Devil May Cry: HD Collection Review by: Mynamescox44 - 8.5/10
Devil May Cry - HD Collection (Games 1, 2, and 3) Devil May Cry HD Collection is an HD Remaster of the first three games of the franchise all originally released for the PlayStation 2. Devil May Cry is generally regarded from what I've seen among some of the best hack'n'slash games out there, and is definitely a personal favorite. The game also features some platforming elements, and they will require a moderate amount of skill to get through. Though none of it is actual game play, this version comes with quite a bit of bonus content not found on the original releases. If you love slashing and shooting your way through foe after foe, and being awarded for doing it stylishly, then this game is definitely for you. It also helps the humor in these games isn't bad either for the most part, though some of the puns are just a little too cheesy. Anyways, on to the review!
Graphics -- 8 / 10 -- Though it does vary a little from title to title, the graphics overall are pretty well done. Each title was released further into the PlayStation 2's lifespan, so what they were capable of was also increasing in terms of the visuals. The enemy designs are great, providing something unique and very detailed, especially the bosses. The basic enemies are marionettes, and move like they are being controlled by strings like the real thing. One of the best looking enemies are grim reaper / witch like looking enemies that wield giant scissors, and they are gorgeous (in terms of graphics, they're actually quite ugly lol). They have something of an ethereal feel to their black bodies / cloaks, and the way it flows behind them is beautiful. In number 2, there are tanks that have been consumed by some organic flesh-like substance, which also look amazing. My favorite enemy of all three games would have to be Virgil in number 3, Dante's twin brother. The way he wields his katana in battle is breathtaking for what the PS2 could handle. Your character also has a Devil Form (being that he's a half-blooded devil and all), which looks phenomenal as well, changing your character into a very intimidating demon form that has a red glow to it, almost as if the aura is engulfing him like flames (though depending on what gear / weapon you use, he may appear with a blue glow). Though the very first title isn't quite as sharp as I would've liked to have been, it doesn't take anything away from the experience, especially in the remastered version since it's no longer an issue in the slightest.
Sound 8 / 10 -- The audio is fantastic. I absolutely adore Dante's voice acting, though I'm not entirely sure they used the same voice actor for each game (there are somewhat legitimate reasons for that if it's the case). Either way, Dante is generally a happy-go-lucky beat you down physically and make jokes doing it kind of guy. They definitely did a good job here, as every character in the game has voice acting provided, and all sound good, which was much more rare in these games' day than it is now. The sound effects are extremely well done, and everything sounds perfect for what is happening. These include your signature guns firing, sword swinging / landing a blow, and obtaining important items or navigating a menu. Love everything about them. Now the real gem of the audio is the soundtracks. Every game has a very fast paced, high intensity soundtrack to keep your blood pumping through every second of fighting (and reverts to something very slow, if not nothing at all for the time you spend out of combat). A lot of these tracks will have lyrics, though the vocals are borderline incoherent, if not unintelligible altogether. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about them, you just have no idea what's actually being said, even if it is in English. This is one of those soundtracks I would genuinely consider buying to listen to outside of the game for it's quality, and for just how much it will truly hype you up.
Addictiveness 7 / 10 -- I wanted to rate this higher, but just couldn't do it. The games are extremely fun to play, it just doesn't offer hardly any replay value. The game is about as linear as they come, just having you trudge your way through battle after battle, though at least the enemy variety is pretty good to keep you on your toes. There may not be that many different enemies, but the combinations of how they're used is constantly changing, causing you to always be learning new ways to cope with the given circumstances. The bosses are also of great variety and differ from one another a lot. More than anything this is one of those games you'll probably put down after getting through, and give it a return trip after some time has passed. It's definitely worth a second go, just not immediately after the first. There are also bonus missions you can try to accomplish which reward you with Blue Orb Fragments, and obtaining 4 of these will increase your maximum life, but I will cover those more deeply further into the review. One of the best aspects of the game is the Style Gauge. If you can successfully switch between 3 or more different attacks while chaining them together quickly, your style gauge will go up. Enemies drop Red Orbs, which can be used to purchase new fighting techniques or items at the God(dess?) of Time statues strewn about the game. The higher your style gauge, the higher the multiplier for your Red Orbs obtained, so it really pays off to finish your enemies with finesse over just mashing the most effective technique or 2 you know how to use best. Also, making your Style Gauge increase will fill your Devil Trigger Gauge more quickly as well. The Devil Trigger is when Dante assumes his Demon Form, giving him a huge attack and defense boost, as well as giving him the ability to attack in different / more powerful ways. There are different Forms to choose from, one example being Dante is granted wings to hover over his enemies, and can rain lightning from his hands down unto them, each bolt being released fairly quick.
