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Devil May Cry 3 Playstation 2 Capcom  2001's
original 'Devil May Cry' was superb. A triumph of style and substance,
it hasn't aged at all and is a shining example of how awesome games
can be when they set their own direction and don't let up for one
second. Whilst the source material trod a well-worn Gothic path it
was the package as a whole, every bit of it screaming 'cool', that
made it so memorable. Fast-forward to 2005, the second sequel, and
things feel much the same; and it's a mixed blessing.The star of the show is the supernatural bad-ass Dante. His plight is essentially irrelevant: there are some demons, he needs to cut 'em a new one and that's about all you need to know. Utilising various swords, guns and combat styles, you can choose exactly how Dante deals out his special brand of justice. The combat is the key to the game and this is the area where Capcom have focussed their energy; easy to pick up and play, there is longer-term satisfaction to be had from mastering Dante's moves. The only things the flexible combat system doesn't allow you to control are Dante's one-liners which, while as cheesy as blue-vein, are thankfully deliberate: 'Devil May Cry 3' certainly doesn't take itself very seriously. Whilst the humour doesn't always fire on all cylinders it never grates. Many of the cut-scenes are truly memorable, even when they border on the slapstick. A large reason for coming back to the game is a desire to see the next part of the story unfold: even if it is the "how" as opposed to the "what". It's easy to understand the dilemma the developers must have been in, trying to introduce something new whilst not straying too far and falling into the same trap as the mediocre 'Devil May Cry 2': a tough balancing act. It's difficult to suggest how it could have been better resolved. If this were the first title in the series, it would almost certainly be received as well as the original. The trouble is, it's four years on, and whilst 'Devil May Cry 3' is great fun to play, it just lacks that special something provided by the first instalment. If you missed the original this won't disappoint, but fans of the original will almost certainly walk away craving the elusive and intangible 'something more' that this game can't quite deliver. Of course, when the bad is as good as this, there isn't really that much to complain about.  |
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