DmC: Devil May Cry

Seems the destruction this game had was felt in the real world too

DmC: Devil May Cry
Developed by Ninja Theory
Published by Capcom

Review by Jeremias de Leon

Wow, this game has it's fair share of controversy. Who thought an alternate universe with changes would garner so much of it?

Wrong DMC. Rest in peace Jam Master Jay though

Synopsis

Dante and Vergil are twin sons of a demon father named Sparda and angel mother named Eva. Eva was murdered by the king of demons and Sparda was subjected to eternal torture by Mundus. Cue Dante looking for revenge and Vergil starting a group that opposes demons and is looking to dethrone Mundus. They also try and expose the world as it really is in what's pretty much a throwback to the movie They Live. The story isn't going to win any awards but I have to say the way the story played out in this game is pretty fleshed out. Dante over time in this universe grows as a character and so does Kat and Vergil.

Hair can cause a lot of backlash...

Gameplay

Here is what Devil May Cry is all about. Does Dante still fight like Dante, in short, despite what some people may cry foul over, is yes, yes he does. It may be done with a different focus where being stylish is based on using the different weapons stylishly where in the original it was more on doing the crazy combos and having them keep going while not taking damage. Dante's different weapons add a different take on frenetic combat, and I have to say I truly do enjoy it. It's not better or worse than the previous games it's different and is just as good. It makes you think about your combos in a different way and it's still enjoyable. Switching from angel and demon weapons and knowing which enemies take more damage from which and setting it up so you can hit the right enemies with the right weapons.

Also yes, the gameplay is responsive when you push a button Dante does it. Yes, the frame-rate is 30fps instead of 60 the game still plays just fine, Dante is not sluggish and the action feels great. If I don't see slow responses with my weird, mutated eyes (don't ask) then I don't see a problem. It plays different, yes, but it still plays great and Dante still has his signature moves like fireworks and stinger.

Presentation

The character designs are different obviously but they work as a more realistic looking Dante, Vergil and Mundus. The enemies look more like creepy demons as they should and Dante although skinny and with a different haircut is not a design I can complain about, it's still better than all the gritty brown shooter heroes you see nowadays. I also happen to love the design of Vergil especially his coat. It invokes the original but still has it's own design.

The level designs are great in the beginning, the first levels are pretty imaginative but as the game goes on they do seem to bit more bland and if someone walked in and didn't know what you were playing they would guess any number of games you were playing before Devil May Cry.

Verdict

Devil May Cry is honestly enjoyable the gameplay is tight and the storyline keeps in mind the original but goes on to make things more fleshed out. The game does kind of peter out in the end with a bit of a lame puzzle and some boss fights that are a bit anti climactic. Well, the penultimate boss fight anyway. The final one is pretty good.

I give DmC an 8.5 out of 10

Dante vs. Bayonetta: The Witch Dances with the Devil Chapter 3

Suddenly, a shiny object flies through the air, aimed for the Assault Leader second from the woman’s right.  The large demon notices the sword after it had bored through its body.  The Assault Leader crumbles to dust.  The rest of the demons look towards a dark alley a few yards away that was the sword’s point of origin.  The woman looks as well.

“Now c’mon, I know you can do better than this,” a voice pipes up from the dark alley.  Heavy footsteps approach from the darkness.  They belong to the man who emerges from the alley.  The demons are taken aback by the man’s appearance.  An appearance that is all too familiar to them.  Wearing a lengthy red trench coat and carrying a massive sword that is as long as he is tall, Dante stands under the street light wearing a his trademark charismatic grin.  The light upon him casts an almost angelic glow, reflecting off his silver hair with a radiant shine.

“I take it you’re done with your mission,” the blonde woman said to Dante casually.

“Yep, just came to check on you.  Looks like you’re having a bit of trouble with these guys.  That’s not like you, Trish,” said Dante.

“I was doing just fine, thank you,” said the blonde woman named Trish.

“Oh yeah, I see how well you’re doing.  You got everything well in hand,” Dante retorted with his usual banter.

Trish, being his partner, has gotten used to Dante’s sarcasm.  Furthermore, she’s probably the only other person who can dish it back at him.  “Look, are you here to help out or just hear yourself talk?” she shot at him.

Just like she’s able to read him, Dante knows just how to push Trish’s buttons and which ones to push.  “I brought that didn’t I?” he says.

Trish looks at the sword Dante tossed.  It is a massive, nightmarish blade that pulsated with demonic power.  The sword’s size nearly dwarfed Dante’s blade.  Unlike Rebellion, Dante’s sword, which is double edged, this sword, Sword of Sparda, has a single edge that ran the weapon’s length down to its hilt.  Trish is tall herself but the Sword of Sparda’s hilt was still a bit above her head though it is jammed into the ground.  One would expect someone of great strength to wield the blade, but Trish plucks from the ground like a feather.

“Hey, you’re gonna need these, too,” Dante called to Trish.  He removes a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket and, with a sharp flick of the wrist, tosses them to Trish, who plucks them out of the air and slides them on.

“Now that’s better,” Trish says with satisfaction.  What she was cursing herself for leaving behind was her sunglasses.  True, the Sword of Sparda helps, but her true fighting abilities come forth when she dons her shades.  With them on, her enemies can’t predict her movements by looking at her eyes.  Plus, they make her look good.  “Now if I can hurry this up I just might be able to squeeze in getting my hair washed,” Trish said, returning her attention to the demons around her.

“You mean that place you usually go to,” Dante says having eavesdropped on Trish.  “I don’t think that’s gonna happen.  They’re closed.”

“They close at ten,” Trish said back. 

“It’s about that right now,” Dante tells her.  “Looks like you’re gonna have to wash your hair yourself.  Plus you might want to go for another trim to straighten it out.”  Trish asks him what he meant.  “Looks like someone nicked it a little, bottom right,” said Dante.

