So begins my run through the "Devil May Cry" series. What started as one of the MANY unused prototypes for "Resident Evil 4" (in fact, it was actually the first), "Devil May Cry" would carve out its own identity as a more action-themed, combat-focused game that would go on to have a huge impact on the action genre. It's fair to say that many action games that are out there today partially have "Devil May Cry" to thank for paving the way for them to exist. Interestingly enough, "Devil May Cry" was actually the first Capcom game I ever beat. I had some light experience playing a few of their titles in the past, but never fully completed one. With this, I finally beat my first, and what a way to start off.
"Devil May Cry" still hits the mark today and maintains a lot of positive aspects. There's a cool, gothic-themed story here, and the characters are pretty charming (yes, even with the cheesy voice acting). The visuals are very solid for the time, and there's a very enjoyable guitar-heavy rock soundtrack that adds to the gothic aesthetic of the game. The combat is still as smooth as ever, with an excellent combo system, memorable level design, and a gameplay style that has its challenge, but is nevertheless easy to learn and adapt to. A part of me worried when going into this that it would feel like a bit of a dated relic, but no: the classic still brings plenty of epic fun to the table so many years later.
My biggest negatives that hold the game from being a classic are that, for one thing, the camera can be a bit finicky. I'm sure it was working within the constraints of the time, but it can occasionally be a bit awkward to handle. Also, the fact that the game uses the same bosses repeatedly can be disappointing. It would've been interesting if it went for a few more unique bosses.
Overall, "Devil May Cry" is a highly influential and damn fun action game that still holds up well to this day. While playing, it's easy to see the impact that this has had on some of my favorite action games today, like the "Bayonetta" series. And fortunately, this doesn't just feel like a game to go back to for its history: it's still really enjoyable to play. Give it a whirl if you haven't already.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"