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The original Devil May Cry is still worth playing if you enjoy learning a demanding action game: its responsive combat and gothic atmosphere give patience a clear payoff. Its melodramatic voice acting, thin story, short campaign, and dated presentation are real drawbacks, so it is a better fit for players drawn to combat than to narrative or modern polish.
What game this review covers
This is Capcom’s original Devil May Cry, released for PlayStation 2 in 2001—not DmC: Devil May Cry, the later reboot. In the original, Dante battles demons with firearms and close-range weapons. GameSpot reviewer Shahed Ahmed praised the responsive controls and the way combat rewards players who develop their skill, writing that “Devil May Cry rewards the skillful game player.” GameSpot’s review was published on October 17, 2001.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Devil May Cry: Code: 2 Vergil | $599.51 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Devil May Cry Volume 2 | $299.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Does Devil May Cry hold up?
Combat that rewards learning
The game’s strongest reason to return is its combat loop. Attacks feel responsive, and improvement comes from getting better at using Dante’s weapons and responding to enemies—not simply from watching the story unfold. That makes early difficulty part of the appeal for players who like mastering a game through practice. It can also be a barrier if you want a forgiving action adventure or prefer progress that does not depend on refining your play.
Atmosphere over narrative
GameSpot praised the game’s visuals and satisfying gameplay, while criticizing its melodramatic voice acting and superficial story. The gothic mood gives the action a distinctive identity, but the plot and performances are unlikely to be the main reason to play. Capcom later described the original as the game that inspired the series and highlighted its isolated exploration and tough boss battles in its HD Collection announcement.
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#1 Best Overall
- Used Book in Good Condition
Older design and presentation
Whether it feels dated depends partly on what you value. The combat’s responsiveness and atmosphere were still enjoyable to GameSpot’s reviewer of the HD Collection, but that review also reported audio, visual-effects, and aspect-ratio problems in the port it examined. Those are criticisms of that reviewed HD release, not a claim that every version has identical presentation issues. GameSpot’s HD Collection review is useful context if you are choosing that edition.
How long is Devil May Cry?
In his 2001 review, Ahmed estimated that completing the game on harder difficulty levels took a little less than 10 hours. That is one reviewer’s estimate, not a guaranteed playtime or a modern average. He also judged replay value beyond the rising difficulty to be limited, so the game is a relatively focused campaign rather than an extensive collection of distinct repeat-play content. GameSpot’s review contains that assessment.
Rank #2
- Used Book in Good Condition
Which edition includes the first Devil May Cry?
Devil May Cry HD Collection is the collection to look for if you want the 2001 original together with other mainline entries. Capcom announced it for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in digital and retail forms, with a March 13, 2018 release date. Its announced contents are the original Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition. That announcement establishes the collection’s contents and launch platforms, not what is currently in stock or sold in every region. Capcom’s collection announcement gives the publisher’s edition details.
GameSpot’s listing identifies the original on PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Switch as well as in the HD Collection context. Platform availability and current store listings can vary, so check that a listing matches the platform, region, and edition you intend to play. The HD Collection presents the game in 1080p, but GameSpot’s review found that higher-resolution presentation did not eliminate the port quirks it reported. Read the HD Collection review for those observations.
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