The game’s controls hold up well both during battles, and throughout the game. There are multiple routes during battle that can be taken by the players depending on their fighting preferences. These include attacks with Death’s scythe as well as the cross. As you progress through the game, Dante will also unlock various magic attacks that can be used. Various combos can be performed by combining light attacks and heavy attacks. By pressing the correct series of buttons, Dante can unleash devastating combos and slay massive amounts of enemies.
The amount of enemies on screen can be overwhelming at times–you must learn to quickly block, counterattack, and unleash combos. If not, Dante will fall very quickly, especially at the game’s higher difficulty levels. Additionally, some attacks aren’t as effective against certain enemies. It is much easier to attack a flying creature with a projectile cross attack than a physical attack. You must take into account the enemies you are facing.
One helpful tool in Dante’s arsenal is the Redemption bar, which is filled by killing enemies. Upon filling up the bar, the player simply has to press both L1 and R1 at the same time and it will activate Redemption mode, in which Dante’s moves cannot be blocked, and his attacks are even more lethal. The moment it is triggered, however, the gauge begins to slowly deplete.
Another feature that has been implemented in the game is quick time events. These seem to be either a love or hate thing with most gamers. This is where you must press a button to correspond to an action that Dante must perform. Without pressing the correct button, Dante will either fail and have to try again, or he will die, and it must be reattempted completely. It depends on the battle, and the size and scale of the creature.
The game isn’t all about combat, though. There are many secrets to be found within the game. There are magical relics, silver coins, and holy stones for you to find. The problem is that some are rather hard to get to, and take a bit of thinking before you take action. As with most action/adventure titles, there is ledge hanging to be done, levers to be pulled, and boxes to be pushed.
Within the game, players are presented with a choice when dealing with enemies. Upon grabbing enemies with the scythe, the player will be prompted to either punish or absolve the enemy. This is done by a simple push of the corresponding button. The punish command will essentially cause Dante to finish off the enemy in an over the top fashion. Absolve, on the other hand, will make Dante forcefully bless an enemy with his cross and will lead to the enemy being absolved of its sins. Enemies are not the only entity these choices can be made about, either. There are also the damned souls of 27 famous people from history and fiction which can also be punished or absolved of sin.
