Yes, you will cry. That's how hard it is.
Devil May Cry has never really been known for its plot, as the first one didn't really have any and the second one was a complete mess, but in Dante's Awakening, the story may be the biggest draw in finishing this game. Being the prequel to the first game, the story centers mainly around the conflict between the young and arrogant Dante, and his evil twin brother, Vergil. Aside from their obvious differences, Vergil also tags along a prophet by the name of Arkham, who's goal is to open up the gates of hell. Dante also runs into a Rambo-wannabe lady, whose name is…err…Lady, by carrying a massive rocket launcher on her back, and becomes one of the major factors in the story. Finally, a demon by the name of Jester, who's similarities to Batman's Joker is unavoidable, appears every so often, although his motives aren't quite clear as he will both help and hinder your progress. The plot, like all previous games, has something to do with Dante's father, Sparda, since all of his actions are reflected in each game's scenario. Devil May Cry 3 is the most story-driven in the series thus far, as the conflicts between each of the characters and the chemistry between them is interesting, and moves the plot forward in new and exciting ways. I wholeheartedly recommend playing this game just to watch the story unfold. The game is also very beautiful despite the PS2's limitations, as the characters move with grace and believability (despite a lot of the game being way too over-the-top).
The combat system is fast and furious, much like what you'd expect from the series. Dante moves at ridiculously high speeds, giving you an advantage over an enemy. Unfortunately you'll be taking down waves of enemies, which means you're going to have to have really quick reflexes as these they are relentless in their slaughter to take you down. The AI is no slouch either, as some enemies will know when to step back from a melee weapons range just before Dante slashes away and even when it's the perfect opportunity to hit you. As I mentioned before, this game is hard, but I know there are people out there that will breeze through this game without a problem (a friend of mine breezed through the original DMC3), but all it takes is practice. You will be slaughtered, especially if you are new to the series, but none of the baddies in this game have any cheap, unavoidable moves, so it's completely up to you to master the game yourself. I have been inclined earlier to blame the game's awkward camera and controls, but if you take the time to understand the game's mechanics long enough, they won't be much of a factor anymore. If you want to survive, the only way to do it is to understand your enemies behavior. There are always tall-tell signs of what the enemies going to do and when he's ready to strike. Probably the best thing you can do is to absolutely master the lock-on. If you can't master the lock-on abilities, you're going to have problems.
Other additions include the new "Styles", which gives you different options for combat tactics, but most people stick with "Trickster" because it is one of the few options that gives you the ability to dodge enemy attacks, and believe me, you will get hit. One thing that got me was that you can only carry two hand and gun weapons with you at a time, which might seem bad before you realize that it's actually to your benefit, as you can switch between the two weapons on the fly with a press of a button, which lends itself to some extremely flashy combos that will significantly raise your style meter.
A main staple has always been collecting red orbs, which you can exchange to level up your style, weapons, learn new moves, and buy items. Everything is once again, ridiculously overpriced, making sure this game continues to present challenges to you. Of course, the game allows you to replay missions so you can collect enough orbs and get one you need, which in case this game proves too hard for you, you may need to do in order to stand a chance against the more ridiculous boss battles.
Granted, I have been saying this game is hard, I am reviewing the Special Edition, which still was a difficult challenge for me. To give you a lowdown on the difference between the original and the Special Edition is that the SE version is easier than the original. I haven't played the old one myself, but from word-of-mouth it was notorious for its difficulty. The other major addition is the ability to play Vergil. While the beginning cutscene is different, you will actually be replaying all of Dante's 20 missions over again with no new cutscenes (you don't even fight Dante when you fight Vergil in his missions, it's Vergil vs. Vergil). While it is somewhat disappointing, you'll find yourself having a jolly good time with Vergil's fighting style, who attack damage is double that of Dante's. It's a good opportunity to beat up on all the foes you were having a hard time with when you played Dante…if you can end up mastering Vergil first, which proves yet to be another challenge.
Devil May Cry 3 is definitely the best game in the series. There's a lot of polish both in the gameplay and production value, so if the difficulty doesn't bother you you'll have a lot of fun with the game. Yes, you will cry. That's how hard it is. But if you're willing to stick with it, the experience to the very end is truly rewarding. You'll definitely be glad to say, "Yeah, I beat Devil May Cry 3. What of it?"