History YMMV / DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening

* DemonicSpiders: The Arachne fit this trope when you fight them in swarms. Bonus points for being ''literal'' DemonicSpiders.

* SignitureScene: Dante's opening scene of him hitting the jukebox, saying "This party's getting cuh-razy! Let's rock!" and then effortlessly annhilating a swarm of demons all in the first five minutes.

** The entire existence of ''[[UpdatedRerelease Special Edition]]'' is owed to this, largely stemming as an apology from Creator/{{Capcom}} for making [[DifficultyByRegion the North American version]] too difficult even by [[NintendoHard series standards]]. The ability to play as [[EvilTwin Ver]][[BreakoutVillain gil]] was simply icing on the cake.

* GameBreaker: Quicksilver Style puts Dante into [[TimeStandsStill bullet time]] for rather long periods of time, though it eats up his Devil Gauge. However, with enough Devil Gauge-restoring items, it becomes a little broken. That said, in an unlocked mode with a certain costume, infinite Devil Trigger lets you butcher enemies in bullet time.

** '''Easy mode is now selectable.''' [[labelnote:Explanation]]Thanks to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8IPtE_vE_U an infamous moment]] in the [[WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay Super Best Friends Play]] series, this line is starting to get traction as the most savage response a game could ever give a player.[[/labelnote]]

* PolishedPort: The Switch re-release has features introduced in later games such as on-the-fly Style switching and an improved version of ''5'''s weapon-switch system, and even has a local co-op Bloody Palace not featured in any other entry in the series.

* ScrappyMechanic: The Style System, though [[BrokenBase not without its defenders]]. Why the hell should the player [[LimitedMoveArsenal have to choose between]] the ability to FlashStep and that to guard? Between multi-aiming with guns and additional melee attacks? This is a great source of FakeDifficulty against bosses or enemies you face for the first time, and gets especially annoying in the penultimate boss, where the fact of having Vergil fighting with you ''prevents you from using any of your Styles''. Thankfully, ''4'' allows you to change Styles whenever you want, including mid-combo, making the system much more interesting to exploit, [[DifficultButAwesome if tricky to master]]. On the other hand, a great deal of players preferred the simplified scheme in ''3'', as it was more specialized and the fourth game streamlined the abilities of the returning four Styles, so YMMV.
** On the other hand, this problem is mitigated in the Nintendo Switch version of ''3'', as that version has the real-time style switching system that ''4'' onwards would introduce, whilst keeping a mode without the real-time style and weapon switching, thus appeasing fans on both ends of the spectrum.

* ToughActToFollow: It was, and to many still is, regarded as the best entry in the ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' franchise. It's certainly seen as better than its predecessors, ''[=DMC4=]'' is considered a competent effort that didn't quite equal it, and ''[=DmC=]'' is mixed. ''[=DMC5=]'' is the first game in the series to contest ''3'' for its spot at the top, although there's still disagreement about that as well.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch ports of the first two ''Devil May Cry'' games were criticized for being released separately and each individually costing as much as the ''HD Collection'' on other platforms while offering nothing to make them worth purchasing on the Switch. The port of ''3'', on the other hand, added features exclusive to the Switch version such as real-time style and weapon switching, along with co-op Bloody Palace.
* [[AwesomeBosses/VideoGames Best Boss Ever]]: [[MirrorBoss All three fights]] with [[TheRival Vergil]] are certainly beloved, but the second fight takes the cake. It has the most memorable theme of all three fights and is the first time both sons of Sparda use their Devil Trigger against each other; unlike last time, it ''feels'' like Dante and Vergil are equals, unlike last time where [[JustToyingWithThem Vergil always had the upper hand]].

** The end of Mission 14 had Dante use Lady's motorcycle to rapidly climb up the Temen-Ni-Gru tower while killing some demons along the way. Unfortunately, the bike exploded towards the end of the cutscene due to Dante overloading the engine. ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' would return to this concept with the Cavaliere devil arm, a motorcycle that has the added bonus of being able to split into [[ChainsawGood two chainsaws]].
* ItsHardSoItSucks: Capcom decided to make the Japanese version’s hard mode the North American version’s normal mode, a move MANY felt was an example of going overboard.

** '''Easy mode is now selectable.''' [[labelnote:Explanation]][[https://youtu.be/d8IPtE_vE_U Thanks to an infamous moment]] in the [[WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay Super Best Friends Play]] series, this line is starting to get traction as the most savage response a game could ever give a player.[[/labelnote]]

* ToughActToFollow: It was, and to many still is, regarded as the best entry in the ''Videogame/DevilMayCry'' franchise. It's certainly seen as better than its predecessors, ''[=DMC4=]'' is considered a competent effort that didn't quite equal it, and ''[=DmC=]'' is mixed. ''[=DMC5=]'' is the first game in the series to contest ''3'' for its spot at the top, although there's still disagreement about that as well.

** On the other hand, this problem is mitigated in the Nintendo Switch version of ''3'', as Capcom announced that version will have the real-time style switching system that ''4'' onwards would introduce.

* HilariousInHindsight: When Lady tells Dante to take her Kalina Ann, he asks her how much she's going to charge him for it. She only asks for his name, but [[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries later]] [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 works]] depict her as a major source of Dante's constant debt.

* OlderThanTheyThink: Due to its sub-par design and at best lukewarm reception among the majority of the fanbase pertaining to anything other than [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the soundtrack]], few realize that a number of mechanics in this game originated from [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 the second installment]]. For example, Trickster Style expanded upon the maneuvers Dante and Lucia could perform with the Evade button [[note]]which even uses the circle button like all Styles do in subsequent titles for the [=PlayStation=] entries[[/note]], Fireworks was introduced as part of a combo string instead of a standalone special for the Shotgun, and other Gunslinger staples like [[GunsAkimbo Twosome]] [[GunKata Time]] and [[DeathFromAbove Rain Storm]] (minus the [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning spinning]]) were featured as default abilities. Heck, there are some fans who don't know that Dante's now-trademark Rebellion made its debut in ''2'' (albeit with a radically different design from what's seen in this game and beyond).

