This generation of consoles may be nearing its end, but games like DmC: Devil May Cry show there's plenty of life left in them yet.
For: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
From: Capcom/Ninja Theory
The Devil May Cry series made its debut on PlayStation 2 way back in 2001, and has since spawned sequels of varying quality and popularity. Capcom (wisely) decided that the series needed a reboot and entrusted the series to Ninja Theory, the studio responsible for Heavenly Sword and Enslaved. This enraged some of the purist fans, but it provides a clean slate for gamers who had never played the series before. Like me.
The first thing that will strike you in this game is how good it looks. I don't think I've ever seen a more stylish game, both in terms of the quality of the graphics (which are amazing) and the fluidity of the combat.
Combat is your typical hack and slash affair, with one button controlling your sword, another for your guns (Ebony and Ivory), and as you progress you get a few more variants of weapons to slay the demon horde. The heavy metal soundtrack that accompanies the fights is also a nice touch.
The whole experience is buttery smooth, and while you're hacking your way through the enemies the entire world you're in warps and mutates. Words cannot describe just how good the level design is, and how the levels evolve. It's a feast for the eyes.
Dante's main quest is to hunt down and kill the Demon King, who killed his family and controls the human population with a soft drink called Virility.
I'm not sure whether this is meant to be some sort of clever jab at today's society or whether it's just strange. Based off Capcom's past track record ... I'm going to go with strange. One thing tends to go hand in hand with hack and slash games, and that is difficulty.
Devil May Cry 3 is notorious for being tremendously difficult (so much so, that they released another version of the game that was easier).
This time around it's not too bad, but no regenerating health and very liberal health pickups can make some battles very challenging if you haven't mastered the art of dodging and parrying attacks.
Having said that, if you've played through the God of War series, you shouldn't have too many problems here.
Ultimately, DmC: Devil May Cry will suit gamers who prefer all out action to a coherent plot.
If you're expecting a deep, thought provoking experience you may want to look elsewhere. However, those that like their games with minimal plot and maximum slash hack and slash ... acquire immediately.
-Simon Bishop