Trish reaches for her golden locks where Dante told her the damage was.  There is a space where a few strands are missing.  Looking across the demons she spots the culprit.  Hanging from the claws of an Assault to the right were a few strands of Trish’s golden mane.  Trish maybe a demon created by the former Ruler of the Underworld, but she still has human qualities.  Like any average woman, she likes to pamper herself when she’s not hunting demons, especially when it comes to her hair.  Only two people are allowed to touch her hair—her hair dresser and herself.  “You cut my hair.  Only Alejandro is allowed to cut my hair,” Trish said, emphasizing each word.  She flips her severed locks back and aims the Sword of Sparda at the Assault who gave her the unwanted trim.  “I’m saving you for last,” Trish says, looking sharply at the lizard demon.

“Those guys are toast,” Dante says as he eases himself on the steps of the house next to him, propping his sword by his side.

The four large Assaults, the two smaller ones and the remaining dozen lesser demons have Trish surrounded on all sides, leaving her with no chance of escape.  However, that doesn’t matter.  The blonde haired devil hunter isn’t planning on running away.  She intends to eliminate each one.  The demons plan to do the same and then destroy Dante for defeating their master Mundus.

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.

Dante vs Bayonetta: The Witch Dances with the Devil Chapter 2

One of the lizard demons, known as Assault, rushed at the blonde woman with its claws drawn back.  The woman begins dancing around as the Assault swipes and slashes at her ferociously.  After sidestepping a thrust attack, she delivers a powerful kick to its chin, popping it up off the ground.  Then she follows up with a deadly roundhouse that sends the Assault sliding across the ground.  Bringing her guns to bear, the blonde woman unleashes a hailstorm of lead.  Several Assaults quickly move to their fallen kin and deflect the bullets with their shields.

“They created a phalanx around him.  Seems like they learned how to be organized.  That armor is pretty annoying,” said the blonde woman.  She takes aim again, this time pooling her power into her guns.  Loud electrical pops resonate in the night air as she fires a few lightning charged bullets at the lizard demons.  The Assaults raise their shields again only to have them knocked back.  Three more shots are fired before the trio of demonic lizards recover, destroying them.  Their bodies crumble to the ground like broken statues.  The blonde woman lets loose with another blanket of lightning charged gunfire.  Using their amazing agility, the Assaults scramble to avoid joining their brethren in oblivion.  A couple of them advance toward the woman.  She singles them out, spewing electric death from her pistols.  The two Assaults employ their best evasive tactic.  They quickly dive underground, leaving the bullets to pelt the asphalt instead of their scaly hides.

“Crap, I forgot they can do that,” the blonde woman said with dismay.  Before she can even begin her search for the two Assaults that eluded her, she has to deal with the rest of their family first.  Two break into a short sprint and lunge at her.  She jumps back, leaving them clawing at the ground and not her.  The moment she lands, she arcs her body back to keep her from being beheaded by a fast slash.  For a moment she sees the air distort from the creature’s finely sharpened claws.  A kick to the ribs and a heel drop to the back of its head takes the Assault out.  The blonde woman prepares to fire a shot in its back when the Assault quickly dives in the ground.  That’s three demon lizards below her feet and a half dozen more waiting to tear her to shreds.

“Hmm, these guys usually aren’t so organized.  Plus I don’t see a leader,” said the blonde woman.  She has fought these demons before and knows how they operate.  The Assaults are pack hunters with two or three small ones flanking a large one.  Without a leader, the small Assaults will attack wildly.  They tend to be more organized with a leader present.  Remembering this, the blonde woman suspected that at least three pack leaders have to be nearby.  Two Assaults lead the next wave.  They rush the golden haired maiden with their claws bared.  With a sway to right and a sway to the left, the blonde woman avoids the first two strikes.  She then ducks, slides and delivers a powerful back kick to take out one Assault while evading the other one’s attack.  With quick reflexes, she grabs the next Assault by the wrist, halting its attack.  Then, with the flick of her arm, the blonde woman whips it to the ground and turns it to dust with a shot to its back.  Another Assault lunges for her, but she evades it with a well-timed back flip.  More of the lizard demons charge at her.  They begin attacking ferociously.  The blonde woman weaves her way through the swirling curtain of razor sharp talons.  The other Assaults soon join the fray.  The woman does less dodging and unleashes more counterattacks.  When a successful evasion was made, she quickly whips out a kick and then blast the creature to dust.  She has already deduced the best time to attack is after their attack fails, having noticed they can’t raise their shield while striking.  She bats another one and fires an electrically charged bullet in its hide.  Slowly, the Assaults’ numbers are starting to diminish yet they press on.

The blonde woman has already taken out half of her attackers.  She flips over one as it threw itself at her and jumps again to avoid the fast sweeping tail of another.  An Assault suddenly appears at the woman’s left.  Whipping around, she quickly knocks it away with a fast somersault kick, and then she leaps into the air.  The three Assaults who buried themselves before burst from the ground to pursue the woman.  Unfortunately for them, this was part of her plan.  Three well-timed and well-placed axe kicks launch them right back down, slamming into ground as well as taking out several of their comrades.  The blonde woman finishes her deadly onslaught with a hail of electric bullets, decimating the defenseless demons.  Ending her attack, she lands on the ground.  Only two Assaults remained.  They hesitate in attacking after seeing their brethren destroyed so utterly.

The blonde woman smiles coyly at the remaining reptilian demons.  “I know big brother’s watching.  So where is he hiding?” she says, strolling towards the Assaults casually.  The two demons step back, fearful of the woman.  “Don’t be shy.  I just want to know where your big sibling is hiding, that’s all,” the woman teasingly asked again.  No sooner than did she finish speaking, something explodes from underground.  She whirls around just in time to see the ten-foot beast slam onto the street.  This is the Assault Leader.  The woman shines her eyes on the giant demon, undaunted by its fearsome appearance.  The Assault Leader glares at the faired haired female who has stricken down his subordinates.  Unlike its smaller brethren, it doesn’t carry a shield or wear a protective helmet.  But the blonde woman knows that the Assault Leader has no need for protection due its extra thick hide.  While she contemplated on how to deal with her new enemy, the street suddenly rumbles again.  Four more large eruptions explode around the woman and the same number of Assault Leaders thunderously land on the ground.  The quartet of giant lizard demons shines their yellow eyes on the woman.  With their big brothers on stage, the two smaller Assaults join them at their sides.  The lesser demons whom the woman was fighting before the arrival of the first few Assaults also band with their reptilian counterparts.

