Buy DmC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition

The original Devil May Cry created the character-action genre, and the reboot of the franchise by developer Ninja Theory drew a lot of ire from Devil May Cry die-hards. DmC never quite managed to win the hearts of fans, and DmC: Definitive Edition is a surprising response to that. A number of HD ports are pretty bare-bones re-releases, but DmC: Definitive Edition is one of the most honest responses to fan criticism from a developer, and it has the potential to woo fans who were turned off by the original game.

By and large, the core gameplay is unchanged, and the original review still stands on many points. A number of the changes are modifiers, so those who were happy with the original game can keep what they enjoyed, but it also gives those who were desperate for more Devil May Cry a chance to customize the game to their preferences.

There are a number of tweaks to the basic gameplay that improve the combat system. For example, a lock-on feature was added, and it's akin to what was available in previous Devil May Cry titles. A number of tweaks were made to special moves to complement this. The feature is 100% optional, but it makes several fights much smoother. You have to sacrifice one of the redundant evade buttons to activate it, but it's worth it.

One thing that may please long-term fans is the addition of Hardcore mode, which is an attempt to balance the high-difficulty action gameplay with the lighter experience of the original game. It isn't a perfect patch, but it's a welcome attempt at giving the game some more bite without rendering it inaccessible to casual players. Hardcore mode makes a number of tweaks to the basic gameplay and is a toggle rather than a distinct mode. Hardcore mode rebalances some of the elements to be more in line with the old DMC titles. Parries are harder to execute, enemies hit harder, the style meter is more difficult to raise and harder to maintain, and Devil Trigger functions as a temporary power-up instead of a super bomb.

There's also a new Turbo mode that boosts the game's speed by about 20%. This may seem like a minor change, but in conjunction with other modifiers, it does a lot to help the pacing. DmC's enemies are not the most aggressive, but with the game running faster, they feel more dangerous. The game also runs at 60 fps instead of the previous 30, and the entire thing feels like it moved up to the next gear. For those who really want to feel pressed to the limit, there's even a new Gods Must Die difficulty mode, which is a step above the original Dante Must Die.

The third new modifier is going to be of limited appeal. In the Must Style mode, you can only damage enemies if your style meter is at least at S rank. It adds a very interesting challenge to the gameplay since you have to understand how the style system works and exploit it, rather than just beating on enemies until they fall over. On the other hand, it can make some fights take entirely too long, and it makes the Dreamrunner a chore to fight. It's a fun diversion but unlikely to be used often unless players are specifically going for a gimmick run.

Another big change is to the colored-coded enemies. In the original game, color-coded enemies were immune to any weapon that wasn't of the appropriate color. In Definitive Edition, enemies are no longer immune to damage, but they don't get hit-stun from the improperly colored weapon. This is a nice balance, and while you're strongly encouraged to choose the right tool for the job, it doesn't leave the rest of your arsenal useless. This does wonders for the combat flow against enemies.

A good chunk of the gameplay has been revamped in more subtle ways. Some were released in patches, but others are new to the Definitive Edition. Demon Evade is weaker when used properly, and its buff is less significant and goes away when damaged, but it now makes you faster. Angel Evade is kind of a light version of Trickster from DMC 3. These two changes probably do the most to change the core gameplay. The original release relied far too heavily on Demon Evade and left Angel Evade feeling kind of worthless. Now, each of the two moves has a more significant impact on the gameplay.

There are a number of other (mostly) positive tweaks that do wonders for smoothing out the gameplay. Osiris has been significantly buffed with a longer-lasting feed mechanic, so you can use the weapon as part of weapon-swapping combos instead of being stuck using it or losing it. Even outside of Hardcore mode, Devil Trigger has been revamped to be less air-focused. The style system is slightly more demanding, although if Hardcore mode isn't active, it's reasonably easy to hit the SSS rank. The core gameplay still feels simplistic and slow when compared to Bayonetta 2, but it's clear that Ninja Theory took major complaints to heart.

One area where the changes feel iffy is in the bosses. Bob Barbas and Succubus have been reworked to be more aggressive, and the fights flow smoother. On the other hand, Mundus and Vergil were smoothed out in ways that make them feel simplified. Mundus is easier to dodge, and he is less likely to hit you when you make a mistake. Vergil was reworked to be more combo-heavy and similar to his DMC 3 counterpart, but in doing so, he lost some aggression. The end of the fight was also entirely reworked, including removing the Devil Trigger requirement to defeat him. It seems odd that the earlier bosses were ramped up in difficulty, but the easier final bosses were ramped down instead.

One change that may be controversial is the restructuring of the collectible features. Color-coded doors and key types have been streamlined into a single sort of collectible. It makes the collectibles more fun, so instead of hunting for color-coded keys before you can jump into the enjoyable sub-missions, you just need to hunt down some basic collectibles. The original system felt complex for complexity's sake and was more of a chore. This decreases some of the platforming challenge, but that wasn't a big part of the game's appeal in the first place.

Also bundled in Definitive Edition is the complete Vergil's Downfall DLC, so players can take on the role of Dante's brother in a post-game adventure. Vergil's play style is enjoyable, and it provides a good bit of extra gameplay time. New to Definitive Edition is the ability to play as Vergil in the Bloody Palace mode. Vergil's Bloody Palace is shorter than Dante's, and it doesn't include the same enemies, but it's a nice addition nonetheless. Both Dante and Vergil have a plethora of extra costumes, including DLC from the original game and new costumes from older games.

Visually, Definitive Edition is certainly a step up. It isn't a huge change, but the game looks noticeably better. It doesn't hold a candle to the PC release of the original game, but it's still head and shoulders above the PS3 and 360 versions in frame rate alone. If I had one complaint, Dante's skin texture seems a little plastic at times, and it can make some scenes look rather odd. Otherwise, not a lot has changed. The original game had some extremely strong art design, and it continues to shine through here.

DmC: Definitive Edition lives up to the name. Almost every change is for the better, and while there are a few things to quibble about, it's rare to think of a single port that has had such a significant impact on the core gameplay. It's clear that Ninja Theory worked out the best way to try to address user complaints. Add in the bundled DLC, and the title is even a good experience for those who played through the original. Definitive Edition doesn't quite live up to the heights of the earlier titles in the franchise or recent entries like Bayonetta, but it's a solid action game.

Score: 8.0/10