Devil May Cry 2

Devil May Cry 2 is quite rightly regarded as a misstep for the now storied franchise; a confused and oddly bland game with a nonsensical story, boring level design, terrible enemy AI and a central protagonist who has seriously lost his mojo. There's some fun to be had here and there by virtue of the fact it is a Devil May Cry game; that signature combat still intact, despite the fact it never really attempts to put your skills to the test. Still, there's no escaping the reality that this is one entry in the series you can absolutely skip without feeling like you missed anything. Roll on Devil May Cry 3.

It's always a good thing when old titles are once again available for purchase, but Capcom should perhaps start pricing their rereleases accordingly. Devil May Cry 2 wasn't worth the money in 2003, and it certainly isn't worth much today. A miserable hack 'n' slash, it's a miracle the franchise managed to survive such a blunder in the first place. It's perhaps worth playing from a historical context - if only to gain a deeper understanding of how it failed the original's legacy… but Devil May Cry 2 is otherwise better left in the past.

The only reason to consider Devil May Cry 2 for the Switch is if you're either a completionist or a die-hard fan of the series. The game has the trappings of a decent action game, but with the Devil May Cry name attached, the expectations are higher. Nothing can justify it being a sequel to one of Capcom's more exciting PS2 games. Unless you need to experience every Dante adventure, skip this one and wait for the inevitable port of the third entry instead.

Coming off the heels of the original and the Bayonetta games, however, there is virtually no reason to play this game unless you're truly curious. I enjoyed the four-hour adventure as a good distraction, but the glaring problems, such as the camera and story, left a bad taste in my mouth. There are certainly worse games to play, but if you're itching for a new game in the genre to play, you may want to look elsewhere.

In short, f you’re absolutely desperate for more demonic combat and can’t wait for the all-but-inevitable release of the far superior Devil May Cry 3, then I suppose there are worse options than giving this disappointing sequel a try.

Devil May Cry 2 is a strange side note in the franchise that comes off as a failed experiment more than anything else.

Although it's a huge letdown when compared to the timeless original, Devil May Cry 2 is still a solid and enjoyable 3D action game.