Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

"“Devil May Cry 3 is The Best Action Game Ever Made.”"

Before we start, I would like to state that there are 20 categories in my review. 5 for Game play, 4 for Graphics, 3 for Sound, 3 for Value, 3 for Presentation, an overall Comparison and a final Tilt. I value Game play the highest, thus it has the most categories. Each section has variable sub categories, according to the type of game I am reviewing, so two games might have completely different categories if they are games of different genres. Score out of 10, based on 0.5 partitions.

GAME PLAY

Combat system: 10.0
This game is an action game, so an analysis of the combat system is practically mandatory. The game holds true to the 100% manual based combo system, which allows you to freely cancel one move into another without much effort into one stylish but natural ring of death trap. However, Capcom just didn't stop there, Capcom made some of the biggest and almost feasibly impossible concepts in 3D action games. First of all, they jammed packed so many easy to execute moves in the game that combining moves is as simple as you want it to be or as advanced as your imagination takes you and second of all, Capcom has allowed players to switch 4 weapons on the fly, mid-combo. The latter is possibly the reason why the combat system is so revolutionary, as no 3D action game has come close to delivering us the power of 4 weapons at once. The moves, the weapons and the styles all work in a very cohesive manner and allow you to combine all sorts of tricks and combos to increase your Style Rank. The Style rank is the core of the combat system in DMC3, which basically keeps check on how well you are implementing the combat system. If you are slacking off and repeating a few moves, the Style rank will drop and will not give you as many red orbs. On the other hand, if you make variants in your fighting style, you will be rewarded by not just more red orb and style points, but by reducing the number of inputs you have to do for certain “Crazy combo” moves. Variety and intuition plays in well with the new Style rank system, and it is what makes the game from becoming a 3-move abuse fest.

Funfactor: 10.0
With all that said, your combat system is so fleshed out that a person can have so much fun trying out the infinitely many variations in the game that you can just put a player in a bland, circular environment and fill up the room with enough enemies, and I can guarantee you that they will have the time of their life. The enemies react to moves and certain strategies well, particularly those strategies that employ cowardly tactics. The bosses AI is one of the best I have seen, their AI changes at least 3-4 times within a fight, which results in some hair raising experiences. You can have ton of fun with the combat system in the game, not only because its so well implemented, but it caters to action gamers of all varieties. If you like evasive tactics, DMC3 delivers. If you like flashy and stylish gun twirling moves, then DMC3 doesn't disappoint. If you like time manipulation, self-replication, counter/parrying and even upgrading your existing moves list, then DMC3 is your wish come true.

Depth/Addiction: 10.0
DMC3 has a ridiculous amount of depth in its combat system and its game play in general. One of the biggest changes in the game that I observed was that enemies gain more moves and get better AI as the difficulty changes, always keeping you on your toes. There is a huge arsenal of moves at your disposal and a number of weapons that never get old. The weapons in itself are well designed and extremely well balanced. Even your first obtained weapons like Rebellion and Ebony & Ivory will see you through your toughest battles, because they work so well in combat in the first place. The combo system, being 100% manual, allows you to cancel any move into any other move, even if that other move is on a different weapon. It will take you at least 50+ hours to master the very crevices of the depth in DMC3's combat system and I am sure even then there is a lot more to learn. The addiction of this game pretty much comes from how much you like your action/fighting games. You WILL be addicted to this game if you are an action game fan and more than likely you will also be addicted if you are a fighting game fan, since the depth of the game reflects that of a fighting game (more closely that of a Street Fighter game).

Control Scheme/Camera: 9.5
The control scheme is so perfect, it's PERFECTION. You can 100% fully customize every single button on your controller, hell you can make the Gun Fire button R1 if you are obsessed with First Person Shooters. Of course, the default system works so supreme that I never had to change my controls at all!!! The option is there in case you want an old school DMC1 set up or if you want to experiment with new things in the control system. The camera system is where the game is a bit iffy. First, I would like to say that the camera system is in fact THE BEST camera system available on ANY action game known to man. You have so many buttons reserved to help you keep in the zone that once you understand the camera system, you will never have any problems. Like for example, the R3 button resets the camera behind Dante, the Right Analog stick pans the camera around Dante, the L3 Button switches your target to a better sight and the R1 button locks on to your nearest target. However, even with some of these implementations, there will be times that you either A) Might not be able to control the camera due to environmental obstructions or B) The action is so fast with so many enemies on screen that it is hard to keep track of what's going on. The camera system is after all just a camera system and it only gets weird fairly infrequently. The control in general in this game is marvelous, it supplements the game play almost perfectly.