The blonde haired woman scans across the small army of monstrous demons before her.  Her confidence is still unwavering but she is not without concern.  “Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have left those behind,” she said, cursing herself.  The demons stand ready to pounce on their golden haired prey and tear her asunder as they have done to countless other victims before her.

Devil May Cry Anthology Pt. 3

Developer(s): Capcom

Publisher(s): Capcom
Distributor(s)-Special Edition: Ubisoft (PC), EU CentreSoft (PS2)
Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s):
PlayStation 2
 March 1, 2005
Special Edition
 January 24, 2006
Microsoft Windows
 October 16, 2006
Genre(s): Action, Hack, Slash
Rating: Mature

Despite the success of Devil May Cry 2, fans remained disappointed by the game’s features and, overall, Dante’s lack of charisma. The Devil Hunter remained almost mute throughout the game and showed no signs of his cynical charm as he did in the first game. The open world exploration was another downer for DMC fans as was the ending which presumed to be the end of the Son of Sparda. As mentioned in my previous installment, the enemies were set too far apart to build any good combos and the challenge was more than lacking. After listening to the grumbles of disappointment from fans, it was back to the drawing board for Tsuyoshi Tanaka and Capcom. It was decided to develop Devil May Cry 3 in the same manner as the series’ first entry.

Once again, Dante’s character design was changed, reflecting a young version of the Son of Sparda who is just starting out as a hunter for hire. This incarnation is cockier and more arrogant than in previous games, depicting a reckless youth. Devil May Cry 3 was given an overhaul from the first two entries. The new combat system allowed players to control the weapons in new and “stylish” ways. This included different fighting styles for Dante which are upgradable through experience. The more you use these “styles”, the more experience the “style” gains. Four styles are available initially. You gain two more as the game progresses for a total of six. The inclusion of these new abilities made Dante more versatile than in DMC2. The “action button” used in the second game activates these new abilities. Trickster style gave Dante more mobility, allowing him to dodge attacks via a dash maneuver. He still has his regular dodge from the first game. Couple this with the dash maneuver of Trickster to weave your way through multiple enemy attacks. Swordmaster focused on melee, giving Dante more versatility in his attacks with his weapons. However, melee wasn’t limited to the ground. Dante can use High Time to launch an enemy into the air and continue the combo in mid-air with the Swordmaster style ability Aerial Rave.

Remember how shooting in two directions was only available when an enemy was sneaking up on Dante? Yeah, I thought it’d be cool to shoot in two directions anytime at that time too. Well, Gunslinger style gave the ability to shoot both Ebony and Ivory in different directions without special conditions and what was really cool is that you were able to control which directions the guns were fired. But the crème of the crop was the versatility given to the shotgun. Before, it was just used for stopping power but in DMC3 in Gunslinger style, Dante twirls the shotgun around his body, firing it in all directions. In Gunslinger’s later levels, he can perform the Stinger move with the shotgun. Now, we all know how touching enemies in the series warrants no penalty. However, there were instances where Dante couldn’t attack them. Remember the Fetish puppets from the first game that blocked your attacks? In the third game, Dante was given the chance to return the favor thanks to the Royal Guard style. This style minimized damage dealt to Dante. Time it right and you can keep a combo going. Two more styles are acquired by defeating certain enemies. Geyron bestowed upon Dante Quicksilver, which has the same time-altering abilities as the Bangle of Time from the first game. Doppleganger style was awarded after the demise of the Shadow Devil.

The new styles and weapons were received well by fans and truly showed Dante’s versatility, which was a huge step up from the previous titles. However, the real big hit with fans was that Devil May Cry 3 was brought back to the claustrophobic mayhem that made the first game a success. The enclosed combat was what truly made DMC a survival horror game. The feeling of fighting tight area was what was lacking from the second entry and the focus point of many fans disapproval of that game. Another thorn was the lack of difficulty. DMC2 was easily passable even on “Must Die” mode. According to Tanaka, the difficulty in DMC2 was toned down to reach a wider audience in Japan; unfortunately, this move ran the risk of losing fans on the larger market. Learning from this mistake, Devil May Cry 3 was released with a lower difficulty in Japan while rest of the world enjoyed the game with same craziness and difficult challenge that fans have come to love from the series. A Special Edition of the game was released which allowed players to take on the role of Vergil. Unlike his twin, Vergil only had one style type—Darkslayer, which feature attributes from the Trickster and Swordmaster styles. At higher levels, Darkslayer grants Vergil more evasive maneuvers as well as more moves with his swords. He’s not as flashy as his brother but Vergil makes up for it with stronger attacks.

As with the two previous titles, Devil May Cry 3 introduces a new female counterpart for Dante in the form Lady. Like Trish, Lady attempts to kill Dante with a shot to the head. She immediately discovers that Dante is part demon when he survives the injury and things don’t go so well between them. They later form a mutual partnership which doesn’t last long as Lady’s job is to exterminate all demons including Dante. Unlike the two previous ladies in the series Trish and Lucia, Lady is not playable though fans wanted this to happen. Plus, she served as a boss in the game. Still, it would’ve been really cool to have her as a playable character.

Ubisoft published a PC version of the game developed by SourceNext. The European PC version was the first to come out, even before the Special Edition was released for the PlayStation 2 in that region, being released on June 28, 2006. The North American version was released on October 16, 2006. The game was published in Japan on June 30, 2006.

Tsuyoshi Tanaka redeemed himself and the series by putting it back on a track where it’s supposed to be—loaded with all the craziness, over-the-top action and challenging gameplay that has made gamers fall in love with the Son of Sparda. With the series placed back on its pedestal in the action game genre, the time would to bid the world of Devil May Cry farewell…supposedly.

