It's crazy that Devil May Cry 3 has been out for 20 years already. I remember when it was first announced. I was in college at the time and was in a bit of a depressed state. Nothing could get a true reaction out of me. Then, DMC3 was announced and my whole world was ignited. Reinvigorated, I became more active on the IGN boards, wanting access to every piece of info I could land.
Then the trailer came out, the demo, and Gemasis, VJDante, and DSS started dropping footage. You know, all the things I covered in part one of my Lost History of DMC3 blog. And finally, on March 1, 2005, I was able to play the game that would change and affect my life forever.
But enough of that because this isn't a blog about me; it's about DMC3 itself and the players who have kept it alive for 20 years. These players have influenced the game in a variety of ways, and I want to summarize those ways as well as link to any footage or evidence of their contribution I'm able to find. This isn't a who is the best of all time discussion nor is the order one based off of that either; it's just a highlight reel of 20 excellent players who have carried the game over the past 20 years.
For those who love this series, thanks for reading, but know this is DMC3-focused so none of the notables for the other games will be mentioned here. Also, there are so many amazing players of this game that it's really hard to narrow it down to just 20. I'll be including a mix of past players and present/more recent ones.
Since this is about players who have influenced and kept the game going this long, this will be out of the box. Meaning, that this isn't just focusing on who's a skilled player of the game, but also how they contributed to its longevity.
Let's Get This Party Started..
1) Gemasis Sydawn:
If you have read my blog about the lost history of DMC3, then you already know a decent amount about this legendary player. Gem is one of the originators of style play. Before DMC3 came out officially, he was producing style videos of the demo. He also created TheHandvsEye.com (HvE), which became a hubspot for DMC3 content from 2004 - 2007 and some of the notable players of the time uploaded their videos to it.
Everything needs a foundation, and Gem was part of building the groundwork of what stylish play could become for DMC3. His Royal Guard is a thing of beauty to watch. His website was crucial to the beginning of the game's life as a cultivation center, and his gameplay was unique.
Watch Immortals Vol. 1: Keepers of the Guard
2) Prince of Devil:
Prince of Devil is another originator. Although Brea would coin the term "combo mad" and turn it into a trend that continues to this day, Prince created THE combo video for DMC3. Everything about his legendary video "Hell Sloth = Dead" is near perfection. Combos, music choice, editing. Top-notch. This is what makes him important. He created the blueprint for what would be an essential aspect of DMC moving forward from its 3rd iteration.
Although he only dropped two videos, his fingerprints on the game are still here in modern-day DMC3. (Note: Looks like he has returned with recent combo videos and a new youtube channel. It's interesting to see that he keeps the old combo formula even in a modern setting.)
Watch his groundbreaking Hell Sloth = Dead video
Please... Die Hell=Sloth!! (New Video, new channel)
3) ChaosAptom / Dahbomb:
If the DMC series ever had a "hype-man" it was Dahbomb. He's fairly knowledgeable as showcased with his DMC3 Battle Mechanics FAQ. And although he never released a video that showed his gameplay skill, he was the community glue guy that the series needed.
He was a consistent presence on the DMC IGN boards and NEOGafs from the beginning, creating content and being a resource for users who wanted the latest updates on DMC3. Some may not realize how important this is to a game's lifespan, so let me say it - it's vital. Especially in the beginning, as people were a bit hesitant about DMC3 due to DMC2. Dahbomb kept the hope alive, and once DMC3 was confirmed a hit, was one of the main guys pushing it.
Read Dahbomb & Pokey's Battle/Combat FAQ
4) Pokey86:
Pokey is an all-around complete player. He's not as technical as some, but his contributions to the game come in multiple facets. The reason why I say that is because he's done it all. Combo videos (check), stylish play (check), SS rank videos (check), co-wrote a FAQ (check).
Pokey came up with a lot of the strategies that are still used to defeat and SS rank DMC3 today. The game wasn't hard enough so he made it harder and came up with the Dante Will Die run, plus he's a co-creator of the original DMC style tournament, the True Style Tournament. Very few people can say they're more knowledgeable than the Pokester.
Watch his indepth DMD SS Rank Walkthrough.
5) DanteLinkX:
The speed demon himself. DanteLink's contributions to DMC aren't as lengthy as some others on this list, but the impact he had is still felt. His style of play is lethal, brutal, and unforgiving. He brought a unique flair to the way the game is played. One that still isn't replicated quite the same to this day.
His ideas for Quicksilver, activating it to exaggerate Dante's moveset. His execution for Trickster, as well as coming up with one of the best weapon selections for it. Being the first to start the process of launching and comboing DT'd enemies. And on top of that, he's another co-creator of the original DMC style tournament, TST (True Style Tournament).
