The story revolves around Dante, a half-human/half-demon hybrid. He still looks human, but has enhanced strength, speed, and endurance. Since the demo didn't touch upon the story too much, I had to do a little digging. I found out that apparently Dante's father, Sparda, was a demon who betrayed the other demons to save mankind; and Satan killed him for it. So Dante is off on his quest for revenge, Jet Li style. Sounds cool already huh?

Dante comes equipped with a sword aptly dubbed the Devil Arms and two custom handguns nicknamed Ebony and Ivory (one's black and one's white in case you're wondering). The game also features a weapons upgrade option similar to the one found in Onimusha. Dante's weapons apparently have different elemental capabilities, but since only the lightning-based sword is available in the demo, I can't say what the others are. I'm sure we'll find out in the final version.

The graphics are extremely well done. The surroundings are very dark and gothic, giving the game a much more fantastic feel than that of the Resident Evil series. The graphic engine adopts a style quite similar to Onimusha, except Devil May Cry is fully 3D. You won't find any pre-rendered backgrounds here. The game moves very quickly and the graphic engine does a good job of maintaining the pace. Great lighting effects, especially in Dante's special attacks, give Devil May Cry another visual boost. I'm not sure if any CG will be used, but looking at the in-game visuals I don't think it would really matter.

The best part of this demo were the controls. This game handles like a dream and getting around is much easier than in any Resident Evil game. No stairs? No problem. Yes, Dante can jump, and can even do a Strider-type double jump off the walls. In addition, Dante can also move while shooting, a concept Capcom didn't integrate until recently. Attacks come in all shapes and sizes, and are visciously fast. Traditional sword slashes are quick and cheap , but the game does feature some really neat special moves. One example can be witnessed when Dante knocks an opponent into the air with his sword and shoots them to pieces before they even hit the ground. Such attacks make the game very exciting and cool to play. (Editor's Note: exactly the goal Mikami-san was aiming for!)

The music of this game seems minimal from the start, but when you face you're first enemies it switches over to a Matrix-esque techno sound, which adds alot to the hectic style of the fighting. The sound effects aren't much, but I don't suppose they would be in a demo. The small voice samples at the beginning seem good, but I'm not betting that the voices will be anything stunning. Capcom is going to have to show me more to get my vote.

Devil May Cry has all the makings to set a new tone for 3D games, especially in the survival horror subgenre. Capcom is going back to the idea of good gameplay versus fancy images and gore galore and it's got me thirsty with excitement. Devil May Cry is scheduled for a release in mid-October, so if you want an early taste of what's to come, pick up the playable demo that's included with Resident Evil Code: Veronica X.

· · · Space Cowboy

The glorious mind of Shinji Mikami is at it again, developer of the acclaimed survival horror franchises: Resident Evil and Dino Crisis is hard at work on his latest project (Capcom's second action to grace the PlayStation2 platform); entitled Devil May Cry.

Taking a step away from the Resident Evil series, Devil May Cry introduces us Dante, the hybrid demon humanoid who is the descendant of Sparda, a demon who 2000 years ago defended humanity from his fellow demons. Now, two millenia later, we find Dante working as a private detective; using his skills to discern that the evil of the past has returned and are the very ones responsible for the death of his family. Reprising the role as his father before him, Dante must thwart the attempt on his own life and in turn save the world once again from destruction.

Devil May Cry not only steers competely away from the zombies and other elements featured within RE, but the story development will also be significantly different. In the same manner that Dino Crisis 2 featured edge-of-your-seat, fast paced action, Devil May Cry will adopt a similar atmosphere and will definitely deliver the same degree of excitement. Other signifcant features include a jump button, a control element absent from the Resident Evil series. Furthermore, Dante will be armed with an arsenal of firearms and a sword, and possess the ability to transform into a winged demon, although its unclear what will cause this transformation and the added abilities he will acquire during his morphed state.

Adopting a gothic and Victorian atmosphere, Devil May Cry features a plethora of pre-rendered backgrounds and 3D modeled characters, each taking full advantage of the untapped power of the PS. Mikami-san has been quoted as saying that "Devil May Cry is now more beautiful visually than the opening movie of the original Biohazard". Reminiscient of Castlevania and Legacy of Kain, combined with Capcom's own distinct flair and integrity for detail and graphical excllence and it should be quite apparent how impressive Devil May Cry's graphic engine will express.

Devil May Cry is scheduled for release in Japan this summer and a projected release here in the states during the Christmas seson. Eager import gamers can get a glimpse of the game in action by purchasing the import version of Resident Evil: Code Veronica Complete Edition . TNL will continue to report any highlights of the game's progress as it becomes available.

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