DmC: Devil May Cry (XBOX 360), Review
Slashing and shooting through hordes of demons, we get the inside scoop on the new version of Dante the Demon Hunter.
The Devil May Cry when he sees the brand new reboot of the old favorite series, originally on Playstation. Luckily for us (and thanks to the many prayers to both monotheist and polytheist gods everywhere and in every time), he would be crying for joy and not sadness. The reboot lived up to expectations, which in my case were near skyscraper high and easily broken for this series that I grew up slashing and shooting my way through. I’d also like to add that they stole a few ideas from my brain as well as more than a few of my personal tastes somehow. I’ll be checking my house for hidden cameras and microphones later.
NOTE: Devil May Cry is M for Mature and boy do they mean it.
Story:
The story has changed a bit, but they left all the basics alone. You are Dante, son of Sparda, killer of demons. In the original Devil May Cry series, Dante was established as a demon hunter and had his own small business doing so. In the reboot, we see him mostly hiding out, chilling and trying not to get hunted down when we first start the game, but they also seem to have made him a bit younger than the original so I’m hoping future sequels will put him back in business where he belongs.
As the reboot continues, you learn that Dante is half-demon and half-angel (called Nephilim), and you’re united with allies rather quickly (probably since they’re really the only other people fighting the demons). Your first ally is a young woman named Kat.
She seems to be able to keep in contact with you and help you even when she’s not exactly in the same place as you, which is handy. As you gain her trust, you are able to join the organization she works with, called The Order, in order to bring down the Demon King, Mundus, and try to awaken humanity to the demon threat around them. In the process, you manage to go through eighteen levels of slashing and punching and shooting and jumping over the meanest of demons, gathering new weapons, and unlocking abilities ranging from the old classics such as spinning into the air shooting Ebony and Ivory in multiple directions to new moves like the ability to propel forward through the air using your angelic side (this is in addition to the classic double-jump that Dante has from the start).
Graphics:
The graphics are greatly improved from the original Devil May Cry series, but managed to keep most of the style intact. The world around you is detailed and ever changing. Even as you walk, things around you can warp and be corrupted by the forces around you. You spend most of your time in Limbo, a darker version of reality where everything is deformed. Demons pull you in, and you need to get to certain points (past them, of course) to be able to return to the world of humanity.
Gameplay:
The best thing about this new Devil May Cry was the gameplay style: It’s The Same! They didn’t mess it up, they didn’t try to revolutionize and reinvent the wheel, which I give them huge props for. At the same time, they managed to introduce new abilities into this incarnation of Dante, as he is not just half-demon but half-angel as well. Holding down the Left Trigger focuses on the angelic powers, where holding the right focuses the Demon half of your powers. In this way, they were able to make a near seamless transition between weapons and fighting styles as well as abilities. Once you get used to it, it quickly becomes second nature, and we all know how much I love intuitive controls.
Music and Sound:
The music is hard rock and metal and I love every part of it. The soundtrack for this keeps you in the fighting mood during long grueling battles, and the softer more melodic music comes out when uncovering past memories or learning more about what happened to your parents so long ago. If they come out with a soundtrack CD for this, I might actually have to shell out the cash for it.
Replayability:
I played “DmC” through on ‘Demon Hunter’, which is the Normal setting, and it was challenging (and the scoring is as evil/tough as ever in some levels, by the way). The story is strong, and I don’t think you can tire of it easily, and with the unlocking of abilities for the different weapons, the experience can also change as you level your weapons differently as well. I honestly don’t know if I want to try Devil May Cry (hard), let alone Son Of Sparda (the first in the hardcore difficulties you can unlock). There’s even more difficulties to unlock, all the way up to Heaven And Hell, where everyone has normal health but you die in one hit. If you want a challenge, I can’t think of a bigger one. That may be all well and good for those who never get hit, but I think I’d rather stick to just your Basic hardcore difficulties myself.
All in all, I was much impressed (and greatly relieved) by the new reboot, and I’m looking forward to what the sequels may have in store for us.
Written by
John Escudero was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and currently lives in Syracuse, NY. He has over five years experience as a computer technician, over…