The first
installment of this series made serious waves with gamers. The mix of
gothic elements and technology was intriguing, the kinetic/near-aerial
combat was intense, and the beautifully rendered environments were
inspiring. It promised an evolution for fixed perspective games that was
a must see for the future. So here we are in the next installment, and I
must say that the expected progression is absent. Although some of the
well-loved elements from DMC are still here, the environments have
expanded, and the fighting is still frenetic, DMC2 takes a real beating
in the categories of replayability, complexity, and most importantly in
my mind, storyline.
Probably the
most coherent portrayal of storyline is in the manual included with the
game. If you rented it without the manual, you really arent missing out
on much as far as how to play the game, but you definitely arent going
to understand much of whats going on from a storyline perspective
through the game and its supposedly "instructive" cut scenes. The game
is set on Dumary Island, a place where ancient pagan zealots came to
live to escape persecution. The land that evolved is a mix of archaic,
gothic elements and modern technological advances. An evil international
corporation is infiltrating the island and hopes of acquiring the
"special ores discovered in the islands interior." In the game I got
the idea that an old crone had trained a woman (named Lucia who you get
to play in the second disc) to help Dante, the "cool-as-ice" demon
hunter, defeat the corporation. Does this make any difference in the
game? Does the plot take any unexpected twists? Do I end up caring about
anything else but mindlessly killing demons? Not really.
Now many of you
may be saying, "Why cant you just enjoy a game for the action?" My
answer to that has to do with the type of game DMC2 sets itself up to
be. I dont mind sitting back and enjoying the action when the action
itself is the object of a game. Take fighting games for example. The
only goal is to kick some ass
I can appreciate that. But as soon as a
game widens to the point where youre given a larger environment to move
in and things that are called "missions" that imply some sort of goal,
my expectations rise. I expect that I will be driven to complete the
mission because of some important information, booty, or if nothing
else, a progression in location to move me closer to my ultimate goal.
Now if we think about how people work psychologically, we know that a
goal shrouded in mystery can only work up to a point. I am content not
knowing specifically what I will face in the end as long as, along the
way, I uncover more and more clues to intrigue me. This is the first
rule of tension in storytelling. It is why we turn the pagebecause we
want to know what happens. When you take out the element of "what
happens," the only other reasons to keep going are to see really cool
things or to fight really cool battles. This is an "ooohhh and aaahhhh"
factor that has a limited appeal. The games that stick in my mind years
later are ones that combine this with characters I get to know through
my gameplay and situations that capture my imagination. It is the
adventure part of an action-adventure game that requires this sort of
forward progression that is helped immensely by plot development.
DMC2 has no
real character development, doesnt let itself build together as a
story, and completing the missions becomes unsatisfying. All that is
then left is the possibility of "ooohh and aaahhh." This game comes
through with environments that are sometimes very beautiful and always
skillfully rendered. This is a definite "ooohhh." The fighting is
incredibly smooth, and besides gravity defying leaps, aerial kicks,
flips, rolls, multi-directional firing capacity with your guns,
sword-swinging combos, and wall climbing leaps, you can also endow your
amulet with the ability to fly and use your demon trigger to make
yourself a force to be reckoned with. How cool is that? Very-- but there
are problems. The enemies on the first default setting (more on this
later) dont require any fighting savvy on the part of the player and
the weapons are more limited than the first game (and although the
different characters have different weapons and special attacks, they
still play very much the same). But mostly it is that the environments
dont require the maximum use of movement options that they could. With
such leaping abilities, it is disappointing to be only able to leap on
roofs occasionally and then only one level up on most occasions. I
remember when the old side-scrollers tried to add playing depth and so
they went up (apt examples include the first Contra, Kid Icarus, or
Donkey Kong). This game screams with the need for environments that
optimize the movement abilities of its characters, and for a fixed
perspective game with a character who has unequaled vertical, up is the
best option.
Camera and
perspective in this game is a difficult issue for me to talk about. I am
from the school that prefers the full 360 degree/3D movement and camera
(a la Tomb Raider) in action/adventure games. I think that complex
environments require the ability to look around the environment and
change perspective. However, I realize that many people are fonder of
the Resident Evil style fixed perspective. I am pleased with this game,
in a way, because I think that it shifts the camera often enough to add
interest and usually allows you to see elements of the environment that
you need to see to continue (I remember a game where I ended up
re-playing a whole level because I missed a door the camera never would
showthank goodness this game is not that way). However, there are
occasions when the enemies you are fighting are off screen (you just
have to fire blindly and pray) and the times during battle when the
camera pulls back a little too far to see as well as youd like.
Probably my worst gripe with fixed perspective games is the switch in
directions when you enter a new room. But to be fair to this type of
game, the camera is, for the most part, handled very well.
The
music swings from ethereal, orchestral pieces as you explore to
"heavy-metal mayhem" when you get attacked. Even if you are firing at
enemies off screen, you know youve beaten them when the music returns
to soothing and bucolic. This element is definitely a strength for the
game and supports the feeling of dichotomy in the industrial/archaic
world that DMC2 creates. The voice acting is interesting, although the
accents are hard to place (I guess I wouldnt recognize a "Dumary"
accent anyway, huh?). The sound effects for enemies and for the
environment are minimal. There isnt any in-game dialogue or "witty
quips," which I can say I dont miss, but a lack of meaningful,
plot-driven dialogue in the cut screens is sorely missing.
Probably
the main thing that needs to be discussed is the way DMC2 is set up to
add replayability. The game begins with a default difficulty setting
that is changed by beating both discs. It is extremely easy, so much so
that a friend of mine completed the first disc without dying once. The
enemies are like fleas really, mostly a minor annoyance. If you finish
the game, then you can replay it in a hard mode. Once you beat it that
way, it gives you a "must die" mode, and if you beat the game in that,
you unlock extra characters to play. The first go-through is really
short. The question then becomes, "Did you have enough fun playing
through the environments to warrant another two go-rounds at the entire
game?" I cant really say that I did. Getting there was not really half
the fun. But the upside is that the enemies actually pose a threat after
multiple playings and become a challenge. However, the lack of
complexity in the game doesnt really make harder enemies any more of an
attraction. I keep thinking of games like Splinter Cell where there are
so many ways of going through a mission that replaying a level is a joy,
and I dont feel that way at all about DMC2. You can unlock extra
missions and find hidden areas in the game, but even then, its hard to
work up the excitement needed to play the same limp levels over and
over.
I know Im
being really hard on this gameits probably because Im upset at the
unmet potential that I feel it has. It really does have a cool feel
about it and a promising fighting/movement style. Both newcomers and
fans of the first game will probably want to rent it because of the
shortness, if for no other reason. If you like it well enough to go
through the hoops to get extra characters, then by all means, take home
a copy of your own. But I am hoping that the next installment (and I
have to say I do hope they make one, which means that Im not totally
giving up on the title) puts more complexity into the storyline and
initial playing experiences rather than just "teasing the animals" with
the promise of more coolness later.