Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

Devil May Cry 3 is over the top.  Everything about the game is done in excess, which could be good or bad, but in this case it's mostly good.  After an excellent and stylish debut in 2001, Devil May Cry took a wrong turn with its 2003 sequel and disappointed many fans.  With the third installment, Capcom is attempting to get back to its roots.  While the game is titled "3," it's actually a prequel to the original game.  The story revolves around the relationship between Dante and his twin brother Vergil.  Devil May Cry 3 is an excellent game, but make no mistake about it; it's going to kick your ass...alot.  It's in the same category with Ninja Gaiden in terms of difficulty, which may turn casual players away, but also like Ninja Gaiden, it's not cheap difficulty.  Mastering the nuances of the Devil May Cry 3 may take a while, but it's definitely a fun ride.  Devil May Cry is back.     
 
 
Graphics 
DMC3 features some of the best character models you'll find on the PS2.  Also, the gothic environments are designed in a way that truly sets the mood for the entire game.  You won't travel all over the world or anything, but each new area has its own unique features.  The special effects though are probably the biggest star of the show.  The action hardly ever stops in this game, and the effects are flying everywhere while the game continuously runs at a crisp 60FPS.     
 
 
Control 

Devil May Cry, on the surface, appears to be your basic action slasher/shoot-em-up.  DMC3 is so much more than that it's difficult to explain.  Basically you have your shoot, slash, jump, and special buttons, but depending on what weapons you choose to wield and which Style you choose, the gameplay can change drastically.  Unlike previous games in the series, you can now customize your game by choosing Dante's "style."  Your choices are Trickster, an evasive rogue-ish type; Gunslinger, obviously focused on range weapons; Swordmaster, featuring close quarters specials; and Royal Guard, which a more defensive style.  Depending on which you choose, the O button will perform different skills.  You can switch styles in between missions and the enemies you kill during that mission fills your Style experience bar.  You can level up for new skills, so deciding which one you want to focus on, or if you want to rotate, is quite important.  Another great feature is the ability to switch your range and melee weapons with the touch of a button (L2 and R2 respectively).  With this you can swap weapons in mid-combo, utilizing 4 weapons at all times.  You are encouraged to mix things up like this thanks to a combo meter that ratchets up as you perform varying attacks.  At the end of each mission you are graded, so it's a good idea not to just smash the same combo over and over.  All of this sounds great, right?  Well, don't get too hasty, because the enemies are smarter and tougher than ever before.  They WILL kick your ass, and you WILL die alot.  The gameplay is so addictively fun though that any frustration soon subsides as you figure out that this isn't a button masher by any means, and begin to formulate a strategy against the seemingly endless waves of demons.     
 
 
Sound 

Dante's voice is admittedly a bit annoying at first, but it fits his character.  He's that sort of over the top cool guy, and Capcom has taken a step further by making many of his "cool" moments just a shade below hokey.  It's almost comedic, but still done very well.  The voice-overs as a whole are well done, and the sound effects are just as good, especially the weapons.  The soundtrack is mainly metal, but a decent selection of metal that you find yourself humming along to as the game progresses.     
 
 
Replay Value 
As stated before, the game tough.  Apparently, the Japanese version's Hard mode is our Normal mode.  This is strange because usually the games get dumbed down for us Westerners, but this time it's the opposite.  After dying three times in the first five minutes, I was given the option to play Easy mode.  Take my word for it and swallow your pride.  Pick the easy mode.  It's not "easy" anyway.  Not only could you play through it several times experimenting with the different Styles, but the game also has over a dozen secret missions tucked away.  The story is also good for DMC vets and newcomers alike.  Since it happens before the first DMC, new players aren't actually missing anything if they start with part 3.  Devil May Cry 3 is one those few games that will hand you your own ass, yet you find yourself stubbornly coming back for more due to its exceptional action-packed gameplay.     
 
 
Conclusion 

Devil May Cry 3 will remind you why you have a PS2.  If you go into it looking for a button mashing action game, you're going to hate it.  If you approach it as one of the most intuitive action games of this generation, and actually apply some strategy and thought to your play style, you're going to love it.  Simply forget DMC2 ever happened, because part 3 is an excellent game.  Capcom is definitely on a roll early in 2005 with Resident Evil 4 and now this.     
 
 
*** This review was written for Flamevault.com shortly after the release of the game. ***