 

Devil May Cry 3 Intro

Dante vs Bayonetta: The Witch Dances with the Devil Ch. 1

Bullets rain down on a group of demons who have been terrorizing humans for sport.  Their bodies burst into ash, signaling their demise.  A small band of demons throw themselves at a beautiful blonde haired woman.  The blonde woman, wearing tight black clothing, casually dispatches her attackers with a few rounds of gunfire.  She slides to the side to avoid a set of claws threatening to cleave her back.  She then spins around and delivers a heavy boot to the demon’s head, sending it flying into its comrades.  A few more demons emerge from the shadows of the poorly lit street, larger ones this time.  This new set of demons is lizard-like in appearance with small shields attached to one forearm and helmets on their scaly heads.  Extending their claws and letting out a guttural battle cry, the lizard demons drop the visors of their helmets over their faces, ready to engage the blonde woman.  The blonde woman merely smiles coyly at them.

“You know I did have an appointment at the salon tonight.  Do you have any idea how long it took me book a manicure and a pedicure at the same time?” she says.  The lizard demons respond by hissing sharply.  The blonde woman shrugs her shoulders and sighs.  “You just better hope they have something available soon or I’m taking it out on your ass,” she says casually.

The lizard demons quickly converge on the blonde woman with incredible speed, covering ground very quickly.  The woman dodges the first swipe and three more afterward.  She then hops over the tail of one lizard demon to avoid being swept, and ducks under another tail swipe.  One lizard demon, several feet away, thrusts its claws forward.  The demon fires them like bullets at the woman.  The blonde woman boots away one lizard demon and gets rid of another with a spinning roundhouse kick.  She then quickly aims a gun and fires several shots.  The first few destroy the flying claws.  The rest head for the intended lizard demon, but it uses its shield to block the bullets.  Then the reptilian creature growls and regenerates its claws.

The blonde woman throws herself back to avoid being cleaved in two by the lizard demon’s rush attack.  The demon turns to come at her again. The woman deflects the scaly arm with one gun and kicks off its helmet revealing its iguana-like face.  She silences the demon’s hissing with a bullet to its head before lifting it up and tossing it.  The lizard demon’s body slams on the ground and crumbles like dirt.  The remaining lizard demons roar into the night sky.  They then go after the blonde woman to avenge their fallen kin.  The blonde woman dodges the first swipe, then ducks under a high strike and dives from the path of an overhead strike.  The attacking lizard demon smashes the ground instead.  Two other lizard demons attempt to blindside their golden haired adversary.  Nimbly, she avoids their claws with a back flip.  She uses another one to evade a fast tail swipe.  The blonde woman lands on top of one of the lizard demon and then shoots herself into the air with a sharp kick that also bowls her living perch over.  She unleashes a turret of gunfire upon the horde of reptilian creatures.  They use their unearthly speed and agility to avoid the deadly shower of bullets.  Some have resorted to using their shields to defend themselves.  Landing on top of a lamppost, the blonde woman continues to rain death down on her quarry.  However, her efforts are proving futile.

One lizard demon breaks from the pack and makes a mad dash for the lamppost.  With a couple well-placed sharp kicks, it ascends to the top.  The blonde woman, without turning around, leaps straight up just as the lizard demon lunges forward with its claws.  She kicks her attacker sharply in the back of the head, sending hurling to the street below while she lands safely back on the lamppost. Unfortunately, her safety is not assured as the lamppost begins to give way.  On the way up, the lizard demon had sliced through the steel structure. The blonde woman jumps from the pole to the street below.  When she lands, she scans the lizard demons surrounding her.  They have proven to be more intelligent than she had assumed, for they had corralled her in the middle of the group.

The blonde woman’s nerves are not rattled.  She flashes her opponents a smile.  “I have to hand it to you; you Assaults have definitely made an improvement.  Now,” she says.  An unearthly power begins to radiate from the woman.  Small streams of lightning flow around her hands and guns.  “Let’s see just see how much.”

Dante vs Bayonetta Chapter 4

An angel attempts to cleave the woman’s exposed back.  Its efforts are stopped with a bullet to its head.  With its halo shattered, the angel disappears in a bright flash of light.  The woman continues to effortlessly evade and attack her divine assailants.  She spins.  She twirls.  She flips.  She dances her way around the angels and their weapons with acrobatic grace and stylish flare, all the while firing both her hand guns and foot guns.  While its brethren kept the woman in black occupied, one angel decides to finish what they started and kill Dante.  The angel slowly creeps toward him.  During her furious fighting, the woman in black spots the lone angel.  She quickly dispatches a couple more of heaven’s helpers with stylistic flare before going after her next target.  The angel is close to Dante.  It raises its staff.  The others angels prevent the woman from stopping their comrade.  She mows them down as she continues toward Dante.  The angel draws its staff back and swings.

A loud clang rings out.  The angel looks on in shock.  Somehow Dante was able use his sword to stop the staff from carving into him even though he can’t see his attacker.  The man in red cracks a smile.  “Nice try.  You’re gonna have to wake up early to get me that easily.  Thing is,” he twirls the black gun and aims it over his right shoulder, “I don’t sleep much.”  Dante squeezes the trigger, aiming for what he believes the head would be.  The angel’s halo is destroyed along with its owner in a flash of light.  “Now let’s see who’s playing hide and seek,” Dante says nonchalantly.  He begins tapping into his demonic powers.  The same trick worked for him in the Underworld when he challenged and defeated the King of the Underworld.  Using just enough power, he can make out about a dozen or so figures.  Focusing his powers lets him see them a bit more clearly, to where he can make out the halos above their heads.  The images were blurry but a lot better than nothing.  “Angels, huh?  And who else do we have?” asks Dante.  Though he can’t see her clearly, he can tell that the last shape is unmistakably female.  He thought it might’ve been his partner but she’s off on another mission.  So who is the new girl? 

The woman stares at Dante.  If she was as surprised as the angels, she hid it well.  “He can see them?” she says.

