The DmC: Devil May Cry demo came out just two days ago and a few publications have published reviews on the early preview of the title.
The Examiner noted that much of the gameplay in the demo resembles the original Capcom titles. For example, Mark Loproto notes that the first set of enemies that Dante takes on early in the game resembles the marionettes of the original game.
The early stages of the demo enable the player to familiarize themselves with the controls. Aside from Dante's traditional arsenal that includes the sword rebellion and the guns Ebony and Ivory, the Devil Trigger gauge makes a return. This mechanism slows down the world around Dante, makes his attacks stronger, and replenishes his health. The publication did state that the Ophion Whip, which Dante uses to pull demos toward him, was a refreshing gameplay mechanism. The first part of the demo takes place in Limbo City while the second portion is a boss battle with a wormlike creature. The publication notes that this second section integrates the Ophion Whip relatively well.
The only complaint from this review was the voice acting for the new Dante which Loproto found irritating.
Stick Skills called the demo "awesome" and stated that while little was revealed about the story, the early cut-scenes showcased in the demo hinted that " this may be the first game of the franchise to have a legitimately fleshed-out plot and world."
Writer Christopher Sheridan complimented the art style and stated that the camera " always maintains a great view of the action, and will occasionally tilt ever so slightly to drive home a style that is reminiscent of documentary footage." He added that the combat felt "tight, responsive, and satisfying."
Diehard Gamefan stated that the story was a bit awkward and that there was a bit too much profanity in some of the exchanges. The publication complained a bit about the controls and stated that pulling off trigger and button combos could be confusing at times. While they did like the demo and gameplay, their major gripe was that it did not seem to justify the controversial reboot of the franchise.
DmC: Devil May Cry launches for the Xbox360 and PS3 on January 15, 2013.