I recently beat DMC1 again after more than a decade. Over the years I’d pick it up here and there but never really had the time or motivation to push past the first five or so missions. Now that I finally sat down and committed to finishing it, I gotta say, DMC1 is still VERY good. That is, if you take the time to learn its advanced combat mechanics like slash cancelling, shotgun cancelling, grenade launcher roll cancel, and a few others. I’d argue those are almost essential if you want to really enjoy DMC1 the way it was meant to be played. Without them, it can come across as a lot more dated than it actually is.
That said, I lied a little there. You can absolutely still have fun with DMC1 even if you don’t dive deep into the advanced stuff. Just learning the enemy patterns and figuring out the best ways to counter them can still make for a very satisfying and rewarding experience. The game rewards smart and reactive play whether or not you’re breaking out all the high-level tech.
I also really loved the setting of the game. The environments had a lot of variety and we get to explore so many different locales which really helps keep the levels feeling fresh and interesting throughout. Honestly in that regard DMC4 might be the best sequel to 1 in the whole series.
One thing I will say if you plan to revisit it, you should try to treat the game as a blend between DMC and 3D beat 'em ups. The combat and pacing are very different from the later DMC titles. Once you approach it with that mindset, it starts to click a lot more. I had a great time with it, and honestly I’m surprised the dmc fanbase doesn’t talk about this game more often. When you really lean into everything it offers, it’s a fantastic experience. Sure, it’s still rough in the spots where it’s rough, but the good more than makes up for it. Plus, the short length makes it super convenient to replay whenever the mood strikes.