Difficulty/Curve: 10.0
This game is basically an apology from Capcom for making DMC2 so easy. To make up for the disappointing game play in its predecessor, Capcom made DMC3 the hardest game on the market so that action gamers will get the experience of a lifetime. The game is difficult, I will not lie nor will I pretend. The learning curve is steep; many reviewers were stumped by the combat system and its intricacies. However, DMC3 is also one of the most forgiving games out there to supplement its difficulty so that new comers will not be turned off. You get a large amount of holding space to hold items for healing, one item in particular, the Yellow orb, acts as a revival on the spot (very useful item for those playing through DMC3 the first time). There is also an Easy mode, that reflects the Normal of many other action games out there, and even an Automatic mode for those who are unable to grasp the infinitely vast combat system of DMC3. And to top it off, you can replay missions any time you want, to level up your moves/style/life/, to buy more items or just simply train to understand the combat system. I guess what I am trying to say is that if you invest enough time in DMC3 early on, then it will benefit you in the long run and the game will not be as hard as all those reviewers out there are saying. If you a hardcore action gamer like me, this is no problem and you will welcome the challenge. The game is not unrealistically hard, you will just die if you have inadequate skills.

GRAPHICS

Visual effects: 10.0
One of the best I have seen in years. The visual effects really make maximum use of the aging PS2's hardware yet still these visuals look better than 96% of the game on both X-box and Gamecube. The game runs at an optimum speed of 60 frames per seconds, and you can feel the flow of every single frame as you annihilate your foes, who are just as well animated. The muzzle effect of the guns, the swish and clang of the sword, the hard impact of the Beowulf gauntlets all combine to make a eye-popping action experience. And all these animations move at near lightning speed, DMC3 is one of the fastest games that you will play and the visuals keep up at ever step. Nearly flawless visual effects in the game, DMC3 would not be nearly as good if it weren't for the awesome feeling of dicing a sand monster across the chess to see his torso sliced in half and materialize into a sand or the rush you get when you initiate a seemingly complex crazy combo and vacuum the enemy into a vortex of multiple hits and flashes leading to certain death.

Environments: 9.5
The DMC series has always been adamant about show casing the best in gothic environments and create a seamless world of demonic influence. The dark, gothic overtone is presented in such settings as the imposing initial tower, the Temen-Ni-Gru, the claustrophobic corridors of the inside castle walls, and even the natural meld of the city slums into a dark realm influenced by evil. The static environments are mixed in well with the fairly detailed natural details, like shadows, photo-realistic lightings, gleaming moonlight and one of the best rain effects I have seen in a PS2 game. Some of the locations and sites are sight to behold but when I compare them frame-to-frame with the original DMC and some of the gothic Ninja Gaiden locations, I can't help but tell myself, “These are good but they can be better. DMC1 has some better examples of gothic locations then DMC3.” Don't be fooled, you will not be let down by the environments in DMC3 at all.

Character/Enemy/Art Design: 9.5
Simply put, superior to that of DMC and even Ninja Gaiden. Why is that?? The enemy designs in this game are whole fully original and well inspired, even those who may at first glance appear common place in this type of game will surprise you with their transformations and interactions. The bosses especially are easily the best designed enemies in ANY game this generation, ranging from dual headless-demonic elemental entities to gigantic beast of mythology, an ice engulfed Cerberus. In addition, the characters in this game are superlatively designed and overall well presented. Dante has his younger, more rock-star look, Vergil has his conservative but cold attire, Arkham is dressed appropriately in black and scarred in the face alluding to his demonic side and Lady is also a rash and compulsive woman, filled with teenage angst and her design is no exception. Oh and by the way, I can't stop at art design without mentioning the Devil Trigger designs in the game. The Devil Trigger are designed by the leader demon designer in Japan, Mr. Kazuma Kaneko, and thus oriented towards an Eastern appeal. You will either love the new design or hate it completely, but you will still like the animation and the auro portrayed by these demon transformations, no matter what your tastes. The art direction was well produced in this game, and the full version showcases it very well.

