really great game thats set back a bit by a few terrible bosses and different areas. certain stages in ds1 are solely difficult because they are annoying and incredibly tedious which just isnt fun. i also think how information is fed to the player is really hit or miss, as some super vital information on weapons, areas, or leveling systems (soft caps etc.) is practically inaccessible on a blind run. this game at it's best is too good to not praise though; the settings, the world, the (good) bosses, the combat, the music, the lore and the freedom to play how you want is genuinely incredible.

not done all the DLC but finished main story. can't wait to play ds2 (LOL)

i dont know what the hell happened for this game to be released after the second but it's kino...

improves on everything that makes the first game great with the storyline that the series deserves. the central plot primarily focusing on arkham and lady really accentuates the familial rivalry between dante and vergil, and how they represent both sides of their bloodline, with dante finding his path against vergil through his opposition of arkham. this game turns dante into a genuinely great character while adding a ton of charm that the previous more stoic renditions didnt show. even if the story in this game sucked, the cutscenes of dante taunting every fucked up boss or side character that wants to kill him would make this game worth playing

the combat system dmc3 offers is impressively complex as well, being a huge improvement from the previous games while also maintaining what makes the hack and slash of dmc great. after the first playthrough, i feel like i've explored maybe 30% of the combat in this game, with the variation of skill sets and weapons with separate attack patterns, you could play though 10 times and still not explore everything the combat offers.

dmc2 tosses a random boss into every level that says no word, makes no sense, and can be completely kited and shot dead with dantes guns in a couple mintues. dmc3 has bosses every few missions that are actual personalities that make sense to the setting and have reason to contest dante, with completely different attack patterns and ways to be beaten. almost none of these bosses can be beaten on first try (maybe they can I might just be #ass), but the rinse and repeat of learning the fight pattern and getting to the point of beating them always felt warranted and incredibly deserving. the vergil fights are especially fantastic, as he initially feels the most "doable" for dante, as he's less physically demanding than most the bosses, but as you begin each round with him, you realize how hard he outclasses dante in comparison to every other boss. each of these fights feels like a genuine duel of brothers trying to one up each other, which makes the final encounter feel incredibly cathartic.... its peak

also few scenes go harder than dante and vergil swapping swords THROUGH arkham for a final barrage, just to finish the fight with both of them taking a final shot with ebony & ivory...

JACKPOT