“I don’t what you angels are doing down here, but I never asked you finish my job.  So if you think about taking me on I strongly wouldn’t recommend it.  You’re better off keeping watch over some kid and keeping them outta trouble,” Dante said.

Undaunted, the angels renew their efforts and attack Dante.  The woman tries to stop them.  She begins firing her guns as she chased them down.  A couple angels change course to return their attention to the woman.  She flips over them, squeezing out a few rounds as she corkscrews through the air.  Her feet touch the ground while the angels’ bodies slam into it.  The woman has successfully blasted off their wings and halos.  The bright flash of light signals their defeat.  She turns to help Dante, but stops short amazed by what she sees.  Though he can barely make them out, Dante is, nevertheless, fending off his would-be attackers.  He can feel their energies and just aims his guns where they feel strongest.  The angels’ numbers start to drop from Dante’s stylistic fighting.  He sways from the path of their swing staffs and casually blasts away their halos.  The woman in black watched the man acrobatically evade nigh-invisible attackers and eliminate them with stylish flare all the while wearing a brimming smile that exuberated confidence.  She was rather impressed his abilities—and with him.

Dante ducks under what he sensed is a midlevel strike and rolls forward when he feels something coming at him from above.  Popping back up, he holds his arms out to his sides and blasts away the two angels trying to flank him.  He throws one arm behind to take an angel going for a sneak attack, and then quickly clears out the two angels in front of him.  Sensing that all seemed to be clear, Dante gives his pistols a final twirl before returning them to their holsters.  As soon as he gets one gun in, he reaches over his left shoulder and catches something.  One last angel has its attack stopped casually by him.  Dante finds the angel’s legs with a kick and shoulder tosses it forward, slamming it on the ground in front him while keeping a grip on its weapon.  He presses one foot on the angel’s chest and aims his remaining gun at the glowing halo above its head.  “Just be glad I went easy on you this time,” Dante says wearing a cool grin.  “The next time you guys decide to get in my way, I’m gonna be thoroughly pissed.”  He casually blasts the halo and kicks the angel away.  It disappears in a bright flash a moment afterward as it slid across the ground.  “Now let’s see who our heroine is,” he says.  Dante tries to feel for the woman’s energy.  A couple moments pass.  No energy.  Deciding against searching for her, he places his hands in the pockets of his coat and strolls out of the alley with the familiar feeling of another job done.

Unknowing to Dante, the woman of his search has retreated to a nearby roof top.  Now completely visible, she watches him as he leaves the alley, taking in his identity.  The woman in black smiles with anticipation, hoping they will meet again someday.  As for Dante, whether he meets the woman again doesn’t matter to him.  He has no strong feeling either way.  If or when that day comes, he will greet it just like any other day—with a brimming smile and a cool strawberry sundae waiting for him when it’s over.

To be continued…

Dante vs. Bayonetta Chapter 3

Suddenly each demon bursts into a cloud of black ash with Dante watching.  He doesn’t know what to make of the scene.  The sudden elimination of his quarry doesn’t surprise him, but it does make him curious.  Dante waits to see if he can get a glimpse of whom or whatever took out the remaining six demons at once.  So far only he and one other person are able to defeat several demons at once.  Dante wanted see the person or persons, not to issue handshakes, but to let them know who he is.  Unfortunately, the newcomers remain hidden.  But if Dante were able to see them, he would see that the heavenly creatures have him surrounded.  They slowly move in with their staffs ready to strike him down.
“Now aren’t we being a bit rude?” said a woman’s voice.

The heavenly creatures look toward the beginning of the alley.  A statuesque woman approaches dressed in a shiny form fitting black outfit.  Long tassels, three on both arms, hung from straps just above her elbows.  They seem to look like strands of hair.  A gold talisman adorned the ends of them.  The woman’s hair was done up in a beehive-type style.  Red ribbons ran through the hair style with the ends flowing down the woman’s back.  An unknown inscription was written on the ribbons.  The woman stops next to Dante.  She looks at him.  To her, he appears to be transparent.  The same can be said for Dante if he were able to see the transparent figures around him.  The woman leans in close to Dante.  “He is rather handsome,” she says, and then she looks at the angels. “And you cheeky bastards were going to kill him before I had a chance to properly introduce myself.”  The woman steps away from the man.  The angels step with her.  Their focus is off of Dante and now on the woman.  The woman looks across the angels.  Then she strikes a sexy pose and crosses her arms out in front of her.  A pair of large handguns appears in her hands.  Another set of handguns appear on the heels of her high heel shoes.  The dark magenta guns are larger than Dante’s and more lavishly styled.  “Now then,” the woman pauses to use one of her guns to gently push up her glasses, “who’s ready for some…pillow talk.”
The angels quickly converge on the woman in black who leaps out the way to avoid their strikes.  After landing, she whips out a fast kick to the head of the angel closest to her.  She fires a shot from the gun attached to her heel as she followed through with her kick, striking an angel in the back.  She then stretches both out to her sides and fires a shot both guns, taking out another pair of angels.  More of heaven’s hosts drop down from above.  Several more appear on the ground in flashes of light.  The woman in black narrowly avoids a strike aimed for her head.  Then she throws herself into a barrel roll, avoiding a fast low strike.  As she twists her body, she squeezes off a few rounds disposing a few angels as she stood up.  Two angels rush the woman head-on while two more flank her from either side.  She leaps into a split over the angels attacking her from the front.  With her hand guns aimed down, she fires a shot at the angels passing below her while at the same time she uses the guns at her feet to take out the flanking angels.  The woman in black lands and strikes a sexy pose.  “Aw, what’s the matter?  Am I too much to handle?” she says with playful coy.  A couple angels show anxiety.  “Come on,” the woman beckons with one gun.  Twirling their staffs, the angels resume their assault.
Dante has been keeping track of the invisible battle around him.  Though he can’t see them, he can feel their energies moving about.  A couple times he could’ve sworn he saw something.  Dante assumed that it might’ve been the energy of whom or whatever’s around him.  He’s no stranger to this feeling.  He’s felt this when he entered the Underworld.  There were all kinds of energies flowing around him and, with a bit of concentration, he can hone in on them.  Of course that’s what he’s been doing all this time.

