Devil May Cry is in one word: Awesome. It is the story of Dante, a man with demon blood flowing within him. A man who's out to find the murderer of his family. He is what you would call a demon hunter, going from one mission to the next trying to find the one who committed the deed. One night, a mysterious young lady comes into his place (called Devil May Cry) giving him a job he can't refuse. This beginning intro is what sets the player up for a unforgettable action/adventure game.

The game-play consists of exploring the castle and fighting your way through the many missions in the game... yes, the game is split up into missions. Each mission is different from the next. They range from getting certain key items to opening doors with new-found powers. That might sound a little dull but what it takes to obtain and do these missions is what makes this game so great and includes a lot of fighting. The fighting in this game consists of combos and gunfire in battles that look like they could have come out of a horror action flick with a little John Woo thrown in for good measure. They're so addictive and fun that you can play this game many times and not grow bored. When beating enemies you can obtain two items. These items include red orbs which allow you to open certain doors and buy other skills and items and green orbs that give you health, both which come in handy. All these items and skills will help tremendously when fighting the huge bosses. (Let me tell you they take some practice and don't expect to beat them on your first or second time.) All these moves come off flawlessly as the controls are easy to learn and master. In no time, you will be fighting the demons with ease. There are also a few key parts in the game where the game-play changes from the norm, but I'll let you find those out. The game can also be changed into easy mode (once changed cannot be back in the same game) after a few missions and makes the game very very easy and cut some enemies out of the game altogether - so only resort to it if you have to.

The game-play in Devil May Cry alone will keep you wanting to play this already great game, but the graphics themselves help even more. The amount of detail is phenomenal. You can and will see the debris off of the castle walls and the amazing gothic architecture. You will really feel like your exploring this castle and its grounds. From the bad ass look of your character to the creepy looking grim reaper-type ghouls, all of the characters come to life in the game with awesome animation. Although there isn't many, the cinemas in the game keep the game flowing well and wanting you to see what happens next. This is how PS2 games should look like (as of lately they are: Ico and Silent Hill 2).

The sound track to the game is one to get your blood flowing. With every enemy encounter, a wicked techno/rock soundtrack kicks in and gives you the energy you need to kick demon butt. Also, the shrieks and noises the enemies make are really nice - like the evil laugh the ghouls give off when they want their presence known. The voice acting is pretty good and varied with added effects to the voices for bosses. Dante's sarcastic remarks are great and his voice is just perfect for the character. If you have a surround sound system, crank that baby up. You're in for a treat.

All in all, the hype that Devil May Cry has been generating ever since the demo has lived up to expectations and surpassed them. This game is something any action/adventure gamer will want and should own. There's so much good and really no bad. If I had to say anything, it might be that the difficulty level can seem a bit high and the fighting might be too repetitive to some. The game can also be beaten in about 4 to 5 hours for novice gamers, but that doesn't count the many times you will die and reload at the bosses. Besides those minor quirks, which those all really are, do yourself a favor and pick up Devil May Cry October 18th. Demon slaying doesn't get any better then this.

- - Justin Celani