COMBAT

Dante is the 3rd and final character you play as in Devil May Cry 5; he kicked the series off, and has seen the most evolutions and changes since the beginning 18 years ago. With DMC5, he has gone from complex and over the top, to inexplicably absurd in the most outrageous ways. This is Dante perfected; Capcom unleashed their inner Devil Trigger, and developed the most complex and deep character in action game history.

Simply put, Dante is like a walking armoury; he starts off with just a couple of swords and guns, but by the end of the game, he has access to a large assortment of tools to use against the demon hordes. Alongside these, returning from DMC3 and 4 are Dante’s four styles: Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger and Royalguard, all of which (like in 4) can be swapped to at any point. Each of these have several upgrades along with new functionalities that give new ways to stylishly perform head-to-head against the creatures of the underworld. With the capabilities Swordmaster and Gunslinger specifically provide, all of Dante’s weapons gain access to various new moves and abilities, further bolstering the number of options in combat.

One of the weapons acquired via story progress (which you might have seen in pre-release trailers) is the Cavaliere motorcycle. This has been modified with spinning, chainsaw-like blades that can perform a range of slow, but strong attacks. I’m typically not a fan of heavy weapons and it initially appeared to me as more of a statement for DMC’s quirky nature than anything, but oh how wrong I was. After acquiring a few upgrades, I was having a hell of a time, spinning in circles and tearing demons to pieces, before flinging them across the room with my newfound two-wheeled death machine of destruction. And now… I’m absolutely crazy about it! Cavaliere is a risk-reward kind of weapon and it has to be used in the right moments during combat. When you do, it’s super satisfying. When you don’t, it’s punishing. Striking that balance and choosing the right time to attack can be difficult, but when it’s as well designed as it is here, mastering it is incredibly gratifying.

I’ve said all I need to about Dante. He is without a doubt the most complex of the 3 characters, with a multitude of swords, guns and styles to master, and there’s much I’ve yet to experiment with. This is a similar case with Nero and V, but it’s on a different level with Dante; he is a shining example of what happens when a developer iterates again and again, constantly striving for perfection, and it’s all paid off big time. So much so, I strongly believe Dante is the finest, most well designed character across the whole action genre. And to put the cherry on top, unlike in DMC4, he actually has his own levels and bosses.

Bloody. Brilliant!

ADVERSARIES | ENEMIES AND BOSSES

The importance of well designed combat is not the only element that makes Devil May Cry what it is; the demon adversaries you do battle against need to offer a suitable challenge to encourage you to better yourself as a player. They need to be introduced at a steady pace throughout the game as you become more comfortable with each character and how they play. The same goes for the bosses which need to be the true tests of your stylish skills. With every other part of this game being so expansive, it would be a shame to report that’s not the case with the foes you fight.

Except it’s not.

Devil May Cry 5 has the largest and most varied roster of enemies in the entire series. There’s a nice blend of new and old, with a couple of returning enemies from the first game, all with a big visual upgrade two generations on thanks to the power of modern technology. While there is a diverse lineup, unfortunately not all of them meet the same standards set by most; the normal enemies are very consistent in their mechanical and visual design, all being introduced at a rate that keeps encounters feeling fresh. When it comes to boss fights, all are solid and some of the best in the series. All but one, that is; Gilgamesh (who you encounter in the early hours of the game) isn’t necessarily a bad fight to play, but his mechanically simple design is incomparable to the more engaging boss fights throughout the story, meaning it’s rather slow and tedious. You are limited in ways to tackle this fight too, with ground based attacks essentially being the only real way to deal damage. He’s not a particularly challenging boss either, unlike more or less every other one in the game, and it felt just as uninteresting when replaying it on the Son of Sparda difficulty. Visually however, he’s just as unique and awe-inspiring as the rest.

The disappointing fight with Gilgamesh is ultimately one of DMC5’s only shortcomings, and the rest of the bosses are SSSensational, remaining true to what you’d expect from Devil May Cry. The takeaway from the numerous confrontations is that the best ones far exceed those in previous entries, both visually and mechanically.

[INTERLUDE – BECOMING A BETTER DEMON HUNTER]

With so many of these enemies and bosses offering new challenges as you go through the game, sometimes you discover more effective methods of eliminating them. Unlike DMC2’s overly powerful firearms, DMC5 ensures there’s never one ‘press x to win’ weapon, instead giving certain weapons an edge in particular situations. This is accomplished in a way that encourages you to experiment and try out all of the tools at your disposal. As you climb the difficulty ladder, the skills and expertise you have learned become essential against the stronger, remixed waves of enemies you’ll face.

