DmC: Devil May Cry Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

System: PS3*, Xbox 360
Dev: Team Ninja
Pub: Capcom
Release: January 15, 2012
Players: 1
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language

The graphics in DmC are worth mentioning, as they're done in a style that we haven't really seen before. They sort of combine the gory elements you'd see in Silent Hill's nightmare world with a neon-colored Escher painting. Level design is brilliant, hammering home the idea of a living city that hates you. Levels will change underneath your feet as you go through them, while brightly colored words will show up on surfaces when you look at them the right way, calling out their hatred for you while simultaneously mocking the sloth, stupidity, and obesity of the human race. It sure makes you think about the foibles of human society more than previous Devil May Cry games ever did.

DmC: Devil May Cry Screenshot

But the game does have some faults, admittedly. First off, it's kind of hard to dial in the difficulty to the exact level you like. One notch up or down can make the difference between enemies dying far too easily and failing in just about every battle.

Additionally, the controls feel like finger-twisters at times. I'll just come out and say it: Action games should never tie primary functions to pushing in the analog sticks. And while the game's camera works well in most circumstances, there are times when you'll find it settling into a position where you lose sight of some of the enemies around you. This leads you to blindly whiff attacks in a general direction in an attempt to make contact with enemies that you can't see. However, all of this really just nitpicking, as none of these issues hold the game back from being fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed DmC. Yes, it's darker, grittier, and deals with more relevant issues, but it's still everything I want from a Devil May Cry game. It tells the tale of a cocky demon-hunting protagonist that saves the day through fast-paced, combo-centric action gameplay. If Capcom and Ninja Theory were trying to make a brand new Devil May Cry for a new generation, then they've certainly succeeded. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this game to any fan of the Devil May Cry series, or of action games in general.

By
Angelo M. D’Argenio
Lead Contributor
Date: January 15, 2013

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.6

Graphics
DmC manages to mesh the abstract with the horrific in a strange and twisted vision of modern day culture.

4.5

Control
Being able to switch between every single weapon in your arsenal in one combo is a treat.

4.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
It's got that classic DMC rock beat with phenomenal voice acting that makes gratuitous use of profanity.

4.7

Play Value
One of the best action titles I have played in a long time. This will surely suck countless hours out of your life.

4.5

Overall Rating - Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

Do it with style - Utilize Dante's Angel and Demon powers to chain together ground-based and aerial combos to achieve the best style ranking.

Who is Dante? - Explore Dante's early years in a gripping narrative featuring familiar faces from the series alongside all new characters.

Unbridled action - The intense and iconic sword-and-gun-based combat returns with the addition of new weapons all designed to dispatch the demonic spawn back to hell with style and panache.

Retaining the Devil May Cry DNA - Capcom staff, including team members from previous Devil May Cry titles, have been assigned to the project from the outset to ensure DmC is a true addition to the Devil May Cry franchise.

Unrivalled production values - Ninja Theory will take advantage of the latest performance capture technology to deliver a level of character design, storytelling and cinematics that perfectly complements DmC's high-octane combat.