Off-Screen Visuals/Menus: 8.5
DMC1 was the king of interactive menus and off the wall animations/designs in off-screens visuals. Even Ninja Gaiden followed this path of making the menus as aesthetically pleasing as possible. DMC3 falls short of that same level of achievement, mostly remaining monotone with its red theme of color. Most of the time the color matches well with the game, but sometimes one just wished that the color was lighter so you could see the details in the art sections of the menu. That is not to say they are bad at all, on the contrary the amount of content in the menu is maximized by the oozing art direction of this game, which makes it way into the menu through character/enemy files and other galleries in general. My biggest complaint really is that the animated weapon armory is not there anymore, I believed that to be one of DMC1 crowning achievements as far as minuscule details go. A solid menu compilation that could've been better with more diverse colors and more interaction/animation.

SOUND

Sound Effects: 10.0
Some of the best sound effects I have heard in years. The wailing of the demonic legions, the agonizing screams of untimely death, the air slicing effect of Dante's sword, the clipping of the gun chambers, and even the audible sound of the multiple enemy attacks is near perfect. They sound what you would expect them to sound like but much better since the game supports Dolby Digital 5.1. The sound effects are spot on and are better than your wildest imagination. You just have to play this game to find out for yourself, and hopefully get a system that can play DD 5.l to maximize the sound effects.

Background Music: 9.5
The perfect blend of heavy metal rock, goth and techno that is so addictive that you will find yourself singing along the lyrics of the songs (yes, some of the background songs actually have lyrics). Most importantly the feature song of DMC, “Devils Never Cry” is a very engaging song that is very download worthy. The music in general is used to pump up for a fight and is successful in doing so. What is ever astonishing that just about every main boss has his/her own background song to give that boss the certain character it needs to inspire an indomitable fear over the player. The only thing lacking is that some of the regular fights need more varied background music, you don't get that much variety when you are fighting some of the lesser demons. Still, whatever songs you do get are excellent and they are so good that I can guarantee you that the DMC3 soundtrack will be a huge success when it comes at the end of March.

Voice Acting: 9.5
Normally, an action game will not have this factor in my review, since most action games do not ever have voice over, let alone a good one. But then again, DMC3 is the best action game of our time and Capcom has made sure that every aspect of the game shines through. After researching the voice actors, I came across some veterans in the business working on bringing the main characters of the game to life. This include the voice of Lady, Vergil and Dante, and you will see when watching the numerous cut scenes in the game how well these actors delivers their lines. Even when Dante is being corny with his cocky and arrogant lines like “This party's getting crazy; Let's rock!” you can't help but marvel at the fact that you are actually growing attached to the characters by the quality of their dialogue. Sometimes, I do believe that voice actor of Dante gets carried away with his lines, however he soon grows on you.

PRESENTATION

Cut scenes/Cinematics: 10.0
I am not lying or exaggerating when I say that the cut scenes in DMC3 put some of Hideo Kojima's best work to shame. The cut scenes are so well choreographed in this game that you really feel the atmosphere of a hardcore action game. The reason why DMC3's cut scenes are so successful are not because they are lengthy or too story driven (the story however delivers in this game, more on that later) but because the choreography of the stunts in some of the scenes is so over the top that you can't help but put down the controller and actually try to reenact the experience in real life! It was no surprise when I heard that Yuji Shimomura and Ryuhei Kitamaru, both experts in the field of action choreography, directed the cut scenes. Oh and I forgot to mention that the cut scenes from an aesthetic point of view are near flawless.

Storyline: 9.0
The storyline in DMC3 follows Dante in his early years, even before he put up his demon hunting business. The core of the story revolves around the conflict of Dante and his twin power hungry brother, Vergil. This game is a prequel but it keeps the story fresh and goes out to explain the origins of DMC quite nicely. I will try to keep the spoilers limited from this point on. The story doesn't really pick up until the later half of the game, right after Capcom has spoiled you with one of the best cut scenes in gaming history. Even so, it is so far from even coming close to the emotional and intelligent story line presented in such games as Metal Gear Solid 3. Don't be fooled, DMC3 has the best story line in the series but that's not saying much as the story in all previous DMC has been sub par at best. As far as an action game goes, I am inclined to give it a higher score for storyline just because that is not the focus of the game and even still, DMC3 does an excellent job of bringing the story to the forefront.

Progression/Originality: 10.0
Since it's a prequel, it can't be scored in the “original” category so I will have to tackle it by seeing how much it has improved throughout the course of the series. Saying that DMC3 is better than DMC1 is an understatement, it is leaps and bounds over the original classic. The game is faster, the combat system is better, the graphics are overall better, the story line is better, the controls are better, hell even the weapons are better. Comparing DMC3 to DMC2 is unnecessary, seeing as how even DMC1 is better than DMC2. DMC3 even improves on the faults of DMC2, by making moves like Rainstorm and Two Some Time practical in combat. DMC3 is a perfect and a well needed addition to the franchise, especially for it's story line since both previous games do a horrendous job of delivering the story.

