DmC: DAMN MAN CANDY

“… anyway, yeah, I’ve been pretty obsessed with DmC lately.”

“What’s DmC?”

“… Dancing Migrating Chickens.”

“…”

“Deliver My Car.”

“…”

“Download Many Cla-“

“OK STOP.”

I feel like pretty much everybody knows, or at least has heard of, the DMC franchise.

I’ve personally heard a lot about the Devil May Cry franchise over the years. Most especially the third in the series, though I’ve never bothered playing any of the entries (even if I’ve always been aware of the sex appeal oozing from Dante) for that matter.

A couple of months ago, however, I suddenly had this longing to get DmC: Devil May Cry a.k.a. the DMC reboot. I once tried it some time last year while watching a friend play; I ended up helping her win in a boss fight, and it was pretty fun. Back then it felt very non-DMC to me (despite never having played a DMC game) but the urge to get the game for myself was still non-existent. I really don’t know what came over me, but man am I glad I bit the bullet and finally purchased the game (at a lower price, at that!)

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed about this game it’s that I get such an Alice: Madness Returns vibe from it. It could be because both games use the same engine (same as with Lollipop Chainsaw and Killer Is Dead, though those two are more comparable to each other than DmC and Madness Returns.) Some similarities between the two that I’ve noted include how both games have a particular weapon that causes slow but heavy damage, how both have a “god mode,” how both have secret missions, and how new foes have a mini-introduction when first encountered. Even the loading screen of DmC felt similar to that of Madness Returns, not to mention how both games also have weird black globs scattered per level and how certain areas can only be accessed either post-game or later on after levelling up. There’s also the similarity of finding “bonus” material that give you goodies (pig snout thing in Madness Returns, lost souls in DmC), and let’s not forget the platforming feature… thought that could be subjective, considering how many games have platforming features anyway.

Images nicked from Wiki and the DMC Wikia.

What DmC has over Madness Returns, however, is the adrenaline rush. Having to keep the style meter by performing a series of combos really packs on the pressure for me and keeps me on my toes. I get so pressured trying to maintain that good score, and doing so involves not just a series of several attacks, but also evading attacks, else I suffer my style meter dropping a notch. Madness Returns, meanwhile, is very repetitive- a critique that I know many have voiced about the game. I have yet to finish Madness Returns because I honestly got lazy since the gameplay is SO repetitive. The art direction is superb - in fact, it was the selling factor for me - but having to do the same thing over and over again, despite a change in visuals and environment, puts a damper on all the fun.

One of my favorite aspects of DmC has got to be the soundtrack. They did SUCH a great job; the music is boss and really sets the mood for some demon slaying. I’m not sure where I am in DmC storywise as I only just started some weeks ago and have only been able to play on weekends. I wanna say I’m almost halfway? I really don’t know, but I am aware that I’m nearing that aforementioned first boss fight that I first encountered last year pre-DmC fangirling days, so it’ll be interesting to play it having followed the story and played from the beginning firsthand. I’ve been REALLY obsessed with DmC lately; for most of the week my hands itch to pull off those insane combos (or, more likely, pull off some button-mashing with a lot of dumb luck).

I never thought I’d become so obsessed with a DMC game, especially one that isn’t even part of the “original” numbered lineup and received a lot of negative backlash pre-release (though that was mostly just because of Dante’s redesign). I personally have no qualms with the redesign, though I can understand how some people really turned the other cheek when their beloved Dante went “under the knife.” I think both look great, though I do think that this younger one may get on some people’s nerves because he seems like such a prick sometimes. I mean, I may not have ever played any DMC entry prior to this reboot, but I’ve always been aware that Dante was always characterized as this egotistical asshole. I feel like the “original” one was a bit more likeable, maybe because this younger one is… younger and comes off as more of a punkass or something.

(But if you ask me, both Dantes are really attractive either way.) /shot

I don’t know how I’ve managed to go on so long without ever having gotten this game sooner! I honestly didn’t think I’d love it so much and I can’t wait to progress further into the game. (Fingers crossed that nothing stumps me, lest the Abandoning Curse of Ina take effect.)

I have yet to finish the game but it has quickly been rising in the ranks of my favorite games. Gotta show it the love it deserves.

- Ina