DMC: Definitive Edition Review – Purposeful Style and Grace

By Martin Benn | Mar 10, 2015

When Dante begins his descent into hell in the classic poem Dante’s Inferno, he begins in limbo: a state of constant unknowing and unbending time. This is where we find this Dante of DMC: Definitive Edition, the recently rebooted Devil May Cry game that is now in new generation high definition. There is one central question to be asked of you in this game: How do you respond when someone grants purpose to your life?

More from Reviews

It is not a complicated question if you share a history like Dante’s. Dante acts in the only way he knows how: he dives in head first to take on the demon’s that have plagued him. Born of forbidden love, Dante exhibits powers of both Angelic and Demonic variation, a Nephilim of lore meant to destroy the leader of demons. After being left by his father in an orphanage, the only story left for him to share is a story of the measles, with no knowledge of anything before the demons chasing him.

In arrives Vergil, a twin Nephilim born of the same love as Dante, with the proper words and motivations to set Dante on his path. A path leading towards the relinquishing of the world from the control of the invisible threats they don’t see manipulating their lives. Vergil resists this devil incarnate that runs the world through debt, Mundus, as he recruits others into what he calls The Order (no, not that Order).

Vergil slices and dices through enemies just as well as Dante does.

When the Devil runs the world, you must spiral deeper and deeper into hell, taking on larger and larger nightmares in the world before you finally reach the Devil himself. Upon facing the Devil’s passage and journey through Hell, you come dangerously close to salvation. Unfortunately, even Dante’s Inferno trip did not end with just the one book and Dante also is just beginning a new life after being bestowed with the gift of purpose.

Provided with the Definitive Edition of DmC is also the DLC Vergil’s Downfall taking place after the events of the main game. As a heads up, you should probably play it after you have finished the rest of the game as it will spoil certain plot points from the main game. Playing as Vergil is immensely satisfying and very different than playing as Dante. I might even say I almost like playing as him a bit better.

So what purpose does DmC provide the player in a land where motivations are given so freely? The game is not the most difficult even on the hardest setting, but exploring each setting for hidden treasures and discovering secret missions add a level of intrigue to each core mission. The ability to go back and get even better scores against friends and even yourself. Creating a level grind to revisit.

On top of this, the fighting in the game is even further refined as you move much more fluidly with less of the stutters or drops one may have seen in the previous version of the game on PS3 or Xbox 360. With expansive fighting options for your weapons, DmC asks you to be as creative as possible to pull off not just large, but stylish combos. Do not repeatedly grind through each level, but use your skills to flourish among enemies in a huge variety of ways and up your style score.

Once you feel comfortable there, take your fighting talent and endurance to the Bloody Palace and see how long you can last taking down all sorts of varieties of enemies and a few large bosses as well. The ease and fluidity of movement only makes it easier to establish yourself as the king on the palace throne.

Verdict

If you have not had the opportunity to play the Devil May Cry series or you want to play the best version of this new introduction in the series, DmC Definitive Edition, provides the most varied and fluid fighting you will find in a large action title on PS4 and Xbox One. Do as the game wants and grants you the opportunity to do and punish these demons in style!

A copy of this game was provided to GameSided for the purpose of this review. Click here to learn more about our Review Policy.