User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 993 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 51 out of 993
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  1. Mar 29, 2013
    9
    Absolutely fun, fun, fun! I played this when it first came out and it has to be one of the best games I played on the PS2. The character were unique and well design, the combat full of action, enemies varied and also very well designed. The game did have some cheezy dialogue, but I found it charming and suited the tone of the game. The game could be a bit hard at times, especially on theAbsolutely fun, fun, fun! I played this when it first came out and it has to be one of the best games I played on the PS2. The character were unique and well design, the combat full of action, enemies varied and also very well designed. The game did have some cheezy dialogue, but I found it charming and suited the tone of the game. The game could be a bit hard at times, especially on the higher difficulties (but I guess that was the point of them.) Overall: Devil May Cry is a game for the ages and gave birth to a truly icon character. Expand
  2. May 20, 2014
    9
    The best shooting & sword fighting hybrid I have ever seen while also shows some of the best graphics and character models of the year. It's music fits perfectly with the game's style then the acting it's simple but the cut scenes are amazing. The only things that I hate is the part that you go to space which is bad and the camera ruined some moments and I also wish that I could have beenThe best shooting & sword fighting hybrid I have ever seen while also shows some of the best graphics and character models of the year. It's music fits perfectly with the game's style then the acting it's simple but the cut scenes are amazing. The only things that I hate is the part that you go to space which is bad and the camera ruined some moments and I also wish that I could have been a little longer. My review to the Fifth best game of the year 9.0005. Expand
  3. ERB
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    The Devil May Cry series do have many games but until now this game still stands to be the best among them.And not just that,this game also stands to be one of the best PS2 games out there.The story line of this game is really impressive and even the game play is cool.And its graphics for a 2001 game is also good.An incredibly cool game and I just love it!Yeah probably one of the bestThe Devil May Cry series do have many games but until now this game still stands to be the best among them.And not just that,this game also stands to be one of the best PS2 games out there.The story line of this game is really impressive and even the game play is cool.And its graphics for a 2001 game is also good.An incredibly cool game and I just love it!Yeah probably one of the best games out there. Expand
  4. Jun 12, 2021
    9
    Devil May Cry supports an entertaining and vivid gameplay experience. I FIRST played this game in 2021, after playing DMC5, and still felt enveloped in the gameplay and attached to Dante. Highly recommend!
  5. Jun 1, 2015
    9
    Played it for the first time just now (2015) so hard to rate it fairly. Would've been a 9.5 back in it's day, but even today I'd still rate it an 8. Great gameplay, boss battles and difficulty. A lot like Ninja Gaiden, the only downside is the annoying fixed camera positions, which can make boss battles that much harder.
  6. Sep 28, 2013
    9
    Un juego clásico que, de seguro, marcó un antes y un después en el mundo de los videojuegos.
    Acción sólida y divertida, gráficos impresionantes para la época y una historia que vale la pena disfrutar
  7. Jul 9, 2016
    9
    only bad thing is : difficulty . Not until i read IGN page, I didn't know there exist easy mode.
    when it comes to the game came out in 2001, the game is awesome any sides.
  8. Oct 31, 2014
    9
    The game that started it all. Style and combat all in a small package. Devil May Cry took the Hack and Slash and Action genre and turned it up to 11.

    Originally considered a spinoff of the Resident Evil series, it became bigger after E3 and was announced as its own series. It follows the Devil Hunter; Dante as he tries to find the truth out behind his mothers murder. Now a recently
    The game that started it all. Style and combat all in a small package. Devil May Cry took the Hack and Slash and Action genre and turned it up to 11.

    Originally considered a spinoff of the Resident Evil series, it became bigger after E3 and was announced as its own series. It follows the Devil Hunter; Dante as he tries to find the truth out behind his mothers murder.

    Now a recently bought the HD collection pack and some of the combat didn't age quite as well as my nostalgia goggles would of liked to remember, but it was also released in 2001, that is 13 years ago, but still the game play is channeling and rewarding.

