Devil May Cry (PS2)

Your character, Dante moves fluidly through the fully 3D environment (cf Onimusha's 2D backgrounds); the camera pans along pre-determined paths, allowing for those tight camera angles common to all survival horror games. Graphics are excellent, and the designers have got the game atmosphere right on. The enemy are all well designed and suitably sinister (possessed wooden dolls, witches with head-removing scissors).

The key-finding and puzzle solving aspects are pared down to the very bare minimum; combat is the focus of the game. To be honest, this is more action game than survival horror though, and the pace of the action is insane. Gameplay is so frenetic you won't have any time to be horrified. One of the best features is the in-game rating of how stylishly you dispatch your foes:- If you just hack slowly, the game will tell you just how dull you are, whereas you'll be "Stylish!" should you toss your enemy in the air, hold him there for a few seconds with blazing pistols, before putting him out of his misery by turning into a flying demon and electrocuting the poor sod. And any game where you can be a demon gets my vote.

Some reviewers have criticised Capcom's 50Hz PAL conversion which has lazy black borders at the top and bottom of the screen, but it didn't dent my enjoyment of the game.

Any downpoints to making devils cry? No biggies. A training area would have been useful, instead of having to go through the manual. Some kind of 2-player mode would have been nice too- since this is such a good game you will want your friends to see it too. I did find the game a bit too challenging initially, as it's quite easy to get surrounded by 7 or 8 mannequins, and demoralisingly the game offered me an easy mode...- but when you get good it just makes it all the more satisfying.

I would without any doubt recommend this game to anyone who likes to get their adrenaline flowing. Forget Capcom's mistakes in the past, Devil May Cry is a redemption, and is an essential addition to just about everyone's collection.

It's definitely one for the collection, it's enjoyable to reply on the different difficulty settings, and very challenging to fight a room full of lanky puppets.... go buy it man...

The gameplay is very easy to get used to, and when you're surrounded by a lot of bad guys, it's a very good thing. The graphics are also a great work of art. The dark, gothic backdrops benefit gretly by the superb artwork. Unlike the resident evil series, where the backgrounds can sometimes look a little fake. Devil May Cry has backgounds that look perfect, and everything truly looks at home.

The main charcter (Dante) is the man with revenge in his heart. He is the son of a legendary dark knight named Sparda. He is a great warrior who carries his sword with pride. He also uses two special handguns named Ebony & Ivory. Using the sword and the guns together, you can dispatch enemys with great combo styles. Capcom, have also found a hero that everyone will like. Dante is confident, and witty, without having that annoying quality that most heros seem to have.

This game is a must have. Once you start playing it, you will not be able to stop. It's that good!! You certainly won't regret it