izigame.me

Finally came back to these classic action games and they're even better than I remember, so I figured I'd sing their praises. But more than that, I got prompted to write this review when I noticed that this collection even includes the soundtracks! Just go to the Vault in the main menu to listen to them. I'm jamming to DMC1's as I type. I can't believe most reviews don't even mention these so I had to put this out there.
Anyways, this collection includes 2 great games and 1 garbage piece of media. DMC1 may be clunky and have an annoying camera, but the atmosphere is unparalleled. To this day it may be my favourite in the series, simply because of its fantastic blend of horror and action. The soundtrack fits these 2 perfectly and for that reason I absolutely love it. I really like the level design in this game and the way the world contorts later on really brings out the demonic vibe. The gameplay is really fun and challenging, but due to it being a pioneer it's somewhat limited in both QOL (for example, no quick switching of weapons) and variety. However what's there is more than enough to enjoy multiple playthroughs and its still enjoyable to play even today. Weapons feel chunky and there's plenty of combos and special moves to master, since DMC is all about mixing up your attacks to finish fights fast, in style. Last but not least, I really like the enemy roster. It's got nice variety, they're fun to beat up and there's not one enemy that I absolutely hate in here (unlike some others in other DMCs). All in all a very fun, if somewhat janky, game with meme worthy moments and badass combat/music. I hope anyone interested in DMC gives it a try since it's an experience unlike any other.
DMC2... well, I can say a couple positives I guess. For one, the game has a dedicated dodge button. I don't know what other people's stance on this is, but personally I prefer that to having to use multiple inputs. Sadly, they also included a wall run that triggers by rolling (and it's more annoying that useful) so this isn't even that good an addition. The soundtrack is nice, not my favourite but solid and it honestly felt like a waste to have it here. The rest of the game leaves much to be desired though. The combat feels floaty and like you fight with wet noodles. Combos don't feel as fluid and your sword barely does more damage than your guns. Boss and enemy design are abysmal, most aren't fun to fight and the few that are just make you wish they were in another DMC for you to fight in. The whole game is rather boring and it never has the cool nor funny moments that other games do. Honestly, if you ask me, skip out on this one but it's already included so might as well try it. And hell, if you power through you actually get treated to one good boss fight at the very end. Oh almost forgot, you can also play as other characters. This was a first in the series and its cool that you get more content, but I just went with Dante anyways (I wish the newer games let you pick who you want like this, rather than force them).
And lastly DMC3, which many people believe is the best game in the series. I think it's definitely got the most refined gameplay but still prefer 1. Don't get me wrong though, 3 is a fantastic game that greatly expanded on combat freedom by allowing you to quickly switch guns and melee weapons mid fight (as well as adding lots of them). Even more so by adding a now fan fav character to play as, Vergil, who makes the game an entirely different experience. I've gotta admit I never really gave the game a fair try until this playthrough. Played it years ago on and off but never made it thavery far, why? Well, I guess I just liked DMC1 too much so 3 just made me want to go back to it. However, this time I actually stuck around and it was well worth it. Combat is smooth and very satisfying, with lots of combo and playstyle potential owing to the swaps but also a new Style system. I used the default Sword style but I'm sure other people will experiment to see which suits em best. The game is very well made with a good roster of enemies, locations and even "puzzles" but I would be lying if I didn't find some missions frustrating. Sometimes the layouts are very confusing and you can get lost, thankfully most missions are straightforward. The soundtrack is just as good as 1's but I like it a little less since it doesn't have the same horror vibe. To be fair, the series itself moved away from horror and none has captured that atmosphere again. Minor complaint though. Oh and another nitpick about 3 is how most enemies bleed sand. It probably sounds ridiculous but I wish they had blood, I mean even marionettes in 1 had blood for some reason. I wonder if anyone else thinks this way lol. All that said, this is a fantastic action game and a great prequel that gives much needed backstory to many of the characters we see across the series.
Devil May Cry is a must play for any action game enjoyers or people that want to get into the genre, so this collection is perfect for this. However, be warned that these games are also known for their difficulty and rightly so. They need some dedication to learn movesets and timing, but most importantly get comfortable with the gameplay. Even Normal modes are a challenge but that's what makes em so rewarding and multiple difficulties keep them replayable.