    As Dante you have a Devil Arm (sword/melee weapon) and gun at your disposal at all times. The guns have unlimited ammo, and its because hes a devil himself of course! You'll need both as you cut your way though hordes of demons and bosses to reach your final goal.

    Combat is simple (compared to its sequels) but gratifying. You'll execute combos and get ranked on combat on a ranking system D-S. At the end of each chapter you will get a final rank on combos, time and damage take with score reduction on items used. This was brand new and gave a huge amount of replay value to the game, always wanting to go back and do that one chapter better or faster. Later games in the series actually had leader boards so that you could match yourself to other people on the internet to see how well you did. This took a single playthou game to multiple playthous easily.

    Bosses are amazing, but can get repetitive as you see the multiple times throughout the game before you're finally able to take them down. Also on later difficulties you may see them even more often depending on how long it takes you to defeat each boss.

    Characters in this game is amazing. Dante is a total badass. Hes a bit more serious in the first game then in 3 or 4, but he still will have his witty remarks. Trish who resembles your mother is pretty mysterious, you wont find out much about her until later on in the game.

    Environment and enemy design is dark and unique. You'll find yourself fighting anything for marionettes to shadows and everything in between. They did a good job with the variety of the enemies. The final battle is breathe taking and its in a multipart fight.

    Overall this is an amazing game, a must play for any action fans.
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  9. Jul 2, 2015
    9
    This game is, as far as action beat-em-up titles go, a fantastic game. It's worth noting that, despite what I say in this review, this game is worth buying and playing. However, most consumers know this, so I'm going to point out a few of the game's flaws, and what people should be prepared for before buying this game. I will often compare this game to Resident Evil 4 in my review, for theThis game is, as far as action beat-em-up titles go, a fantastic game. It's worth noting that, despite what I say in this review, this game is worth buying and playing. However, most consumers know this, so I'm going to point out a few of the game's flaws, and what people should be prepared for before buying this game. I will often compare this game to Resident Evil 4 in my review, for the reason that DMC started off as RE4 in development, but became its own game when Capcom thought that it was straying too far from what Resident Evil traditionally was. Despite this, DMC uses many of the same stylistic choices as RE4, making any similarities notable (especially considering that both games are amazing). The fighting system is fast and easily picked up. I love that I was able to play this game without many forced tutorials. However, this game should be played with the mindset of playing a Resident Evil game, meaning that you should CHECK EVERYTHING. In the first room of the initial castle area, there was a door that, judging by a glowing aura, appeared to be sealed. When you approach it, a hand comes out of the wall and attempts to damage you. So, it took me a while to figure out that you had to interact with the door and use red souls to unlock it. This is where a short tutorial would have been nice. Furthermore, the game controls can feel cumbersome when it comes to generally moving around. Because, in each room, there are certain boundaries where, once you walk across them, the ENTIRE camera angle shifts. This is arbitrary in most cases, but it can become quite an annoyance when trying to complete timed puzzles where there are several sudden camera shifts, as you often end up accidentally reversing direction and going back to the previous camera angle, causing you to fail reaching the end of the puzzle before time runs out. This is where Resident Evil 4 is superior, having a mix between third and first person. This allowed the camera to shift smoothly and comfortably. However, it should be said that DMC made that sacrifice in exchange for faster, more comfortable controls, where RE4 could feel stiff, despite the camera. As for progression, the game is divided into individual chapters, each consisting of a single short mission that usually has one objective, whereas Resident Evil 4 was divided into chapters that consisted of multiple strings of objectives. With this aspect, Devil May Cry would have been better off using save points scattered throughout the world, rather than only being able to save at the end of each mission. This can break the flow of play, but is otherwise harmless. The main character, Dante, is cool calm and tough, but is generally disconnected. If you weren't playing as him, it'd be hard to care about him. What you do know about his past (which you're told through bulky exposition) only serves the purpose of giving him some motivation, but oftentimes it seems unused. When Dante comes across any demon working for the main villain (who you know killed his mother....no that's not a spoiler, you find out pretty early on), Dante seems more concerned with acting cool and cocky, rather than angry and vengeful, as one might expect. Most of the story and characters operate on a throwaway, cliched plot that offers little. So, DMC should not be played for its story, but rather for its amazing gameplay. Expand
  10. Aug 18, 2015
    9
    Jackpot! Whew, for a second I thought the protagonist was going to be named 'Tony'... Dante it is. Thank God!
    I have nothing to say about this game, bosses are hard, yet rewarding. Regular demons are tough as well. The main protagonist is a treat to be controlling as he is both humorous and powerful. The only reason I will not be giving this game a perfect score is because uhhhh...
    Jackpot! Whew, for a second I thought the protagonist was going to be named 'Tony'... Dante it is. Thank God!
    I have nothing to say about this game, bosses are hard, yet rewarding. Regular demons are tough as well. The main protagonist is a treat to be controlling as he is both humorous and powerful. The only reason I will not be giving this game a perfect score is because uhhhh... Resident Evil reborn (Story). The lack of a compelling story is this game's only let-down. The style meter is certainly unique and rewarding while the combat and the upgrading system are a world on their own. Overall this is an excellent game and I would recommend it to anyone, fan or not of the genre. 9/10. Excellent Game!
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  11. Oct 29, 2019
    9
    After I got the DMC5 platinum, I got this itch to write down my thoughts about the game from which everything started.

