Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, known in Japan as simply Devil May Cry 3,a is a hack and slash video game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and ported to Microsoft Windows in 2006. The game is a prequel to the original Devil May Cry, featuring a younger Dante. Set a decade before the events of the first Devil May Cry in an enchanted tower, Temen-ni-gru, the story centers on the dysfunctional relationship between Dante and his brother Vergil. The game introduces new combat mechanics with an emphasis on combos and fast paced action. The story is told primarily in cutscenes using the game's engine, with several pre-rendered full motion videos.
Devil May Cry 3 was widely praised by critics, hailing it as a return to form for the series, yet did receive some criticisms for its high level of difficulty in the North American version. This was later addressed in the rebalanced special edition of the game.. It was re‐released in 2006 as Devil May Cry 3: Special Editionb featuring retooled difficulty levels, the addition of mid-mission checkpoints, "GOLD mode", and Vergil as a playable character. Combined sales of both versions were over 2.3 million. It has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time.
A 2005 manga prequel to Devil May Cry 3's storyline was published in Japan and later the United States.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Devil May Cry 3 consists of levels ("missions") in which players battle enemies, carry out platforming tasks and solve puzzles to progress through the story. The player's performance in each mission is graded from D through C, B and A, with top marks of S and SS. Grades are based on time taken to complete a mission, the number of red orbs (currency obtained from defeated enemies) gathered, "stylish" combat, item usage and damage received.
The games tracks stylish combat by an on-screen gauge, which is the performance of a series of attacks ("combos") while avoiding damage. The longer a player attacks without repetition and evades damage, the higher the score. The gauge registers "Dope" after a few attacks, progressing through "Crazy", "Blast", "Alright", "Sweet", "SShowtime" to peak at "SSStylish". If Dante receives damage, the style rating falls; if the gauge is "Crazy" or below, it will reset. Devil May Cry 3's battle system allows a player to link attacks, with each weapon having a set number of attacks.
Devil Trigger is a mechanic which enables the player's character to assume a demonic form. This alters the character's appearance, increases attack and defense, restores health and enables special attacks. This is a departure from the previous titles, where Dante draws power from weapons and items he procures throughout the game. The Devil Trigger state lasts as long as there is energy in the Devil Trigger gauge; the gauge rises by attacking (or taunting) enemies in normal mode, and falls when using the Devil Trigger transformation or other abilities using Devil Trigger power (such as the Quicksilver and Doppelganger styles, described below). The Devil Trigger mode is not available to Dante until one-third of the way through the game, while Vergil (playable in the special edition) has the ability at the outset.
The other major difference from previous Devil May Cry games is Devil May Cry 3's combat system, which allows a player to choose one of Dante's four combat styles; each style has a different focus and techniques. Dante can switch between all four currently equipped weapons (two guns, two melees) on the fly, allowing for far greater combat freedom and variety than in previous Devil May Cry games. Style selection is available at checkpoints and at the beginning of each level. The styles are Trickster, for dodging and agility; Swordmaster, with abilities for swords and other weapons; Gunslinger, with firearms techniques; and Royal Guard, which allows a player to repel attacks with a button press (storing energy for retaliation). Later in the game, two additional styles become unlocked: Quicksilver, slowing enemies, while the character attacks at normal speed; and Doppelgänger, which creates a shadow double who fights alongside Dante. A second player may control the shadow double by pressing "Start" on a second controller. A two-player mode, similar to the Doppelgänger style, is accessible while Dante and Vergil battle Arkham. In the special edition Vergil has another style, Dark Slayer, which is similar to Trickster.
Plot
Devil May Cry 3 – which takes place before the first game – starts with Dante's yet-unnamed shop in an American metropolis. A mysterious man, Arkham, arrives with an invitation from Dante's brother Vergil in the guise of a demonic attack. After Dante defeats a group of demons, a huge tower erupts from the ground nearby, eclipsing the sprawling city surrounding it. Sensing that Vergil is on top of the structure, Dante interprets this as a challenge. He begins fighting more demons during his journey which become his weapons once defeated. Dante is attacked by a woman on a motorcycle who turns out to be Mary, Arkham's daughter, who wants revenge on her father for causing her mother's death. It's revealed that Arkham works for Vergil; they plan to take Dante's half of their mother's amulet and use its power on the tower to connect the human and demonic worlds.
