The Definition of a Devil May Cry Fan

[WolfOD64]

It’s no secret that there’s a subsequent variety of Devil May Cry fans on this forum, all of which leaning towards specific tastes and preferences. Some members enjoy all the games, most members lean towards one specific title (or combat system) in the series, and almost everyone holds at least one game in the series with some level of criticism or disdain.

However, more often than not, heated discussions and gargantuan debates spark over the series’ lore, characters, depictions and alterations over the course of the series…and this has led some to question the integrity of other members as fans. This discourse has often spawned over one simple fact: some fans don’t enjoy all the aspects of the game. Some members enjoy the combat and the story. Some enjoy the flashy and dynamic aesthetics but not the actual gameplay (this is actually true, believe it or not, mostly in the case of certain fans of the original Devil May Cry---even with in all of its simplicity---and the “outer lore” in the form of the non-canon cluster of DMC novels, and the short run of the DMC anime). Some fans enjoy the combat exclusively and care nothing for the story and characters, some fans enjoy or even prefer the reboot over the original games, and some fans, taking a step further outside the norm, have even professed to enjoying multiple aspects of the game, but harboring some level of disdain towards the main protagonist, Dante…to which some fans have either jokingly or irrationally asked said fans why they even play the games in the first place, and how they even consider themselves fans.

That’s where the question arises (not for the sake of trolling, condescension, or gratuitous flaming, but for legitimate discussion and debate):

What, in your opinion, qualifies as a fan of the DMC series? Does a fan need to appreciate and enjoy all aspects of the game (i.e., characters, storyline, dialogue, lore, its Gothic art style, anime influences, music, and overall feel and tone), or do you think playing and enjoying the games for the gameplay alone is enough to warrant your place in the fanbase, and by extension, this very forum?

What makes a Devil May Cry fan…and what doesn’t?

 

[The Final Offer]

It’s no secret that there’s a subsequent variety of Devil May Cry fans on this forum, all of which leaning towards specific tastes and preferences. Some members enjoy all the games, most members lean towards one specific title (or combat system) in the series, and almost everyone holds at least one game in the series with some level of criticism or disdain.

However, more often than not, heated discussions and gargantuan debates spark over the series’ lore, characters, depictions and alterations over the course of the series…and this has led some to question the integrity of other members as fans. This discourse has often spawned over one simple fact: some fans don’t enjoy all the aspects of the game. Some members enjoy the combat and the story. Some enjoy the flashy and dynamic aesthetics but not the actual gameplay (this is actually true, believe it or not, mostly in the case of certain fans of the original Devil May Cry---even with in all of its simplicity---and the “outer lore” in the form of the non-canon cluster of DMC novels, and the short run of the DMC anime). Some fans enjoy the combat exclusively and care nothing for the story and characters, some fans enjoy or even prefer the reboot over the original games, and some fans, taking a step further outside the norm, have even professed to enjoying multiple aspects of the game, but harboring some level of disdain towards the main protagonist, Dante…to which some fans have either jokingly or irrationally asked said fans why they even play the games in the first place, and how they even consider themselves fans.

That’s where the question arises (not for the sake of trolling, condescension, or gratuitous flaming, but for legitimate discussion and debate):

What, in your opinion, qualifies as a fan of the DMC series? Does a fan need to appreciate and enjoy all aspects of the game (i.e., characters, storyline, dialogue, lore, its Gothic art style, anime influences, music, and overall feel and tone), or do you think playing and enjoying the games for the gameplay alone is enough to warrant your place in the fanbase, and by extension, this very forum?

What makes a Devil May Cry fan…and what doesn’t?

There are all types of fans yes.

But you gotta understand that there are fans that are going in a certain direction and are trying to bring the franchise with them.

You got appreciative fans and you got the unappreciative fans.

 

[Kid's Menu]

Personally, I like everything about Devil May Cry. Whether it be old school, new school, or... well... anything! If it has any kind of relevance towards Dante and his "adventures", then I like it.
Now, what do I think makes a Devil May Cry fan? Honestly, I think that anyone can be a fan. If that individual likes any Devil May Cry, even if it's just for one specific reason, then I consider them a fan.

