What does it mean to be cool? What does the word cool even mean? Apparently in the 1930s the modern colloquial meaning of the word cool started. Why the hell am I even bringing this up? Because there needs to be more media that focuses on just being unabashedly cool. Is this a really subjective term? Yeah, probably too subjective to be written about in this fashion, but who cares. When I think of a cool piece of media, my mind immediately goes to Devil May Cry (DMC), a stylish Japanese action game that started in the early 2000s. This game series’ cool factor is just out of this world, and the characters, audience intractability and aesthetic of the game add to all that coolness. Yeah, take a shot.

Alright so this series is not very well known, I know. When you think of a mainstream video game, your mind probably goes to something like “Fortnite,” “Grand Theft Auto” or maybe “The Last of Us.” DMC is an older video game series that is not quite mainstream. It definitely has a cult fan base that is incredibly die-hard. But why is this series so beloved? Well, all the reasons I listed before, and then some. These games are way more than the sum of their parts, but going back to it, if I had to say what makes them so damn memorable, it would be the cool factor.

Dante is just so sick. He’s the main character of the game series. Character design is an aspect of media that is always slept on. Creating a character who has a compelling personality is so important. Equally as important is making a character with a unique and interesting visual design. So many times I see characters in various media that just look like normal people, with no pizzazz or special, fun elements visually. Dante is defined by three things in his design. He has white hair, a long red coat and a huge sword.

This guy just oozes charisma. He is always confident and super skillful. His main job is killing demons, and he doesn’t take it seriously at all. Many scenes in this series are just Dante slashing and shooting colorful demonic entities. Sounds simple, but he’s a creative guy. The player can also be creative, which goes into the audience interaction. What separates video games from other mediums is the fact that the audience can directly interact with the characters. In a movie, you watch the characters progress the story. In a game, you EMBODY the characters as they progress through the story.

The gameplay and combat in these games are legendary. DMC is a series with loads of demon-killing goodies from swords, to guns, to kinds of demonic weapons I wouldn’t be able to describe with words. This variety is the sweet ingredient that makes these games so unique. There are so many unique attacks and weapon combinations at the player’s disposal. The genius of this is that it makes the player in sync with the character. Dante is such a skillful, flamboyant fighter and the gameplay encourages the player to emulate that. Why? Because Dante is cool, and who wouldn’t want to be cool along with him?

Dante and the other characters in this series have such an incredible style to them that transcends gameplay. This works into the overall aesthetic of the series. It can be very gothic and dark at times. The first game’s setting is a medieval, gothic castle. This gothic, dark style stays consistent throughout the entire series to various degrees. Every game’s setting is incredibly unique whilst keeping the same vibe, whether it’s an urban city, or a traditional, old-timey town. This gothic vibe really brings the entire series together.

It makes it feel very unique, since it juxtaposes so well with the characters. Many gothic games nowadays have super serious and stern characters. DMC on the other hand has an unsettling, supernatural tone, but with an incredibly comedic and charismatic main character. Dante really is the life blood of this series. He’s cool with a capital C. His style and charisma motivate the player to emulate that. Why is that important? Because it separates the games from the rest of the pack. Not many games are like DMC in terms of characters and gameplay. It all just further exemplifies how cool and unique this series is, and unique and cool art is crucial. It helps inspire other creators into thinking what they can do to make their own art unique and stand out. A lack of cool art in this modern age would make things so stale and predictable that even a devil may cry.

Nicolas Scagnelli is a senior majoring in English.

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial.