DmC: Devil May Cry Reviews

  • Limerent DeathLimerent Death362,262
    16 Jan 2013 25 Jul 2015
    34 7 9
    DmC: Devil May Cry is the highly controversial reboot of the beloved Capcom franchise. If you take the older look/characters of the games of the past out of your memory and stop comparing you'll find an amazing game here that you'd be cheating yourself out of if you don't!

    Plot and Imagery

    I won't touch on much to ruin the game with spoilers. The game does a fresh, retelling of the origins of Dante and Vergil, the Sons of Sparda. There is also a new female protagonist named Kat who you encounter which is a cool character as well in her own right. The imagery is beautiful and brightly vivid. DmC is a beautifully illuminated and color-heavy game that flawlessly sets up the locations you travel in both the real world and Limbo. I really love what they did with this game, the art style is stunning and I am in awe when I play while in Limbo City.

    The story is engrossing and the cutscenes are plentiful but engaging to watch, rest assured you're playing more than you're watching. I'm only at Mission 13 as I type this so I can't rule in how the story plays out, even if I could I wouldn't due to spoilers!

    Graphics

    The graphics in this game are breathtakingly huge in scale and Limbo City is quite a bright place to be in. Vivid hues are the name of the game and they certainly are used to the best effect. The boss battle against Bob Barbas was definitely the most eye-popping experience I've played yet.

    The character models are well crafted and have no issues when in action. Each enemy is designed hellishly slick and Dante looks as good in cutscenes as he does in game.

    The frame rate is good and I have not experienced any screen tearing or lagging. Only lag I have experienced was at the end of the mission when it's calculating my Score for the mission, probably likely due to the score being uploaded to the Leaderboards online. I'm sure installing the game to the HD would solve that.

    Gameplay And Weaponry

    The game couldn't be even more fluid even if you greased it with oil. The engine is highly responsive and rewarding to pull off high hitting combos. Combos and juggling can be attained with timing, precise sense of direction and grappling. Plentiful weapons and combos make each battle a different way to test out your skills. Not much else to say other than the gameplay is super tight and well-crafted. Ninja Theory did amazing with it.

    The weapons own several combos that you can level up with Upgrade Points you earn during gameplay. Gives an incentive to replay missions to grind for points, if you needed anymore of a reason as there's quite a hefty amount of difficulties you can play on for certain unlocks and achievements: Human, Devil Hunter, Nephilim, Son of Sparda, Heaven Or Hell and Hell and Hell.

    As usual, Dante owns the ever iconic sword, Rebellion. This time in his arsenal he packs both an angelic weapon (courtesy of his mother, Eva) and a demonic weapon (courtesy of Sparda). Named Osiris and Arbiter respectively. Other new weapons are a shotgun named Revenant, a set of shuriken-like blades named Aquila, new gauntlets named Eryx and a handgun called the Kablooey (which is the most powerful in the game).

    Devil Trigger is still here and as badass as ever. Leveling up the gauge along with your health will take quite a lot of red orbs. It'll come in handy for those higher difficulties.

    Sound

    Not much to state other than the level of sound effects and the background music is at a healthy medium. Effects and weapons are on spot with realistic sound and react as such.

    The soundtrack is composed by Andy LaPlegua of the aggrotech band Combichrist. It's such a fitting OST to this game's style and look. I love it.

    Original soundtrack work is done by dutch electronic band, Noisia and is further awesome in the feel for the game.

    Misc.

    The game's menu features more than an option to replay missions! A cool addition to Achievement Hunters is the inclusion of an achievement tracker menu which shares what your progress is towards any achievement on the list. There's a menu to replay secret missions and to look at concept art you unlock throughout the course of the game for performing certain milestones. The game is largely rewarding and makes your 'grinding' to level up everything more rewardable by these unlocks. There is a Prize Code menu as well, which at the moment not much information is known about it. I'm curious!

    Replayability

    The replayability on this game is insane! There's 6 difficulty modes, 79 Upgradeable Combos/Abilities and a lot of collectibles to be found. If you have the dedication, this game offers days upon days of replay time if you're a completionist and also want every achievement. I know I'm going to be playing this even months from now and maybe even longer as its fun.
    5.0
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    anthony2690good review :) +1
    Posted by anthony2690 on 17 Feb 13 at 11:44
    MAH BOI 420Upon playing DMC3 recently the controls are far from outdated, however the jump mechanics are more annoying admittedly, but it's not a massive part of the game. Dexter actually seems rather accurate in his assessment. Trust me, this game is more geared toward casual players, as the style meter is based on damage dealt rather than variety of moves and I've heard of people who struggle with the older ones regularly get SSS ranks on this. Mate, there are people on here who haven't 100% The Burning Earth, it's called not being bothered and is not necessarily indicative of skill. Finally I don't see how anyone could defend the writing in this game. DMC has never been a particularly well written series, but it doesn't tend to take itself seriously which is how it got away with it before. In this however, the writing is trying way too hard to be edgy and non conformist that it just comes across as puerile and immature and the voicework isn't particularly good either. It lacks emotion and just sounds like teenage sneering; like those 12 year old dickheads sneering and making stupid faces at me...uh...you when you walk past them. The Spanish dub, however is actually brilliant and really does a good job in actually giving emotion to the characters and masks the bad writing excellently.
    Posted by MAH BOI 420 on 12 Mar 13 at 18:07
    HotSaucerman IIi remember when people were pretending new dante was good because they didn't want to be seen as bandwagoners, good times
    Posted by HotSaucerman II on 03 Aug 21 at 19:15
  • Danny Dubs 86Danny Dubs 862,338,626
    29 Dec 2014
    11 1 0
    Originally posted on my blog at http://takeaimandgame.blogspot.com/

    On the list of franchises I expected to get a gritty, real-world reboot, Devil May Cry was pretty far from the top. It does make some sense in retrospect: there's always a market for good third-person action games, and if you remove some of the the cheesy lines and smarmy protagonist and tie the plot more closely to the real world, you just might have a quality title all around.

    In the end, I think DmC does a great job in both respects. It's an impressively fun hack and slash game, and the story is a nice re-imagining of the Devil May Cry premise. Here's why:

    DmC follows Dante, handsome rogue and lady-killer, as he is drawn into a demonic plot to destroy the world. You know, pretty basic stuff.

    There are two pretty good reasons that the story is worth experiencing, though:

    First, the demonic plane, Limbo, exists parallel to the world we all know and love. The locations are similar, with Limbo being a generally perverted version of the same landscape, and changes in one world affect the other. This setup allows for some interesting dynamics and plot points along the way (though nothing that has a significant impact on gameplay).

    Second, the overall visual style is breathtaking. Locations range from mundane warehouses to hopping clubs to molten hellscapes, and each has a distinct and impressive style. Characters and monsters are similarly detailed, and while things can get a little weird at times, it's always fantastic to see.

    Aside from those broad categories, nothing in the game's plot really stands out, good or bad. It's a different take on the Devil May Cry storyline (with much of the character backstories carried over from the original), which I found cool as a longtime fan of the franchise. For others, the storyline leaves a bit to be desired in a few places, but it was still interesting enough to keep me from getting bored during brief cutscenes between gameplay segments.

    Speaking of gameplay, the real reason you should play DmC is the opportunity to slaughter thousands of demons in the most stylish of ways.

    The basic gameplay of other Devil May Cry titles remains intact: fluid combat with a variety of weapons and combos for dispatching enemies. As you progress, you'll unlock more weapons and related combat abilities, allowing for more complex combinations of moves. You can even switch between weapons very easily during a fight, which lets you chain cool attacks together in exciting ways.

    The combat system is really deep and executed very well. It's incredibly satisfying.

    I really only have two complaints. First, the camera can be a huge pain in the ass. There's this lock-on system the focuses your view on one enemy. It's really nice most of the time, but when you're fighting half a dozen demons and need to change targets on the fly, it can get really awkward.

