Full disclosure: I freaking loved Devil May Cry 3 and consider it to be one of the best twitch-melee-action games of that generation. Naturally, when news came around that Capcom was to reboot the series, I wasn’t completely convinced it was something I wanted. I was so indifferent about the new game that I ended up forgetting about it and only recently sat down to play due to it being a free download for PS+ subscribers.
The son of Sparta, the demon that fell in love with an angel and spawned half-breeds isn’t the most likable dude on the planet when you first take control of Dante. He seems lost in the world and his appearance is typical for the lost amongst society type. (I can see why the debate over the new look was so heated.) Gone is the pizza-loving carefree character of the series and replaced with a more sarcastic smart-ass that isn’t afraid to get into verbal exchanges of ‘**** you’ with his enemies. Luckily the fast paced combat wasn’t left behind.
As a fan of the series, I came in with hopes of recapturing those sweating palm moments and instantly satisfying counters the series is known. Seeing as it’s a reboot of the franchise the developers decided to simplify the experience from the start. Switching between swords, guns, axes, and all the other weapons is still a staple in the game but I found it took much too long to collect the weapons in the game. While this adds to the replay ability; old fans might find it a tad annoying. I would gamble that for those who are versed in the world of DMC, the second play-through would be the ideal experience.
DMC is constantly challenging you to approach the combat in different ways and heavily rewards those that invest time in learning the various combos. A training area is included just to help you perfect your air-juggles and combo extending strategies. The story is paced well enough and the game is just gorgeous to look at so consider the added replay value a huge plus as you’ll be wanted to spend more time in this new world.
The sweaty palm moments and insane difficulty are back. Those who invested time with the old Dante should feel right at home with the newer younger Dante, as he seems to fit right into the mold of badass we’ve come to expect from the PS3/Xbox 360 generation. I suggest you make time to really learn the mechanics of the game in-order to really get the most out of DMC. Unless, of course, if you’re a PS+ subscribers which in that case you have no excuse to enjoy this great game.