Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

Detroit Free Press

Devil May Cry 3's music, a cross between hardcore heavy metal and techno, enhances the dark tale. In between missions, there is spooky whispering that sounds like what you'd imagine an Ozzy Osbourne record being played backward would be like.

Times Online

Decent graphics that hold up smoothly in the height of fighting, plus atmospheric cut-scenes, great locations and superb sound effects all measure up to a memorable, if utterly exhausting, experience.

RewiredMind

The best action game on the current generation of systems; it has everything you could ever want in such a title within the genre – including the most important facet of all, depth – and lots of it too.

Gamezilla!

Devil May Cry 3 Dante's Awakening will bring action fans to their knees.

IGN

It has five difficulty settings (all challenging, most insane), plenty of secret missions, unlockable bonuses and costumes, an easy to use interface, and more brain-twisting puzzles than the first two games combined. In other words, it's the reason you bought a PlayStation 2.

My Gamer

Definitely one of the best games on the PS2. With excellent gameplay and graphics, Capcom has greatly raised the bar in the action genre.

Game Chronicles

It has everything a good action game should have: mind-blowingly awesome action, gameplay that is a blast, beautiful and unique graphics, an interesting storyline that engages the imagination, and a charming and likeable hero that remains interesting, even if he’s a bit clichéd.

GameSpot AU

That killer axe is just one of the many weapons you'll get to take on hell's minions, and epitomises the game succinctly - oh-so stylish, over the top and yet fiendlishly difficult to master.

TotalGames.net

As long as you don't mind your games having a bit of a kick to them, you should be picking this up as soon as possible.

BonusStage

I’m still kind of miffed that you don’t get your Devil Trigger abilities until about halfway into the game, but when you do get it, it’s worth it.

Into Liquid Sky

DMC3 is bigger, better, more badass, and more fun then the first one and gives you some back-story for the first game in a way... Just make sure that you have someone to cry to when the same boss beats you repeatedly for the last half hour, because believe me it will happen.

Gaming Age

The game is less about story, experience or ambience and more about mastering the artful techniques and challenges presented by the game. It's a very time-consuming, frustrating but rewarding and unique experience.

Pelaaja (Finland)

The game transforms simple demon slaughtering into a higher art in a way that simply cannot be put into words. [May 2005, p.58]

AceGamez

A delicious mix of the best aspects of the first two games, with more innovation and a cockier, funnier Dante. The action is truly flawless.

PSX Extreme

A crazy mix of the first two Devil May Cry titles, with a bit of innovation and a more upbeat Dante. The action is flawless.

Australian GamePro

It wins out on style, showcasing some of the very best storytelling in gaming, a likable hero and compelling gameplay in an atmosphere and tone that sits comfortably with its Gen-X audience.

Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

Combat-heavy adventure with shooters and swords. [Jan 2007, p.106]

PSX Nation

The addition of the style system, a concrete storyline and a slick new arsenal of moves makes this entry arguably the best in the series so far. However, don't be mistaken, Devil May Cry 3 is hard as hell.

VGPub

The story is fast paced, interesting and hip plus the production value is Hollywood quality.

Inside Gamer Online

Devil May Cry 3 is this year’s PS2 version of "Ninja Gaiden," and it’s arguably better.

GamePro

Having to worry about more than button mashing is something new for Devil May Cry, and it can make things tricky in the beginning--even on the easiest level, you'll need to fight intelligently from the start or you'll die a quick, painful death.

PSM Magazine

It has everything "DMC2" didn't, and evolves everything that made "DMC1" great. [March 2005, p.66]

Game Informer

Offering improvements that add a brand new dimension to the combo-driven demon meat carving, this title takes the concept of a hardcore action experience and contorts it into a humiliating position before administering a handgun enema... DMC3 is, without a doubt, the most difficult game I have played this generation. [March 2005, p.121]

NTSC-uk

Everything that fans of the original have been craving and much more besides as it surpasses "DMC1" in pretty much every conceivable way. [JPN Import]

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Capcom took the formula that worked so well for the original Devil May Cry and added depth with new techniques that work incredibly well given the way enemies act in the game. This—plus the excellent cut-scenes, amazing backgrounds, and great character models—proves DMC 3 is a worthy successor to Dante's original adventure.

Cheat Code Central

Those hardcore gamers and DMC fans looking for an incredible challenge will be rewarded beyond their expectations... DMC 3 is loaded with action, depth and replay value - all presented with some of the best production values ever seen on the PS2.

GameZone

Levels are huge; boss battles are outrageous; the difficulty is extreme; and the action is as fast as you can get without turning the game into something obnoxious.

GamerFeed

As teeth-gnashingly tough as they get, but those who stick through its paces will be well rewarded with the kind of action and beautiful looks that the first game was known for, along with a much better storyline that lines up the series.

GamingTrend

It is a tough game, but once you get past the early part it is pretty smooth sailing.

Pelit (Finland)

A great sequel packed with speed, style and deep gameplay. Be warned, though, the game is incredibly hard, especially in the beginning. [May. 05]

Siliconera

While not the most innovative game, Devil May Cry 3 has all of the slick combat you would expect out of the title.

GameSpot

Overcoming DMC 3's near-vertical learning curve could prove extremely frustrating, to the point where some players will justifiably give up after repeatedly failing the first few missions. That's really too bad, because anyone who perseveres long enough to learn the ropes will probably agree that Devil May Cry 3 is one of the best PS2 action adventure games since the original.