    Second, I found some of the combos to be rather hard to pull off. I'd love that added difficulty if they were more powerful or beneficial in some other way, but that didn't seem to be the case. The result is that I ended up using the same set of combos pretty frequently for most enemies. It was still a pretty diverse set of combos (using only one combos for each of the five melee weapons still yields a nice spectrum of attacks), but there was really no incentive to explore the rest of Dante's combat skills.

    Still, it was tons of fun fighting my way through the game, which took me around 7-8 hours to complete.

    Like previous Devil May Cry games, however, there are many additional difficulty modes to tackle once completing the story the first time.

    Two of the additional modes increase the difficulty, but not just by making monsters stronger. Instead, they change the composition of enemy groups. These changes require you to change tactics instead of just becoming more precise, which makes playing these difficulties a different experience than your first playthrough. It's the best kind of replay value.

    The other two additional modes provide a unique twist. In "Heaven or Hell" mode, Dante and all enemies die in a single hit, changing the dynamic of the game considerably. It's much easier than the main game, but it's another unique experience.

    "Hell and Hell" makes Dante as fragile as in "Heaven or Hell" but leaves his foes at their normal power level - you'll die in one hit, but the demons won't. It's definitely the biggest challenge the game has to offer and yet another new perspective on DmC's gameplay.

    All told, running through the additional game modes can bring the game clock up to 30+ hours, with a fair number of challenges, if you're up to it.

    Full achievement completion is far from easy, as earning SSS ranks on each mission and completing the hardest modes can be tricky. The bulk of the achievements aren't too bad, and a collectible guide makes several of them trivial, but the last few hundred Gamerscore will take some work.

    DmC is overall a great game with tons of replay value. There's nothing groundbreaking, but its smooth execution makes for a very entertaining game with more longevity than most single-player games on the market these days. It's definitely worth a look.

    My Rating: 9/10 - awesome.

    (For more info on my rating system, including overall stats, see http://takeaimandgame.blogspot.com/p/reviews.html)
    4.5
  • Fatal x BladeFatal x Blade1,296,698
    20 Jan 2013 04 Aug 2019
    19 12 0
    "A Stunning Reboot that is Both Unique and True to its Roots"


    Intro

    Capcom handed the reigns of one of their most beloved franchises (Devil May Cry) over to Ninja Theory for its reboot. After seeing the first trailer fans were less than pleased to say the least. Nitpicking over how this new Dante was not the Dante they had known and loved. I also had a mixed opinion over this decision, although not because of his hair being black this time around. No, I was worried because on one hand Ninja Theory had brought us Heavenly Sword, which in my opinion was an absolutely brilliant game even if the combat was a little too similar to God of War. On the other hand though, I was worried because they had also given us Enslaved: Odyssey to the West which had a unique story, and interesting character interaction, but had an extremely bland combat system, and a game that seemed to want to hold your hand the whole way through. I honestly didn't know if Ninja Theory would be able to create a compelling DmC game. I am pleased to say that they have and more. DmC is a stunning reboot that is both unique and true to its roots.


    Story/Structure

    Originally DmC was planned to be a prequel to the already established Devil May Cry story. Later this was dismissed and Capcom came out and said this Dante is set in a parallel universe to the Dante in previous Devil May Cry games. Saying that this new game is set in a parallel universe seems a little lame, but whatever. It doesn't change the fact that this game is a true reboot.