 

[berto]

There are like 2 other threads with this very same name somewhere or other in here,

 

[Innsmouth]

What, in your opinion, qualifies as a fan of the DMC series? Does a fan need to appreciate and enjoy all aspects of the game (i.e., characters, storyline, dialogue, lore, its Gothic art style, anime influences, music, and overall feel and tone), or do you think playing and enjoying the games for the gameplay alone is enough to warrant your place in the fanbase, and by extension, this very forum?

What makes a Devil May Cry fan…and what doesn’t?

I think if you like more than one game in series it's already makes you somewhat a fan. If you like only 1 game it makes you fan of it, but not fan of franchise. Fans aren't entitled to like all games in franchise though. (While I love RE5 I understand fans who hate it as well). Though I don't think that combat alone can be considered aspect for fans, since every game is sum of it's parts. I like combat GoW2 combat for it's fluid simplicity, but not for a moment I call myself GoW fan.

 

[Lord Nero]

Yeah, like Innsmouth said, being a fan of the DMC series means you're a fan of more than one DMC game. Can't be a fan of a series if you've only played one installment or seen one episode, you know?
If you like everything about DMC and deny any faults with it, that makes you a fanboy. You'd also be a fanboy if you like everything that's related to Devil May Cry just because it bears the name 'Devil May Cry'. At that point you've become like an irrational groupie. It's like preferring Samsung TVs over LG TVs because 'you like their company slogan more'. That has nothing to do with the product, you'd just be a blind follower of a corporation - you want to fit in with a group, almost as though you're back in high school.

I think that if you only like DMC's combat, that means you're a fan of its combat, not a fan of DMC in general. You'd be a fan of combo-centric H&S gameplay. To be a fan of the DMC game series, you at least need to be able to enjoy more aspects than just its style or atmosphere. After all, DMC borrows heavily from other games in that department, which means you're not a fan of DMC, you're just a fan of that particular style/atmosphere.
Games are indeed the sum of their parts, and I think you need to enjoy at least multiple parts of the DMC series to be able to call yourself a DMC fan. If you like only one aspect, I'd say that makes you... well... a gamer.
It's a tough question. You have to like multiple aspects, but I'm not sure if it matters what aspects those are. As long as there's more than one aspect, and as long as you like more than one DMC, that makes you a fan.

 

[Teal]

I believe being a fan is having a favorite game out of one franchise, but still acknowledging that game is not flawless and that there might be games from the same franchise that surpass it. As Pyroblade very well put it, it's liking a certain game for the things it's done right, but also not going crazy when someone else lists the stuff that game has done wrong.

For example, I like the reboot but I still feel like the original DMC is better. It's my opinion and it's very subjective. Maybe I like the atmosphere, could be the level design OR could be the characters. Just because I like it, doesn't mean it's automatically more superior.

 

[WolfOD64]

For example, I like the reboot but I still feel like the original DMC is better. It's my opinion and it's very subjective. Maybe I like the atmosphere, could be the level design OR could be the characters. Just because I like it, doesn't mean it's automatically more superior.

That logic very much applies to my approach to the series. DMC4 is my favorite one in the series and I love it to death...but I'm not going to pretend it's the definitive and best game....not with those rehashed levels. Not with that dice puzzle.

I enjoy each game for different reasons (and yes, that includes the universally-reviled DMC2), but dislike certain aspects of each one as well. I think, as fans, we're entitled to both subject each game to an equal level of praise and criticism.

The first step to treating your favorite franchise properly is to admit that it isn't perfect.

 

[Lord Nero]

That logic very much applies to my approach to the series. DMC4 is my favorite one in the series and I love it to death...but I'm not going to pretend it's the definitive and best game....not with those rehashed levels. Not with that dice puzzle.

I enjoy each game for different reasons (and yes, that includes the universally-reviled DMC2), but dislike certain aspects of each one as well. I think, as fans, we're entitled to both subject each game to an equal level of praise and criticism.

