Fans of the “Devil May Cry” series rest easy. Developer Ninja Theory’s reincarnation of Dante is not without the return of what made the series great in the first place – exciting combos, intense enemy waves and incredibly badass characters.
While sticking to its core, Ninja Theory managed to make the necessary improvements to give DmC back its flare. A change in appearance and narrative is what this reinvention of the series brings us, but at the heart of it all, Dante is still the same hero we have all grown to know and love. He may have ditched the white hair and the red leather coat, but he has not forgotten his smart remarks and humorous puns.
But that’s not all, this time around, Dante is no longer half human, he is of a rare species called “Nephilim,” the offspring of an angel and demon. The cross between these two ancient beings is forbidden, for it creates a seed of great and unimaginable power. Nephilim are the only species capable of putting an end to the reign of the Demon King, Mundus. Luckily for Dante, he has Vergil, his twin brother. Together they work to stop Mundus and free the human race from his utter control.
As you progress through the story, Dante begins to uncover the truth about his past. These truths unlock new weapons and powers which drive the new combat system. Dante can fight in three different forms: Human, angel, and demon. Each form reveals to you a different combat style as well as a number of weapons. The fighting is fun, fast, clever and undoubtedly the most entertaining part of the experience.
By default, you fight in “Human†form, in which you can expect to wield Dante’s iconic sword, Rebellion, and twin pistols Ebony and Ivory – they are still his primary weapons. Demon weapons are slow, but offer heavy, powerful attacks, whereas angelic weapons are weak, but what they lack in strength, they make up for in speed and range (great for crowd control). To master the combat system, you must learn to incorporate all three forms into your combos. You may shift forms freely during battle, allowing you to customize your style of gameplay and provide an endless stream of deadly blows.
The game mostly takes place in limbo, the border between heaven and hell – this is where you will fight the demons. Limbo is where Ninja Theory unleashes their most exciting and stunning visuals to date. The transformation from the “Real world†to limbo (and vice-versa) is both smooth and elegant, never making it a burden and always keeping you on your toes.
The storytelling has also gotten better, though as you play through the final missions of the game, you will notice the excitement begin to lessen. Not to mention that the ending leaves you feeling as if you were cut short on what could have potentially been a great end to a great game. Still, when the credits start rolling, you can’t help but become anxious for more.
DmC is without a doubt a step up from the original Devil May Cry universe Capcom had created back in 2001.
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