    Pros: - Superb enemy designs. - Gothic and horrific atmosphere. - Insane soundtracks. - Dante is a demigod in DT form. Air raid, vortex, inferno, meteor, and kick 13, so much fun. - Some enemies have unique DT forms which has never been implemented thereafter. I
    After I got the DMC5 platinum, I got this itch to write down my thoughts about the game from which everything started.

    Pros:
    - Superb enemy designs.
    - Gothic and horrific atmosphere.
    - Insane soundtracks.
    - Dante is a demigod in DT form. Air raid, vortex, inferno, meteor, and kick 13, so much fun.
    - Some enemies have unique DT forms which has never been implemented thereafter. I don't know why.
    - Due to the lack of boss numbers, the bosses you do fight are fun and diversified. They are all unique and don't overlap with each other. The 2nd Nightmare/Nelo Angelo fights are a little redundant, But the 2nd Phantom fight, the 3rd Nightmare/Nelo Angelo fights are awesome.

    Cons:
    - Cameras
    - The game is obviously designed with DMD difficulty in mind. The normal/hard difficulty are stripped down versions of the game without any balance tweaks. This causes some people to believe that the game is too easy due to Dante's DT form. But that's because in DMD mode the enemies will DT themselves and gain huge defense/damage boost(1-2 hits kill). And bosses gain HUGE health boost. I hate to say it, but if you haven't played DMC in DMD mode, you haven't experienced this game.

    Some people say this title is lack in game mechanics. Sure DMC3 plays almost like a fighting game with everything it has to offer. But DMC is special. The more I played it, the more I like it. Its lack of "content"(mostly due to its short length, only two selectable weapons), it feels very focused. This level of focus will never be replicated because modern games have to be large. Director simply won't have enough energy and time to oversee every aspect of the game to make sure they are cohesive and adhere to his vision. Also, small games require less budgets thus can afford to do its own thing instead of compromising the for larger audiences.

