Written by Nathan Goufas
Ever since the reveal that the Devil May Cry series was being rebooted, fans of the series had been in an uproar. However the recent release of DmC: Devil May Cry shows that some fresh ideas and a reboot of a long-time series aren’t necessarily a bad thing. The most notable difference with DmC is that Ninja Theory is at the helm this time around, as opposed to Capcom who have worked on past titles. With this reboot Ninja Theory really put their stamp on the game and produced yet another thrilling and enjoyable game in the franchise.
Story has never really been the main attraction of the Devil May Cry series and for the most part that rings true for DmC as well. It’s mostly there just to keep the player engaged from one scene to to the next, and in that regard it works effectively, but is not really a strong point. First off, since the game is a reboot it has no connection to the original series aside from the recurring character, Dante. The story begins when Dante is attacked by a demon and gets dragged into Limbo, a parallel dimension controlled by the demons. Along the way there are some twists and turns throughout the story, enough to keep it from feeling stale.
The action-packed gameplay in DmC: Devil May Cry is really the driving force behind the game and what stands out about it in the end. DmC rewards skillful yet lightning fast play, where precise dodging and varying combos with different attacks mid-battle is key. As you progress through the game you eventually unlock angelic and demonic weapon types, which will aid you in taking on the game’s varying enemies as more advanced battles will require you to use the appropriate weapon type based on the enemy. After around the two to three hour mark I found myself getting exhilarated, managing the light/dark creatures thinking about which weapon I should be using and how I can extend my combo even further. It really takes precise timing and skillful execution to link your combos into an impressive chain, which makes the pace of the battles that much more exciting. It’s a wonderful open-ended fighting system that keeps its momentum well past the point after you’ve finished the game.
Speaking of keeping the game feeling fresh and fun, DmC also intelligently breaks up its battles with platforming sections. In what seems like every other chapter, the game places you in vast, beautiful environments. It was an absolute delight to traverse the amazing looking Limbo and Hell stages with the help of my demonic powers. The entire environment will frequently contort, expand, contract and mold itself in different ways. It looks just breathtaking especially with the high level of detail in the visuals.
Style and visual flair has always been something closely associated with the Devil May Cry series. The first thing you’ll notice when you start playing DmC that it has just what you’ve come to expect from the series and has it in spades. I also can’t mention the game’s style without at least mentioning the bosses, as it has some of the most creative looking boss fights I’ve seen to date. There were multiple occasions during boss encounters where I paused for a second just to marvel at what I was about to fight.
DmC never tries to be anything it’s not. Ninja Theory set out to make a fresh new Devil May Cry title and they have really accomplished what they set out to do – a reboot that not only gets everything from past games right, but even improves upon some aspects. From top to bottom, start to finish DmC: Devil May Cry is a great game, check it out if you’re into the kind of frenzied action it offers.