Over the span of a couple of days recently, I’ve been practising with different weapons and loadouts to improve my performance on one of the late game boss fights. As I discovered new ways to fight, there was a noticeable difference in my skill improving, moving closer to my goal each day I played. Once the Bloody Palace mode releases on April 1st, the game will have plenty of places you can use to practice and develop your fighting skills.

INTERLUDE END –

WORLD AND LEVEL DESIGN

The Devil May Cry series houses some of the most expansive environmental design I’ve ever seen. Typically, games will focus on a distinct style or period of time in each title, whereas DMC on the other hand doesn’t. However, that’s a good thing. It has meant that Capcom has had a large amount of creative freedom with where they take the characters, building a universe of many facets. Intertwine an assortment of uniquely designed demonic backdrops, and you’ve got a series spanning a myriad of destinations that are all markedly different from each other. DMC5 sends you to several disparate places with a mixture of indoor and outdoor settings, blending together contemporary, London-like streets and rooftops with more underworld-looking hellish landscapes. The environments do become a little samey towards the end, but even when this happens there’s still elements that shake the locale up a bit.

In terms of the level design, all of these locations are kept tight and enclosed, and it’s one of the key reasons why the combat system remains so engaging at all times. Smaller environments are where the core combat of DMC excels; there’s enough room to keep track of what’s going on and perform crazy combos, but it’s small and limiting enough to keep you engrossed and constantly in the action. With the inclusion of a fully manual camera this time round, you are given greater control over what you see, avoiding the possibility of any awkwardly placed fixed cameras (something I noticed on occasion when replaying the DMC games).

While there’s less variety in DMC5’s later levels, as a whole these are some of the most beautifully crafted levels I’ve seen in an action game. The RE Engine is used to great effect here and it does wonders for the game; colours pop, the weather and lighting effects set the tone, and the transition between locations feels natural. Even when I was sent to more dismal areas, the levels themselves are intricate enough that I didn’t find myself ever getting bored or losing interest.

VERDICT

If you’ve read up to this point, I need not praise the game any more. Devil May Cry 5 is an action game executed masterfully, evolving the franchise once again and raising the bar for the whole genre. The production value is taken up a notch, kicking off with one of the best intro sequences I’ve ever seen, subsequently leading into a gripping story that has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, with revelations that help tie up loose ends. The soundtrack is exceptional and the tight level design feeds right back into the frantic demon slaying action. This is all packed together with callbacks and references all the way to the first game that help create multiple memorable moments. I’ve already been going back a lot since I finished the game, and I can see myself playing even more once the Bloody Palace mode returns next week.

Devil May Cry 5 is quite simply the best action game out there, and you need to play it.

Check out my thoughts on DMC5’s ‘Bloody Palace’ mode, added in a free update!

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JACKPOT!

After an 11 year wait, Devil May Cry returns tomorrow with the release of Devil May Cry 5. Nero and Dante are back “to kick demon ass” and to prepare for this, I played through DMC 1-4. Previously, I’d only played the first and fourth installments, and that was many years ago on PS2 and PS3 respectively. This meant it was to be my first foray into DMC2 and 3. By playing the games back to back, I saw how the series changed and improved with each entry, as well as the progression of story and characters. Before I go back to hunting demons in slick, over the top action, I wanted to discuss my thoughts on each title and rank them from least to most favourite.

I won’t be including Ninja Theory’s DmC Devil May Cry in this list as it’s not a mainline entry.

Without further ado, let’s rock, baby!

Mild spoilers for all the DMC games ahead, with brief details on story/gameplay elements.

[4] | Devil May Cry 2

If you’ve played the DMC games before, I don’t feel I need to explain why Devil May Cry 2 is my least favourite entry. A friend of mine recommended I skip this one, but due to wanting to experience the full scope and story of the series, I decided to go against that and try it out. As I started it shortly after beating DMC1, it allowed me to clearly see how its sequel evolved the hack n’ slash formula.

Except it didn’t.

