DmC: Devil May Cry

by Preston Dozsa
reviewed on PC
Demon banker
How appropriate is it that the king of demons is a banker? And not just any kind of banker: an investment banker who buys and sells debt in order to control the world economy, and by extension, everyone that’s part of that economy. Living in a tower that would not look strange in the middle of London, he plots and schemes to end all opposing to him. And at his side are the media and corporations, that use their massive power to continue the enslavement of humanity by making the population complacent and ignorant of the invisible chains which hold them down.
Welcome to DmC, where light social commentary rests atop a bed of supernatural demon-killing action.
Reboot
It’s been over a decade since the original Devil May Cry graced consoles with its elaborate combo based combat. With a flashy red coat and a mop of white hair, Dante has been killing demons and saving humanity on and off since his debut. It is an iconic action series, one which hasn’t seen a new release in five years. So when Capcom announced that Dante’s similarly iconic design would be changed in the new reboot, it’s an understatement to say some fans were more than a little angry over the new look.
Which is why I couldn’t help but laugh when an actual mop lands on Dante’s head within the first 20 minutes of the game. Ninja Theory makes it clear: This isn’t your father’s Devil May Cry.
But at the same time it is the same Devil May Cry. Dante still has plenty of attitude, though he’s certainly changed by the time the end credits roll around (and for the better, I might add). The Revolver sword is back in all its perfection, as are Dante’s dual handguns, Ebony & Ivory. The gameplay is still based on timing and dodging, with a counter on the screen that tracks how stylish you are. There is enough of the original to show that the game does respect its origins, yet DmC feels like a natural evolution for the series rather than the franchise reboot that it is.
Story
DmC’s story revolves around that banker/demon king I mentioned earlier, named Mundas. This demon gained control over humanity years ago, and now desires to kill Dante because he is a Nephilim, a race of beings who possess the powers of both demons and angels. Dante doesn’t take too kindly of this, and he is soon recruited by an organization known as The Order to fight back. Helping him out are Kat, a human witch, and Vergil, the masked leader of the previous organization.
8.8
fun score
Pros
Elegant combat, great art and level design, fun story and likeable cast.
Cons
Short, poor boss design.