Watch his sick TST2 Mission 2 SS Video
6) Kail:
Kail gets a lot of negative press from the community, but to deny his impact on the game wouldn't be honest. He came into the scene with TST2, going head-to-head against some heavy hitters. Say what you will about his videos and the editing, they were crucial to promoting DMC3 in the late 2000s. Not many DMC3 players or even regular old DMC content creators can say they have a video that hit 3 million views (nearly 4 million at the time of this writing) on YouTube. And it's a combo video at that.
The important lesson that Kail verified in DMC3 is that presentation is everything. Combining solid combos with catchy music and memorable editing is a recipe for staying power. Kail belongs on this list.
Watch his popular video. The Elysium
7) Breatoal:
The queen of DMC3. Brea came into the scene at an interesting time. A lot of the game was fleshed out and it was thought that there wasn't much more that could be found, but she came and proved that wasn't true. Brea introduced the community to DT'd stun mechanics and showcased how it could significantly impact the idea of a "combo".
As mentioned before, she coined the term "combo mad" and since then it has been a term that players use on their combo-centric videos to this day, even if they're not DMC-related. She was a regular participant in the True Style tournaments, going from TST2 forward. She was also part of a unique DMC3 combo group, H4xF4ctor, that produced legendary videos. Definitely one of the best to do it.
Watch Brea's innovative DMC3 Combo Mad 3
8) ViewtifulMoe:
ViewtifulMoe basically did what the Star Wars Prequels did for the Star Wars original trilogy for DMC3. Where Dantelink introduced the idea of launching and comboing a DT'd enemy, and Brea popularized the DT'd stun mechanics for relaunching - Moe refined the science behind those concepts. And on top of that, he was a fantastic player, with notable skills in the Swordmaster and Trickster styles.
Moe participated in the True Style tournament from TST2 forward and was another player involved in the H4xF4ctor combo group. He also has a couple of SS rank videos for the game as well. He's another librarian of the game.
Watch his excellent TST 3 Trickster video
9) Ramada:
What Brea is for Dante in DMC3, Ramada is essentially for Vergil. What makes him unique is the fantastic utilization of summoned swords to juggle enemies. Both sword storm and blistering swords are intricately woven into his play, and then when he layers relaunch DT mechanics, it reaches an amazing level. He was another participant in the True Style tournaments.
Ramada would be a model for DMC3 Vergil players to pattern themselves after. Exhibiting everything that his predecessors set up and then taking it even further.
Watch his fantastic TST 4 Dark Slayer Entry
10) Joch:
Joch isn't specifically a DMC3 player. Originally a DMC1 guru, and out of love for the game and thus the series, Joch created the site PhantomBabies.net. Although it is currently down, this site contained DMC1 footage and more importantly - a fantastic forum.
While the IGN/Gamefaqs boards were focused on the mainstream aspects of the series to varying degrees, Phantom Babies forums had sections completely dedicated to gameplay. This made it a haven for players, fostering a small core community.
Joch is also important because after Pokey86 gave up running the True Style Tournaments, Joch stepped up to the task for 2-3 years. The footage was uploaded to YouTube.
Check out Joch's channel which has TST DMC3 and 4 footage as well as great DMC1 play.
11) CaT:
Cat also isn't a DMC3 player specifically. She loves the series as a whole - so much that she created an amazing site called Devils-lair.org. The site has great information such as walkthroughs and strategy guides for DMC3. It also used to have a pretty decent forum with interesting players.
Pokey collaborated with CaT to host TST2 on her site, so for that alone she deserves a spot on this list.
If you visit the site, you can see how much of a relic it is. It's literally like traveling back to the mid-2000s. Check it out. Cat and Joch are important to the game because they created spaces where people could connect and talk about the game in various aspects. A lot of what they did helped push the game as this was before social media became a solid platform to communicate with other players.
Take a trip back in time and visit CaT's site!
12) AlexxShadenk:
Alexx is an underrated player. While not as decorated as others on this list, he has a unique space in DMC3's life. Another TST participant, he's a very knowledgeable player, and he went against the grain. In a time where most people thought of certain weapons or styles in DMC3 as useless, or inferior to the others - Alexx proved otherwise.
Pre-DMC4, Alexx and I used to come up with ideas of how style switching could work. Some of those ideas I still believe would've been excellent ways to flesh out new depth for the style system.
His Gloria No Argentum series of vids showcase his ability to think outside of the box. Alexx also holds a unique space that most other DMC3 hardcore players do not. He's created mods for the game. I, for one look at modding as another way to extend the game's life, so it's a task that is appreciated.
