Amidst the fall of then-great franchises thanks to cheap reboot attempts, Devil May Cry stands proud and strong.
DmC is one hell of a game as it proves the developers' dedication to the series' old-school mechanics and the ridiculous narrative. On the surface, the game looks absolutely beautiful. The warm coated environments gushing with neon lights dancing around instills a certain sense of mystery and rush while the excessive lighting intensifies the need for combo perfection. How they utilized Unreal Engine 3 remains a wonder as the game world transforms in real time, walls shifting sideways, roofs crumbling down. The always-frantic gameplay now becomes more frenzied and immediate telling players to hasten up, go foward and pay attention. These new mechanics add another dimension to the overall routine of hacking and slashing. However, while they may sound praise-worthy, none can compare to the best asset of the game: combat. Things take a turn for the best as swordplay meets gunplay once again but completely overhauled in a totally new direction. Primarily, the overall pace is noticeably slowed slowed down. Veterans of the series who adore the graceful dance of balancing combos in the midst of peril may find this off-putting but once again, these decisions are made for the best. Combos are made comprehensive this time because of the toned down speed making them more natural, traceable and at the same time awe-inspiring to look at. Launching enemies into the air while juggling others who are also airborne are such a delight and never feels stale even for the billionth time. The diversity of these moves are also worthy of acclaim. Never does a certain attack feel recycled compared to the others and with a varying arsenal of unique weapons, you will start to long for a fight. These and a lot more tweaks to combat are very well implemented that one might think Ninja Theory owned the franchise.
Without a narrative string however, excitement would soon falter. Not only does DmC excel in the gameplay department but also for its storytelling. A more grounded direction were chosen this time around resulting in a more relatable, charming yet crude protagonist. One could also notice the impressive facial animation work which help bring these well-written characters to life. The origin story of Dante has never felt so real and significant adding comfort for the devout and a sturdy platform for newcomers in which they could calmly stay for the ride. Even then, the story still remains strange and out of this world. Modernization married the supernatural we might say.
A lengthy campaign, sizzling combat with enough depth to engage you for such a long time, and a well realized narrative for Dante blends well together bringing satisfaction to even the most critical of gamers. Dante had never been so real and the cast brings more than enough to the table. With such an ensemble of marvelous elements mashing well with one another, Devil May Cry is a new found glory the franchise badly needs.