    Years later, I will still play DMC but probably never touch DMC5, and dream that one day, Dante will have a son, so the legendary continues(No I refuse to admin Nero's existence, I hate him.)
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  12. Jan 4, 2016
    9
    One of my first "real" PS2 games alongside Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Devil May Cry is a fun-fast paced-Action button masher with creepy gothic settings. Good memories.
  13. Mar 29, 2017
    9
    A quality game that took me by surprise when it first released. Probably my favorite game in the series. This is a must buy if you own a Playstation 2.
  14. Aug 16, 2016
    9
    One of my favorite games of all time and one of the best PS2 games period, surpassed only by the third title in the series and perhaps a handful of other games. Stylish third-person action, excellent music, satisfying weaponry and incredibly cheesy dialogue. The secret missions are a pain and some boss fights are tricky, but this does not detract from the overall experience greatly.
  15. Jul 3, 2016
    9
    I'm still impressed with the original Devil May Cry the game that could have been a resident evil game. Which is strange because this is a hack and slash game mixed with a few guns. The boss battles are almost all great except the one that you need to go to space but is a small complain. The game fixed camera are rarely a problem so you can still enjoy the game even today, the graphicsI'm still impressed with the original Devil May Cry the game that could have been a resident evil game. Which is strange because this is a hack and slash game mixed with a few guns. The boss battles are almost all great except the one that you need to go to space but is a small complain. The game fixed camera are rarely a problem so you can still enjoy the game even today, the graphics were just amazing for it's time then the story is really cool. The cut scenes are memorable which is a good thing, combat is faced paced with a great and fitting soundtrack. The only true flaws I see is that the game is a little short and the enemies appear again in the same room. But an incredible game you will like it unless you don't like hack and slash games. Expand
  16. Mar 20, 2018
    9
    Pretty much the first of these types of games and pretty much the best of them.

    God of war, dantes inferno, bayonetta, ninja giaden, dark siders etc etc... It's all pretty much the same crap but this game made em possible and like I said... It's pretty much the best one of these types of games. "I should have been the one to fill your dark soul with
    Pretty much the first of these types of games and pretty much the best of them.

    God of war, dantes inferno, bayonetta, ninja giaden, dark siders etc etc... It's all pretty much the same crap but this game made em possible and like I said... It's pretty much the best one of these types of games.

    "I should have been the one to fill your dark soul with liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhhhhht!"

    That line^ is probably the biggest reason to get the game lol.
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  17. May 29, 2017
    9
    Devil may Cry is a Great old-school game that might not be for everyone. It follows the main character, Dante on how he will stop evil from unleashing. The game might not be for everyone as it hasnt aged very well and might be concidered hard for the standard third person games like ninja gaiden etc. The game revolves around a castle full of mysteries and it really gives the player a goodDevil may Cry is a Great old-school game that might not be for everyone. It follows the main character, Dante on how he will stop evil from unleashing. The game might not be for everyone as it hasnt aged very well and might be concidered hard for the standard third person games like ninja gaiden etc. The game revolves around a castle full of mysteries and it really gives the player a good old-school vibe as its a very silent game with ambitious music. Keep in mind that the game is quite short i finished it in around 5 hours for my blind playthrough on normal. Some missions are extremely short only rounding up at around 2 minutes where you have to run and deliver a certain item before the timer runs out, but the nice thing is that it has alot of replay value on higher difficuties and if you are into trophies you can get the platinum for a fair amount of time. You start out weak and eventually get stronger with powers like devil trigger and guns etc. I highly recommend this game if you are into upgrade games and third person games. If you ever get stuck in an area concult a guide or one of the many videos. Good luck fellow demon hunter !! Expand
  18. Jul 23, 2017
    9
    Devil May Cry proves to be a great game for introducing the hack n slash genre mainstream. It's challenge and combo style is varied, brutal and highly engrossing. One wrong move, and you are punished. A game that demands your reflexes and wit at the forefront of every encounter. With an creepy and dark atmosphere Devil May Cry makes engagement and traversing feel unnerving and ominous.Devil May Cry proves to be a great game for introducing the hack n slash genre mainstream. It's challenge and combo style is varied, brutal and highly engrossing. One wrong move, and you are punished. A game that demands your reflexes and wit at the forefront of every encounter. With an creepy and dark atmosphere Devil May Cry makes engagement and traversing feel unnerving and ominous. Criticisms would be placed on some plot and character issues and a couple moments that can be cheap for players to adapt to. Despite this, Devil May Cry is straight to the shotgun barrel point of what it delivers and never ceases in enjoyment for those craving adversity through demonic hordes. Expand
  19. Apr 23, 2023
    9
    Devil May Cry marked the beginning of a new type of action game. This Capcom classic began life as a Resident Evil installment, but evolved into an entirely new thing. It combines the gothic adventure of Castlevania with the stylish action of The Matrix. However, some cheesy line readings do give it a campy feel. While DMC is now quite dated, there's no denying its place in history. YouDevil May Cry marked the beginning of a new type of action game. This Capcom classic began life as a Resident Evil installment, but evolved into an entirely new thing. It combines the gothic adventure of Castlevania with the stylish action of The Matrix. However, some cheesy line readings do give it a campy feel. While DMC is now quite dated, there's no denying its place in history. You can see the game's influence on God of War, the Ninja Gaiden reboot and Bayonetta. Overall, this is a landmark title and a must play for action lovers. I would rate it with a 9.1 out of 10. Expand
  20. Feb 21, 2021
    9
    Devil May Cry is, apart from the inventor of Hack and Slash, a library of lore that, although simple, is more interesting than it may seem at first glance.
    As the first game of the genre and of the saga, it's incredible.
    *STORY*: Dante, a demon hunter, is attacked in his office by Trish, who informs him that the demon emperor Mundus is planning to return. Simple but functional and
    Devil May Cry is, apart from the inventor of Hack and Slash, a library of lore that, although simple, is more interesting than it may seem at first glance.
    As the first game of the genre and of the saga, it's incredible.

