E3 2004: Devil May Cry 3 Hands-On

Dante is back and proves that the gothic Devil May Cry series ain't dead yet. Fans rejoice!

In 2001 Capcom launched the brilliant gothic hero thriller Devil May Cry. Nearly three million units later, Devil May Cry 2 was given to jubilant gaming fans. It seemed as if Capcom had another hit franchise, reminiscent of the Resident Evil series. Unfortunately gaming fans were largely disappointed in the more bland and repetitive sequel. Fast-forward to E3 2004. Many gamers were blindsided by the unveiling of Devil May Cry 3 at the show. Capcom has listened to gamers, and presented a product that harkens back to the original DMC in both feel and style.

In fact, DMC3 is a prequel to DMC. Dante is not fully aware of his demon powers; and we learn of his evil twin brother Virgil. This lack of knowledge that Dante possesses on his own origins allows Capcom to introduce a clever addition to the DMC series. Players can choose how Dante develops his abilities and powers by upgrading them in different classes. These classes include Gunslinger (long-range combat), Trickster (speed based attacks and stealthy abilities), Sword Master (close range), and Royal Guard (defensive techniques and counters).

After a long, but informative, sequence of cut scenes, I found myself in the streets of a run-down gothic city. Instantly, the dark feel of the original game set in. The texture mapping in the buildings and rubble were jaw dropping. As was the speed of the game-play. Dante moves vastly smoother and quicker than previous DMC titles. Dante's attacks and character animation were also impressively fluid and comparable to Tecmo's latest Ninja Gaiden title. I was hacking through sickle wielding demons, racking up combos, and looking good doing it. Aiming your attacks will not be a problem in DMC 3, be it with the sword or a gun.

Speaking of attacking, DMC 3 will also allow you equip up to four weapons at once. Yes, DMC fans can rejoice, because this is a true follow up to the original; forget about DMC 2. Everything in this game, from the look environments, to the character rendering and animation, to the sound design, to the fighting, is an improvement over the original game. The story also looks promisingly deep. I was disappointed that the playable demo was so short, I could have played for hours.

One frustrating problem with the game is, in my opinion, extremely disrupting jumps in character angles that can disorient you during battle. This will probably be tweaked, considering that this is an early demo of the game. Capcom has plans to release Devil May Cry 3 this winter, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is pushed back. DMC 3 can certainly be the game that propels the franchise far into the future and I'm sure Capcom will be taking no risks this time around.

Mike Knowlan
Staff Writer, Kikizo.com