That’s the craziest factor about Satan Might Cry 2. Each sequel is burdened by the shadow of its predecessor, however online game sequels are supposed to have the ability to make the most of the truth that they will at the very least often supply a extra refined model of what got here earlier than. Finally, the sport’s best sin is its nearly spectacular means to keep away from doing simply that.
Sequel It With Hearth
When push involves shove, I can simply think about some players arguing that different notoriously unhealthy online game sequels like Duke Nukem Perpetually, Good Darkish Zero, and Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 5 are strictly worse video games and extra disappointing experiences than Satan Might Cry 2. I can’t deny anybody these views, and I definitely can’t defend any of these video games on their very own deserves.
But, I battle to think about a recreation that fails fairly as spectacularly as a sequel as Satan Might Cry 2 does. In contrast to a few of these different sequels that have been burdened by unavoidable modifications in growth groups, comically lengthy stays in growth hell, or, frankly, usually low expectations, Satan Might Cry 2 is the product of a sequence of actually horrible selections that border on self-sabotage.
It’s troublesome to think about one other online game sequel launched so near its predecessor that ignores or alters just about all the pieces that made its predecessor profitable. If Capcom had requested the unique Satan Might Cry crew to easily make one other Satan Might Cry recreation, they in all probability would have gotten a stellar sequel. The very fact they selected some other route (should much less the one they did) needs to be probably the most baffling selections in online game historical past.
Have you learnt what’s actually unusual, although? A lot of the crew liable for Satan Might Cry 2 (most notably director Hideaki Itsuno) would go on to work on Satan Might Cry 3, 4, and 5: arguably the three most acclaimed video games within the franchise. You could possibly name {that a} miraculous turnaround, however the fact is which you can see components of these higher video games in DMC 2. Issues like fast weapon swaps, extra elaborate evasive maneuvers, an emphasis on motion over platforming and puzzles, and even Dante’s beloved Insurrection sword are all featured on this in any other case easily-maligned sequel. In case you’re feeling optimistic, you possibly can even name DMC 2 the very, very tough draft of higher issues to return.
Nonetheless, figuring out what the Satan Might Cry 2 crew might have doubtlessly executed in some way makes the ultimate product that rather more painful. The rationale sequels usually get pleasure from a considerably detrimental repute (regardless of the variety of actually beloved sequels in leisure) is because of the common notion that they’re typically cash-ins that steal assets and alternatives from unique initiatives. In its personal methods, DMC 2 represents the worst realities of that notion. It’s a sequel greenlit by a studio that seemingly determined that one follow-up was pretty much as good as one other as long as the title on the field did the heavy lifting. Certainly, they thought {that a} recreation by the title “Satan Might Cry 2” could be such a assured hit that they gave it to a studio that wanted a straightforward retail win.