    *STORY*: Dante, a demon hunter, is attacked in his office by Trish, who informs him that the demon emperor Mundus is planning to return.

    Simple but functional and interesting to follow.

    *GAMEPLAY*: As the first Hack and Slash today you can see the seams, but in its day it was a very fun bombshell.

    *GRAPHICS*: Artistically it is very striking, graphically it has its buts, but it is still very remarkable.

    *SOUNDTRACK*: Curious soundtrack, I think it's the first time that in a videogame you could hear something so... quirky.
    However, the dubbing is acceptable / bad.

    *INNOVATION*: Inventor of a genre with one of the most loyal video game fandoms and a saga that has made history. Needless to say more.
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  21. May 5, 2018
    9
    This modern day brawling, hack and slash game is done very well with style and story.
  22. Apr 30, 2019
    9
    E aqui nasce a lenda, a melhor franquia de hack´n slash da historia dos games.
  23. Mar 16, 2019
    9
    Devil May Cry exceeded my expectations in every way. From the amazing fighting mechanics to the responsive camera angles, no part of this game was stale. My only complaints were minor, with an annoyance towards levels such as the "choose the correct path" mission that lead to many accidental paths taken while fighting the excruciatingly slow enemies. Either risk the path or wait for theseDevil May Cry exceeded my expectations in every way. From the amazing fighting mechanics to the responsive camera angles, no part of this game was stale. My only complaints were minor, with an annoyance towards levels such as the "choose the correct path" mission that lead to many accidental paths taken while fighting the excruciatingly slow enemies. Either risk the path or wait for these dolls to walk towards you in the next hour. Other than that and the occasional frustrating fights where you get trapped on pillars or walls that enemies are somehow able to attack through, I loved this game. These types of issues are to be expected with a PS2 game, and still only keep it shy from perfect. Expand
  24. Jun 30, 2020
    9
    Estou muito impressionado por um jogo de 2001 ter uma gameplay tão divertida e atraente como este. Se não fosse a câmera - maior limitação do game - talvez ele tivesse envelhecido melhor. Porém, é perfeitamente adaptável. Os inimigos são divertidos de combater, a maioria dos bosses são legais, os combos são lendários e o Dante é carismático demais.
  25. Sep 27, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Devil May Cry is surprisingly very good for an 18 year old game. The combat is great, the enemies and bosses are very well designed, the game has a lot of replayability and I love the atmosphere the game has. I also really like how this game, and the series in general handles it's difficulty. You start the game on normal. It's a challenge but isn't too hard if you've played other action games. If you die 3 times to the same encounter you get offered easy mode. Once you beat normal, you unlock hard mode. The enemy placements are mixed up and the game is made a lot tougher. Then once you beat hard you unlock Dante Must Die mode. This mode is considerably harder than hard mode but is still very fair (Except mission 22. Screw that mission on DMD!). DMD mode really requires you to know how to use all of your moves and abilties which therefore adds a lot of replayability to the game since you're unlikely to get the most out of this game in one playthrough. There are a few cons in this game though. The camera. The camera is fixed so there were a lot of instances were I could barely see what was going on due to the camera constantly changing angles which would then sometimes result in me dying because of it. It also made certain platforming sections very frustrating because I couldn't adjust the camera to see how far the jump was or when I needed to jump. The story was ok but some of the characters weren't very well written. I liked Dante but Trish wasn't given nearly enough screen time in order for me to care about her. Also the dialogue was hilariously bad at times. Overall Devil May Cry holds up pretty well despite showing a little bit of age in certain aspects. I enjoyed this game and this series in general quite a lot and I wish I had gotten into it sooner. Expand
  26. Jul 2, 2021
    9
    The game is a masterpieceit's a must play to everyone who likes combat action games. but ALMOST everything is great.
    I have 3 main complains
    1º - Bosses kinda suck, besides the last boss, there are only 3 bosses that are repeted 3 times each, and the spacing between them is too short, you basically fight one, play the game for more 15 minutes OR LESS and then you have to fight another
    The game is a masterpieceit's a must play to everyone who likes combat action games. but ALMOST everything is great.
    I have 3 main complains
    1º - Bosses kinda suck, besides the last boss, there are only 3 bosses that are repeted 3 times each, and the spacing between them is too short, you basically fight one, play the game for more 15 minutes OR LESS and then you have to fight another boss.
    2º - The camera is very bad in my opinion, fixed camera is almost necessary in a game like this one, but with this camera specificly, most of the times it don't show the enemies you are fighting against, meaning that many times you will die by attacks that were impossible to se them coming.
    3º - The story and characters. While i like Dante, since him, Trish, and the bosses are basically the only characters, there is a lack interesting interactions between characters, and the fact that Dante and Trish simply start to apperently love each other in the 10 last minutes of the game even if Trish was a traitor the whole time and was trying to kill Dante.