    Seeing as this game is a "Western" made game the story is much easier to follow. In this game Dante and Vergil are still the son's of the great demon Sparda, and there mother was an angel by the name of Eva. Mundus is this game's big bad and is Sparda's brother and upon finding out about this unholy union of demon and angel ripped out Eva's heart and exiled his brother Sparda for all eternity. Prior to his exile Sparda hid his two son's seperately and wiped their memory. Fast-forward to current time and Dante and Vergil are all growed up. Vergil is the leader of the resistance group known as the order and him and his human companion Kat are working together to take down Mundus and restore freedom to the humans. Dante on the other hand is still clueless to his past and spends his days being an alcoholic, rogue demon hunter, who seduces woman, and occasionally participates in three-ways. That is until Kat shows up, her and Vergil set Dante on his path to overthrow Mundus. Kat is a human with a dark past and is a medium which allows her to communicate with spirits from limbo and also traverse there herself. Limbo is the alternate reality, thread directly into our own. In Limbo everything is seen in their true form, meaning demons galore. The story while being fairly predictable is actually very intriguing and emotional at times. During my first play through. I was always excited to see what happened next. It helps that the voice-over work is very good and it doesn't take long before you actually begin to care for the characters. Each character is very distinctive to their own personality and the chemistry between Kat and Dante is apparent very early on. Possibly the most interesting part is the relationship between Dante and his brother Vergil and how they each view things. Dante is obviously headstrong, stubborn, and is willing to put the life of one person above all else. While Vergil is more of a thinker, tech-savvy, and tends to look more at the bigger picture. The ending of the game is a little lackluster but has sequel potential.

    Structurally this game is set-up almost exactly like previous Devil May Cry games which is a good thing. By that I mean the game is obviously linear, progression through the game is mission by mission, and the triple-S ranking system makes a return. The game also features all the difficulties one comes to expect from a DmC game. You've got your Human, Devil Hunter, Nephilim, Son of Sparda, and for the truly patient Dante must Die mode. It also has returning spin-off difficulties like heaven or hell where enemies and yourself die in one hit. Along with Hell or Hell mode where you still die in one hit but your enemies do not. Plus this game will even bring about the return of the absolutely grueling Bloody Palace Mode in a future free DLC (Downloadable Content). The game also has a very familiar upgrade system and has several divinity statues placed throughout each level which are used to upgrade your character, and to buy items to help you stay alive through the levels.

    Presentation/Audio

    This game is absolutely gorgeous in every way, the characters look great, the cinematics are stunning, and the character animations are beautiful to behold. What really brings this game to life though is the level designs. When you're in Limbo the levels will break apart creating branching pathways, foot holds will disappear, and at times the level itself will literally try to kill you. At times these moments will both surprise and amaze you. One can't help but gaze in awe at the level of detail that was put into some of these levels.

    The game remains true to the franchises comical charm, and takes it to the next level making it more mature themed. Dante's snide sadistic remarks are what one would expect from a Dante still in his youth, on his path to becoming the video game character icon he is today. Perhaps it is this humor that makes this game so enjoyable. One particular instance of this is when a white wig falls upon Dante's head in a cinematic, upon seeing himself in a mirror he remarks "Not in a Million Years".

    As already stated the dialogue in this game is very good, this level of good is mirrored in the games other sounds. During certain battles the hardcore classic Devil May Cry music will play which adds an extra dimension to the battles. No longer are the days where we would constantly listen to Dante's catchphrases such as "Blast Off". Which in my opinion is a blessing. I'm glad that particular phrases are no longer scripted into particular moves Dante performs.

    Gameplay/Fun Factor

    This is a Devil May Cry game so the most critical part is the combat system. Luckily the combat in this game does not disappoint. It is probably the most unique combat system I have seen in recent years. It retains the core Devil May Cry combat we've all come to love and then adds onto it. Probably the newest and most intriguing part of the combat is the addition of Dante's demon and angelic weapons. Demon weapons are tailored to holding down the right trigger while performing an attack, while angelic weapons are tailored to the left trigger. All weapons are completely accessible and interchangale by pressing the corresponding direction on the D-Pad. Weapons can even be swapped out mid-combo to change the combo and chain different weapon combos together. The combat has a very nice flow to it and allows for more advanced players to intricately chain together some insane combos that potentially could use every weapon in Dante's arsenal. The combat is easily accessible to anyone, allowing some simple but flashy combos to be pulled off. Though only the more patient and skilled players will be able to master the timing and weapon chaining. The combat is a perfect example of the "easy to learn, hard to master" phrase.

