Hello everyone and welcome to a new series I’m starting,“Keeping It Stylish” where I’ll examine character action games like Devil May
Cry, Bayonetta, MG Rising Revengence, and the like.
I figured I’d start this series with the game I’m currently playing: Devil May Cry 3, Special Edition as part of the DMC HD collection on PS3.
Story
The story of Dante’s Awakening (the subtitle for DMC3) is a prequel to the events of the first Devil May Cry. A large tower has erected in the human realm, as Vergil (Dante’s estranged brother and rival) plans to use it to enter the Demon realm, and break the bonds set in place by their father Sparda to gain ultimate power. It is Dante’s quest to stop him. All the while, a mysterious biker named Lady has plans of her own.
I’ll admit, I skipped most of the cutscenes to get right to the action, and have never finished the game (working on that as I wrie this). The cutscenes are pretty much set into two sets: one to advance the plot, and the other to show what a badass Dante is. Which leads us to our next category.
Protagonist and Characters
Our protagonist is a young Dante, a half demon half human who makes a living exterminating demons. Dante is pretty much an anime hero (fitting since Devil May Cry and Bayonetta both received animes after their initial releases). He’s cocky, brash, and filled with one liners. His every action is filled with bravado and smugness, and in a game like this it works to his advantage. While he certainly isn’t a relatable character, the demon slayer is cool enough to keep the plot rolling and look good doing it despite his one note nature. This one note-ness extends to the other characters as well. Vergil is always cold hearted and pursuing more power to honor and surpass his father’s legacy. Lady is always pursuing Vergil, etc. While in most games, one note characters would drag a story down, here the narrative isn’t the focus. It is merely an additional layer to highlight the game’s selling point: the gameplay.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Dante’s Awakening is split into two paths: combat and puzzle solving. Puzzles rarely evolve from getting an item (or multiple), then backtracking to a place where said item is needed and using it to progress. While the puzzles are simple in nature, they break up the pace of combat nicely and help make the settings seem more atmospheric and less like combat rooms.
The combat is layered… very layered. At first it may seem simple with two weapons and four “styles” unlocked at the start, with only your sword being able to learn more moves. Upon further examination as the game progresses however, you gain new weapons and learn about the many hidden moves not told to you in game. This is both a positive and negative, as it keeps combat from being stale but can also alienate or scare away newer players who think they’ll never be able to pull off combos worthy of the “Stylish” ranking. If a player is patient and practices however, they should be able to do amazing stuff (plus there are resources online that assist with pulling off the games combos).
Graphics
Devil May Cry 3 was originally on the PlayStation 2, when graphics weren’t the selling point for many games. This port does improve the game’s appearance, but the era of old can still be seen in the cutscenes, which don’t hold up too well. When in game the graphics aren’t half bad and I haven’t experienced any glitches or frame rate drops during my play through.
Extras
Players can unlock quite a bit in Dante’s Awakening. Extra modes, Vergil, gallery items, and costumes for both Vergil and Dante can be unlocked upon completing certain requests (usually beating the game in various difficulties). All levels can also be replayed after being beaten, so you can S rank all those missions with the newly unlocked weapons and abilities. This adds a lot to the game’s replayability.
Verdict
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition is an excellent character action game, chocked with satisfying combat and loads of content. The game’s “easy to pick up, difficult to master approach” keeps it feeling fresh and new. While cutscene presentation may not be the best, it is more than made up for with what the game does right.
Rank:Smoking Sick Style
Thank you for reading