Story 6 / 10 -- Some might say I'm being a little generous with the score here, but I personally liked it. The overall story is a bit cliché to an extent, but the characters in the game give it something of a unique feel. The game starts with Dante in his jack of all trades business, named "Devil May Cry", as Dante will do pretty much anything for cash to get by. That is if he cares enough to oblige you in the first place. A blonde woman shows up requesting his help, and he ends up agreeing to do so. She needs his help to take down Mundus, the emperor of the Underworld, who was resurrected 20 years prior. He was sealed by Sparda, the legendary Demon Knight who ended up betraying his own kind to fight for good instead of evil. Sparda also happens to be Dante's father, and Sparda falling in love with a human woman is what caused his change of heart (Don't worry, these aren't spoilers, it's all revealed before you even get to play). Mundus is planning something big, and it's up to you to stop him. The story for number 2 is just ok, though it does offer 2 separate, yet intertwining story lines, as well as a second character to play as. Number 3 is a prequel to the first game, showing how the events between Dante and his twin brother Virgil played out. In terms of story, 1 and 3 are definitely the better options.
Depth 8 / 10 -- Keep in mind this score is the accumulation of all three games being included together, not based on each individual game. The games all have a decent amount to do in terms of core game play. The game is broken down into missions, and you are graded in each mission by time, items used, number of deaths, red orbs obtained, and one other criteria I can't remember off the top of my head. Depending on your grade, you are awarded bonus Red Orbs, providing further incentive to not only finish your enemies with finesse, but also do so quickly and efficiently. Each game offers about 20+ missions, offering about 15 or more minutes of game play for each one. It doesn't sound like much at first, but these games are probably a bit longer than your average slash'em up title. As I brought up before, there are also Bonus Missions to be found every so often, and each game offers about 15 or so of them to complete. The Bonus Missions have extreme varying objectives, and will truly push your skills to the limit, even in the first few. An example of what your objectives would be are having to kill a certain amount of enemies while staying in a time limit, gaining a certain number of hits while continuously staying airborne, or even gaining a required number of Red Orbs from the amount of enemies provided. These challenges are nothing to laugh at, as easy as they may sound at first. Exploration, though not a whole lot is offered, is rewarding in that you may find Blue Orbs to increase your maximum health, Yellow Orbs which act as a continue, hidden statues which release Red Orbs based on your combo built while attacking it, or simply Green Orbs to restore your health. That's about everything the game has to offer, though don't let that discourage you, since it doesn't take anything away from the experience.
Difficulty 8 / 10 -- I love the difficulty provided in these titles. Playing on Normal mode, the enemies are fierce enough to keep you on guard and struggling to win, but not tough enough to make you want to rage quit. I can almost guarantee you'll die a few times getting the hang of a new enemy or boss, though with a little time and patience, you'll figure out the best way to go about dispatching them. One of the biggest factors here is reaction time, as well as your execution of combos. Your character has the ability to dodge quickly in any given direction, and making good use of this will be paramount in ensuring your survival, especially if you up the difficulty setting. Even the most basic enemies pack a decent punch, let alone the tougher ones and bosses (which makes no sense seeing as how they make Dante look unkillable in the intro / cut-scenes lol), so timing your movements is of great importance. It's not too difficult to get your Style Gauge up early on, but as the enemies become more and more advanced, trying to keep your own head attached to your body while also building stylish chains can become quite the chore. Your best bet is generally finding 3 moves you can easily rotate through, with another option or two readily available for when those aren't ideal, and then simply rotating through them again and again. Overall I feel the difficulty to be perfectly balanced.
Overall 8 / 10 -- These games are quite good, and are deserving of the recognition they have received. If you enjoy this genre, I highly recommend this title to get the full Devil May Cry experience, and can almost guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Hope you enjoyed the review :)
Graphics
8 Sound
8 Addictive
7 Depth
8 Story
6 Difficulty
8
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