Devil May Cry hands-on impressions

[04.07.01] » Is Capcom finally breaking away from the Survival Horror formula?

   The PlayStation 2 port of Resident Evil Code: Veronica has shipped in Japan with a playable demo of series creator Shinji Makami's next game, Devil May Cry, and the GIA has given it a thorough look. While the title is early in some respects, the demo shows off a graphically impressive game that is a far cry from Mikami's past work. Read our detailed impressions below and be sure to also check out 69 screenshots and 4 gameplay movies from the demo.

   The brief trial version offers about fifteen minutes of gameplay and consists of the demonic hero Dante's exploration of a seaside gothic castle. Though he begins accompanied by an unnamed woman, she quickly vaults ahead of him, leaving the player to explore the castle alone. The cavernous entry hall gives players a chance to get familiar with the game's basic controls, as Dante must gather a certain number of red orbs to unlock doors and advance.

   As previously announced, Devil May Cry has ditched the oft-maligned character-relative controls of Resident Evil, and the result works well with the game's greater emphasis on action. But the use of predetermined camera angles has been held over, and if there was one aspect of the game that still felt unfinished, it was the camera. Though Devil May Cry is predominantly an action game, it still employs Resident Evil's trademark "edgy" camera angles, and the abrupt shifts and less-than-ideal angles often get in the way of combat or even simple navigation. Thankfully, the use of realtime backgrounds means the camera direction can be easily changed before the final release.

    The demo only offered two types of enemies - giant marionettes and scissor-wielding ghosts - but the respawning foes offer more than enough battles to get an idea of how the game's control is coming along. Combat is quick, frequent, and very stylish. Holding down the R1 button results in Dante locking on the nearest enemy in the now-standard Zelda fashion. Dante can quickly sidestep around the foe while locked on and, using the jump button, execute different maneuvers depending on the direction pressed. These include a quick roll to the side, a back flip, or a jump over the enemy to land behind him. It's even possible to double jump off a creature's head to reach higher areas.

   Dante has two distinct modes of attack. The triangle button is used to employ his magical sword, the Force Edge, and square and circle fire off his John Woo-style dual handguns. Various combos, such as knocking an enemy into the air and then filling them full of bullets, are also possible. With all these moves may sound complex, the controls are immediately intuitive and the resulting combat, as seen in our gameplay movies, is exceptionally quick and well orchestrated.

   As in Onimusha, defeated enemies leave behind color-coded power-ups each with a different effect. The aforementioned red orbs are used to unlock doors, green ones recharge Dante's health, and rarer blue orbs add to his "devil power." When this meter is charged up, the power can be activated with the L1 button, adding an elemental power to Dante's standard attacks or enabling him to transform into a flying demon. The trial version only lets you use a lightening power-up, but the rolling demo shows Dante attacking with fire-charged fists, so a full compliment of magical abilities and transformations are likely to be included in the final game.

   The demo wasn't all combat, as a few simple puzzle of the find-the-key and hit-the-switch variety break up the action. But the mix of collecting, platform elements, and combat makes Devil May Cry feel a lot closer to the action end of the action-adventure spectrum.

   DMC's art style could best be described as a mix of Gothic and Art Deco and is wonderfully brought to life in the game's realtime backgrounds. Though the demo's dark castle doesn't offer much texture variety, the backgrounds themselves display a high level of detail that easily competes with most pre-rendered graphics. Most of the rooms also feature furniture, suits of armor, etc., which can be destroyed to reveal power-ups and items.

   The demo offers a very brief look at the game, but it should be enough to gamers excited when it arrives with the US version of RE: Code Veronica X (as the PS2 version will be called in the states) in July. Devil May Cry is on track for a Fall release in the US and is shaping up to be one of the PS2's most important titles in its stand against the GameCube and Xbox.