Playing A Game Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening PS2

Argh. I tried to like my Devil May Cry three-pack - I mean, I didn't try very hard. I started the first game several times, trying to get into it, but none of it took. On reports that DMC2 was total garbage, I gave the third a shot, and found a few differences:

  • The over-the-top action tone was turned up, from melodramatic to cheesy/parodic
  • As far as I saw, the insipid free-roaming areas were removed, streamlining the process between insipid fight sequences
  • Longer cinematics? I think this actually makes more action in the cutscenes than in the game

Admittedly, I've come into the series from its future, which gives me something of a perspective bias. But I hesitate to give DMC too much credit. This is a completely polarized game: the combat is either monotonous button mashing, or impossible strings of combo sequences (how long has it been since combo sequences were fun?). In both the first and third games, I kept dying in ways that did nothing to illustrate how I might go about not dying, a cardinal sin of game design.

And don't get me started on the black hole that is the series' story and theme. DMC feels like God of War, but dumber. And to be frank, I didn't consider God of War very smart.

I'm sure there's something to like for someone in here. But I don't think it's for me, and I no longer care to look for it.

Progress: Gave Up -- Almost finished mission 2