Dante vs. Bayonetta Chapter 3

Suddenly each demon bursts into a cloud of black ash with Dante watching. He doesn’t know what to make of the scene. The sudden elimination of his quarry doesn’t surprise him, but it does make him curious. Dante waits to see if he can get a glimpse of whom or whatever took out the remaining six demons at once. So far only he and one other person are able to defeat several demons at once. Dante wanted see the person or persons, not to issue handshakes, but to let them know who he is. Unfortunately, the newcomers remain hidden. But if Dante were able to see them, he would see that the heavenly creatures have him surrounded. They slowly move in with their staffs ready to strike him down.

“Now aren’t we being a bit rude?” said a woman’s voice.

The heavenly creatures look toward the beginning of the alley. A statuesque woman approaches dressed in a shiny form fitting black outfit. Long tassels, three on both arms, hung from straps just above her elbows. They seem to look like strands of hair. A gold talisman adorned the ends of them. The woman’s hair was done up in a beehive-type style. Red ribbons ran through the hair style with the ends flowing down the woman’s back. An unknown inscription was written on the ribbons. The woman stops next to Dante. She looks at him. To her, he appears to be transparent. The same can be said for Dante if he were able to see the transparent figures around him. The woman leans in close to Dante. “He is rather handsome,” she says, and then she looks at the angels. “And you cheeky bastards were going to kill him before I had a chance to properly introduce myself.” The woman steps away from the man. The angels step with her. Their focus is off of Dante and now on the woman. The woman looks across the angels. Then she strikes a sexy pose and crosses her arms out in front of her. A pair of large handguns appears in her hands. Another set of handguns appear on the heels of her high heel shoes. The dark magenta guns are larger than Dante’s and more lavishly styled. “Nowthen,” the woman pauses to use one of her guns to gently push up her glasses, “who’s ready for some…pillow talk.”

The angels quickly converge on the woman in black who leaps out the way to avoid their strikes. After landing, she whips out a fast kick to the head of the angel closest to her. She fires a shot from the gun attached to her heel as she followed through with her kick, striking an angel in the back. She then stretches both out to her sides and fires a shot both guns, taking out another pair of angels. More of heaven’s hosts drop down from above. Several more appear on the ground in flashes of light. The woman in black narrowly avoids a strike aimed for her head. Then she throws herself into a barrel roll, avoiding a fast low strike. As she twists her body, she squeezes off a few rounds disposing a few angels as she stood up. Two angels rush the woman head-on while two more flank her from either side. She leaps into a split over the angels attacking her from the front. With her hand guns aimed down, she fires a shot at the angels passing below her while at the same time she uses the guns at her feet to take out the flanking angels. The woman in black lands and strikes a sexy pose. “Aw, what’s the matter? Am I too much to handle?” she says with playful coy. A couple angels show anxiety. “Come on,” the woman beckons with one gun. Twirling their staffs, the angels resume their assault.

Dante vs Bayonetta Chapter 2

Three demons leap into the air with their claws aimed for his back. A couple well placed shots from his large clunky handguns reduces two of them to ash. Dante blocks the third demon’s claws with one gun, white in color, and blasts it away with the black gun. The demons quickly gang up on Dante in an attempt to overwhelm with a sheer numbers. Dante flips out the way to avoid the first strike and lands on top of another demon, stomping it firmly into the ground. He bends back to evade a swipe aimed for his face, and then he kicks the demon to his right and blasts it in the back. Its body crumbles to ash. More demons attack. Dante effortlessly dispatches them. He fires his guns with superhuman speed, taking out several demons in a hail of bullets. During his demonic extermination, Dante hears the rapid approaching of claws on cobblestone. Either the demons in the alleys were done with their first catch or they got hold of the woman who should’ve been already home by now. Dante, after dodging yet another strike, flips into the air, firing his guns as he went. Landing back at his sword, he decides to clear the area. He fires several shots in front of him, nails a couple demons behind him without looking, and crosses his arms to blast away the two demons attacking from either side. Dante tosses the guns high into the air and takes up his sword.

“Now it’s starting to get interesting,” he says with joy.

The silver haired man whirls around and cleaves his sword into the newcomer’s chest. The larger demon disintegrates to ash before Dante finishes slicing home. The second large demon swipes its claws. Dante nimbly avoids them. The beast attacks again. Dante blocks with the broad side of his sword and knocks the demon’s claws away, slicing them off as he did so. The large demon reels back in pain, but Dante silences it by running his sword through its body. With the two larger demons disposed, Dante focuses his attention on their smaller comrades. The demons roar unanimously and attack Dante en masse. Dante dodges several attacks before countering with a few of his own. He mixes acrobatic evasion with stylish melee, disposing demons in his wake. An upward slash takes out one demon. A downward swipe takes out another. A wide arcing swing clears several in a row. One would assume that a sword of that size would be difficult to swing, but Dante carves it through the air beautifully as if it weighed next to nothing. After casually dispatching a couple more demons, Dante leaps to the air to avoid a triple strike. The trio of demons who missed him quickly chase after the silver haired man for a second chance. Dante returns the sword to his back and catches his large pistols. With a brimming smile, he dispels the demons tailing him and several more as he drifts back to the ground. He remains kneeling after landing. Then he crosses his arms and flashes his coolest grin. Fear returns to the demons as they move away from the man who has effortlessly whittled their numbers down to mere few.

“I gotta say, you guys didn’t make this evening half bad, but I was touring this city and you kinda interrupted me so how about we wrap our little meeting,” Dante said.

The demons, fearful of Dante, crept further away from him. Their intentions to slay him have gone awry leaving them with their only other option—flee. However their escape is halted by another force. A white light descends on the alley, chasing away the darkness. Dante sees the light and stands up. If anything was going to happen, he wanted to ready for it. He watches the remaining demons. He sees the fear on their faces. More like terror, to be precise. Whatever is in the white light, it is making the demons want to seek death at the hands of Dante instead.

