A survival horror experiment that birthed a stylish action revolution
In short: What happens when a game designed for slow-paced survival horror is deemed too fast for its franchise? Capcom's 2001 project was supposed to be Resident Evil 4, but its high-octane, acrobatic combat was so distinct that it was spun off into a standalone title, eventually defining a new subgenre of gaming.
In late 1999, producer Shinji Mikami tasked director Hideki Kamiya with creating a fourth Resident Evil entry. The initial concept focused on a biotechnology-enhanced man named "Tony." However, Kamiya pushed for a stylized action-adventure experience that broke away from the series' signature slow pace. When Mikami reviewed the progress, he felt the fast-paced "stylish" action was inconsistent with survival horror. He advised the team to pivot, leading to the creation of a separate identity for the project.
To ground this new direction, the development team traveled to the United Kingdom and Spain for eleven days to photograph Gothic statues, bricks, and stone pavements for textures. Kamiya eventually rewrote the narrative, drawing inspiration from Dante Alighieri's 'Divine Comedy.' He renamed the protagonist Dante and designed him to be a "showy" hero in a red coat—a traditional color for Japanese heroes—who was meant to be relatable enough to "go out drinking with."
The game's core mechanics were born from technical accidents and arcade influences. A bug in 'Onimusha: Warlords' where enemies stayed in the air when slashed inspired the "juggling" combat style. Additionally, the over-the-top action drew from the 1989 arcade game 'Strider.' This evolution resulted in the "character action" subgenre, focusing on powerful heroes fighting hordes of enemies with a focus on "stylish" combat, where players are rewarded for variety and avoiding damage.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Devil May Cry (video game)
- Also: Wikidata — Devil May Cry · CC0
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