REPLAY VALUE

Longevity: 10.0
This game is easily 17 hours first time walkthrough in Normal. That is easily one of the highest numbers in any action game on the market right now. And this number does not even reflect the many times that you will replay because of the game's high difficulty level, which brings the actual game play length close to 20 hours. The cut scenes themselves are a good 2 hours and the game play is very long and varied for this genre. There will be no time in the game where you will bored because the game has so many bosses and enemies as well as a multitude of different locales and environments to keep your eyes moving. Ranking the game on longevity based on all previous action games, DMC3 soars high and the game to come closest would be Ninja Gaiden, clocking at around 15-16 hours first time through.

Unlockables: 9.5
Many in this game, and this time Capcom went easy on the gamers and gave them some unlockables even for beating Easy mode. Every difficulty has a few unlockables, ranging from art galleries, promotional videos, many costumes and even some abilities (Unlimited Devil Trigger). You will have to earn many of these the hard way, beating the game on the harder difficulties but don't despair; one of the biggest draws about DMC3 is that you can carry over ALL of your stats so that the difficulty curve is downgraded to a certain point. While there are certainly many unlockables in the game, there still aren't the ones that I wanted in the game (I won't spoil it) that I knew would make the game better than it already is. Alas, the others are fine as they are and I am perfectly fine with them.

Lasting Appeal: 9.5
Even after beating the game on 20+ hours, you will naturally need to play on the next difficulty to experience all the moves in the game, as well pick up some weapons on the way. There are so many things to get in the game like Blue orb fragments/12 Secret Missions/DT enhancements/Lv.3 all styles/All moves etc. and even some easter eggs in the game (again, I won't spoil them). Add in the many unlockables, multiple difficulty levels, limitless combat system and overall experience of the game and you get a game that will last you a good 100+ hours if you are action game fanatic. Oh and if you are really hard core, you can go for the 100% completion by getting dual S's on all missions on all difficulties to unlock special art works and other stuff, which will take you countless hours. It's not anything like Grand Theft Auto unlockables, but for an action game it's plentiful.

COMPARISON: 10.0
This is where I stack up DMC3 against some of the other notable contenders in the action genre. I feel that graphically DMC3 doesn't match up to only 2 games, Zone of the Enders 2 and Ninja Gaiden. The story line doesn't compare to that of Metal Gear Solid 3 and the art direction and originality doesn't reach to the limit of the original Devil May Cry. With that said, DMC3 goes forward and is revolutionary in every other aspect. Fully customizable control, one of the best camera control around, by far the best combat system ever made, on the fly 4 weapon switching, 6 styles to choose from, superlative cut scenes and the highest difficulty meter in any game available. By combining all aspects of DMC3, its easy to see that it's the best in its genre, and the best deserves a perfect score.

TILT/RECOMMENDATION: 10/10
I give this game my highest recommendation. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I am still playing this game even after I have beaten it. DMC3 game is by far the best action game ever made and I doubt that it will be touched for a very long time. DMC3 will only get lower scores from professional reviewers because of its steep difficulty curve, but I am speaking for the hardcore action gamers, those looking for a challenge. It's hard to recommend this game to a person who has never played a 3rd person perspective action game, but I will recommend it nonetheless since it's the best of its kind. Action gamers all over the world are REQUIRED to play this game, no excuse is worthy at this point.

Total average Score:

GAME PLAY
Combat System: 10.0
Fun Factor: 10.0
Depth/Addiction: 10.0
Control scheme/Camera: 9.5
Difficulty/Curve: 10.0

GRAPHICS
Visual Effects: 10.0
Environments: 9.5
Character/Enemy Designs: 9.5
Off-Screen visuals: 8.5

SOUND
Sound Effects: 10.0
Background Music: 9.5
Voice acting: 9.5

PRESENTATION
Cut scenes: 10.0
Storyline: 9.0
Progression: 10.0

REPLAY VALUE
Longevity: 10.0
Unlockables: 9.5
Lasting Appeal: 9.5

Comparison: 10.0

Tilt: 10.0

FINAL AVERAGE: 9.7

ROUNDED UP TO NEAREST DIGIT: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/02/05