What Dante can’t see are the half dozen heavenly creatures descending to ground. Each one carried a long golden staff with blades at the end. The heavenly creatures wore simple but lavish outfits that were blue with gold trim. The creatures themselves were white with golden highlights. Upon landing, they looked down on the fearful demons. The black creatures stared at their heavenly white hosts, trembling like leaves in the wind. The heavenly figures, with their eyes fixed on the demons, raise their elegant staffs.

Devil May Cry Anthology Pt. 2

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Platform: Playstation 2
Genre: Action, Hack and Slash
Release: January 25, 2003
Rated: Mature

Devil May Cry became an instant hit when it was released in October 2001, selling over two million copies in its first year. It had taken the survival horror genre of gaming to a new level with its over the top action and compelling storyline. So it was likely that a sequel was just around the corner. As we all know, two has been the magic number for Capcom’s most prestigious series—Mega Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil—so when I heard about Devil May Cry 2, might first thought was “cool, this is gonna be an awesome sequel”. But before we get into that, how about we take a look at what went on when this was being made. And then we’ll talk about the fun stuff.

Devil May Cry 2 was set to take the series in a new direction. In the game, Dante returns as a more mature more experienced Devil Hunter. This new wiser appearance meant that Capcom was going to give him even more outrageous, acrobatic moves, combos and powers. Dante new abilities introduced us to the wall run, twosome time and bullet rain. The wall run gave Dante more versatility during combat. He could start a combo on the ground, run up a nearby wall to continue it in midair and finish with a downward slash. He was also given some serious hang time to better fight airborne foes. Twosome time (as it will become known in later sequels) allowed Dante to target two enemies at once. He can shoot one enemy in front of him and plug another one either behind him or off target to his left or right. Dodging was made easier this time around so even novice players can save their skin when needed. Unlike the first game, you can dodge whenever you wanted without using the lock-on feature. Another unique feature was the weapon change button which allowed players to switch ranged weapons without going the inventory screen. This was an upgrade from the R3 button used to switch between Alaster and Ifrit in Devil May Cry and a precursor to the much beloved ability in Devil May Cry 3.

The biggest feature, however, is certainly the addition of another playable character. The reason behind this was because people complained in the first game that they wanted to play as Trish and use a heroine. Enter Lucia, a character with a mysterious past. Lucia is just as versatile as Dante and uses two medium range swords and throws darts instead of using guns. However, her move set and combat abilities are just the same as Dante. The only difference is that Lucia possessed the ability to triple jump. Throwing her dart-like projectiles while jumping propelled her higher into the sky. Couple this with a second midair jump to take her even higher. Lucia’s story was set apart from Dante as was the enemy set. She had fewer missions which were fairly easy to complete. Of course if you complete the game on a higher setting you will unlock Trish who plays exactly like Dante and carries the Sword of Sparda with her.

Another complaint from fans was the camera, especially during boss battles where various objects obstructed the view. In some cases, the boss was simply too large to view fully on screen. To correct this, new producer Tsuyoshi Tanaka made it a point for each angle to provide an optimal perspective while keeping the camera fixed. Players got the full view of Dante or Lucia without missing the action. Honestly, in my opinion, the camera wasn’t that big of an issue. The complaint is most likely relevant to the battle with Phantom inside the Chapel and Nightmare in the same location later and in the Underworld. That’s only three battles. All the other battles, i.e. Nero Angelo and Griffin, were in open areas where the camera could move freely. Another reason that it wasn’t a big issue is that the objects became transparent so you could see your enemies. I saw no problem with this. But some people want their hand held.

As mentioned earlier, two seems to have been the magic number for Capcom’s most prestigious series—Mega Man, Street Fighter—however, lightning did not strike again for the company. Despite the improvements and the addition of another character, fans were dissatisfied with Devil May Cry 2. First complaint: the gameplay. Being able to shoot in two directions and run along walls were welcome additions but, fans felt that Dante wasn’t as quick or moved as smoothly as he did in the first Devil May Cry game. His Stinger move was greatly slowed down as was his sword swinging where both were quick and smooth in the previous title. This was a poor attempt to have Dante move like an actual person would with a sword in hand. Also, the having to move the left analog stick for extra strokes, to me and others, wasn’t all that useful and it made it difficult to combo. This also applies to his guns. Before, your thumbs got a workout from pressing that firing button to keep Hang Time going. In DMC2, all one had to do is just hold the button with one hand and eat a bag of chips with the other. Heck, you didn’t even have to use High Time in the sequel; just start firing your guns and the enemy lifts right off the ground. Yeah, where’s the fun in that?

The second gripe was the open area exploration. What made Devil May Cry and its birthparent game Resident Evil so enjoyable was the claustrophobic feeling you got from fighting in close quarters. Putting Dante out in the open was not becoming of the character or what made the series so popular. This is not even becoming of a Resident Evil game. In a lot of cases, the enemies were placed too far apart to work out any good combos, or combos, period, for that matter, and smaller enemies were still off screen despite the improvements in the camera angles. Racking up a high combo and cashing on bonus red orbs as a result are what made playing DMC enjoyable. Because of the placement of enemies, this was difficult to achieve, especially with the highly priced weapons and items available at the God of Time statues. Lastly, the devils in Devil May Cry 2 were not as tough as the ones in the first game. I was surprised at how easy a lot of the enemies were to defeat including the bosses. The challenge of fighting has been taken down a few too many pegs thanks to complaints from fans that played the first DMC. Ironically, those same folks complained about the lack of challenge in DMC2. Guess you can’t satisfy everybody.

However, that’s not to say that Devil May Cry 2 was a terrible game. It does have its moments and Dante is still pretty cool even though a lot of his skills have been gnawed down to where even the most inexperienced player can drag their devil hunting carcass through the Underworld and survive. Unfortunately, this did hurt the series and left fans disappointed. Luckily, a bright spot is about to shine on what became a dark shadow of this series.

