Devil May Cry 2: General Discussion

It's probably not surprising that this game doesn't already have a general discussion topic, but Raeng's recent post on high level players got me thinking about it.

Honestly, I think the game is a little hard done to. It's certainly not a great game, and some parts of it are truly dreadful and rightfully slated. A boss fight against a zombie helicopter sounds interesting on paper, but in execution...we know how that turned out!

I don't think it's an awful game all-round though. I'd say it's certainly the weakest title in the franchise (reboot included), but the gameplay additions in this title helped lay the framework for DMC3, which stands amongst the best titles in the entire genre. The extra movement options that the dodge button offered were re-worked in Dante's Trickster style. The Ebony & Ivory technique Twosome Time debuted in this game (although I don't think it was given that name here), and the Shotgun combo-enders were used for the Gunslinger style. Even Fireworks is in this game! The concept behind the Flame, Frost and Electro Hearts was also re-used in DMC3, where weapons did elemental damage and would be more/less useful depending on the enemy you were facing.

Interestingly, they changed the core system for melee attack strings. In other titles, you could vary combos by leaving a pause between certain inputs. In this game, you could use alternate combos by pushing the control stick in a direction at the same time as attacking. This wasn't particularly well received by most players, and while i'd agree it's not a good decision, I don't think it makes the game significantly worse. You can unlock Trish in this game, and her gameplay style completely ditches the new string system in favor of the one found in the other titles.

Combo videos aren't to everybodies taste, but I think this one by Javelina Devil is particularly impressive given it demonstrates gameplay from a title that is renowned for having poor combat.



What do you guys think of the game? As bad as the general consensus suggests, or underrated to an extent?

I liked it. One of the things I liked about it was that it had the best campaigns in the series, if you know what I mean. I always did like the customizable DT. The full enjoyment is in the later difficulties. I didn't mind the directional combo attacks. As you said, it is the weakest. There aren't any new weapons or moves to try out at the store but this is the groundwork of the sequel and the modern DMC games.

Agree with your entire post Greg. Can't say I'd ever go back to it, but I feel exactly the same way.

It doesn't seem bad from that video. How are the enemies? Do they put up a fight? I always heard guns are OP in this game, is it true even on harder difficulties?

I'll say something that might shock people: I initially liked it more than DMC3.

NOW HOLD UP. LET ME FINISH BEFORE THE DOX ATTACKS BEGIN.

I played DMC3 first coming from NGB, and I didn't get into the 'flow' sort of speak. Beat DMC1 after that, and then DMC2. DMC2 has a really...efficient style around it. Tons of little toys to tinker with to make fights go by in seconds, items are rewarded etc.

The enemies are practically braindead so it really is more of a toybox where you're god. It isn't nearly as bad a game as people make it out to be, but coming from DMC1 I can understand it must be pretty jarring at times. If this was the original game, and DMC1 the sequel, it would have totally understood.

> RedShot

I suppose that's the problem with a combo video - it doesn't always truly represent the moment to moment gameplay. Most of the enemies are braindead as Raeng says, but some enemies on DMD are a handful when they activate DT as they can't be stunned and are very aggressive.


> Raeng

Somebody is in the process of deleting your site after that comment In all seriousness, It's an alright game. The final boss stands out to me as one of the finer moments. Is item use encouraged? I was under the impression your rank was punished for using items.

Using items does lower the rank.

>Raeng

Interesting opinion, I skipped it for its reputation but I want to try it now. I'm sure I played worse titles.

>Gregorinho

Yes, combo videos have this trait. When I want to watch some high level play I usually watch an entire mission such as DMC1-3 or MG Rising's ones.

Items are strange in DMC games, they are used as cheat items or continues.

Items are punished, but you can still get an S-rank despite using them. Since the game doesn't have an SS rank or a Special Bonus, lots of high level play is built around using DT items for example. Player N472a has some content with that on display.



In DMC1 it'd tank your rank, same with DMC3 and 4 which would make SS(S) impossible respectively. Again, it's a decent game but also not fantastic don't get me wrong. I love DMC3 a lot more than it now. Though I dislike grades, since they are meaningless, I'd still put DMC2 at the bottom of the series currently, easily. It is the worst title, but it does have merrit and is far from the "0/10" most people make it out to be. Though I am also surprised that some publications gave it a perfect 10, that's overkill.

I also feel the game shines a lot more when you play as Lucia and or Trish.

Ok, I finished Dante's story and now I'm using Lucia. It's definitely not a "0/10 game", I like some bosses and the customizable DT.

Enjoy! Lucia is very different. Tales regarding the game's development are very sparse and I sometimes think they are also marketing for the newer games, but I still believe this was just a minor action title staring Lucia that, in a panic that DMC was succesful, got moulded into DMC2 to bank on the hype. I still doubt Capcom thought DMC would be the hit that it was.

Well, I didn't expect an aquatic mission with Lucia, but in other cases her style is not bad. However I miss Dante's weapons (especially his firearms) and I prefer action games with a single character or with multiple ones that are added later (like Vergil in DMC3SE or Sam in MGR). They could have incorporated Lucia and Trish's weapons in Dante's movelist through styles or something similar to DT's customization.

Trish is basically DMC1 Dante by the way, which is why she plays so nice. Might even be the same skeleton iirc. I fully agree on the character thing, I always prefer that too.