    But those downsides really don't make the game bad in anyway, it is awesome and i highly recommend it to everyone.
    9/10
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  27. Dec 23, 2019
    9
    The father of the hack and slash genre, the one that initiated a new era on gaming, a masterpiece.

    The bosses are great, the game play is fluid for it´s age, the music is outstanding and overall a great game, recommended for everyone, even if you already liked the other titles. The only thing is, that is very difficult and the story is not a big deal, but that´s not the plot in these
    The father of the hack and slash genre, the one that initiated a new era on gaming, a masterpiece.

    The bosses are great, the game play is fluid for it´s age, the music is outstanding and overall a great game, recommended for everyone, even if you already liked the other titles.

    The only thing is, that is very difficult and the story is not a big deal, but that´s not the plot in these kind of games.
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  28. Feb 11, 2020
    9
    Amazing game for its time and plays great even today, the only problem might be the resident evil fixed camera but it wasnt that big of a deal for me
  29. Feb 10, 2021
    9
    Dante doesn't quite have the fleshed out personality he has in later games yet, but I really like the the different vibe this game gives over the later games. DMC 1 is a masterpiece that started this incredible series. The writing may not be the best in this one, but the gameplay and creepy environments make this one of the best DMC games.
  30. Jul 18, 2022
    9
    Great game. There are a lot of fun combat encounters. The combo system is very cool. Music is awesome too. The game can get annoying when you die because you have to restart the entire level. The story isn't anything special but it doesn't break the game for me. The game is fantastic.

Awards & Rankings

5
5
#5 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2001
4
#4 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2001
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    100
    With the exception of a rather throwaway plot, absolutely no part of Devil May Cry escapes the realm of coolness superior. [Nov 2001, p.152]
  2. A groundbreaking title that takes the genre in a new and exciting direction. Capcom has once again managed to breathe life into a genre that had been stuck in something of a rut of late.
  3. I don't say such things lightly, but this is easily one of the best games I've ever played. Everywhere I look, I find more things I want to praise about this title.