Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition

Genre: Spectacle Fighter

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local)

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Review:

Devil May Cry 3 is a Spectacle Fighter that is a prequel to the first two games, focusing on a younger, cockier Dante and his adversarial relationship with his brother, Virgil. This game is considered by many to be the best game in the series, which is quite a turnaround after the second game, which many consider to be the worst. Not only was Devil May Cry 3 a return to form, focusing on the excellent combo-driven action that made the first game a hit, but it attempts to top the first game in virtually every way, and in this it largely succeeds.

The game was originally released on PlayStation 2 in 2005, and then re-released on the same platform a year later as a special edition with rebalanced challenge levels, more features, and the ability to play as Virgil later in the game. This version of the game was then remastered for a re-release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012 in an HD Collection of the first three games in the series, which was subsequently ported to other platforms.

With the previous Devil May Cry games, Capcom gave Nintendo Switch players a straight port of that game, individually priced at $20, which was something of a rip-off since the entire trilogy was priced at $20 all the way back in 2012. However, for Devil May Cry 3, Capcom actually put a little bit more effort into ensuring that this time around, the Nintendo Switch version (released in 2020) might actually be worth the expense. As such, this version of the game now includes new control options that allow players to quickly swap between fighting styles and weapons at the touch of a button, giving players a never-before experienced level of freedom to swiftly change up their attacks in an instant, even mid-combo. The other enhancements from the HD Remaster are all present here as well, which means that the Nintendo Switch version of Devil May Cry 3 is the definitive version of the game.

Granted, as with the other Devil May Cry games, it does bear mention that the graphical improvements here are just to the overall resolution and framerate – the game still features PlayStation 2-era character models and textures, which definitely look dated by today’s standards. Also, the video cutscenes are still in a lower resolution, and look pretty terrible. However, at the very least the game’s menus are clean this time around, unlike Devil May Cry 1.

However, while this is still very clearly a polished-up PlayStation 2 game, it’s a game that still looks pretty good for its age, and in large part this is thanks to the amount of style placed into the game. This was one area I felt was particularly lacking in Devil May Cry 2, and it’s like night and day here, with the game bringing back the over-the-top action, humor, and even some amount of the silliness that was present in the first game. In fact, right from the game’s opening, it feels like it’s making a statement that not only is this a love letter to fans of the first game, but it aims to surpass that game.

The moment you get a feel for the game’s combat, it becomes clear that this statement is no empty promise. In short, combat in this game is absolutely fun, making it fairly effortless to string together varied combos, all while making it relatively easy to switch it up or dodge when you need to. What’s more, this time around the game seems to realize this, and places much of the game’s emphasis on this combat, cutting down somewhat on the less-interesting exploration that padded out the second game, and the confusing Resident Evil-esque navigation and puzzles of the first game. And while this game’s camera still has some issues, the game does at least give the player some degree of limited control over it this time.

For the improvements in this release, being able to change combat styles in an instant or hot-swap to any weapon (not just a selected two) really does help to open up the combat even more than it already did, and is a noteworthy improvement on an already great game. In addition, unlike the first two games, this time around players are given full control to reassign button placements as they see fit, making for a much more malleable experience.

I won’t go as far as to say that Devil May Cry 3 tops the Bayonetta titles – it doesn’t. The combat in Bayonetta is far more smooth and free-flowing, with more variety in its attack options, and just all-around more fun. It also can’t match the sheer inventiveness and originality of Astral Chain. However, it also bears mention that I’m comparing those modern games to a title that first came out fifteen years ago, and even with its older graphics and a few camera issues, Devil May Cry 3 still manages to be competitive with those newer games to the point that it’s almost on their level.

In short, Devil May Cry 3 is a blast, and the Nintendo Switch version is the best version of the game. I’m not quite sure the improvements here do enough to justify the price tag, but at the very least Nintendo Switch owners are finally getting something back from Capcom in exchange for that higher price tag.

tl;dr – Devil May Cry 3 is a Spectacle Fighter that’s a prequel to the first two games, focusing on Dante’s rivalry with his brother Virgil. This game is a return to form for the series that’s still a joy to play to this day, even if the graphics are dated (despite the remastered HD upgrade) and the camera could use a bit of work still. And while the game is still somewhat overpriced, at least this time Nintendo Switch owners are getting something in exchange for that expense – new control options to swap combat styles mid-combo make the Nintendo Switch version the definitive edition of the game. If you’re a fan of this genre, Devil May Cry 3 on the Nintendo Switch may be a must-buy, despite its price point and even if you already own it on another platform. And for those who never played it in the first place, this is a no-brainer.

Grade: A-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2020 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Port/Remake

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