Devil May Cry 2 (PlayStation 2)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald Rating* * *)

The original Devil May Cry thrilled PS2 owners with its darkly gothic themes and charismatic lead character Dante, so I was somewhat excited when Capcom's sequel showed up on my doorstep.

What's different, I hear you ask? Well, not a lot. Capcom has stuck with the winning formula and pretty much picks up where that game left off.

Like we saw in the original, the beautifully drawn levels of Devil May Cry 2 are littered with creepy monsters that are best destroyed using Dante's patented two-fisted shooting style. If you prefer, you can swoosh and hack your enemies with an oversized sword.

The hook of the gameplay is thinly disguised carnage. Leaping around and firing while in midair is always spectacular, and dynamic camera angles create a cinematic look but change frequently so you'll need to stay on your toes. In fact the camera is a little too clever for its own good sometimes and makes life difficult, especially when you're firing at (or being fired at by) a would-be assailant who is standing off-screen.

Devil May Cry 2 comes on two discs but it's no epic. Like most good games, it is maybe over a little too soon. The first disc contains Dante's main adventure and the second lets you play through the same missions and battle the same bosses using the new character, Lucia.

There are a few subtle differences so it's definitely worth playing through both discs, and with her unlimited amount of throwing knives, Lucia fights with a remarkable vigour.

The levels are also packed with hidden power-ups and goodies so it's worth taking your time to look for concealed items, but note that Devil May Cry 2 is almost completely devoid of any storyline.

This doesn't detract from the overall game. Dante's a demon slayer, he slays demons — what more do you need to know?

Price: $119.95

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