Story Line

Platform:  Playstation 2
Release Date:  March 1st, 2005
Genre:  Action
Publisher:  Capcom
ESRB Rating:  M (17+)
My Rating:  9.2

Thousands of years have passed since Sparda raised his sword against the unholy world to save the human race.  Following the victorious battle, Sparda joined mankind and fathered Dante, a half human-half demon who, like his father, devoted himself to defeating the forces of evil.  However, Dante was not the only son Sparda had sired...As devoted as Dante was to defeating the forces of evil, his older twin brother, Vergil, was consumed by power and upheald the legacy of his sinister ancestors.  One moonlit night, a mysterious tower materialized beside Dante's unnamed devil hunting angency. On the rooftop stood his estranged brother and his inhuman minions, goading Dante into a confrontation.  As Dante heads for the tower, he encounters formidable foes and unusual characters including a mysterious man named Arkham and a female demon hunter named Lady, each with their own hidden motives.

Devil May Cry 3 marks the return of the world's toughest demon slayer, Dante, in an awesome new game with complex storylines, kick-butt graphics and sweet stylistic action. As a prequel to the 1st Devil May Cry, the story unfolds an earlier chapter in Dante's history, to a fateful clash with his evil twin brother. In addition to its characteristic fast paced action, the game increases the intensity with a new "style" system that adds more depth to gameplay and allows players to choose between short-range, long-range, defensive or evasive play styles. Each system has its own range of features and players can power up their favorite style for increased special attack abilities.

Basics

Movement

Move the Left Analog Stick to move Dante in the direction desired. Dante moves relative to the onscreen camera view, meaning that holding the stick left moves Dante toward the left side of the screen, holding the stick up moves Dante into the background, etc. If the camera angle changes while Dante is moving, continue holding the Left Stick in the same diretion and Dante stays on course. Once the Left Stick is released or moved slightly, the control assumes the directions of the new camera angle.

Change Camera Angle

Move the Right Analog Stick to the right or left to rotate the camera slightly around Dante for a better view of the enviroment to his sides. This function is only available in certain rooms, and usually only when the camera is not fixed at a severe angle.
After using the Right Stick to change the camera angle, the camera might remain at the new angle depending on the room Dante occupies. Press down on the Right Analog stick (referred to as the R3 button) to revert to the default camera angle.

Quick Item Screen

Press the Up D-pad button on the controller to bring up the Item screen. Choose an item from the list and press X to use the item. Enter the Quick Item Screen and use an item whenever Dante's health or Devil Trigger gauges are low or if you want to use a Holy Water to heavily damage surrounding enemies.

Quick Map Screen

Press the Right D-pad button on the controller to bring up the Quick Map screen. A top-down view of the area is displayed. Dante's current location is the blinking yellow room on the map. Move the Left Analog Stick up or down to view other rooms. Press X to zoom in for a closer look of the area. Cometimes viewing the map may reveal nooks and alcoves where items may be hidden. Plus, it always helps to have some orientation to the stage currently being explored.

 Quick File Screen

Press the Left D-pad button on the controller to bring up the Quick File screen. In the File screen mnu, you may select options in order to view descriptions of items obtained, enemies defeated, Devil's Arms actions and Style moves. Use this handy refrence menu to identify enemy weaknesses and to lern the various combo attacks Dante is capable of executing against foes.

 Quick Equip Screen

Press teh Down D-pad button on the controller to bring up the Quick Equipment screen. This screen allows you to view Dante's currently equipped guns and Devil's Arms. The number of Style points accumulated is also displayed, so that you can see how soon the next Style level shall be reached.

Start Button Functions

The function of the START button changes depending on situation. Press START during a dialogue scene to skip ahead. Press START during gameplay to open the Pause Menu. Press START while a menue is open or when Dante must make a choice during the game to select an option.

 Taunt

Press the SELECT button during real time game play moments to perform a taunting action towards enemies. Used strategically, this move can actually draw single foes away from a pack, for easier disposal. When performed at the right time during a combo, a properly placed taunt might increase the combo meter.

Jump

Press X to jump into the air. Jumping is used to reach higher platforms, and also allows Dante to leap away from enemies before suffering damage from an attack. The direction of a jump can be controlled even in midair by moving the Left Analog Stick. While Dante is in the air, pressing O,  or  may enable him to perform
aerial attacks. If Dante is equipped with a Devil's Arm that has the Air Hike ability, double-jump to higher altitudes by pressing X twice.

Shoot

Press  to shoot the equipped firearm. Each button press commands Dante to fire once. For rapid-fire shooting with Ebony & Ivory--Dante's default twin semi-automatics--tap  rapidly.

Melee Attacks 

Press Triangle to attack with Dante's currently equipped Devil's Arm, such as Rebellion, Cerberus, Beowulf, etc. Pressing Triangle repeatedly and with proper timing allows chains of attacks to be strung together to perform "combos". Pres the button lightly to perform a light attack, or press Triangle hard to perform a strong attack. If the Beowulf gauntlets and greaves are equipped, melee attacks can be charged to become more powerful by holding Triangle before releasing the button and attacking. String melee attacks may also trigger the appearance of the combo meter.

Style Action

The function of O changes depending on the Style equipped. Change Dante's Style prior to a mission by entering the Customize screen, or during a mission by examining a God of Time statue. When the Trickster Style is active, press O to perform some sort of stunt, such as dashing across the room or running up a wall. Swordsmaster Style enables more actions for use with Devil's Arms. Gunslinger Style enables Dante to perform crazy attacks with firearms. When Royal Guard Style is active, press O to bloack attacks. More Styles become available as progress is made in the game.

Lock-On Targeting

Hold the R1 button to lock-on to an opponent fore more precise aiming and to trigger special melee attacks. When lock-on is initiated, a circular target reticule marks the nearest enemy. While holding R1, press L3 to change targets to the next-closest enemy. Lock-on is most useful when facing a lone enemy, and helps control the camera angle as well as Dante's attacks. Lock-on is also required to initiate certain Devil's Arm actions and Style attacks. If Dante faces a group of enemies, it's best to avoid using lock-on all the time. Simply press Triangle and
to attacks the group. Dante always automatically targets and attacks the nearest enemy, regardless of the direction he's facing. This is the best way to handle a crowd. Press R1 occasionally to perform a special attack against the closesst opponent, then release the button and follow up with other attacks on the crowd. Use special attacks to knock opponents off their feet, so that they are removed from the battle for short periods of time.