It goes without saying that DMC 1 was the father of stylized action gaming. With the introduction of a combo- based ranking system, the introduction of "cancelling", among other innovations paved the way for games like God of War and Bayonetta.
What's often ignored in its praise, even by the franchise as evidence by its sequels, is its darker, more- horror based aspects. Only the fans of the franchise know its origins as the original concept for RE 4 and how the game took a life of its own during development as to become a totally different franchise. The horror elements were still intact in the game. The background music for the castle was ominous, the enemy designs were creepy, and items were pretty scarce. The enemy AI made it difficult for the unprepared player and the emphasis on a strategy to defeat the enemies gave the sense that you were essentially in "mini-mini- boss" battles.
What comes to mind to me, however, is that DMC created a new horror genre alongside the new action one. This new form of horror is simply an alternative route that could've been taken if the horror elements of DMC 1 had more focus in later games than the action ones. I see that, in contrast to franchises like Resident Evil taking a more action- oriented route, this other genre would've struck a balance between the intense action and the horror, redefining how action games are usually played. Essentially, this is action gaming seen through a horror lens.
The genre would have gone as follows:
1. Enemy AI and variety in their attacks and defenses would've been a higher emphasis to create a certain amount of unpredictability in the battle and, naturally, wariness within the player especially for those who aren't particularly adept at either horror nor action.
2. Items would be scarce and expensive to enforce the player to grow in skill rather than feel assured by the existence of healing or revival items.
3. Surprise attacks by the enemy are signature for any horror game and DMC 1 had a good amount of them. That, again, creates unpredictability.
4. Creating value for the player's own attacks by having enemies be weak against certain attacks or such attacks being counters to an enemy's attacks and defenses.
5. An emphasis on fluid combat would be necessitated so the player can make full use of any opening he finds in battle.
One of the interesting things about this genre is that the personalized, improvised combat we are so accustomed to wouldn't be as common occurring due to the higher difficulty. Another thing would be how developers would go about this process since striking such a balance would (I imagine) prove very difficult. That is probably the reason such a genre doesn't exist now.
The point of this topic is to point out another part of DMC 1's creativity and innovation. That, if Capcom or any other developer had wished, the horror elements of DMC would've had a greater focus and create another genre. How successful this genre would have been is up to speculation but it just goes to show the potentiality any innovative game can have.
What's often ignored in its praise, even by the franchise as evidence by its sequels, is its darker, more- horror based aspects. Only the fans of the franchise know its origins as the original concept for RE 4 and how the game took a life of its own during development as to become a totally different franchise. The horror elements were still intact in the game. The background music for the castle was ominous, the enemy designs were creepy, and items were pretty scarce. The enemy AI made it difficult for the unprepared player and the emphasis on a strategy to defeat the enemies gave the sense that you were essentially in "mini-mini- boss" battles.
What comes to mind to me, however, is that DMC created a new horror genre alongside the new action one. This new form of horror is simply an alternative route that could've been taken if the horror elements of DMC 1 had more focus in later games than the action ones. I see that, in contrast to franchises like Resident Evil taking a more action- oriented route, this other genre would've struck a balance between the intense action and the horror, redefining how action games are usually played. Essentially, this is action gaming seen through a horror lens.
The genre would have gone as follows:
1. Enemy AI and variety in their attacks and defenses would've been a higher emphasis to create a certain amount of unpredictability in the battle and, naturally, wariness within the player especially for those who aren't particularly adept at either horror nor action.
2. Items would be scarce and expensive to enforce the player to grow in skill rather than feel assured by the existence of healing or revival items.
3. Surprise attacks by the enemy are signature for any horror game and DMC 1 had a good amount of them. That, again, creates unpredictability.
4. Creating value for the player's own attacks by having enemies be weak against certain attacks or such attacks being counters to an enemy's attacks and defenses.
5. An emphasis on fluid combat would be necessitated so the player can make full use of any opening he finds in battle.
One of the interesting things about this genre is that the personalized, improvised combat we are so accustomed to wouldn't be as common occurring due to the higher difficulty. Another thing would be how developers would go about this process since striking such a balance would (I imagine) prove very difficult. That is probably the reason such a genre doesn't exist now.
The point of this topic is to point out another part of DMC 1's creativity and innovation. That, if Capcom or any other developer had wished, the horror elements of DMC would've had a greater focus and create another genre. How successful this genre would have been is up to speculation but it just goes to show the potentiality any innovative game can have.
