DMC: Devil May Cry review

The development team was brave to change the Devil May Cry formula so drastically, as fan reaction to Dante’s new look hasn’t exactly been glowing. For the most part, this bravery pays off – the brightly lit locations, re-written story and rebalanced combat system are welcoming to new players yet reward series veterans. Our main criticism comes from the boss fights, which are traditionally epic fights that challenge even the most hardened players. Here, they boil down to telegraphed encounters, broken up by unnecessary cut scenes and often requiring little more than using the right weapon or ability on a single weak point. One or two clever new touches aside, they are fairly uninspired and not in keeping with the rest of the game.

It’s not enough to spoil our fun completely, especially as on completing the game you gain access to a new, tougher Son of Sparda difficulty setting which remixes the enemy positions, tactics and abilities to keep you on your toes. Finish this and you’ll get the final Dante Must Die difficulty, which switches up the enemies a second time and ramps up the challenge even further, providing a huge amount of replay value.

Although it can’t claim to be the best in the series, DMC is a welcome reboot to a classic franchise. It’s slick, fast-paced and action-packed, so if you’re into hack ‘n slash it’s well worth your time.