the wretched discussion of what is considered to have aged or not to have aged. devil may cry is a landmark example of a game that needs to be taken in from a perspective within itself. this is the game that both invented and defined the hack-n-slash genre. playing this i don’t put it comparatively next to any later game in the franchise or hell later games in general, as sure it can be seen as outdated and flat out worse, but that’s what makes this game great. the future games being so expansive and advanced is because of the fantastic foundation set here. now, this is not to excuse the game’s flaws, far from it. i just want to clear it up that games “aging” is a poor method of critiquing something of the past that has been done better in the future. aging is contextual and with games like this you have to view its aspects in the context of its release. there are still issues i have with the game that can be critiqued no matter when this game released.

miscommunication. that’s the feeling i get from some of these missions. the camera is weirdly but understandably disconnected from the action on-screen which is a remnant of its resident evil origins, but it doesn’t work as well here in combat specifically. you have odd top down angles that can switch to an uptight and claustrophobic wide shot from dante’s behind while trying to react accordingly to enemies. this becomes an issue in hallway sections and tight spaces, which honestly was a somewhat infrequently issue but when it did happen it was a bit frustrating. the first phantom battle is a key example of this with the camera constantly changing when moving while you’re trying to dodge lethal attacks safely. “why isn’t this a relic of its time to be viewed in its original context?” you may ask by now. the simple answer is that this seems a bit like an overlooked design flaw. not being able to dodge an attack due to the game’s incompetence is certainly not an intended feature for a game in any era. even then, some of the shots presented are very much fitting to the overall tone and atmosphere in each area. you’re in uncharted territory unaware of what lies ahead of you so naturally you’re as anxious as the camera angles convey.
combat depth is not something i had an issue with or was wanting more of, as the options you’re given are well suited for what’s brought to the table. fighting hoards of enemies makes you feel like the badass dante really is. the skill ceiling is undoubtedly very high but climbing up the ladder to reach that ceiling doesn’t feel unnatural. as missions progress, bosses become adapted to your skillset to keep you on your toes. nelo angelo specifically is memorable because of this and his kick ass design. all the bosses have pretty cool designs that speak for themselves.
back with another one of those BLOCK ROCKIN BEATS; the soundtrack is very late 90s to early 2000s influenced hard rock mixed with some electronica elements that could be compared to the prodigy or chemical brothers. psycho siren is a really good representation of this with its blaring siren sample that gets cut and looped while the most banging drumbeat backs it up. nelo angelo’s theme is another banger and is truly as memorable as his character.
speaking of character, to cap this off, dante’s character. he’s the cheesy edgy bastard we all know and love. he can kick some serious ass and drop some serious one liners.

overall this game just reeks of over-personified 2000s charm and cheesiness that defines a new genre and left a cultural impact.

devils never cry.