The first step to treating your favorite franchise properly is to admit that it isn't perfect.

You like DMC4 the most? That's a very rare opinion, but I like it.
I like DMC4 a lot myself... possibly more than DMC3. That may be because of the fact that the levels are very diverse. While DMC3 had a lot of levels that were dark and gothic, DMC4 had pretty diverse levels. The castle in DMC4 was still fairly gothic to me. I also quite like Nero as a character, as he sort of reminds me of DMC1 Dante, only more easily annoyed and a bit 'whiny' when it comes to Kyrie.
Gameplay is solid too, except for the backtracking, and indeed, the dice game.

This was all off-topic perhaps, but I have heard people say that 'if you like DMC4 you're not a real fan', lol.

And yeah, as fans we should be able to, and willing to, point out the flaws in the games. That way the developers could (possibly) listen to our input and improve upon their product. That's how it should work, anyway... CoD seems to be staying the same each time, though.

 

[WolfOD64]

You like DMC4 the most? That's a very rare opinion, but I like it.

I like DMC4 a lot myself... possibly more than DMC3. That may be because of the fact that the levels are very diverse. While DMC3 had a lot of levels that were dark and gothic, DMC4 had pretty diverse levels. The castle in DMC4 was still fairly gothic to me. I also quite like Nero as a character, as he sort of reminds me of DMC1 Dante, only more easily annoyed and a bit 'whiny' when it comes to Kyrie.
Gameplay is solid too, except for the backtracking, and indeed, the dice game.

This was all off-topic perhaps, but I have heard people say that 'if you like DMC4 you're not a real fan', lol.

OFF-TOPIC DMC4 FANBOY GUSHING INCOMING:

I understand DMC4 is sort of like the lesser black sheep of the series (the more prominent one being DMC2), but I found it the most enjoyable. The game was a gorgeous demonstration of the MT Framework engine’s capabilities, from its varied locales to character designs (I especially like the officers and armored knights of the Order of the Sword). The locations were lush and vibrant, more Renaissance-inspired than Gothic…granted, they aren’t as memorable as the locales from DMC1, but that game was a product of the designers going to England and Spain to research old castles, so I’m not surprised it looks better.

I found the characters more diverse an interesting, I found the plot slightly more engaging than past DMC games (key word here being “slightly”), and for the first time in what had to have been seven years, I found myself liking Dante again. He made a great trickster character, and a nice mentor figure for someone as brash and hot-blooded as Nero.

The combat and mechanics were much more digestible this time around. The camera and controls were a lot smoother, in contrast to the rigid combat of DMC3. Pulling off combos is a bit easier when you can SEE where the enemies are striking from, without the camera dodging in and out like an old man having an aneurism.

Is the game perfect? Nope. But it’s my favorite regardless, and I hope whoever takes the reigns of the next entry looks to that game for reference on how to make a proper sequel….mostly to fix the sore imperfections plaguing the game.

And yeah, as fans we should be able to, and willing to, point out the flaws in the games. That way the developers could (possibly) listen to our input and improve upon their product. That's how it should work, anyway... CoD seems to be staying the same each time, though.

Some developers just don’t want feedback from gamers because they don’t care. Take a look at Namco (or recently, the self-proclaimed “Bandai-Namco”). They used to have player feedback and suggestions on their forums, but nowadays, they make the Tekken and Soul Calibur games without caring a smidgeon about what their fans think.

In contrast, Eidos Montreal listened pretty carefully for feedback when making Deus Ex: Human Revolution. (I just wish they had employed the same logic when making Thief 4 :grumpy:)

 

[Chancey289]

You like Devil May Cry? Sounds like a Devil May Cry fan to me.

You just have some people who are able to go in to even deeper discussions about the franchise as a whole.

But here's one thing that I think real fans should do, and that's not make excuses or support anything bad blindly. I believe that if you are a fan of something you call the thing you like out on their BS. I love and grew up with Nintendo but of course I'm gonna talk about how they had many setbacks with their arbitrary WiiU and how they just keep phoning it in.

