Devil May Cry

Capcom’s Devil May Cry was released for PlayStation 2 in 2001 and established the action series starring demon hunter Dante. The project began as an early version of Resident Evil 4, but director Hideki Kamiya and producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi moved it away from survival horror after its fast combat, gothic settings, and supernatural protagonist no longer suited Resident Evil. The resulting game became a major example of the “stylish action” genre, rewarding players for varied combat rather than simply defeating enemies. The story opens at Dante’s office, where a mysterious woman named Trish hires him to investigate Mallet Island. She tells him that the demon emperor Mundus is preparing to return to the human world. Dante accepts because Mundus was defeated two thousand years earlier by the legendary demon knight Sparda, Dante’s father. Sparda rebelled against his own kind, sealed the demon world, and protected humanity. Dante enters the island’s castle, fighting demons while gradually learning more about his family and Trish’s motives. Dante’s primary weapons are the twin pistols Ebony and Ivory and the sword Force Edge, which once belonged to Sparda. During the game, he acquires the lightning sword Alastor and the fire-based gauntlets Ifrit. These weapons give him distinct movesets and contribute to the game’s ranking system, which grades missions according to speed, damage taken, items used, and combat performance. Dante can also activate Devil Trigger, temporarily assuming a more powerful demonic form with enhanced attacks and health recovery. Among the game’s recurring bosses are Phantom, a spider-like demon; Griffon, a bird-shaped servant of Mundus; Nightmare, a living bio-weapon; and Nelo Angelo, an armored swordsman who proves to be Dante’s twin brother Vergil. Vergil had been corrupted and controlled by Mundus after the brothers were separated in childhood. Dante eventually defeats Nelo Angelo and confronts Mundus, who has used Trish as bait because she resembles Dante’s mother, Eva. Trish initially betrays Dante, but later saves him from Mundus’s attack. Her sacrifice awakens Dante’s full power, allowing him to defeat Mundus with the restored Force Edge and Sparda’s strength. In the ending, Trish survives and joins Dante at his business. The office sign changes from “Devil May Cry” to “Devil Never Cry,” while the pair prepare to confront further demon attacks.