Full Review

15 April 2005 - Devil May Cry 3 is the latest incarnation from the Devil May Cry hack and slash series. This time, serving as a prequel, you pick up the story several thousand years after the demon warrior Sparda raised his sword against the unholy demon world to save the human race. As his son Dante, it’s your job to carry on the family job and defeat an unsightly uprising once again.

Of course there’s a catch (isn’t there always?) It just so happens that you’re not the only child you thought you were and in steps your evil twin brother with plans of world domination and a sinister itinerary.

What follows is plenty of hack and slash action almost to the point that we can’t see what else this game holds in store. Mission after mission - or should we say room after room - there are hordes of demons, monsters and whatever else you want to call them, with one thing on their mind - your destruction.

To make sense of it all there are plenty of lengthy cut scenes and without these it would all get far too monotonous. The levels themselves are fast-paced with not even a breather to grab a bite of a pizza or sip of beer coming back from the pub, and the end of level baddies, once actually found, quite often aren’t that easy to defeat either.

To defeat the bad guys, you have a range of weapons, which for the most part you pick up on the way or buy from the end of level shop. Money is garnered by killing demons and stealing their Orb or soul. You start the game with a simple, but excessively large sword and a pair of revolvers, and you get to switch between the two with the flick of a button.

To help you on your quest you have four different fighting styles, Trickster, Sword Master, Gunslinger, and Royal Guard. Each has a specific move to suit the situation although you have to enter the inventory to change between them. Trickster offers an evasive style of gaming that allows your character - Dante to dodge enemy attack with speed. Gunslinger and Sword Master as the names suggest allow you to increase your sword and gun handling skills, while Royal Guard offers counterattack and guard moves.

Surprisingly they do actually make a difference to whether or not you are going to complete the level at hand although it would have been nice if you could switch between the four mid-action rather than having visit a separate page.

The graphics really make this game, and while they aren’t spectacular the developers must be commended for their ability to create a game where so much action goes on the screen and not a drop in performance or lag on the PlayStation 2 is ever seen.

VERDICT
If you are looking for non-stop arcade hack and slash this will certainly fit the bill. The combination of good graphics, non-stop action and a basic storyline means this will appeal to those looking for some pick-up-and-play action after the pub. Those however looking for something a bit more, with problem solving and a storyline that is a bit more engaging should look elsewhere.