Devil May Cry

A great hack & slash game that maintains a thrilling action and an interesting adventure. A reference of the genre that creates a great hellish atmosphere thanks to the beasts that roam the dark stages with dark music.

Like many ports of some of the big games from the past two console generations, the appeal of Devil May Cry is that it's now available in portable form. There's nothing new here to tempt older fans otherwise, but what they'll find here is familiar. The switching of aspect ratios is odd, and the fixed camera angles and more puzzle-oriented focus will throw off some people, but for everyone who hasn't done so before, this is still a solid action game that's worth checking out.

For the title that essentially originated the modern hack 'n' slash genre, Devil May Cry holds up tremendously well. Although later entries would flesh out the combat even further, the original's simpler mechanics shine elegantly. Dante is a much more complex character to control by Devil May Cry 5, but his original iteration is already loaded with mechanical depth. Between Alastor and Ifrit, combat isn't hurting for variety, and the title's stellar level design keeps play-throughs fast-paced and pleasantly arcade-y in nature. If anything, time makes it easy to appreciate Devil May Cry all the more.

Devil May Cry is an action-packed masterpiece that mostly stands the test of time. Now that you can play it on-the-go, fans and newcomers alike should definitely check it out.

Much like Onimusha: Warlords before it, Devil May Cry preserves all the things that made it great in 2001, while systematically crystallising all of its faults. It’s a shame it wasn’t given the remake treatment gifted to Resident Evil and Resident Evil Zero – or even have some form of ‘remastering’ to optimise it for Nintendo Switch – but for fans of the series who hold fond memories of slaying demons and attaining that elusive ‘S’ rank, you can now enjoy Dante’s inaugural adventure in handheld form.

Devil May Cry’s appearance on Switch should be regarded as an essential installment of modern gaming history. Its genesis in Resident Evil, unconscious evolution of the beat ’em up genre, and conception of stylish-action showcase the fierce innovation demonstrated by the PlayStation 2 in 2001. In 2019, the primordial Devil May Cry may be more frustrating than fun, but what it lacks in comfort it corrects with prestige.

All of which is to say, Devil May Cry isn’t a great game by today’s standards — but, if you look at it through the perspective of 2001, you can see why it blew so many people away. It probably doesn’t stand up if you’re directly comparing it to more modern action games, but if you go in hoping for a slice of history that’s still playable, then it’ll do the trick.

Devil May Cry is an eighteen-year old classic -with all its mechanisms intact- that tries to allure a new audience; one that is for playing on the go. It does its best to come up to modern times, but ultimately fails to provide a solid reason for a purchase. The lack of any elements that could have improved or expanded the original version, plus the lack of the other two games that come together as an HD collection in other platforms can only make us skeptical regarding its existence.

You can certainly buy Devil May Cry on Switch if you want to discover this piece of history. It’s still one of the best episod of the series, even if the camera is outdated and the visuals aren’t that fresh.