Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

It's funny how prequels work. They're supposed to take place before the original story, which means there should be a bit of inferiority involved. To do that we have to deteriorate whatever it is that we loved about the original to make an additional chapter. Where's the sense in that? Why would we want to sacrifice all that we love about the original in order to keep the order?

That's why we end up with prequels that play like sequels. That's why Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening is the coolest game in the series. Dante, the half-breed (half devil, half human) hero from the first game, has more moves, better dialogue, and superior action. He's got weapons he didn't have before, and an impressive (but somewhat gimmicky) style system.

Attack more viciously with an aerial assault on your foe (Swordmaster). Next time choose the Trickster style and taunt your opponent to make him think he can hit you. Then hop around the screen to show him otherwise.

The Gunslinger style is easily my favorite to use.  First of all, it lets you hit multiple enemies at the same time by shooting in the air. (Normal gunfire targets one enemy and one enemy only whether you're in the air or not. By attacking with the style button, circle, anyone in close proximity will be hit.) Second, the Gunslinger style gives Dante the power to shoot in more than one direction at the same time! He's always had two guns, so it's about time he utilized them in a movie-like fashion.

Dante celebrates the 4th of July a few months early.

This goes a long way in Capcom's effort to reinforce Dante's coolness. The controls, which make or break the appeal of any character action, do nothing but good things for the player. Press the circle button while Dante's feet are flat on the ground. Then move the left analog stick in the direction you'd like the second gun to be fired in. Instantly you're shooting in two directions, the second of which can be changed at any time just by moving the analog stick. Awesome!

Dante can still "float" after a high jump or a fall by repeatedly tapping the square button to fire a stream of bullets at the nearest beast. All the best lunging, swiping, sword-slashing moves are back. Devil May Cry 3 is still Devil May Cry. No revolutionary transformations took place, nor did the developers screw things up by making changes to conform to the competition. (Not that any competition exists. Can you think of a single Devil May Cry clone that left a lasting impression?)

Players will break into Dante's Awakening expecting more of what they love. They'll get that, and shortly afterwards they'll get to the game's creamy filling, AKA Sodium Bichallenite ("extreme challenge"). Devil May Cry 3 goes back to its tough-as-nails roots by giving you the most ferocious collection of beasts Dante has ever seen. Gamers will cry if they were expecting an easy-going, shoot-a-few-things-here-and-there type of adventure.

 
Only the strong may enter the world of Devil May Cry 3.

This is not for the timid, or for those who give up after a hard battle. You may have conquered the old Resident Evil games. Maybe Onimusha, and the Dino Crisis series as well. Still, you haven't won a serious battle until you've defeated the monstrous Devil May Cry, a game that is merely a stepping stone to this prequel.

Although slightly frustrating at times, this is preferable to game prequels and sequels that are less challenging than the previous iterations. Having a challenge that's comparable is not enough since our skills are always improving (thus making a "comparable" challenge seem weaker than the first game). Gamers complained that DMC2 was too easy, and boy, did Capcom listen. You'll thank them ... right after you replace the controller you just broke.

For those who wish to make the game easier (or wish to maximize the power of Dante whether you can handle the challenge or not), Devil May Cry 3 has a level selection feature that kicks in as soon as you beat the first stage. If you die a few times while trying to complete the game on the normal difficulty setting, the easy setting will become available.

Before Master Chief, Dante was dual-wielding like a pro.

You can go back to the early stages, play through them on the easy setting and gain several A or S rankings to earn larger bonuses. The Devil May Cry series has always been big on upgrades, but this version takes the cake and blows out all the candles. There's almost too much to buy when you consider the price of items, which increases every time you make a purchase! Health items are difficult to obtain as a result, adding to pain and suffering whenever a boss appears. Get used to it gamers: this one doesn't let up.

I know aesthetics are minimally important to the quality of a game, but when a character is as cool as Dante, they make the experience so much better. When I'm playing as him, I feel like I'm a butt-kicking, devil-slaying master that no one can touch. My moves are precise, my aim is perfect. Everyone is envious of who I am; even those disgusting, half-dead enemies wish they could be me. That's what Dante does, he turns you into something you are not. Very few games do this. There are tons of great shooters out there, but rarely do I feel like I'm a part of their world, and rarely do I want to be.

Devil May Cry 3 showed that if the world does get run over by demons, all I need is a few guns, a large sword, bleached hair, unrealistic reflexes and other supernatural moves to save the day. Clearly if that happened we'd all be doomed, but it sure makes for a great game.

Gameplay: 9.0
Devil May Cry 3 envelopes the player in a unique way that's only possible because of the lead character. Dante's level of cool is higher than ever, making it that much more enjoyable to become him. The style system is both awesome (I love all of the new moves) and gimmicky (did these moves really need to be separated? If so, why can't I change styles at any point in the game?). Levels are huge; boss battles are outrageous; the difficulty is extreme; and the action is as fast as you can get without turning the game into something obnoxious.

Graphics: 9.0
The most beautiful lighting, the most spectacular designs, and the most artistic architecture since the first Devil May Cry was released.

Sound: 8.8
A decent mix of rock and techno. Not separate rock and techno tracks, actual songs that sound like hard rock meets videogame techno.

The soundtrack is worthy of a 7.5 or so, but Dante's voice acting (a character that has some of the best dialogue in Capcom history) bumps it up to an impressive 8.8.

Five years from now I'll remember Dante, but I doubt I'll think about the music at all. That's quite a switch for games – voice acting that's memorable, and a soundtrack that isn't.

Difficulty: Hard
That speech about feeling invincible when I'm playing as Dante sounded so believable until it came time to talk about the difficulty. If you see me run away and a transparent body stays in my place, you know why.

Concept: 7.9
More of the same ... with more polish, all-new levels, increased maneuverability, and an increased challenge.

Overall: 9.0
Glee: happy-inducing gunfights, smirk-arousing dialogue.

Gripes: the battles aren't free of repetition and the camera still isn't perfect.

Grapes: are nutritious and delicious and are a healthy part of a balanced diet.

Devil May Cry 3 is just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Gamer, that is. No one's going to walk away disappointed. I could wish all day that the battles weren't repetitive, but if we look back on every game in the action/shooter genre, we'll see that that's unavoidable. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but in most cases, diversity killed the game. I'm thankful for all the things that it is (exciting, amusing, challenging, etc.), so I'll be accepting of the few things that it isn't.

Note: Devil May Cry 3 is habit forming. Side effects are more inviting than sugar pill and include insomnia. Gamers playing Devil May Cry 3 may not be able to go to work, school, or complete daily household chores. Less than 2% of men said they lost their appetite while playing Devil May Cry 3, craving nothing but the game's fulfilling taste.