Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat review - "An action-packed adventure worthy of Dante"

• Fast-paced, fluid combat
• Summon new variations of heroes
• Stamina systems mean wait or pay to keep playing

Capcom's hit action-packed series Devil May Cry has finally made its mobile debut. From NebulaJoy, Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat features gorgeous graphics and features characters and locals from other entries in the franchise. Playing as Dante, Lady, Virgil and others, you'll battle fierce demons and explore a gothic world.

In Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat, Dante and Lady must stop the demonic invasion of Earth after the King of Demons shows up. You'll chase Nevan through a library infested by demons, brave the wintery Zephyr Plain and more as you attempt to stop the invasion once and for all. The storyline is compelling while taking little time away from the core gameplay.

Epic Combat

If you were worried Devil May Cry’s signature combat wouldn’t transition well to mobile, worry no more. Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat offers compelling, fast-paced battle sequences that both longtime fans of the series and newcomers will enjoy. The game features the fluid combat and strategy skills familiar to fans of the series. While combat may not be as intricate as in console Devil May Cry games, the essence of the series' iconic battle system shines through.

Each character has a basic attack, secondary attack, QTE, style skill, and ultimate skill, which you can combine in battle for devastating effects. Additionally, each character has a passive skill, like Spark Igniter Lady's Aggressive Attitude skill, which increases the Spark Igniter's fire damage by five per cent, and an evasion/jump skill. Using your evasion/jump skill lets you complete sweet aerial combos. Additionally, the game rates how you perform in battle from S to F, adding a nice retro feel.

Collect Heroes

During battle, you can seamlessly switch between your three equipped characters. Dante swings his sword with grace and precision while Lady mainly attacks with her gun. You'll start the game with Demon Hunter Dante but soon gain access to Swift Arsenal Lady.

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As you play, you'll earn Gems, which you can use to summon new heroes and equipment. There are different versions of Dante, Lady, Vergil, Nero and V for you to collect and add to your arsenal. Each character features a signature look and unique skill set. Swift Arsenal Lady's QTE is Spatial Explosion, while Spark Igniter Lady utilizes the Storm Blast QTE. With different skills to try out and gorgeous character designs, you'll have a blast collecting each version of every character.

Besides upgrading the characters themselves, you’ll also need to upgrade their weapons and skills. You can also equip characters with cards that offer bonuses such as increasing fire damage, HP, critical damage, or attack. Equipping multiples of the same card to a character also increases the bonus. For example, equip 2 Hell Pride cards to increase attack by twenty on top of the cards' unique bonuses. What’s interesting about the card mechanic is that cards with the same name can have different bonuses, so you'll need to pay attention when equipping them.

Pizza Time

One of the few downsides to Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat is that the game utilizes an energy mechanic for battles that are often found in mobile gacha games. To enter battle, you’ll need enough stamina, represented in-game by pizza. Stamina (or pizza), like energy in other games, regenerates over time. However, if you’re itching to get into battle, you can convert 200 gems into 60 stamina, which should be roughly enough for two battles.

Sadly, Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat doesn’t shy away from suggesting you make an in-app purchase to keep playing, which is disappointing. On the plus side, you should be able to complete a few chapters worth of content before worrying about stamina regeneration.

Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat is a truly entertaining mobile action game. The stamina system can be a bummer when you are deep into a gaming session and can’t continue unless you pay up or are willing to convert your gems into stamina. Still, the game’s combat is fluid, fast-paced and furiously fun. Likewise, the graphics are stellar, and you’ll enjoy collecting each variation of Dante and the other heroes.