Dante vs. Bayonetta Chapter 1

Nighttime has fallen on a city in Europe. The lights of the city shine brightly amidst the darkness. Buildings and landmarks were all aglow for the citizens and numerous visitors to enjoy. The various taxis, buses and other vehicles aided the street lamps in illuminating the city streets. There are many people walking the streets either to go to dinner or tour the marvelous sites and other attractions. This is evening hustle and bustle, and it’s just as active as it is during the daytime. Every hotel was filled with visitors from across the globe as well as local residents. People entering the hotel are greeted with a pleasant smile and are promptly and properly serviced. The hotel’s restaurant, along with other restaurants, makes sure their customers are provided with excellent food and complimentary service. The European city was enjoying another entertaining evening that is one of many. However, there some places that are not quite as enchanting.

Clopping footsteps rapidly descended down an empty alley. A woman looks back for her pursuers with fearful eyes. Her high heels clacked loudly on the cobblestone street as she trotted through the narrow winding alleyway. Soon she reaches an intersecting alley and stops. The casually dressed woman frantically searches around, her dark hair whipped around wildly as she desperately tried to decide which way to go. Heavy footfalls rapidly approach from behind her. Driven by fear, the woman darts down the intersecting alleyway, hoping to lose who or whatever's chasing her. Her new path of escape is poorly lit and unlike the alley she just left, there were no twists and turns. But she didn't care. She just wanted to get away.

The woman soon stops suddenly. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at what barred her path. The alleyway was a dead end. Her mind was too racked with fear to process that she can go no further. The woman whirls around to return the way she came but she stops before she even starts. Two creatures stood just a few feet away from her. As they walk toward her, another pair of creatures emerges from the darkness. The woman slowly inches back, putting her arms in front of her as if to put up a wall between herself and the creatures. She shudders from the fear welling up inside her even more.

The creatures were gangly and grotesque with skin a black as night, shining red eyes and razor sharp teeth. Their bodies bulged with muscle despite their lanky appearance. Walking on all fours, the creatures slowly approach the woman, their claws scraping the cobblestone with each step. More creatures soon emerge from the darkness and methodically converge on the woman like hungry wolves.

The woman waited for her impending demise. Her once wonderful evening has turned into a horrific nightmare. It was just two hours ago when she met a nice gentleman at the hotel she was staying at. The man was young and handsome. He was a local who lived just outside the brightly lit city. After a short tour and a long, engaging dinner, the woman’s suave date invited her back to his house which she kindly accepted. She didn’t know that such an innocent gesture would turn into horrendous experience. The only solace the woman can take is that she is currently in far better shape than her date who was the creatures’ first victim, kicking off her adventurous romp thru dark alleys to escape the same grisly fate. She can feel the nearest creature’s hot breath caress her legs. She scans her wide frightened eyes across the dozen or so creatures. Then she closes them, waiting for her end.

“Now this isn’t fair,” a casual voice breaks the silence.

The creatures turn to look at the newcomer. The woman opens her eyes and looks towards the beginning of the alley. A man stepped out of the darkness. He had silver hair and wore a striking red trench coat. On his back, he had a massive sword that is as long as he is tall. The man in red coolly strolled up to the creatures. He shines his eyes across them. There is no fear in those eyes. “A dozen demons ganging up on one lady; you’re overwhelming the poor girl,” said the man in red. “I came across your handiwork back there. I bet you didn’t even get that guy’s name.” The demons step from the man in red’s path as he strolled up to the woman. They seem to revere this man. The demon closest to the woman hesitates, but a stern look from the man in red has it kindly step aside.

The woman was at odds. She didn’t know what to make of this mysterious stranger. The way the demons reacted made her believe that he has some sort of command over them. However, upon closer examination, she noticed a few of them seemingly to be cowering. Her suspicions are true. The man in red did have command over the demons, but it wasn’t out of reverence. It is fear. The demons feared this man.

“Hey, you were probably having a wonderful evening before all of this, weren’t you?” the man in red said casually. The woman didn’t know how to react let alone what to say. The man in red holds up a hand and says, “This is the part where you don’t ask questions. You’re just happy to see another handsome face and you want this to be all over. Don’t worry about them. Their bark is worse than their bite…sometimes.” The woman was not in the mood for comedy. She just wanted to get out the alley and forget this night ever happened. “I see you want outta here so all you got to do is stay to the right and you’ll be fine. Trust me, you don’t want to go to the left unless you have a really strong stomach,” said the man in red.

The woman allows her unorthodox savior to lead her past the group of demons. A couple of them snap at her but they are put into their place by a look the man in red gives them to quiet a barking dog. Once she safely past, the woman heads down the alley staying to right as the man in red instructed. She dare not go to the left, for fear of finding what exactly the demons did to her date.

“When you get home just take a hot bath and relax, you’ll be fine,” the man in red called to the woman. When the woman was out of sight, he turns his attention to the demons. By now, their number has doubled. They start to lose their fear and begin converging on the man in red. He just flashes a cheeky grin. “So you called in reinforcements, eh? You obviously forgot who you’re dealing with,” the man in red says as he draws the massive sword from his back and jams the tip into the ground. He removes two pistols from their holster strapped to his thighs and crosses his arms with his legs spread apart. He casts a steely gaze over the hilt of his sword. The demons look at the man’s imposing stance with familiarity. “Now you know don’cha? Go on, who’s your daddy?”

Soon, amidst the growling and other animalistic noise, a name slowly began to emerge from the crowd. “DAAAANNNNTEE.”

The demons voices begin to overlap as they seem to be delivering a message to the man in red.

“SOOONNN OF SPAAARRRDAA.”

“TRRRAAAAITOOORRROOUS BLLOOOD.”

“KIILLLLL.”

“KIIILLLL THHHEE TRRAAAIIITORR.”

“KIIILLL DAAANNNTEEE, SSOOONNN OF SPAAARRRDAA!”

“Jackpot,” says Dante.