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    Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

    Game » consists of 15 releases. Released Mar 01, 2005

    The third game in Capcom's popular action adventure series. This is a prequel to the original Devil May Cry and the first game of the franchise's storyline chronologically. The game saw a re-release in Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, which added a new character, among other things.

    cardon's Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (PlayStation 2) review

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    The sons of Sparda return in this action masterpiece

    Since its release in 2001, the Devil May Cry series has been heralded as one of the premier action titles for the PS2. However, the series was in jeopardy of losing its status when the lackluster Devil May Cry 2 was released in 2003. Thankfully, Capcom redeemed themselves with 2005’s Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. The third entry returned to the series’ roots of stylish action and cheesy one liners. However, while fans loved the game, there were some gripes about the difficulty, which was brutally unforgiving. Now nearly a year later Capcom is rewarding its fans with Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition.

    For those who never played the DMC games before, the story is very easy to understand, so you won’t have to play the previous titles to understand anything. It also helps that DMC 3 is a prequel to DMC 1. Dante and Vergil are the sons of Sparda, a legendary demon warrior who closed the portals to the demonic world. After the death of their mother, Dante and Vergil drew distant and went on different paths. Years later, Vergil sends Dante an invitation to meet him at an ominous tower. The story is further fleshed out through cinemas at the start and end of each level. These sequences provide a good break from the kinetic action found in the levels and are a good way to add dimension to the characters. These scenes also feature some of the craziest action seen in a game. Through the course of the game Dante surfs a rocket and uses a motorcycle as a weapon. The only bad thing about these scenes is that you can’t do the moves that Dante performs in them

    Capcom has added a slew of things to this title to make it a special edition. The biggest addition is being able to play as Dante’s brother, Vergil. Many fans were disappointed that they couldn’t play as Vergil in DMC 3, as he wielded a katana and was a straight up badass. In order to play as Vergil you need to have either a DMC 3 game save, or you can just finish the Special Edition. Finishing the game is much easier now since Capcom has added an easier difficulty setting. There is also a harder difficulty setting for fans to test their skill against. Starting the game as Vergil begins with a new cinema. This cinema shows how Vergil met Arkham, the other villain in the game. There are sadly no other new cinemas in the game with Vergil. This is somewhat disappointing since it would have been nice to see things from his perspective. Even the cinemas with Dante are not in the game when you play as his brother. Another disappointing aspect is that you fight yourself when you play as Vergil. Instead of adding Dante to the battles where you fought Vergil, Capcom has simply changed the color of Vergil’s jacket from blue to red. This was a missed opportunity since it would have been nice to test your skills against Dante.

    While Capcom may have disappointed with the cinemas they certainly didn’t with the gameplay. Playing as Vergil is so much different than Dante that players may need to rethink their combat strategies. Instead of guns, Vergil has “Phantom Swords” which are your primary long range weapons. Vergil can summon sword like apparitions and send them towards the enemy. You may not be using the “Phantom Swords” that much since your katana is a very effective weapon. The katana is so large that it’s almost a long range weapon. The katana is also Vergil’s fastest and most powerful weapon. Besides the katana Vergil also has another sword and the Beowulf gauntlets. The gauntlets are hand to hand combat weapons on your arms and feet. These are good to change your attacks up and keep things varied. Vergil doesn’t have as many moves as his brother but he makes up for it in power. Playing the game as Vergil almost seems easy since he defeats foes with ease. This added power makes playing as Vergil fun since you will feel his "power" through the moves you perform.

    One of the pillars of DMC 3’s gameplay was Dante’s different fighting styles. These styles included trickster, gunslinger, royal guard, swordmaster, and doppelganger. At the beginning of each level the player can choose what style they wish to use. As you use a style more you will get experience. There are up to 4 levels of experience per style. Each level of experience will unlock new moves to perform. This adds a slight RPG element to the game since you may have more experience as a gunslinger than a trickster. The style system is a wonderful addition to the game since you can in a way customize the game based on your skill. If you like shooting things you can choose gunslinger, or if you want to stay on the defensive then you can go with royal guard. The one bad thing is that you usually won’t be able to reach the max experience on all the styles by the end of the game. That may disappoint some but it does provide some replay factor. Vergil’s style is “Darkslayer”. While not as elaborate as Dante’s it does have it benefits. Darkslayer allows Vergil to teleport which is good for avoiding attacks and taking on multiple foes.

    Combat has always been a key aspect of the DMC series and this installment takes it to the next level. The new styles have whole move sets within themselves that are upgraded along with your standard moves. This provides a fresh experience since you can change the styles if you grow tired of certain actions. There are also context sensitive actions with certain weapons. Some players may be turned off by the skilled required to pull off the special moves. While learning the special abilities may be difficult, its worth the time and effort. You will feel satisfied when you you’ve successfully body surf an enemy while shooting those around you. The combat is now much more hectic since you have the option to make the game 20% faster, which certainly makes a difference. Enemies are much quicker when playing on turbo mode so you need to be quick on the draw. Combat still suffers from some odd camera angles which obscure enemies, but not to the same effect as previous installments.

