Released in 2001 for PlayStation 2, Devil May Cry is an action-adventure hack-and-slash game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4, originating from a concept that was initially conceived as an entry in the Resident Evil series. Players progress through a series of discrete Missions, each individually scored based on factors including Orbs collected and damage sustained. A defining feature is the Stylish Rank system, which evaluates combat performance in real time, rewarding varied and skillful play. The game also departed from the pre-rendered backgrounds characteristic of earlier Resident Evil titles, instead adopting a dynamic camera system made possible by fully rendered three-dimensional environments. These innovations — the mission-based structure, performance grading, and camera design — were notable contributions to the action genre at the time of the game's release.
Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island, the story centers on Dante, a demon hunter who uses his business to carry out a lifelong vendetta against all demons. He meets a woman named Trish who takes him on a journey to defeat the demon lord Mundus, who is responsible for the deaths of Dante's brother and mother.