The main question I had after starting DMC2 was ‘What the hell happened?’. It was something I rarely stopped thinking about; every corner I turned, every location I visited, every boss I encountered and every combat scenario I entered, the same question slipped into my mind. What the hell happened? DMC2 takes what the first did and flips it on its head, resulting in a release that’s quite simply just bad. There are some stylish new animations and abilities Dante can perform, such as running up walls and spinning around mid-air, sending a whirlwind of bullets from his Ebony and Ivory pistols towards demons lurking beneath, but the majority of this game is a massive step back from its predecessor.

Combat is reduced to being completely uninteresting, with each encounter (including bosses) being easily overcome with firearms alone whilst standing on the opposite side of the room, metres between you and your foes. In terms of melee combat (when you actually use it), there’s very few combos/skills available, and none to unlock for any of Dante’s ‘Devil Arms’, so you’re performing pretty much the same moves throughout the entire game. Much of the level design has gone from tight, narrow corridors, to large open spaces with basically zero substance, and the environments you visit across the board are some of the most uninspired and dull I’ve seen, all featuring a samey drab colour palette.

There’s next to nothing interesting or even good about DMC2, and it’s a miracle to see where the series has ended up. In the first few missions, there’s a boss fight against a ‘Infested Helicopter’ (which is reaaally bad), and it’s the best example I can think of that shows why DMC2 isn’t worth playing. You know, unless you want to subject yourself to a 4-5 hour slog of slow, mildly stylish hack n’ slash gameplay.

So yeah, as a wise man once told me… skip DMC2.

Oh and the camera sucks too.

[3] | Devil May Cry

Returning to Devil May Cry after not playing it in around 15 years was a blast from the past. Due to the amount of time it’s been, my memory of what happened was quite hazy, but as I made progress, various memories of boss encounters and story events washed ashore in my mind. Coupled with the music and ambience, many of these moments echoed constant nostalgia, a feeling I had in an instant when the title screen loaded for the first time in over a decade. Of all these moments, the most vivid and notable to me is when you acquire ‘Alastor’. After inspecting a sword-bearing statue in one of the game’s early missions, Dante is thrusted backwards with immense force, impaled and pinned to the ground by the statue’s sword. I won’t spoil what follows, but it makes the scene incredibly memorable and hands down one of my all-time favourite gaming moments.

As the inception of the series, DMC1 does its job, cementing itself as a foundation for the future. Still in the stages of finding its footing however, there’s a lot it came to improve on in later releases. The part that stood out most during my replay was the combat, which now feels somewhat stiff, unlike the silky smooth and stylish feel of DMC3 and 4. Likely a result of it showing its age, it’s not in any way bad, just I found it more difficult to get to grips with than the others. Boss fights are also pretty lacklustre, with many of them returning for a round 2, and others even a round 3 at multiple intervals. While they do gain new attacks and abilities, becoming progressively more difficult, it does mean there’s a limited variety in who you fight. The same can kind of be said about the backtracking later in the game; many areas are reused, albeit with a few changes that make traversing these areas a second time more interesting than lacklustre. The changes also add a level of mystery, as some pathways have disappeared and new ones have opened. On top of this, nighttime arrives bundled with its own eerie soundtrack and new enemies to battle. All of this together creates a masterful atmospheric shift that perfectly paves the road towards the finish line.

The first Devil May Cry isn’t my absolute favourite, but it will always remain a title that is full of nostalgia and memories for me. It kicked the series off with plenty of setups for sequels to continue, both story and gameplay wise, and is a game that I will always appreciate and enjoy.

[2] | Devil May Cry 4

When I began writing this post, I originally drafted it with Devil May Cry 4 at the number one spot. I’ll get into the reasons why that’s changed later, but there’s something I want to make clear: in terms of combat, this is pinnacle DMC. This game demonstrates flawlessly how to iterate on and improve a combat system.

For starters, there’s an entirely new playable character, Nero, who takes centre stage for this outing and is whom you assume control of for most of the game. His fighting style, while more accessible than Dante’s, offers plenty of choice for combos, expanded more with unique abilities such as his Devil Bringer arm. This can be used to yank enemies towards you (or, depending on the type of enemy, hurtle yourself towards them) and perform grab attacks on both standard enemies and bosses. After DMC3’s evolution of combat that’s borderline perfect, adding a 2nd character with their own distinct way of tackling demons was a superb and logical next step, creating avenues for new players to learn, and advanced players to master.

