The final ability at your disposal is the Devil Trigger, a super meter that builds as you play through a stage which can be used to lay waste to your enemies. While in Devil Trigger mode, Dante’s hair changes color, the environment is enveloped in a swirling vapor and the world goes red and white. Time slows down and enemies are launched, hanging helplessly in the air for you to pummel however you please. During Devil Trigger, it doesn’t matter what color the enemy is as they are rendered vulnerable to any attack Dante wants to use. He does increased damage in this mode and his rank rises much faster. For Vergil, Devil Trigger creates a shadowy doppelganger that imitates his attacks and can also be issued commands to change his position and fighting patterns if you so desire. Devil Trigger is finite and has to be built up again once it’s used, but the good thing is that you can turn it off at any time to conserve remaining meter for later. In Vergil’s case, his Devil Trigger can also be used to hurl various projectile attacks and activate damage shields.
Boss encounters occur every few levels in Dante’s campaign. While they’re visually stunning, they aren’t what I’d consider very challenging. On the whole, I’d say that the bosses aren’t as satisfying as the regular enemies because they slow the pace, and the gimmicks aren’t all that hard to exploit. I did, however, enjoy the fight with demonic news correspondent, Bob Barbas. I found this battle thoroughly satisfying as it was colorful and vibrant, had interesting attack patterns and funny banter between Dante and Bob. Luckily, Vergil’s campaign isn’t hampered by dull boss fights. The only stages that could even be considered as such are just normal fights against larger brute enemy types and spectral apparitions that are fast and difficult to pin down. If I have a gripe about the enemies in general, it’s that they’re pretty bland looking and monochrome, except for a couple of standouts.
Level design isn’t all that interesting, despite Ninja Theory’s efforts towards developing a vivid aesthetic. Advancement is a combination of fighting and platforming with jumps, glides and grapples. Falling into an endless pit results in a small loss of health and a ledge reset so you aren’t set back too terribly for a mistake — a wise decision by Ninja Theory because this part of the game can be pretty boring. I felt that area navigation took too long and wasn’t challenging enough. Platforming in DmC: Devil May Cry exist solely as a means of changing up the gameplay and feels lacking compared to the high octane thrills of the combat. All in all, I don’t feel the level design or platforming mechanics are very engaging in the game and could have used some more work despite the vibrant graphics and world design.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition comes with both of the campaigns available in the previous version, the original starring Dante and the Vergil-specific Vergil’s Downfall, which was originally paid DLC. Dante’s narrative is about learning his true past, discovering the hidden power within him and coming out of his shell to grow into the person that the world needs him to be. Vergil’s Downfall picks up where the main campaign leaves off, with Vergil badly injured and facing his inner demons in limbo. The two gradually trade moral places throughout the course of the story, with Dante being a self-serving and arrogant punk who cares only about himself and Vergil being a seemingly noble freedom fighter, but the paradigm shifts, and we come to learn exactly who these two really are at the cores of their beings. Vergil has discovered Dante’s whereabouts and sends Kat, a young witch with a troubled past, to recruit him to the cause. Once Dante is in the fold, he forms a bond with Kat, and she becomes an avatar for all mankind, a window through which he can see the suffering of humanity that helps motivate him to mature into a hero.
While Dante’s campaign is a robustly designed experience, Vergil’s Downfall feels tacked on and hastily finished, with the exception of his combat mechanics, which are thoroughly satisfying. There are no 3D cutscenes, with all story exposition being handled through a stylized series of 2D animated sequences that feel unpolished — almost as though Ninja Theory couldn’t be bothered to spend a few hours at the computer creating narrative bridges with the game engine. It comes off as lazy and rushed, and there might be some truth to the latter, although this is purely speculation. Back in 2013, DmC: Devil May Cry suffered a backlash from the community for reasons covered above, and it’s possible the devs pushed the DLC content out the door before the mounting negativity could completely kill potential sales.
The graphics are exquisite, painting a vivid picture of two worlds gone sideways from insidious demonic infestation. Fragments of buildings and pavement float in psychedelic blue-white voidspaces and industrial mesh catwalks hang suspended in the ether to serve as the ground you will traverse along the way. The character models and animations look fantastic and are extremely detailed and expressive. The fighting is dynamic and fluid. The sound is superb, and the effects are visceral and satisfying when you land hits, especially the metallic clanging when you strike with your axe or gloves. The soundtrack is hit or miss, with the droning atmospheric electronica of Noisia not really doing much to enhance Dante’s platforming sections and the excellent, aggressive aggrotech sounds of Combichrist for the battle sequences more than being up to the task. The music in Vergil’s Downfall during the platforming sections is darker, more intense and lends gravitas to the events portrayed. Combichrist doesn’t provide the soundtrack for Vergil’s action scenes, but it’s still really good and intense, suiting Vergil and his fighting style very well. Lastly, the voice acting is stellar, better than the oftentimes clumsy script deserves.
This is the ‘definitive edition’ of DmC: Devil May Cry, and Capcom has included new features and enhancements along with all existing materials released to this point. All of the previously available DLC, including weapon and character skins, is included. Some collectibles have been moved to different locations. There are some new game modes including Hardcore Mode (different enemy behavior and the Devil Trigger works more like the older games), Turbo Mode (20% faster gameplay) and Must Style Mode, where you have to build your rank to at least S before enemies will even take damage. The combat has been rebalanced and the game now renders in 1080p and moves at 60 fps. Lastly, two new skins for Dante (original Devil May Cry outfit) and Vergil (classic Devil May Cry 3 design) have been added just for this version.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition is more or less the same game as before with some extra goodies thrown in. If you were a fan of the original game and never bought the Vergil’s Downfall DLC, or if you’ve never played the PC version in 1080p at 60 fps, or if you just want to play with the new modes, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Anybody that was curious about this game but wasn’t sure about it now has a chance to get the ultimate version at a pretty good value. Detractors and fans that didn’t like DmC: Devil May Cry the first time around likely aren’t going to get anything here that will change their minds. I, for one, enjoyed the game overall both times I played it and think it’s a fine addition to my PS4 library. I spent about thirty hours playing through many of the game’s modes and unlocking the full potential of the characters, and the thrill of the combat never diminished. It’s not the Devil May Cry you remember, and it doesn’t stand up to older entries overall, but it’s still a good time despite a few rough spots. Call it an acquired taste, but, if you can just judge the game on its own strengths and not hold it up to the impossibly high standards of earlier entries, there’s tons of fun to be had. It’s not perfect, but the best parts more than make up for its shortcomings.
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Review copy purchased by the author
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