Devil May Cry

🎮 PlayStation 2 ⏳ 10 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Birth of Stylish Combat #

The very first entry to the Devil May Cry franchise is widely regarded as a seminal action game that helped define the Hack’N Slash genre. The MC is called Dante, a charismatic and cocky demon hunter on a mission to defeat the powerful demon Mundus and unravel the mysteries of his own past. From the very first moments, the game sets a dark, gothic tone with its foreboding castle setting, intricate level design, and cinematic cutscenes that feel almost like interactive movies. The gameplay is fast-paced and highly rewarding, blending swordplay, acrobatics, and gun combat.

Style-Driven Action Mastery #

You can chain together elaborate combos, juggling enemies in the air and switching seamlessly between melee and ranged attacks. It encourages you to fight with style, awarding rankings from “D” to “Stylish” based not just on survival, but on creativity, speed, and variety in combat. And despite score systems being a common thing in nowadays gameplay design, the more dynamic, unique and full of personality one like the first DMC’s implementation was a standout back in the day. Boss battles are particularly memorable, often requiring both skill and strategy, and each one feels like a true test of mastery.

Innovative Combat Foundations #

The controls and combat systems were innovative for their time, giving you a sense of freedom and power rarely seen in early 2000s action games. The OST complement the intense action, from epic orchestral pieces to edgy rock tracks, further enhancing the experience, though I think that this very first DMC had a more shy style for it’s songs when compared to subsequent entries. While some people might find the difficulty steep and the camera occasionally challenging, these aspects also add to the sense of accomplishment when battles are won.

A Genre-Defining Legacy #

Beyond gameplay, this game established a lasting legacy with its over-the-top style, memorable protagonist, and influence on countless action titles that followed. It spawned a franchise that continues to be celebrated today, and its blend of challenge, style, and narrative depth makes it a standout title on it’s platform that still holds up remarkably well. This is truly one of the milestones in gaming history, especially when it comes to this genre, a must-play if you have the opportunity to experience this in modern platforms. Despite my high praise on this title, I still think this sits in the weak spot of the franchise, though not in a bad way, but simply because it’s sequels improved upon it’s foundations much more that makes the OG DMC a little gray in comparison.