Back in 2002, Capcom gave us a well-remembered title that frustrated and entertained gamers in equal measure. That game was Devil May Cry, and it was good. The combination of a well-defined main character, plenty of cheesy plot twists, and plenty of demons to beat down was almost irresistible; adding to the fun was the ability for players to go back through the game multiple times, keeping abilities acquired in the previous play-through.

Capcom's mistake came when they released Devil May Cry 2 on an unsuspecting public; far from being the expanded adventure gamers were clamoring for, it was better described as an exercise in masochism. The very mechanics that made the original so rewarding and replayable had become twisted and distorted, making a mockery of the fun of the first, and the graphical might of the first one gave way to repetitively-designed levels with poorly paletted textures and a distinct hint of rust throughout the game.

The end result is perhaps fortunate for Devil May Cry 3. Instead of needing to live up to the fun that was Devil May Cry, Capcom only needed to put out something that wasn't Devil May Cry 2, and reviewers would see it favorably. The good news is, they succeeded in not sucking as bad as Devil May Cry 2. The bad news is, despite all the "improvements", the original Devil May Cry is still more fun.