Devil May Cry 2 brings us back to Dante's world, and this time his fellow demon-fighter friend, Lucia, has her own disc. Okay, she sounds a little like Celine Dion, and her plot's a little silly, but at least she's got a reasonable 13 missions of her own. She's refreshingly well clothed for a female character, and like Dante (whose disc holds 18 missions) can transform using Devil Trigger--the equivalent of rampage mode in other games. Both characters can jump off the walls, Matrix-style, shooting from mid-air, and the game allows for limitless ammo and energy. Visually stunning, Devil May Cry 2 offers minute details that envelope the player; walking on the roof of a little Italian villa, you can hear the distinct sound of tiles under your feet.

This is one game where it really pays to pick up the strategy guide, and here's why: players need to complete the mission in as little time as possible. Since lots of great powerups are found in secret rooms, you would waste a lot of time endlessly inspecting doors without it, and never reach the coveted "S" status that comes with a fast run through a level. The overall grade is a combination of your rankings in style, collected number of orbs, the amount of items you used (the fewer the better), damage and your overall clear time. This isn't just an attempt to get you to buy more: you'll get far more orbs, find many more secret chambers and enjoy the nuances of the game better with the guide.

As with the original Devil May Cry, this is not a game for children. It comes with a gore warning, but a stronger argument could be made that the Gothic elements--like the Demonochorus (possessed cherubs) or Infestants (energy-sucking insect-like things)--would be likely to disturb even an adult's sleeping pattern.

There are many facets that recommend Devil May Cry 2, even if many fans find it less engaging than the first version. It's just as addictive as other sequels from successful franchises--Final Fantasy comes to mind--and as such, let's hope there will be many more reincarnations. --Jennifer Buckendorff

Lets just start off by saying that the original DMC is, hands down, one of my favourite video games ever, ever, EVER! words cannot describe how much i love it
Now, because i'm a completist and i want to play them in sequence i bought this so i could get through it and move on to DMC3. i'd heard all the bad reviews a million times over and as such i wasn't expecting to like this. but when i actually got into playing it i fell in love with this one too. ok it is not as good or as inivative as the first, but its still an excellent game worthy of play
Also, more importantly, its different...

The graphics are alot better, and Dante looks stunning. second, the game has a more cinemaic feel with more cutscenes and chase sequences (the battle against the helicopter is simply awesome). Third, Dante has a whole host of new moves and a great new dodge button that lets you cartwheel, backflip and even run up walls. The combo system is alot harder to work in this game, but nonetheless the action is still addictive and the sword/gun combos just as great. Dante can even shoot in two direction if you position him correctly. the game on the whole is just alot faster and smoother. the enviroments have changed from the gothic, claustraphobic rooms of DMC to a more open, dark city scape reminiscent of the Matrix. this gives the game a fresh feel

there are a few downers. for one when tackling airborne enemies you'll spend half the time blasting outside the screen hoping to hit them. the auto aim feature is lacking too. Sadly, the bosses don't seem to have the awe factor they did in the first game, although there is alot more of them

i know that everyone has made up their minds that DMC2 sucks and i'm not trying to convert anyone but i would say that i had a really fun time playing the game. those who haven't played it yet, approach it with an open mind and you may just find a gem. if you played it and didn't like it then maybe it deserves another spin in your ps2
i just don't see what all the fuss is about

I feel this game was rushed being made. I think the makers wanted a sequel asap to keep the DMC fans going. The game had no story line whatsoever. Graphics are abit blurry at some points, the bosses are extremely hard to kill without losing masses of items and the camera views zoom further and further out every second. First time I played this it felt good, felt like it was as good as DMC1, however the story line of it just doesnt fit in. As I played further into the game hacking and slashing away, I felt more and more disapointed soon leading to turning the power off my Ps2 and never playing it again. I still have not completed this game, never felt the urge to play it. I suggest gettin DMC3, it looks soo much better. Well.... anyone wanna buy DMC2 off me?? goin at ??4 ^^

Improved graphics and a couple of stylish new moves cannot hide the fact that this is a very poor sequel to a fantastic game. The first DMC still has me coming back for more, but I found myself wishing the second installment would hurry up and end. The addition of a second charcter seemed tacked-on rather than integral, and while the new enemy creatures are impressive to begin with, they very quickly become repetetive and infuriating.

Dante's firearms are improved though, with a rocket launcher and twin machine guns included in the arsenal, but his swords lack the appeal of Alastor, Ifrit and Sparda, and his new "Devil Trigger" isn't up to the same standard.

Far inferior to it's predecessor, and giving DMC3 a lot to make up for. I live in hope...

everyone is putting down this game, and i cant comment because i havent played, but devil may cry 3, the one all your dmc hopes r resting on, has, and this is good for me, the coolest guitar ever!!! move over flying v, dantes guitar electrocutes enemies. cool huh?

anyway, dmc3 has:

Unrelenting, hard-core gothic action
Fresh new character design - Dante appears younger, but still has his stylish swagger and rock star good looks
Huge arsenal of weapons - Handguns, powerful shotguns, tricked out guitars and much more
Combo system - Equip Dante with up to four different weapons that can be swapped at anytime, allowing the freedom to develop a range of fighting moves and combinations
Customise Dante's fighting style
Evasive style which allows Dante to deftly dodge enemy attacks with speed and finesse
Close-range specialty maximises the impact of up close attacks with the blade
Long-range style that lets Dante blow away enemies with his firearms
Counter attack and guard expertise against strong enemy power
Enhanced graphics - Fully textured rich backgrounds utilising 3D polygons as well as real time rendering for in game cut scenes and intro movie
Multitude of demonic enemies - More ferocious than ever before with powerful weapons, the ability to transform and fly and other challenging surprises
Obtain orbs throughout the game to purchase new weapons, fighting techniques, increase strength and more
Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II support
Hidden weapons, items, characters, difficulty levels and more

sounds good to me...

I expected a much-improved game here, but did I get it? No, I did not, the only thing that i enjoyed about it, was the new stuff you can do along and up the walls, useful when fighting enemimes, but what enemies? i got stuck for hours on one level because I had no idea where to go!! Not the enemy-stricken castle of Malai island, I expected so much more from the sequal, but, though gut-wrenching it is to say, DMC2 is a bad game, and a huge let-down, and way too easy to play. Even on the hardest levels i simply walked through the game, though that may be because I'm so experienced at DMC, and with that completed and will still yet remain in my PS2 collection, after a month of playing DMC2, i sold it back to the shop and brought another game instead. I just hope DMC3 is a lot better than this half-hearted attempt. 4/10