Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition (PlayStation 2) review "Seldom have I seen a re-release that makes you feel like you're playing the game for the first time all over again. This is one of those re-releases. The original Devil May Cry 3 was famous for it's stylish combat and grueling difficulty, keeping even the seasoned Devil May Cry veteran on his toes. The Special Edition, however, has made many revisions to the gameplay and overall presentation of the game. "

Seldom have I seen a re-release that makes you feel like you're playing the game for the first time all over again. This is one of those re-releases. The original Devil May Cry 3 was famous for it's stylish combat and grueling difficulty, keeping even the seasoned Devil May Cry veteran on his toes. The Special Edition, however, has made many revisions to the gameplay and overall presentation of the game.

Among the many minor revisions made to the game, the new difficulty is by far the most notable. Veterans of the original Devil May Cry 3 will immediatly notice that the game is MUCH easier than the original. To some, this is a blessing, as the original's difficulty was often far too difficult for the average gamer, thus not allowing them to fully enjoy the game. For others, who spent many precious hours of their time perfecting their technique until they finally cleared the ridiculously difficult Dante Must Die, this change in the difficulty is nothing short of an insult.

Also on the question of difficulty, the Gold Orb system has returned. Those who have played the original DMC3 will remember the Yellow Orb system, which allowed you to continue from the last checkpoint you visited provided you had a Yellow Orb in your inventory, and if you didn't, you had to restart the entire mission. The Gold Orb system, however, allows you to continue right where you died provided you have a Gold Orb in your inventory, and if you don't, you'll be able to continue from the last checkpoint you visited. But purists fear not. Upon starting a new game, you'll have the option of choosing either the Gold Orb or Yellow Orb system.

And finally, for those who feel that Special Edition's difficulty just isn't enough to challenge them, players will have the option of using Turbo Mode, increasing the games normal speed by 20 percent, meaning the game will run at 120 percent of its normal speed. (Those looking for the maximum challenge from the Story Mode should play Dante Must Die on the Yellow Orb System with Turbo Mode activated. I've only beaten once under these settings, and it was extremely challenging to say the least.)

Moving along, Special Edition also features the return of Devil May Cry 2's Bloody Palace Mode. For those who haven't played DMC2, Bloody Palace is, in essence, a type of survival mode consisting of 9999 levels, each individual level with its own set of enemies. As you progress through levels, the enemies will become increasingly difficult, and will eventually overcome all but the greatest of DMC players. Upon clearing a level, three portals will appear. Each one of the portals advances the player a certain number of levels. Depending on the portal chosen, the player will advance either 1, 10, or 100 levels. Bloody Palace is a test of endurance to show the player just how good he really is. Bloody Palace, however, must be unlocked by either clearing the game or having a save file from the original Devil May Cry 3.

Finally, the biggest change in Special Edition is ability to play the entire Story Mode as Vergil. Like Bloody Palace, first time players will have to unlock Vergil by either clearing Story Mode with Dante once, or having a save file from the orginal DMC3. Having cleared everything with Vergil, I can safely say that, despite the fact that Vergil does not have any cutscenes (aside from the Intro that is), and the fact that he plays the EXACT same missions as Dante, playing as Vergil will make even DMC3 veterans feel like they're playing the game for the first time. While Vergil's controls might take a little getting used to, players will soon be slicing through the competition with Vergil's new arsenal. Some players, however, might be dissapointed to find that Capcom didn't even take the time to program a Dante boss fight for Vergil, as all you'll end up fighting is a clone of yourself in a red coat. Despite this, the experience is still very rewarding if you ignore the small quirks. Oh, and I almost forgot. Both Dante and Vergil will be able to challenge Jester, an all new boss fight exclusive to Special Edition. He's not that hard though, even on Dante Must Die, so it's not that noteworthy a battle.

All in all, Special Edition is a unique new experience that even a veteran of the Devil May Cry series will enjoy. Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition is game that no action gamer should be without. So if you haven't done so already, go pick up a copy right now!

Community review by gmsephiroth (January 29, 2006) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.