14 DAY TRIAL // 
Capcom's Devil May Cry franchise delighted hack and slash fans for quite some time throughout different generations but, after Devil May Cry 4, the Japanese company decided a reboot was in store and handed the project to UK-based developer Ninja Theory, previously responsible for "diamonds in the rough" like Heavenly Sword or Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.
Unfortunately for the studio, the first look at the new Devil May Cry game, titled simply DmC, showcased a redesigned version of Dante, which caused a huge backlash from fans.
In recent months, through the release of videos, screenshots, and even a gameplay demo, fans have settled down so it's time to see if the actual game is a proper Devil May Cry experience. Does the new game deserve a place in the series or should it be banished into the depths of hell? Let's find out.
Story
DmC Devil May Cry completely reimagines the series, which means a redesigned version of the protagonist, Dante, as well as a new origins story of everybody's favorite demon hunter. In the universe of DmC, the world is practically controlled by a demon lord called Mundus who, through debt and indoctrination, has gained leverage against everyone, be they politicians or simple inhabitants.
Dante, however, could hardly care less as his life mostly consists in visiting strip clubs, hooking up with girls, and sleeping in his trailer.
Unfortunately for him, Mundus' minions swiftly find him but, as we learn, this isn't Dante's first fight against the legions of hell, as he can use his sword, Rebellion, as well as his dual-wield pistols, Ebony and Ivory, to dispatch of his foes.
After a quick meet-up with a witch called Kat and with his estranged brother, Vergil, he quickly learns about Mundus' plan to subjugate humanity and the tone of the story becomes a bit more serious, although Dante always finds the time to crack a joke every now and then.
The overall story in DmC is quite impressive, as it manages to find a great balance between giving Dante time to be his cocky self and reminding players of the tough life experienced by the world's inhabitants (represented by Kat) and by Dante and Vergil themselves, who saw their parents killed when they were small.
What's more, seeing as how the whole plot is structured into separate missions, which tie into each other, you'll certainly feel like you're progressing in a fast manner through the 10-12-hour-long experience. Throw in the great characters, including the villains and bosses, plus the witty social commentary, and you'll definitely have a great time with DmC.
Gameplay
DmC most certainly deserves to be called a Devil May Cry game, as developer Ninja Theory managed to implement a tight combat system that never gets old.
This is largely owned to the different weapons used by Dante. From wielding the Rebellion sword plus the Ebony and Ivory pistols at the beginning of the game, to unlocking different Angelic and Demonic items, which can be swapped on the fly, the combat is extremely responsive and you can switch strategies easily to keep your combo score at the top SSSensational rating.
Enemies are also quite varied and many require certain weapons to be used on them if you want to actually succeed in taking them down. From lighter to heavier demons, and even including different flying variants, you'll never spend a lot of time in the same place doing the same thing.
Instead, you'll be grappling enemies, launching them in the air, juggling them with different weapons, and then pummel them into the ground using the more brutish items.
The environments are also well done, managing to offer great transitions from the different arena-like rooms, where you'll face a bigger number of enemies. DmC uses a great explanation for going wild with the design of the world, as Dante can only fight demons when in Limbo, which is practically an extremely twisted version of the real world.
What's more, on the PC, the mouse and keyboard control setup envisioned by Ninja Theory works really well, even if it will take a while until you get used to combining the different keys in order to alternate between Dante's weapons.
Sadly, there are a few issues. One, in particular, happens when trying to activate Dante's Demon Trigger by pressing C and Z together, as it doesn't always record the command. As such, you'll find yourself pressing C and Z multiple times during a battle only to quickly enter and exit Demon Trigger.
Another annoyance happens when fighting against enemies in areas where the floor is missing. You'll find yourself in a fast-paced combo and, at the end, you'll see that you've left the actual platform and you'll drop to your death.
This is even more annoying when grappling towards flying enemies as after you finish the air combo, you'll see the enemy wasn't floating above a platform, so once again you'll fall to your doom. Yes, you respawn after on a nearby ledge, but you lose health for every missed jump.
Graphics and Sound
DmC Devil May Cry is a gorgeous game, especially on the PC, as Ninja Theory has made sure to implement a variety of great improvements into the hack and slash game, including better textures, while eliminating the locked framerate that was seen on the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions.
Sure, Limbo's visuals, which insist heavily on red, black and sharp contrasts, might annoy some people, but the game's main areas follow each other in a timely manner, so your eyes won't get tired of the same environments for extended periods of time.
In terms of sound, the game also delivers a pretty good experience, as the soundtrack, which blends alternative rock with house, electro, and dubstep tunes, matches the visuals of the title as well as Dante's edgy attitude.
The voice actors are also quite good, as Dante conveys changes in tone pretty well, while his allies and foes all manage to deliver their lines in great manners, especially Kat.
Conclusion
I've been a fan of Devil May Cry for quite some time and DmC more than deserves a spot in the long-running franchise. Ninja Theory and Capcom managed to deliver a great reboot that reimagines the universe for both old fans and new ones.
The gameplay is extremely tight, the combat is very responsive, and both the visual and audio design is top notch. Sure, there are some annoyances but, overall, you'll certainly enjoy hacking, slashing, and shooting your way through the new Devil May Cry game.
