Devil May Cry Review

DMC Original Still Makes Me Smile

I have to admit, I’ve never been a huge fan of hack’n’slash games. Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, God of War, Dynasty Warriors: none of these titles have ever particularly piqued my interest. However, something about Devil May Cry has always captured me. The original DMC, released way back in 2001, pretty much ruined every other hack’n’slash title for me. As a 12 year old, there was nothing more perfect than sitting down in-front of my PlayStation 2 and slogging out hours of demon-slaying. Despite the fact that none of the subsequent titles ever hit that peak of hack’n’slash perfection that the original managed to achieve, I’ve gone back time and time again, like an addict chasing that first high, I was disappointed time and time again.

And I have to say, I’m disappointed again. That’s not to say DMC: Devil May Cry isn’t a good game. It is. But, like the others, it doesn’t capture that magic of the first title. I know I should judge Ninja Theory’s piece on its own merits. But when you take on a franchise like DMC, you can only expect to be compared to the other titles. And actually, this reboot actually compares favorably to most of them. I’d say it’s probably the best DMC since the original.

The decision to hand production of the game over to Ninja Theory instead of Capcom had been met with scorn by DMC’s community. Some people went so far as to send death threats to Ninja Theory, so worried were they with the way Dante’s character was being portrayed. It goes without saying that such behavior is completely idiotic but it is also rather misinformed. Actually, Ninja Theory’s version of Dante is reminiscent to the Dante from the first game. And anything that makes the game feel like the original is a good thing in my books.

Combat: Energetic and Brutal

The combat is the best thing about this game. It takes a while to get going but when it does, it really does. Combat is energetic and brutal; the combo’s precise and effective; the animations explosive and satisfying. Okay, the game is substantially easier than any game in the series but that’s not to say it’s un-enjoyable. If I want a challenge, I can go die countless of times playing Dark Souls. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had fun playing this game.

But to limit DmC to combat alone would be unjust. The story is remarkably enjoyable too and will keep you playing just to find out how it all ties together. Some of Dante’s cheesy jokes aside, the characters are full and well rounded and you’ll find yourself genuinely concerned for their welfare as they face down the demon hordes. Although this is a demon slaying game, I get the feeling that the developers wanted to do more with the game than just allow the player to kill demons in colourful ways. There are recurring themes of protest against multinational corporations, the banks, and the right-wing media.

All in all, this is a fun and enjoyable game. Good combat, visuals and story combine to give us a solid reboot of the loved series. Not only is this probably the best game Ninja Theory have ever made, it’s one of the better games of the DMC series; second only to the masterful original.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpxXjMGmg8]