    Enemies of this game stay true to the theme of older games but have a more interesting flair to them. A lot of the character designs look very creative, and the developers do a very good job of making the player diversify their weapon choice to deal with their foes. For instance certain demons can only be slain while using a demon weapon, or an angel weapon. While other enemies are just more resistant to certain attacks and vulnerable to others. This allows and forces the player to do a little bit of experimenting and prevents them from just repetitively using the same weapon and combo over and over again. While this game is very polished I did run into a few very minor glitches. At times my character would become stuck in midair but more often an enemy would freeze up. By that I mean the enemy wouldn't move or attack and appeared to be stuck somehow. It should be noted, that these minor glitches I ran into are far and few between. I didn't even encounter the enemy freeze-ups until I started playing on the higher difficulties which change the enemy spawning and attack patterns. Another slight issue, more of a frustration I ran into came with the lack of an actual lock-on system. Since a lock-on system is non-existent and you have to rely on the game to be smart enough to know which character you want to be attacking. On occasion you will accidentally attack the wrong enemy or the camera will switch to an enemy you didn't want to attack. Sometimes, this camera auto targeting has even caused me to run off the edge. I have to say though that the game is smart enough to know who you want to be attacking most of the time. It actually surprised me that it works as well as it does. All of these issues with the enemies and targeting are very minor and do not happen enough or are large enough issues to retract from the experience.

    Boss battles in this game are all fairly typical and while they look very pretty, they do not live up to some of the awesome boss battles of previous games. I feel as if they played the boss battles a little safe, and went more for spectacle rather than intensity. All of the boss battles are a bit too easy with very few and simple attack patterns. There are 5 different bosses in this game and while some are better than others I never feared facing any of them like I used to on the older Devil May Cry games. Where that one boss fight could stop you from getting your S rank. I'm not saying the boss battles are bad because they're not. Visually they are gorgeous and they are quite creative, some even force you to utilize your demon/angel weapons. It's just that the battles themselves are a little lackluster and simple.

    With the addition of the new Demon/Angel weapons mixed together with levels that change, calls for some very solid platforming. Dante is now able to use a Demon hook to pull chunks of the level towards him, and he is able to use his angel hook to pull himself towards other pieces. Mix this with his classic double jump, creates for possibly the best platforming of any Devil May Cry game. These hooks can also be used to jump towards enemies and pull enemies towards Dante.

    Difficulty wise this game can still be downright hard on the higher difficulties, but dying now doesn't pose as much of penalty as it used to. After getting a game over, no longer will you have to replay the entire level instead checkpoints are given very frequently. I'm assuming this change was made to make the game more appealing to everyone and allow more people to be able to tackle the higher difficulties. This decision isn't really a huge issue in my opinion because that's where the ranking system comes in. While a competent player will be able to get through Dante Must Die Mode, only a hardcore player will be able to Triple-S every mission on Dante Must Die Mode. So, it doesn't really matter if the game is more accessible because the rating system will show a clear distinction between how good a player actually is. The game has an expected and necessary leaderboard showing every persons score on every difficulty for every mission. The game also rewards the player by slowly dishing out the content. Beating the game on certain difficulties will unlock extra character costumes and more difficulties. This allows a sense of reward to the player and incentive to continue playing. The game even features an achievement tracker, and tons of game stats to view.

    Conclusion

    DmC is an absolute blast to play. The combat system is intuitive and tailored for both the casual and hardcore. This a reboot that surprisingly doesn't disappoint. It is able to appeal to a new generation of people who have never played a Devil May Cry game and is still able to create a unique and satisfactory experience for its already established fan base. While the game seems different without its Japanese influence, different isn't necessarily a bad thing. I can't believe I'm saying this but I actually kind of hope that Ninja Theory gets a chance to make a sequel. Having said that though, I still want to see a Devil May Cry 5 first.

    Pro's

    +Appeals to both new and veteran players
    +Awesome Combat System
    +Interesting emotional story with some great character interaction
    +A reboot that doesn't suck

    Con's

    -Minor issues with auto lock on
    -Minor enemy and character glitches
    -Lackluster boss fights
    -Dante's hair is Black!!! (jk that's not a con)

    Youtube
    https://www.youtube.com/fatalxblade
    4.5
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