Devil May Cry 3 – Review

Back in late 2001, Capcom’s Devil May Cry made a huge impact on the PS2 & in the gaming world as a whole. The original game reinvented the whole action genre, including an excellent combo system and fluid mechanics; it made gamers feel like they were involved in an action movie. The first title also included character customization elements combined with sporadic but notable puzzle solving & of course an extremely stylish Character in the form of Dante. But even with such a winning formula, many wondered how on earth Capcom made the mockery that was DMC2. Fans would argue that it wasn’t the worst game ever, but it just wasn’t even close to the original, the whole feeling of the game seemed unfinished, samey & rushed. But instead of scrapping the entire Devil May Cry franchise, Capcom thought they had better do it justice, the justice it deserved for presenting originally what was such an enthralling experience. Enter: DMC3: Dante’s Awakening.

On this occasion, Capcom seems to have finally understood what was missing from the sequel & went back to the basics instead of trying to reinvent the formula. The net result is a product that is simply put – astonishing. Even though the game is the third title, it’s actually a prequel to the series. You will be in control of a younger Dante, who isn’t in tune with his demonic powers. Like with the other two titles, DMC3 is split up into different missions and there are 20 missions to complete with a host of hidden secrets within the levels. Completing missions means either exploring certain areas or fighting bosses. The boss fights in DMC3 are one of the many memorable experiences in this game, as once you think that you have destroyed it, it will throw you off completely, changing its pattern sequence and constantly keeping fights intense and full of action. Rest assurred, you won’t be bored!

The Devil May Cry series made its mark with its stylish combat, so expect flashy “movie style” combo’s in this version. Dante can launch an enemy in the air with his Rebellion sword, juggle them with his two pistols, switch to a shotgun and then give a sarcastic taunt just for fun. Lock onto an enemy (by pressing R1) and perform the move, but some of the longer combos are set up with pauses between button presses making the combo system skill based rather than just button bashing. There are plenty of options to customize the fighting style. Mastering a certain style of game play is essential for even normal enemy encounters and for the most part the combat is the hallmark of the game. All is not perfect though as what really interferes inbetween battles is the static camera. Most of the camera angles give good view of action, but in narrow situations the camera doesn’t work out quite well enough. Around close corners the game has a similar problem. When the camera angle switches you won’t be able to see what’s around the corner. You can still blast away with your guns or slash your sword, but you can’t see what you’re against making it a little bit hit and miss on occasions. This problem could have been solved with a player controlled camera, which Capcom didn’t include.

Unfortunately, DMC3 is without the familiar “Devil Trigger”, seen in the first and second games. It’s understandable since Dante is not supposed to be in touch with his demon side, yet it also makes the Devil Trigger feel incomplete somehow. Not a major gripe as the action more than makes up for it.

Graphically, DMC3 pushes the PS2 close to its limits. The pre-rendered environments look awesome. Plenty of detail and depth is found with a good use of lighting effects. The character has some of the best movements seen in an action game to date. His animations can switch mid frame from blasting with his guns to slashing with his sword. What will really make your jaw drop are the pre-rendered fighting scenes; brilliant choreography is used in this game.

The soundtrack in DMC3 is a mixture, keeping with the gothic influence whilst sticking with hard Goth rock songs during battles. The audio makes full use of the Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound. If you have a 5.1 system you’ll hear good use of all the channels, which puts you in the action.

Female Perspective:
Although the only playable character happens to be male (as usual), there is a female focus to the game, a character called “Lady” also known as Mary, a Demon Hunter; as fierce as she is, she despises demons and her involvement includes destroying all demons which includes Dante as well! She is an important part of the story as it unfolds.

DMC3 has an entertainment value of between 15-20 hours for a first play. If you want more you can unlock art galleries, new difficulties and costumes. If you’ve played the game through with Trickster, a second run in Royal Guard mode will be a change of pace.

So rest assured, unlike DMC2 this is a truly an excellent game. It’s a solid action title that will challenge you to your limits. The style system is fantastic and it allows players to fine tune how they want to play the game. Having plenty of moves and variety makes this game so rewarding. Yes, the game isn’t without faults, but this is without doubt the best in the series and a stunning PS2 game.

Review by Tracy