Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening - Australian Review (Reviews)

Chris Stead, GamePro Australia

20/05/2005 11:59:18

Capcom hit the Beat 'em Up G-Spot when they created the Devil May Cry series. The effortless cool of hero Dante, combined with a stunning, gothic atmosphere and dark, intriguing story aroused genre aficionados worldwide. Following on from the duel-storyline misfire which was DMC2, Dante is back in top form, carousing through a demonic orgy of twisted enemies and mind-blowing architecture with such unnerving composure, you'll totally forget that you have, in truth, done all this before.

DMC3 is definitely much closer in spirit to the original's winning template - a good thing for the series' fans. The story continues the rich mythology of Sparda (the legendary hero that closed the seal between the Demon and Human worlds) and his twin sons, Vergil (intent on re-opening the seal) and Dante (protector of humanity). Thrown into the mix is Lady, a devil hunter hell-bent on vanquishing all demons, including Dante whose blood is spiked with evil heritage. When a massive tower bursts through the Earth only blocks away from Dante's recently opened shop, these characters collide in an absorbing tale filled with twists, humour and some truly memorable personalities.

Like the previous games in the series, DMC3's story is richly told through some genuinely awesome cut-scenes. They capture the tone of the game perfectly and if you can visualize the unholy cinematic union of Tim Burton, Gaudi, John Woo and the Wachowski brothers, you'll have some idea of what to expect. It's trippy stuff and each mission is introduced in this fashion, ensuring that the story is always been driven forward in new and curious directions.

If you have played any of the DMC games before, you'll know exactly what to expect with the gameplay. You slowly chop your way from one area to the next by either solving the required puzzle (find lever, destroy statues etc.) or turning the increasingly varied enemies to dust. You begin the game with a basic range of aerial and ground-based attacks, but as you progress through the missions you will collect orbs (from vanquished enemies or environmental prop destruction) which can be used at 'shops' to buy weapon upgrades, new combos and items (such as health vials). These purchases are adapted into the gameplay impressively, having a noticeable affect on your combat and also tapping into an undercurrent of strategy - for example, you may wish to stock up on health potions before a boss fight or buy a combo which is effective on a particular mission's core enemy type.

Dante the Mighty Metrosexual
Ok, so Ellen DeGeneres possesses a greater resemblance to the male sex than Dante, but hey, that doesn't stop this Final Fantasy clone opening a can of demon whoop-ass that would make Arnie tremble. Blessed with an unlimited supply of ammo he can weave, jump and roll with exhilarating pace, taking on a whole platoon of varied enemies at once. There are a heap of smooth animations (both for Dante and his foes), all of which do a good job at making the game look and feel cooler than Antarctica - just watch that cape shift with each movement or a sword swipe blur the air. Despite this, it's a shame that Dante doesn't have more acrobatic wall-climbing movements (like Ninja Gaiden or Prince of Persia) to help him on his quest.

In a further attempt to mix up its Beat 'em Up simplicity, DMC3 introduces a gameplay mechanic called Style. Basically, before each mission, gamers must choose between four combat techniques; Trickster (specialising in evasive manoeuvres), Swordmaster (close-range combat), Gunslinger (long-range combat) and Royal Guard (focused on defence and counters). Each style determines Dante's combat advantages and affects how you fight and what combos you can use, plus, they gain experience independently, opening a whole new 'levelling-up' dynamic to the gameplay. While this new addition definitely adds to DMC3's depth, it doesn't reach its full potential tactically, simply allowing gamers to find a preferred set of animations.

And the animations look mighty cool too (see boxout), but what's even more impressive are the level environments. Ranging from the inspired (strip club) to the truly bizarre (gothic ice cavern) they shadow the entire game with daunting menace. Levels out in the city are suitably stacked with debris, while the relatively sparse internal areas always have some impressive, eye-catching showpiece. In terms of their design, Dante will stumble across many secret areas and alternative puzzles (i.e. not imperative to the story's progression) that keep the gameplay engaging. It's a shame though that it isn't all a bit more interactive. You'll come across many static props and technical flaws like invisible walls, frame-rate hitches and wayward collision detection that take away from the experience.

But there is a definite sense of evolution as you work your way through DMC3. Each mission gets that little bit harder, introduces you to some cool new enemy and ends with a challenging boss armed with hard-to-read patterns. There are some pacing issues, however. For example, you cannot save the game mid-mission or before bosses, so if you die you have to head back through the same 20-odd minutes of lead-up gameplay. Plus, orbs and bought-moves are not retained after repeated deaths, making it hard to match your levelling-up with the increasing level difficulty - a poor developmental decision.

Thankfully, the controls are wonderfully fluid and a breeze to control, despite Dante's large range of moves. In fact, at times you can't believe that the dazzling ass-kicking blitzkrieg on display is a product of your thumbs. Combine this with well-implemented difficulty settings and it's fair to say that gamers of all abilities are catered for. The camera does a decent job too (not helped by the lack of a first-person view) with only sporadic unpleasantness - a decent achievement in this genre.

DMC3 is a very good Beat 'em Up. It wins out on style, showcasing some of the very best storytelling in gaming, a likable hero and compelling gameplay in an atmosphere and tone that sits comfortably with its Gen-X audience. It is disappointing that Capcom haven't broadened and evolved the series' template, but fans will still love this third round of demon bashing.

Verdict
On par with the original, the gameplay is exactly what you would expect, but polished to perfection through sublime and memorable presentation.
Pros: Great story, excellent presentation, cool element of strategy.
Cons: Nothing particularly new, pacing concerns, small number of weapons.

Score = 9/10



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Graphics: 4.5 Sound: 4.0 Control: 4.0 Fun Factor: Fun Factor
Scoring scale: 1-5
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom / Retail Price: $99.95 (PlayStation 2) / Release date: 15/04/2005 / Genre: Action / OFLC Rating: MA (15+)