Decided to finish DMC1 as well. Man, this game is really something special. It's a completely different game from DMC 2-5.
DMC 2-5 feels like a freestyle combo focused action game with the goal to score as high style point as possible. DMC1 feels like action horror adventure game and the whole point of the game is to explore a haunted castle with an OP character while the game still try to spook you in the process. It has a sense of immersion that isn't presented in later DMC games.
The whole castle is a huge interconnected world. There are various documents in the castle that players can read, which records the life of people who used to live there and various supernatural phenomenon in the castle. Sometimes player open a door then it's back to the old zone that they previously visited. Several future enemy encounters are foreshadowed as players explore the environment.
This kind of environment design technique was used in Souls like games decade later, which greatly increase immersion.
As the game progresses the castle gets more and more haunted. Which makes this castle felt alive.
There are also controversial underwater level that developers took away Dante's mobility and power in a confined space, and oh boy they sure successfully evoke some eerie, uncomfortable emotions that just made me want to get out.
Later DMC games slowly evolve into more combo focused action game. Which isn't a bad thing. But I wonder if DMC continued on the horror action game path, would it become "the Dark Soul" or "the Bloodborne" a decade later?
Idk, but I sure love DMC1 more than DMC2&3 at least. I wish Capcom can make another game that feels like this.
DMC 4 is the last mainline title that I need to finish, since I dropped it years ago after 2hr of playing. But I have a feeling that I wouldn't like 4 as much as 1 and 5.....