After spending a few hours getting to grips with Nero, he is (temporarily) removed from the equation. During this time, Dante takes the helm for his own slice of enhanced demon hunting action. Swapping to another character like this is great for 2 reasons: one, Dante changes the overall tone of the game thanks to his flamboyant nature, and two, his fighting style and moveset is radically different to Nero’s, refreshing the gameplay by getting you to learn new combos and abilities. Initially it’s fairly jarring just because of how dissimilar he is, but once you start to learn his moves and style of play, you realise that Dante has much more at his disposal than Nero ever has. Inherently designed for more advanced players, he has many tools and skills at his disposal, with a quickly expanding moveset and arsenal in just a couple of hours. Unfortunately, while Dante has access to a large set of weapons, he doesn’t have much content in the game to properly give you the chance to experiment with any of it, unless you go back and replay his set of missions. The issue with this however, is that Dante’s missions are essentially reversed versions of Nero’s. They include the same bosses to fight and the main changes are to the way you get around, enemies you come across and areas you visit. This didn’t bother me too much personally, but with the (pretty insane) rate at which you acquire his set of weapons, it’s undoubtedly disappointing to not have anything fresh to play through.

DMC4 raises the bar for hack n slash combat, providing a good point of convergence for newcomers, and simultaneously offering tons of depth for those willing to invest into all of the upgrades and skills available. The introduction of Nero as a 2nd playable character alongside the various quality of life changes (such as the ability to change Dante’s ‘Style’ at any point, unlike in DMC3) is what made me want to put this at the no.1 spot. It’s an absolute blast to play and ever since I beat it again recently, I’ve wanted to return to it. Devil May Cry 4 is definitely a strong contender for my favourite in the franchise, but after pondering on this list for some time, I realised it didn’t nail all of the aspects in the same way as another DMC title…

[1] | Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening

You know, I don’t know whether it was the freedom of going from DMC2 into this, or simply just the game being that bloody brilliant but damn, Devil May Cry 3 kicks ass.

This is crystal clear within the first 5 minutes; you are introduced to prequel Dante, who’s just begun setting up the (at this time, unnamed) ‘Devil May Cry’ business. He may be casually eating pizza, legs up on the desk initially, but it takes about 30 seconds before the game abruptly kicks into action. I’m a big fan of the battle between Nero and Dante at the beginning of DMC4, but I think the introduction here (complemented by some awesome heavy metal music) is easily my favourite opening of the entire series. It’s an outstanding way to begin (especially after 2), and it prepares you for what is (probably) the greatest franchise comeback I’ve ever seen.

So what makes DMC3 so good? Does ‘everything’ count as an answer? I’m not kidding! Devil May Cry 3 hits all of the targets a great game should be aiming for, and it does so with some damn good finesse too. Much like the 4th, the highlight of 3 has to be the combat, thanks to its well-refined evolution of DMC1’s (now fairly rigid) hack n slash action. Dante has smoother movement and attack systems compared to what he had in 2001, and a couple of the (actual good) additions DMC2 made are brought forward. Alongside heavily improving core systems, this prequel brings its own tricks to the table; you can now swap between Devil Arms and firearms whenever you choose (though you can only have 2 equipped at once; DMC4 drops this in favour of greater freedom during combat), and with the ‘Style’ system, you can change the functionality of the O button.

During my playthrough, I only used ‘Trickster’ (allowing you to dash in any direction), but there are 3 others to choose from, with a couple more that can be unlocked with story progress. As you play and rack up kills, your equipped style levels up, unlocking new ways in which you can use it. As well as allowing you to lean more into a specific playstyle, these are great for expanding Dante’s moveset. The downside to this system is only being able to change them at set intervals and between missions, unlike in DMC4 which allows you to change them on the fly and chain them with other moves. I felt pretty comfortable with Trickster in 3 and as such, didn’t try out any of the other available styles, even when I unlocked new ones. 4’s evolution of this system helped with that problem, meaning I began to experiment with different styles on top of existing movesets.

Another part of DMC3 that that stands out is the story, which is without a doubt my favourite in the series. The story in 1 was barebones, 2 was completely forgettable and 4, while having elements I liked a lot (such as the development between Nero and Dante), didn’t really hook me like 3 did. Taking place before the others, it gets the chance to show the backstory of Dante and the relationship between him and his brother, Vergil. DMC3 seems to have had a boost in production value, featuring a ton of cutscenes compared to the two that came before it. These keep the flow of the game interesting and ensure the pacing stays steady as you’re hacking and slashing your way through the missions.