    Between the levels of non stop action are several puzzles and platform sections. These usually consist of your basic find the key solutions. Another style of puzzle which appears frequently is a light deflection puzzle. This requires Dante to figure out how to direct a beam of light to either a statue or emblem. Figuring out this puzzle is pretty simple and easy to restart if necessary. Like the previous games there are some platform sections. These sections are usually short and don’t appear often. The platforming is slightly hindered by odd camera angles which make jumping difficult.

    There are sadly no new areas for you to explore as Vergil. You will still make your way through the tower, a belly of a beast and eventually the demonic world. However, there is a new boss for you to fight in the game. The demon clown, Jester, is now a boss. For those fans who wanted to fight this mischievous demon, it’s worth the wait. This battle is by far is one of the best. Just like the other bosses, Jester won’t be a pushover. Like the character, the battle is somewhat humorous as Jester bleeds confetti. The bosses in DMC3 are very over the top, both in design and difficulty. Bosses range from a cerebus, a vampire woman and a demonic horse and carriage. The battles usually require a particular skill or weapon to be victorious. This helps keep the battles different since no two are alike. Several bosses have quite surprising attacks, that if not evaded will do great damage. There is a benefit to toughing it out as you will usually unlock a new weapon after defeating them. Weapons earned from bosses range from elemental swords, a three side nun-chuck and a guitar. Each weapon has a different use, whether it’s for long range or short range combat and a unique power.

    After you’ve finished the story mode you can enter the Bloody Palace. The Bloody Palace first premiered in DMC 2 and was one of the few positive aspects about that game. The palace consists of 9,999 levels of non-stop action. You will face off against groups of enemies and occasionally bosses. The palace area is a circular so combat can be quite confining. Dante doesn’t regain his health after each level so players need to be at their best to survive. The palace is a very addictive because you’ll want to see how far you can get before dying.

    The graphics for DMC 3 are some of the best in the industry. Like other Capcom, titles the production values in DMC 3 are top notch and won’t disappoint. The game has some amazing particle effects that are heavily featured in the game. You will also see some impressive motion blur and explosion effects. Character models have a realistic look to them but are still stylized. You will also come across a wide range of enemies which range from scythes, spiders, demonic chess pieces and angels. All the enemies have a unique look to them so you won’t grow tired of seeing the same combatants. As you progress through the tower, you will come across a wide range of areas each with a distinct style. Unlike DMC 2 which featured very drab production design, DMC 3 draws inspiration from DMC 1. The architecture ranges from gothic to more natural designs and even some modern looks. Some elements in the background can be destroyed so the environments don’t feel unnatural. Other parts of the environment, such as poles, are interactive so you can spin around on them while taking down foes. There is some slowdown in the game when the action gets very hectic but it won’t affect your experience.

    Unlike his brother Dante, Vergil doesn’t talk much. There isn’t a lot of voice over for Vergil during combat but it fits the characters cold demeanor. Dante on the other hand is quite vocal during battle which is conveyed through a taunt button. The voice acting is surprising good and doesn’t feature any cheesy acting. All the actors sound professional and portray their characters effectively. The audio is basically the same as DMC 3. The soundtrack has a strong emphasis on rock music but also has several techno and orchestral pieces. The tracks in the game are varied and there are quite a few of them. This helps since you won’t be listening to the same music all the time. The score is well composed and fits the situation, whether it’s drama or action. The sound effects for the enemies are good and convey their monstrous nature. Having a surround sound system helps since the game supports Dolby Pro Logic II. This provides some amazing sounds especially during battles.

    Devil May Cry 3 was one of the top action games of last year and the special edition improves it. With the difficulty fixed, finishing the game is not hard and you can actually enjoy playing it. Everything about the game is entertaining- the story, the combat and even the end credits. The addition of new features feel justified and not tacked on. One of the most compelling things about the special edition is its price point of only $20. Whether you have DMC 3 already or not Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition is simply a must for any action fan.

    Other reviews for Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (PlayStation 2)

      The Most Fun You'll Have Getting Your Ass Kicked 0

      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 b...

      5 out of 5 found this review helpful.

      A perfect example of hard not necessarily meaning crappy. 0

      Some gamers today will tell you that games are easier than their older counterparts, that the translation into the third dimension sacrificed difficulty for new gameplay possibilities. I have written this review to tell you that is incorrect, and one of the best examples is this game, which will challenge you throughout. The gameplay experienced here is pure action, nothing less. You take the roll of Dante, a half demon devil hunter who kicks ass first and takes names later. You’ll spend a lot ...

      2 out of 2 found this review helpful.

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