* ToughActToFollow: It was, and to many still is, regarded as the best entry in the ''Videogame/DevilMayCry'' franchise. It's certainly seen as better than its predecessors, ''[=DMC4=]'' is considered a competent effort that didn't quite equal it, and ''[=DmC=]'' has a mix of LoveItOrHateIt. ''[=DMC5=]'' is the first game in the series to contest ''3'' for its spot at the top, although there's still disagreement about that as well.

** ''Easy mode is now selectable.'' [[labelnote:Explanation]][[https://youtu.be/d8IPtE_vE_U Thanks to an infamous moment]] in the [[WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay Super Best Friends Play]] series, this line is starting to get traction as the most savage response a game could ever give a player.[[/labelnote]]

* EarWorm: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xti_6Bzpa8A "Devils Never Cry."]] The battle music ("Taste the Blood" and "Divine Hate") will also get stuck in your head eventually, considering how often you'll be hearing it.

* ToughActToFollow: It was, and to many still is, regarded as the best entry in the ''Videogame/DevilMayCry'' franchise. It's certainly seen as better than its predecessors, ''[=DMC4=]'' is considered a competent effort that didn't quite equal it, and ''[=DmC=]'' has a mix of LoveItOrHate it. ''[=DMC5=]'' is the first game in the series to contest ''3'' for its spot at the top, although there's still disagreement about that as well.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBXNHlQ6_ik Vergil lecturing his brother]] after their first battle deserves some points on the {{Narm}} scale. [[TropesAreTools Even so]], Vergil's speech is considered to be a definitive moment for him, one that's [[MemeticMutation often quoted by fans]] and launched [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation all sorts of analysis into his motives]] due to its mildly {{cryptic|Conversation}} nature.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBXNHlQ6_ik Vergil lecturing his brother]] after their first battle deserves some points. [[TropesAreTools Even so]], Vergil's speech is considered to be a definitive moment for him, one that's [[MemeticMutation often quoted by fans]].

* OlderThanTheyThink: Due to its sub-par design and at best lukewarm reception among the majority of the fanbase pertaining to anything other than [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the soundtrack]], few realize that a number of mechanics in this game originated from [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 the second installment]]. For example, Trickster Style expanded upon the maneuvers Dante and Lucia could perform with the Evade button [[note]]which even uses the circle button like all Styles do in subsequent titles for the [=PlayStation=][[/note]], and Fireworks was part of a combo string instead of a standalone special for the Shotgun. Heck, there are some fans who don't know that Dante's now-trademark Rebellion made its debut in ''2'' (albeit with a radically different design from what's seen in this game and beyond).

* {{Narm}} ([[NarmCharm Charm]]):

--->'''Vergil:''' "Foolishness, Dante. Foolishness."

** '''MOTIVATED''' [[labelnote:Explanation]]Some of the most well-remembered of Vergil's BossBanter lines are "Now I'm motivated!" and "Where's your motivation?", which the fandom has memed to hell and back.[[/labelnote]]

* ScrappyMechanic: The Style System, arguably. Why the hell should the player [[LimitedMoveArsenal have to choose between]] the ability to FlashStep and that to guard? Between multi-aiming with guns and additional melee attacks? This is a great source of FakeDifficulty against bosses or enemies you face for the first time, and gets especially annoying in the penultimate boss, where the fact of having Vergil fighting with you ''prevents you from using any of your Styles''. Thankfully, ''4'' allows you to change Styles whenever you want, including mid-combo, making the system much more interesting to exploit, [[DifficultButAwesome if tricky to master]]. On the other hand, a great deal of players preferred the simplified scheme in ''3'', as it was more specialized and the fourth game streamlined the abilities of the returning four Styles, so YMMV.

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Arkham]], seemingly working for Dante's brother Vergil, is revealed as a sinister, power-hungry man who sacrificed his own wife to become a devil himself, as his alter ego [[MonsterClown Jester]]. Arkham [[ManipulativeBastard manipulates everyone]] to lure them into a battle, resulting in Dante, Vergil and Arkham's own daughter Lady--who [[ArchnemesisDad Arkham]] has no issues brutalizing or even trying to kill--weakened enough for Arkham to step in and seize the power of Sparda for himself. When he unlocks the power of Sparda, Arkham plans to, as he puts it, "welcome Chaos" all through the world. When Lady confronts him at the game's end, Arkham angrily demands to know what he's done wrong, declaring he [[AGodAmI wants to be a God]], and asking if sacrificing "one miserable human being" to do so was "really so awful".

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Arkham]], initially TheDragon to [[CainAndAbel Dante's brother Vergil]], is [[NotSoHarmlessVillain revealed as a sinister, power-hungry man]] who sacrificed his own wife to become a devil himself, as his alter ego [[MonsterClown Jester]]. Arkham manipulates everyone to lure them into a battle, resulting in Dante, Vergil and Arkham's own daughter Lady weakened enough for Arkham to step in and seize the power of Sparda for himself. Arkham has no compunction brutalizing Lady or trying to kill her. When he unlocks the power of Sparda, Arkham plans to, as he puts it, "welcome Chaos" all through the world. When Lady confronts him at the game's end, Arkham angrily demands to know what he's done wrong, declaring he [[AGodAmI wanted to be a God]] and for that he had sacrificed just "one miserable human life, that's all! [[ItsAllAboutMe Was that really so awful!?]]"