DMC3’s boss fights are another part that’s top notch; similar to 1, these bosses certainly aren’t pushovers and demand a level of skill to overcome. Like standard encounters throughout the game, they teach you to look out for certain animations and sound cues that give a heads up as to when a particular attack is incoming. It’s elements like this that assist you in becoming a better player for the greater challenges ahead. There’s still a couple of bosses you come across more than once, but these are well enough spaced apart and looped into the story that it doesn’t suffer the same problems as DMC1 or 4.

There’s really no need for me to continue praising DMC3 to prove why it’s my favourite. It’s absolutely the most polished and well designed entry, and while it may not have the quality of life reworks from DMC4, as an evolution of the series and game as a whole, Devil May Cry 3 stands above them all.

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One of the best hack n’ slash games on PS3, has now had a polished, definitive sheen, and been ported over to the PS4, with a graphical upgrade boasting 1080p and 60FPS, along with all previously released DLC, new modes and modifiers and gameplay tweaks. This is how a remaster is done.

The definitive edition improves on nearly every aspect of the game, further squeezing the juicy, hack n’ slash goodness from it’s core, adding more replay value, encouraging you to try different ways to play and slowly training you to become a slick, stylish combatant. It’s made even more slick from those extra 30 frames per second; smooth as butter. That’s not to mention the 20% faster ‘Turbo Mode’, available from the get go. This makes the experience a much more fun and satisfying one, especially when you pull off a combo against hordes of enemies, then finish them off with a slow-mo slice.

The gameplay is one of the best parts about the original, and it’s now made even better with new tweaks such as the ‘Manual lock-on’ feature, which proves to be a helpful addition to precisely attack who you want. There are also mods that were created by the community on PC that have been added, such as the ability to turn off the timer in the Bloody Palace Arena. You are armed with Rebellion, a sword with some of the coolest moves to be featured in a hack n’ slash, and Ebony and Ivory, dual pistols that are great for long range fights and flying enemies. You also find more weapons later in the game unlocking Dante’s Angel and Demon weapons and abilities, as well as the Devil Trigger. This allows you to wreak havoc, with extra damage and health regeneration, while all the enemies are thrown into the air, making them vulnerable to attacks. The gameplay is solely focused on a ‘style’ ranking system; you pull off chained combos with your arsenal of weapons, and your rank increases up to the SSS rank. There’s something that this game does very well, and that’s making you feel like a badass. If you pull off multiple fast moves and combos, barely taking a breath, slaying all the demons, finishing the last one off with a slow-mo Rebellion strike, all without getting hit and in a short time, it truly makes you feel like the Nephilim you are playing as. My personal favourite trick is the ‘Trillion Stabs’. A couple of nudges of the left analog stick forward, then repeated taps of the triangle button, thrusts your sword towards the enemy, and jabbing them with rapid force. This is a great move to rack up a high combo, and is one I use nearly every time I get into a battle. Talk about cheesing eh?

“When DmC was rebooted in 2013, Dante was given a new, more modern look with the most controversial hair ever.”

The story of DmC isn’t the best out there, but it sets the game in a present day setting rather than the original gothic settings seen in the previous DMCs. The story presented with Dante is enjoyable, but it’s not the thing that will keep you playing this game. It focuses more on the political side of things, with one of the boss battles being a news host (sounds odd, but it’s one of the best battles in the game). When DmC was rebooted in 2013, Dante was given a new, more modern look with the most controversial hair ever. This caused uproar with long time fans of the series, and the cocky, potty-mouthed attitude that came bundled with rebooted Dante, definitely didn’t help the case either. People generally didn’t like him. But I disagree. Yes, Dante swears at demons 100 times the size of him, and gives a smug look at everything, but the character development shown is second to none. I won’t spoil anything, but Dante does change, and starts to care more about others and the world later on in the game. And even if you don’t like Sir. Swear, the gameplay is worth the game. After all, at it’s core, it is primarily a hack n’ slash game.

Other characters do lack depth though especially Kat, a sidekick who accompanies you through most of the game, phasing in and out of the demon world Limbo to aid you. She isn’t very important, and you don’t care very much for her. This is the same for Vergil, but he stands on a much taller pillar than Kat, proving to be more interesting, and important to the core storyline than Kat.

