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Gaming review: Devil May Cry

Last updated on: February 3, 2013 12:32 IST

How good is this edition of the DMC series? Murali Venukumar weighs in the pros and cons

Platforms: Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC
Price: Xbox 360/PS3: Rs 2999 / PC: Rs 999
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Distributor: Milestone Interactive Pvt. Ltd.
Genre: Hack-n-Slash / Action-Adventure
Age Rating: Suitable for gamers over 16 years
Rating: 8/10

It takes two to tango; and the best exemplification of that adage in the videogame world is Capcom's Devil May Cry series. Those kindred spirits among you who've grown up with Dante over the past decade will know the feeling -- an (un)holy union between your fingers and the silver-maned demon slayer on your television screen.

Except this isn't the same Dante.

In line with Capcom's relatively new-found penchant for hiving off its key franchises to western development studios, this game comes to us from Ninja Theory -- a studio that takes its art quite seriously, sometimes at the expense of gameplay mechanics. And you can't make a Devil May Cry game and get away with it without nailing the gameplay.

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Gaming review: Devil May Cry

Last updated on: February 3, 2013 12:32 IST

So let's address the elephant in the room: the game plays just fine. It may not reach the transcendent, balletic violence that was Devil May Cry 3, but it's evident that Ninja Theory put a lot of thought into its combat system. With both Angelic and Demonic weaponry complimenting Dante's signature sword and dual-handgun arsenal, there's enough depth in the difficulty curve to accommodate both the casual and the hardcore audience.

Newcomers will be able to make Dante obliterate his demonic opposition in style on the easier difficulties, while experienced hands looking for a challenge will find it in DmC's initial combo-crunching higher difficulties tiers followed by three absolutely brutal unlockable modes that only the bravest of the brave will ever see the end of. There's also an upgrade and unlock system for both Dante and his arsenal that progressively makes you more uber-powerful than you already are. Angelic weapons emphasize speed (both on the ground and in the air), while their demonic counterparts are all about brute force.

Gaming review: Devil May Cry

Last updated on: February 3, 2013 12:32 IST

Angelic and demonic attacks are accessed via controller triggers that let you easily mix them into your standard sword and handgun attacks at will, hopefully creating carnage worthy of a highlight reel. There's also an evade button that'll see a lot of use, especially when the scoring and rating system relies as much on not getting hit as it does on attack variety.

It's all good fun no doubt, and only tempered by the fact that enemies telegraph their attacks a bit too obviously, and by how enemies are often color coded to highlight their vulnerability to either angelic and demonic weaponry. That aside, the enemy variety and design is top notch, and the fact that the game mixes in harder enemies with new moves into the earlier levels as you move up the difficulty ladder is icing on the cake.

Gaming review: Devil May Cry

Last updated on: February 3, 2013 12:32 IST

Also of note are the moderately entertaining platforming sections that pepper the game. Making use of chain-grabs to either pull platforms towards you or propel you forward, they're balanced well enough that there's scope for failure while still offering the atmospherics of expertly designed on-rails sequences. You can also use these chain moves in combat to pull enemies towards you or vice-versa.

While Ninja Theory have gone out of its way to make sure the feel of the combat remains familiar to fans, the same can't be said about the presentation. Calling it a radical overhaul would be an understatement. In addition to Dante's infamous goth makeover is a story that's a world away from the cheesy-yet-lovable Devil May Cry of old. While the new dark-haired, close-cropped, emo Dante is alright for what he is, the change that hits hardest is the tone of the story. The fact that it's topical and parallels real life is one thing, but it's debatable as to whether Ninja Theory have managed to pull it off without it being a tad cheesy (and not the good kind). Baddies show up as Faux Fox News anchors and financial engineers trying to control the world through debt, while Dante and the 'terrorist organization' led by a mysterious masked figure he falls in with are in it to save humanity.

Gaming review: Devil May Cry

Last updated on: February 3, 2013 12:32 IST

You may find that some of the characters are more than slightly undercooked, but the story the game tells is more than adequate once you make it past the first level – before unfortunately snowballing towards the end. It is what it is – the whimsical Dante of old is gone and we'll have to get used to it. Production values are at their usual Ninja Theory best. The game looks beautiful (especially the otherworldly environments in Limbo) and moves at a fast clip despite losing the 60fps benchmark. The soundtrack and sound design are also stellar, with a soundtrack that's in tune with the hard rock growlfests of previous games in the series.

The more you play the new Devil May Cry, the more you'll feel like you're playing an actual series' installment and not a cheap imitation – no small feat considering the previous development team's pedigree. But while the mechanics try their best to be cozily familiar, the fresh tone for its story and characters are certainly an acquired taste. If you're just looking for a challenging hack-n-slash title with enough depth and longevity to last you more than a couple of playthroughs, you could do worse than picking up DmC: Devil May Cry.