Tough love baby. I do it because I care.

 

[DarkSlayerZero]

There's no such thing as "real fans"

 

[Demi-fiend]

How about a fan who's willing to give almost any combat system a try and make it work to their advantage?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

For instance, just because I don't have Trickster and Swordmaster at the same time in DMC3, doesn't mean I don't know how make the best out of it (for example, you could use the flying kick and the sword pierce move to get in close to an enemy while in mid-air... or just jump up to them the old fashioned way).

As for Trickster and Royalguard, I have no problems using the "normal" melee moves only... I'll just pick the weapons that best suit me when it comes to midair combat (Cerberus, Beowulf, and maybe Agni & Rudra)

 

[Lord Nero]

There's no such thing as "real fans"

The subject of this thread is not 'what makes a real fan', it's 'what makes a fan'. So it's not about gradations or something, it's just about the question what makes somebody a fan.

I personally seriously don't think you'd be a fan of Devil May Cry in general if you only enjoyed its combo system. It's only logical that if you like its combo system, you like combo-centric H&S games. Doesn't mean you like Devil May Cry as a whole. If I were to transplant its gameplay into another H&S game, you suddenly wouldn't like Devil May Cry anymore. So that's not being a fan, that's just being a fan of its type of gameplay.

 

[WolfOD64]

As for Trickster and Royalguard, I have no problems using the "normal" melee moves only... I'll just pick the weapons that best suit me when it comes to midair combat (Cerberus, Beowulf, and maybe Agni & Rudra)

I'm actually kind of embarrassed to admit this, but I've almost never used Royal Guard...probably because I was horrible at timing the blocks. Anyone who saw my Royal Guard gameplay would probably think I was drunk with how delayed the blocks are.

 

[AngelEyes]

A fan is someone that is not a fanatic.
1) Fan:
Chooses carefully based on previous experience of a brand, and isn't dragged into hype. Employing real consumer choice and weighing up the quality of a release.

2) Fanatic:
A mindless mob who will pay for anything if a logo or name is on the product regardless of quality, be it the same old crap ever year like Madden, Call of Duty or the freaks that keep Michael Bay's pockets lined.

 

[WolfOD64]

2) Fanatic:
A mindless mob who will pay for anything if a logo or name is on the product regardless of quality, be it the same old crap ever year like Madden, Call of Duty or the freaks that keep Michael Bay's pockets lined.

You forgot Final Fantasy. There are some---not all, but some---fanatics in that fanbase that will spend truckloads of personal funds on anything Square Enix plasters the FF logo on. They won't anticipate an upcoming game for any intriguing story elements or intuitive innovations...they'll just salivate over it just for the sake of it being Final Fantasy.

 

[berto]

*sign*


fan2
fan/
noun
noun: fan; plural noun: fans

1. a person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular sport, art form, or famous person.​

Devil May Cry
(Japanese: デビル メイ クライ Hepburn: Debiru Mei Kurai)
noun

1. A series developed by Capcom and created by Hideki Kamiya. Originally intended to be a sequel in Capcom's Resident Evil series, Devil May Cry was such a radical departure from the series' style that it was developed into a new property entirely. The series centers on the main character Dante's goal of avenging his mother's murder by exterminating demons. The gameplay consists of heavy combat scenes in which the player must attempt to extend long chains of attacks while avoiding damage in order to exhibit stylized combat; this element along with time and the amount of items collected and used are taken under consideration when grading the player's performance.

2. Devil May Cry(Japanese: デビル メイ クライ Hepburn: Debiru Mei Kurai) is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. While the game primarily focuses on swordfighting, the player gains new weapons after beating the game's bosses resulting in a variety of combos to perform.
Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island, the story centers on Dante, a demon hunter who uses his business to get his revenge on the demons after losing his brother and mother. He meets a woman named Trish who takes him on a journey to defeat the demon lord Mundus. The story is told primarily through a mixture of cutscenes, which use the game's engine and several pre-rendered full motion videos.​

Devil May Cry fan
noun

1. A fan of Devil May Cry.​