DmC: Devil May Cry demo review!! Does Ninja Theory bring it?!

Did I mention that I’m a Devil May Cry fan? No? Well …I AM!! I just tried out the demo for DmC: Devil May Cry and I’m excited even more for this game. Combat is as fast-paced as ever; however, the mechanics may take some getting used to, especially if you’re new to the series. But once you learn them, you’ll be demon slaying in no time. Dante can switch in between weapons during combat just as in Devil May Cry 3, except the secondary weapons aren’t set to stay permanently. Instead, you have to hold down a second button while pressing the action button to access it. This is a nice incorporation of an element from the Darksiders games. The switch between weapons is almost seamless. Grappling plays are a part in both combat and traversal through the stage. Switching to a specific secondary weapon allows Dante to grapple enemies and designated platforms along with other environmental hazards such as the cameras that constantly watch him. By illustrating this, the demo suggests that Ninja Theory’s take on the series will have puzzle solving much in the way of other hack and slash titles such as God of War and Darksiders, both of which use grappling mechanics.

The Unreal Engine gives this demo the neo-cyberpunk feel that works well for this version of Dante. There are two stages available in the DmC demo. The first is the demo stage that has been shown at E3 this year as well as other events. The city comes to life in an attempt kill Dante. Buildings are closing in, the street comes apart to reveal a bottomless void and you got to high tail it out of there or be destroyed by your surroundings. One sequence did take me by surprise. Dante enters what looks like a church which leads to a way out. As he runs toward to exit, sections of the floor suddenly shift back, creating environmental hazards. He has to jump and use his dash maneuver and grapple ability to make it across. The second is a boss battle with a really gross and foul-mouthed horror.

After playing the demo, I have high expectations for Ninja Theory’s take on the popular series created by Team Little Devil. There are folks out there giving the company and new Dante a whole lot of smack. Hopefully, they have played this demo and realize their folly. As Devil May Cry fan, I only care about using super cool demonic powers to hack my way through hordes of demons with stylistic flare and a cocky attitude. January 15 can’t come fast enough but I like the building anticipation so I can wait.