Check out his creative Gloria No Argentum 2 video
13) 475:
475 is one of the most unique contributors on this list. Yes, he understands the game at a high level. Yes, he can jump-cancel like a madman. Yes, he has an excellent mastery over DT-launch mechanics. But what makes him stand out is his understanding of the quirky side of the game. His most famous example of this is the shotgun glitch where he uses Devil Trigger displacement to trick the game into blasting the enemies towards Dante (who's spaced opposite of the enemy) instead of away.
When you start to utilize tricks like this in your combo-making and gameplay, you take DMC3 to a whole different level. One that makes the game legendary.
Watch his legendary video
14) Asthenia:
Formally DelusionaryKiller, this player is an excellent example of a student who turns into a master and then turns into a teacher. Asthenia is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs and studying his predecessors/fellow players, as well as being able to execute at a high level. To truly be good at the game, you also have to study the history of the game - past and present. Most people don't understand this small fact, but Asthenia does. Although he missed out on the TST, he entered the VSTV tournaments.
What makes him stand out as an important player who has pushed the game is not only his knowledge and amazing play but his willingness to educate others. He's a librarian, who has kept up with a lot of DMC's history and has created tutorials on gameplay mechanics for the game.
Check out his fantastic gameplay
15) Blowhard:
Another player who has completely absorbed nearly everything DMC3 provides, Blowhard pushes the game to its limits from a purified standpoint. Meaning, you'll never catch him using Style Switcher (Though it'd be amazing to see, I'm sure.) He's dedicated to the highest degree, being able to pull off combo sequences that require extreme attention to detail from both a knowledge and execution standpoint. Another VSTV participant.
Also, only a few people can say they are masters at the Royal Guard style in DMC3. It's a much harder feat to accomplish than the following games in the series, but Blowhard is one of them.
Check out his incredible combo video
16) TH:
TH is an incredible player who is criminally not well-known. Similar to Blowhard, he is an execution monster, pulling off beautiful DT'd relaunch combos that exhibit his knowledge of the mechanic. His style is more combo-centric, and he easily shines with Swordmaster and Trickster from that aspect.
He's one of those players I would love to see more of.
Check out his extraordinary combo video
17) zSenzy:
zSenzy is a DMC3 Vergil specialist who I first noticed a couple of years ago during a style tournament and was impressed by him. He's one of the fastest players I've seen jump-cancel (enemy step). He's also a purist, meaning on console - no mods. That gets a bit of respect because I come from an era where we had no choice and had to get better the hard way. So, for someone to choose to be that way, it means something.
zSenzy also has rare respect for past players and has an "old soul" attitude. He's retired for the moment but hopefully, the itch will return.
Check out his incredible Vergil gameplay
18) Nelo47Angelo:
Nelo is an interesting addition to this list because he's one of the few that I believe has mastered the modern era of YouTube DMC gameplay content, he's also a great player to boot. He pushes all of the DMC games, but of course, he's up here because of his DMC3 contributions. He shows off any mods that come out for the game at a high level, plus he facilitates tournaments that breathe life into it.
He's thoroughly adept at coming up with engaging titles, thumbnails, and descriptions. Because of this, DMC3 stays relative.
Check out his modded great DMC3 Dante gameplay
19) EldangoT:
EldangoT is another intriguing player. I first noticed him come to note with the release of Capcom's Switch edition of DMC3SE. Of course, most vets know that the Switch version has a "Free Style" mode that allows you to switch styles. ElDangoT specializes in creating beautiful combos with this mode. This is an impressive feat considering how finicky the weapon and style switching are on the Switch.
Check out his impressive combo video.
20) WaifuRuns:
Waifu is a player who stands out in this collection as he brings a different approach to the game than most. He's not really concerned with SS ranking or "style play". He wants to beat the game. As fast as possible. It's a different type of skill required and your knowledge, patience, and endurance have to be sharp. To me, although it may not be a conventional way of "keeping it stylish", speed-running meets the requirements and Waifu is one of the frontrunners.
Thanks to his endeavors, DMC3 is in rotation at many speed-running events such as GDQ. Waifu along with Nelo47Angelo has also mastered the art of YouTube DMC content creation.
Check out his sweet DMC3 speedrun
It Continues.
Giving flowers to those who have helped this game and this series is important. Not only does it ensure that their efforts are recognized, but it also cements a path for those who want to get into the game and flourish. My wish is that more players get into the series. Thanks to all of these players for keeping it stylish for these past 20 years.
Honorable mentions:
Kazak, Hwoarang, Spyda12, Venom, Xarugas, Integsta, EtherealS, TopBreeder, Kamuimoon, Broly2012, Flamer0, Marty81, MechaMike, Vitrik Agno, Seraph Sans, Devil Never Cry, D3vilwithin, Donguri, DECosmic, Katyusha_DMC, BeeG, Serpentiem, Muhopensores
Comments