Spawn Kill Favorites: Devil May Cry
Posted by Kevin "K-Tuck" Tucker on January 31st, 2010
Almost four years before God of War became a top priority amongst action game fans, Capcom’s Devil May Cry was the go-to title for fast-paced combat, impossible air juggles, and a brutal, bloody storyline telling a tale of redemption of revenge. Though the series is more or less on the backburner with modern-generation consoles, Devil May Cry was very much the precursor to some of the biggest games coming out this year.
The plot kicks off in the protagonist Dante’s place of business, seemingly dead-center in the seedy underbelly of some unknown city. A woman named Trish steps to the plate as a physical opponent, and when Dante proves his worth, she informs him of the forthcoming return of the demon Mundus. Given the exact nature of Dante’s occupation, that he is in fact a Demon Hunter, the news of Mundus is clearly of great concern to him. Mundus, as it turns out, was responsible for the death of Dante’s family members. Dante and Trish set out to some haggard castle in order to track down the demon, and it is here that the majority of the game takes place.
Right at the onset, players are given a large cache of abilities within combat. Dante wields an enormous sword, which can be used within various combination attacks against the variety of enemies found in-game. The main draw to the fights in Devil May Cry was the over-the-top speed, which is utilized to a great degree. This time, though, Capcom made an interesting change to a mostly-standard formula with the inclusion of guns. Dante sports twin semi-automatic pistols named Ebony and Ivory, and with these two he can damage enemies from afar, switching from melee to projectile range with ease, as well as juggle said fiends in air.
Not limited to just a sword, Dante was able to acquire a powerful set of fire-based gauntlets as well as several firearms – a shotgun for spread damage, a needlegun for underwater combat, and a unique weapon called the Nightmare-Beta, firing charged green lasers. Each weapon granted new combo moves (with the firearms presenting different approaches to utilizing those moves) as well as a new visual style to Dante’s Devil Trigger powerup mode.
Players had to brave the combat in order to advance through the game’s mission-based levels, but were also graded upon how efficiently (and more important, stylishly) they were able to eviscerate their competition. Combos were rated as the player racked up successful hits, leading ultimately to an “Awesome” or “Stylish” combo. If the player’s hit streak was interrupted by taking damage, the combo would reset itself. At the end of each level, the player was rated by their overall performance, and given higher rewards for higher ratings.
Outside of the often-furious combat, Dante found himself in the midst of areas not much unlike those of a Resident Evil title. The protagonist would have to find keys to open doors, often engaging in platforming-style elements in order to acquire said goods. Other times, puzzles would present themselves, with the payoff often being an item needed to progress. The player could also stumble upon several hidden areas acting somewhat as challenge missions, with the payoff being massive amounts of red orbs, the game’s currency to be spent towards unlockable abilities.
After its release, Devil May Cry was praised for its intense combat, gothic visuals and atmosphere, varieties of unlockable content, and replay value. Though its success may have not been immediately (or financially) made apparent, it’s easy to see how it has shaped modern-era games. God of War, Bayonetta, Chaos Legion, Darksiders, and many other games use a fast-paced action style directly in the vein of Devil May Cry. Though almost nine years old at this point, Devil May Cry ranks high among some of the most brutal action games ever made, and any gamer worth their mettle owes it to themselves to play and conquer this game.
 |
|
.
Tags: Capcom, Devil May Cry, DMC
Loading ...
