- Pick from 4 styles of combat, slinger, master, Trickster and Royal Guard, all offering greatly improved skills in each area.
- More powerful bosses and enemies that act independently and react more realistically.
- New range of weapons - Battle your enemies in style with the enchanted Electric Guitar, Nun-Chucks, and newer s and firearms.
- Advanced game engine with all new Shadow Effects, weather conditions, graphics and sharper gameplay.
From the Manufacturer
---------------------
Devil May Cry 3 is a thrilling new game that features an
involved plotline, outstanding graphics, and brings back our
mysterious hero, Dante, once again.
Set before the first Devil May Cry, the story unfolds that
eful clash between Sparda's twin sons. One of the
characteristics of this game is that it adds even more styles of
action, besides firearms and s, to the mix. Players are free
to choose your own fighting style by customizing Dante to your
advantage.
Review
------
The good news is that we no longer have to worry about the Devil
May Cry franchise falling into generic action game obscurity;
Devil May Cry 3 rises from the ashes of the series' sopre
slump with a vengeance that cannot be ignored. The bad news is
that it seems pretty angry. Offering improvements that add a
brand new dimension to the combo-driven demon meat carving, this
title takes the concept of a hardcore action experience and
contorts it into a humiliating position before administering a
hand enema.
Devil May Cry 3 is, without a doubt, the most difficult game I
have played this generation. Yes, it's even harder than Ninja
Gaiden (pre Hurricane pack). However, it lacks the same strategic
finesse of Tecmo's infamous title, often requiring you to earn
your victories through pure blood and sweat rather than art and
precision – it's the working man's ruthlessly challenging game.
Some victories are just made sweeter by working hard to earn
them, and the game allows you to replay previous missions to
collect orbs and style points to make sure those triumphs are
within reach. The sense of accomplishment you get when you master
your skills and beat one of the insane bosses into submission
makes all the toil worthwhile. That is, if you consider
performing outstanding feats of supernatural combat "toil."
Of all the new tools at Dante's disposal, the ability to switch
armaments at the press of a button does the most to add new depth
to the battles. Given the versatility of each weapon, I was
frequently impressed by my own overwhelming awesomeness as I
effortlessly switched s mid-air and seamlessly kept the
combo going with a barrage of new attacks. The game masterfully
blends form and function to create situations that look
incredibly stylish and complex while keeping players intently
focused on the frantic action at hand.
In an utterly unexpected turn of events, even the story commands
the player's attention. With cutscenes before and after each
mission, Dante's purpose and intentions are much clearer and the
sequences provide the perfect venue for him to showcase his
unique talents. The only gripe I have in this department is
Dante's recent attitude adjustment; his one-liners and party dude
demeanor were so clearly brewed in the early ‘90s that I expected
Bebop and Rocksteady to show up for a boss fight.
The game has its fair share of problems: the difficulty is an
obvious hurdle, your demon form isn't available until you've
completed the seventh of 20 missions, and the camera remains a
consistent problem (though it is thankfully better than in DMC
2). Even though Devil May Cry 3 hasn't entirely renewed that
indefinable spark of the first game, it is still relentlessly
entertaining, and has certainly established DMC as an enduring
and dynamic franchise as sed to a one-trick demon-pony.
Concept:
Dante is back, and he wants to kick your ass for badmouthing his
last game
Graphics:
The looming gothic environments return, setting the stage
perfectly for the outstanding, over-the-top cutscenes
Sound:
An ideal combination of rockin' metal and eerie choral
compositions
Playability:
Even the coolest looking combo can be pulled off with ease, but
the game has a prohibitive learning curve
Entertainment:
Always stylish and satisfying, though it is sometimes an
unbalanced mix of frustration and fun
Replay:
High
Rated: 9 out of 10
Editor: Joe Juba
Issue: March 2005
2nd Opinion:
Gluttons for punishment, rejoice! The ass-kicking of a lifetime
has just arrived! Devil May Cry 3 beat me senseless, poured salt
on my wounds, and told me to go home and cry to my mommy. As my
blistered fingers and frazzled hair are testament to, there
hasn't been a game quite as arduous as this in a long, long time.
Some people may view the unrelenting difficulty as a major turn
off, but I tip my hat to the developer for not bowing down to the
masses. You have to master the arts and prove that your skills
are truly worthy to reap its benefits. The implementation of
different fighting styles, ability to switch weapons on the fly,
and multitude of new weapons really opens up the options that
players have at their fingertips. It's combo heaven. Level
designs are very reminiscent of the first chapter in the series,
boss fights are larger than life, and the story breaks are just
flat out cool. This is the sequel that you have been waiting for,
but only the greatest of gamers will truly embrace it.
Rated: 9 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
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