Devil May Cry is one of gaming’s most beloved cult-classic series. While it isn’t as popular as Resident Evil or Monster Hunter, which are other games developed by Capcom, it certainly has a die-hard fanbase. The original Devil May Cry came out over twenty years ago, yet still remains an action-game gem. Here’s why.
Devil May Cry’s Origin
It has to be said that this original game was made back in 2001. It was directed by legendary video game auteur Hideki Kamiya. This is the same guy who directed other incredibly popular games like the original Resident Evil 2, Viewtiful Joe, and Bayonetta. Kamiya certainly has a style and aesthetic to his video game projects. It’s common knowledge now, but back then, Devil May Cry was actually supposed to be Resident Evil 4. The game Kamiya made was deemed to be too out of line with what was expected from the series.
Instead of canceling the game, Shinji Mikami, a fellow producer and director at Capcom, encouraged Kamiya to make the game its own series. Thankfully he did because gamers were graced with one of the wildest, most memorable action games ever released until that point. Devil May Cry is a stylish story about a half-human, half-demon hunter named Dante who goes on a journey to avenge his family by slaying demons. This game is the epitome of a classic. And how impressive it’s still remembered, since its release year was jam-packed with huge games, like Jak and Daxter, Silent Hill 2, and Final Fantasy X.
A Campy and Stylish Charm
Devil May Cry shared a lot with Resident Evil. Fixed cameras, an unsettling, gothic atmosphere, and bad voice acting. The voice acting in the first Devil May Cry is pretty cheesy, but it’s hard to not love it. What’s even better than the voice acting is the gameplay. Dante uses a variety of swords, weapons, and firearms to slay the demonic horde. It’s incredible, and it makes for a ton of great gameplay variety. That variety is doubled when the player takes into account the unlockables, which further add to the replayability of this game.
Kamiya is practically begging the player to replay this game and master it. Each level gives you a grade, which ranks your performance. The better the player performs, the more upgrade points they get. The player can also find unlockables that will raise their maximum health. These upgrades are mandatory for the hardest difficulty, Dante Must Die. On this difficulty, enemies and bosses have more health and new moves. It is quite challenging to put it lightly. But this game is designed so meticulously, that it all feels fair. It’s truly a work of art.
Kamiya, Itsuno, and the Future
This writer hopes that this article can at least encourage one reader to try this game. And if they enjoy it, please, check out the entire series. Devil May Cry is a phenomenal series. It has some of the best combat mechanics one can find in an action game. The future of the series is in an interesting spot. Hideaki Itsuno, the director of Devil May Cry 2-5, just left Capcom. Many fans are worried about the future of DMC.
This doesn’t mean that Devil May Cry is done forever. Kamiya directed the first game and only the first game. 3 and 5 are some of the fans’ favorite entries, and Kamiya had no involvement in them. So this writer has no doubt that the future of the series will be entrusted with a team of developers who love Devil May Cry, just as much as the fans do. If you want to get into the series, start with the first game. It’s over twenty years old, but it still plays great and is a wonderful time capsule for a long-gone era.
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