DmC: Devil May Cry Review

Game Reviewed: DmC: Devil May Cry

Release Date: January 15, 2013

Developer: Ninja Theory

Publisher: Capcom

Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox 360], PlayStation 3, PC

Genre: Action

Rated: M for Mature

Come, not only to step into a darker realm than you’ve ever experienced, but to embrace it. Ninja Theory, developers of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and Heavenly Sword, now controls the future of Dante and the Devil May Cry Series.

The level of anticipation has been nothing less than a roller coaster for the hardcore fans of the series.

Devil May Cry focuses on Dante, a Nephilim  (half angel/half demon),being hunted down by the evil god, Mundus, Kyle Ryder in the normal world. Mundus felt betrayed by Sparda, Dante’s father, for falling for an angel. Seeking revenge, Mundus killed Eva, Dante’s mother, and banished Sparda for eternity.

DmC takes place in Limbo City, where in a moment’s notice hunters, stygians and other demonic forces can pull Dante into a dark dimension between the real world and hell. People in the normal world become shadows, with behaviors taking place in Limbo affecting the physicality of the real environment.

With almost everyone against the Nephilim, our protagonist has only two in his favor. One is Kat, a human physic, also considered a medium, that walks in the real world, but can also see everything that goes on in Limbo. The other is Virgil, a leader of freedom fighters known as The Order, who just so happen to be the long lost brother of Dante.

Devil May Cry literally starts strong. It’s a magnificent ceremony screaming to the player “do or die,” as well as a lasting impression that sticks with you as it never loses its momentum. It’s an action-packed hack and slash with loads of breathtaking moments. The story ties together unbelievably well, balancing throughout gameplay.

As demons begin to spawn, messages appear on walls and concrete with instructions to terminate Dante. When attacking Mundus’s followers, button mashing will prove to be successful, however, the key is learning how to string combo’s.

Dante is equipped with Rebellion, Ebony & Ivory, as well as a few extra abilities that are earned along the way. Killing demons award different types of orb’s, giving Dante certain advantages for both gameplay and leaderboards. For example, white orb’s will increase your ability to upgrade weapons while red orbs will allow you to buy items, granting Dante vital health stars and more.

Side missions in DmC like freeing  lost souls and finding keys that can open doors to secret missions will also increase your final score and ranking at the end of each mission.

When you dive deep into the story, you’ll see the new emo look for Dante is fitting. Ninja Theory even throws in a quick glimpse of a full, white-haired Dante for a brief moment to gain that smirk of delight from the DmC vets.

White-hair Dante, Son of Sparda mode and more is available upon completion, changing up the enemies fighting style and behaviors, giving you a whole new play style.

Camera angles are by far one of the biggest flaws in Devil may Cry.  There were times where I planned on jumping or aiming down a target to have the camera force Dante into another angle, killing me or losing sight of an enemy. Not only is the game and graphics amazing, but the soundtrack is beyond fitting for DmC.

Devil May Cry is astonishing. Though many fans would like to ridicule Ninja Theory for the numerous changes, DmC is impressive, innovative  and a true spark for the franchise. The ball wasn’t dropped, in fact, it was caught, remodeled and elevated higher than its normal standards. Straight forward, Devil May Cry is an absolute must have.

The Scores

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Visuals: 4.25/5

Audio: 4.25/5

Controls: 4/5

Replay Value: 4.25/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5