The musical score that accompanies the riveting combat, adds to the battles making them feel even more fast and frenetic. The ambient music creates an atmospheric scene, and makes you feel like you are in this alternate version of the world. It also adds a slight eeriness to the game as well. The music for the combat is definitely the most impressive, and is so satisfying when you pull off complex tricks and moves with the heavy metal musical brilliance blasting in the background.

Once you’ve beaten the story on either easy, medium or hard difficulty, and taken a breather, you’re only just getting started in terms of modes and other things to play. After the ending of the story you unlock ‘Son of Sparda’ mode which is the same as hard, except there is a increased number of enemies who have more health, you do less damage and they do more. It’s not a complex upgrade in difficulty, and as you’ve probably mastered most of the combat by now it’s not too tricky. Once you’ve finished this you unlock 2 new modes and a new costume. One of the new difficulties is a replicate version of Son of Sparda, just a little more spice and a more hardened shell on the difficulty. The other, throws you into the pool of crazy, taking away your reassurance of health, making it so that you, and the enemies, die in one hit. This doesn’t seem too bad especially considering this applies to bosses, but once you finish this mode is when the heat is turned up to maximum, and you get kicked out of the safe zone. Once again, you die in one hit, but the enemies have full health, meaning you have to put your dense shield on, and prepare for Death Tutorial 101, as you embark on an adventure leading you to an endless pit of repetition. Thrown in with the definitive edition is the ‘Gods Must Die’ difficulty bringing you back to your full health, but robbing you of your items, and giving enemies devil trigger allowing them to do a lot more damage.

“- meaning you have to put your dense shield on, and prepare for Death Tutorial 101, as you embark on an adventure leading you to an endless pit of repetition.”

There is also a Bloody Palace mode for Dante and his brother Vergil, which pit you up against waves of enemies from the game, as well as bosses in a survival mode with a time limit. This is a fun mode that doesn’t last long, but combined with the higher tier of modes, should keep you going for upwards of 5 hours. On top of this there is the story DLC, Vergil’s Downfall that is also included, and this follows the events of the main game focusing on Dante’s brother and what happens to him after the ending. This gives a new character to upgrade and fight with, but Dante is still the better character in terms of abilities and moves. I found Vergil’s moves were too slow, and that he was a lot harder to fight with. Even the turbo mode didn’t help much for Vergil’s combat speed. His weapons lack originality, and his angel and demon modes just change the style and speed of his attacks. His replacement for Dante’s pistols are just spears that can be fired at enemy, and this also isn’t as fast as Dante’s pistols.

The story is not as gripping as the main game’s, and the ending is rushed. It starts to pick up around 2 missions before the ending, and then after another mission and a boss fight, it ends. This is a shame as, I started to enjoy it more, and was slowly getting used to Vergil’s fighting style. The last boss battle isn’t as compelling as they were in Dante’s story, and there are not very many additional enemy types that have been added, with many being re-used. I feel like this DLC was rushed because of the sudden ending, the lack of innovation with Vergil, and the re-using of enemy types. Admittedly I did get used to Vergil, but this was close to the end and he still felt way too static, and lacked the speed and weaponry available on the Dante plate. It’s worth playing considering it’s bolted into this package for free, but don’t expect it to be of the same calibre as the main game.

Overall this is the best definitive edition I have played as it adds more than just graphical improvements and all DLC. This game didn’t lack content when on last-gen, and included several modes after completion, but now there are tons of different modes to play, with an additional story DLC that is worth giving a go, even if it goes against what DmC’s combat is about. If you haven’t played DmC Devil May Cry before, now is the perfect chance to do so. With all this bonus content, it’s guaranteed to keep you hooked for a good 15-20 hours, and even more if you want to bag the Platinum trophy.

Pros

– Lots of content to keep you hooked and playing for a long time

– The best hack n’ slash combat in a while, made even more fun with the Turbo Mode modifier

– Improved resolution and an increased frame rate that benefits the combat

– Enjoyable weapons to use with multiple upgrades to add new abilities damage upgrades

– Character development that is some of the finest I have seen

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Cons

– Majority of characters lack depth

– A rushed DLC story add-on

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Latest YouTube Video – DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition – The First Mission (Part 1)

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