Weekly Famitsu

9 / 9 / 8 / 8 - 34 gold [Vol 845]

Play Magazine

Learn and hone your attacks, consider the deceivingly complex structure of the game, and the reward is tremendously satisfying. [Apr 2005, p.54]

GameCritics

There's one hell of a third-person action game to be found here—quite possibly the best in its class—for anyone willing to look beyond the game's off-putting exterior.

GameBiz

Solid gameplay, an excellent story-line, interesting moments, unique puzzles, and massive environments, however every game has its down points and unfortunately Devil May Cry’s biggest down points are annoying ones.

PALGN

The core gameplay outside of the combat is identical to the original game, the camera can still cause problems, enemies could have had a little more variety, some of the bosses are lacking in quality compared to others while the soundtrack is slightly limited. But none of these hinder the game in any major way.

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

DMC3 is truly hardcore and seriously challenging but partly at the expense of being playable and fun. [GamesMaster]

Yahoo! Games

Neophytes may find the game's imposing difficulty tedious, but fans of the series will think Capcom has tapped into divinity with Dante's Awakening. It's got superb production values, exhilirating action... and besides, what would Dante say to his detractors? "To hell with them."

G4 TV

It's nowhere near as groundbreaking or accessible as the impeccable "Resident Evil 4", but when you look at other PS2 action game releases this year like "Tenchu" or "Nanobreaker" you see just how far above average this game is.

Maxim Online

The result is an action fighting game that sometimes feels as slick as a disco showdown—after all, style counts just as much in the underworld as it does in the fashion world.

Total Video Games

A dark mix of revealing narrative and gun-toting, sword-swinging, demon slaying action that works well with a result that's certainly satisfying.

Gamer's Hell

Although there have been many games in this mold, Devil May Cry 3 sets itself apart from others by incorporating fighting styles to keep this game fresh, instead of just repetitive.

Computer and Video Games

Well, we hate to say it, but DMC3 is still no "Devil May Cry." The world has moved on, folks, and a lot of that game's sheen is now standard issue in gaming. [PSW]

Edge Magazine

It’s a strange situation for the series to truly hit its stride in a game that’s both beginning and conclusion, and you can’t help but wish Dante would never grow up, that there could have been more stories of his teenage roundhouse kicks. [Apr 2005, p.90]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

OK yeah, the game's tough—as in Ninja Gaiden, you'll have to learn certain techniques to beat particular enemies. But the action is so much more interesting and entertaining in DMC3 than it was in the previous games, thanks mainly to the new fighting-style system, I didn't really mind the difficulty.

GameSpy

A superlative action game with an absurdly high difficulty level. That's just the long and short of it, and this may be good or bad depending on your disposition. Personally, I found it equal parts satisfying and frustrating.

Thunderbolt

A detailed, consistent, artful slice of action adventure, bursting at the seams with the quality of the combat and visuals, optimised admirably by a developer who has learned the PS2 through and through – you wouldn’t want to miss out on that, would you?

Gamestyle

The PS2 engine may be showing its age ever so slightly, but the fluidity of the action is something Gamestyle did not expect to see until the next generation of consoles.

Sydney Morning Herald

The dialogue and plot are as cheesy as the pizza Dante gobbles while slicing baddies but the presentation is astonishing.

Eurogamer

Sure, Capcom has completely over-compensated by making the game initially too hard, but once you get over this frightful difficulty hump, one of 2005's most accomplished and enjoyable games emerges from the fug.

games(TM)

While we’ve all seen two dozen enemies cluttering up the screen while you hack into them for ten minutes by repeatedly hammering a single button, Dante’s Awakening does it properly. As with all the previous titles, the combat is superb. [Apr 2005, p.120]

eToychest

DMC3, predominantly, is not difficult. It is an exercise in patience—in passing through agonising roadblocks to reach the border between frustration and fun, and the former wins out.

1UP

Crosses the line that separates challenging from cheap. Charismatic and brazen to a fault, it is something of a return to form, but denies the gamer an honest challenge and the eye-opening lack of balance results in a sometimes-electrifying game that isn't especially fun to play.

Stuff

And speaking of those late stages, don't plan on seeing them. Ever. This game is so controller-bustingly hard that even the one guy in the office who beat "Ninja Gaiden" ended up wetting himself, then shivering in a corner of the Xerox room all afternoon. Which is a real shame, because behind that near-impossible difficulty there's a big, beautiful action game here.

AltGaming

Even a game so entwined with the concept of hell and damnation shouldn't make playing it a torture. Given proper time to cultivate skills, this game will yield a sumptuous banquet for you to enjoy - but sadly it doesn't get anywhere near the casual treat it should have been.

Game Revolution

In the end, I was left with a surprisingly good feeling about Devil May Cry 3, despite my idea during hour 5, still on the second level, of breaking the disc into tiny shards and sticking them in my eyes. The latter part of the game becomes quite enjoyable.

TotalPlayStation

You know when you see that guy in the Porsche convertable with the bad combover trying to drag race everyone at the stop light? It's called overcompensation, and we've got a pretty bad case of it right here.

GameShark

The game is just plain unapproachable to the average gamer... Is it possible that whoever play-balanced Devil May Cry 3 is a bitter person who loathes humanity and is working actively for the death of joy in the world?

Computer Games Magazine

As ridiculous and entrenched as its name. [June 2005, p.87]