<s>
is	O
a	O
2003	O
action-adventure	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Capcom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
from	O
January	O
to	O
March	O
,	O
originally	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
terms	O
of	O
chronological	O
order	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
events	O
are	O
set	O
after	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
and	O
prior	O
to	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
4	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
in	O
modern	O
times	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
fictional	O
Vie	O
de	O
Marli	O
island	O
,	O
the	O
story	O
centers	O
on	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunter	O
Dante	O
and	O
island	O
guardian	O
Lucia	O
in	O
their	O
fight	O
to	O
stop	O
a	O
businessman	O
named	O
Arius	B-Application
from	O
raising	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
Argosax	O
and	O
achieving	O
supreme	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
is	O
told	O
primarily	O
through	O
a	O
mixture	O
of	O
cutscenes	O
using	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
,	O
with	O
several	O
pre-rendered	O
full	B-Application
motion	I-Application
videos	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Handled	O
by	O
a	O
different	O
team	O
that	O
lacked	O
experience	O
,	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
a	O
troubled	O
production	O
which	O
was	O
reflected	O
in	O
its	O
reception	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
that	O
,	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
,	O
established	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
series	O
conventions	O
,	O
and	O
motivated	O
its	O
development	O
team	O
to	O
improve	O
their	O
work	O
,	O
staying	O
with	O
the	O
franchise	O
for	O
future	O
entries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
guides	O
either	O
Dante	O
or	O
Lucia	O
through	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
environments	O
,	O
fighting	O
groups	O
of	O
monsters	O
in	O
fast-paced	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
Red	O
Orbs	O
are	O
"	O
the	O
blood	O
of	O
demons	B-Operating_System
"	O
;	O
enemies	O
drop	O
them	O
when	O
they	O
are	O
defeated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Devil	O
Trigger	O
ability	O
enables	O
Dante	O
and	O
Lucia	O
to	O
transform	O
into	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
form	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
a	O
museum	O
,	O
an	O
item	O
on	O
display	O
called	O
the	O
Medaglia	O
attracts	O
Lucia	O
,	O
a	O
gaggle	O
of	O
demons	B-Operating_System
and	O
Dante	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
island	O
existing	O
outside	O
the	O
mainstream	O
in	O
the	O
outskirts	O
of	O
the	O
New	B-Protocol
World	I-Protocol
,	O
Vie	O
de	O
Marli	O
became	O
a	O
sanctuary	O
for	O
refugees	O
of	O
different	O
races	O
,	O
beliefs	O
and	O
languages	O
;	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
runaway	O
slaves	O
;	O
in	O
the	O
distant	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
time	O
,	O
these	O
groups	O
blended	O
into	O
one	O
,	O
the	O
syncretism	O
leading	O
to	O
new	O
religions	O
that	O
worshipped	O
demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
Vie	O
de	O
Marli	O
,	O
Dante	O
meets	O
another	O
one	O
,	O
Lucia	O
's	O
mother	O
Matier	O
who	O
,	O
centuries	O
earlier	O
,	O
exorcised	O
Argosax	O
(	O
the	O
evilest	O
idolized	O
demon	B-Operating_System
)	O
with	O
the	O
aid	O
of	O
his	O
father	O
,	O
Sparda	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
asks	O
Dante	O
to	O
fight	O
Arius	B-Application
,	O
an	O
international	O
businessman	O
whose	O
Uroboros	O
corporation	O
installed	O
itself	O
on	O
the	O
island	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Outwardly	O
interested	O
in	O
"	O
special	O
ores	O
"	O
found	O
there	O
and	O
developing	O
the	O
place	O
,	O
his	O
true	O
intent	O
is	O
to	O
transcend	O
mortality	O
by	O
absorbing	O
Argosax	O
's	O
power	O
after	O
summoning	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
with	O
Arcanas	O
,	O
holy	O
relics	O
hidden	O
throughout	O
Vie	O
de	O
Marli	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
heads	O
off	O
to	O
exterminate	O
demons	B-Operating_System
and	O
find	O
Arius	B-Application
,	O
while	O
Lucia	O
collects	O
the	O
Arcanas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lucia	O
reaches	O
it	O
first	O
and	O
faces	O
Arius	B-Application
,	O
who	O
reveals	O
her	O
origin	O
as	O
his	O
rejected	O
artificial	O
creation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
infiltrates	O
the	O
Uroboros	O
tower	O
to	O
kill	O
Arius	B-Application
,	O
but	O
fails	O
and	O
is	O
held	O
hostage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dante	O
arrives	O
and	O
trades	O
the	O
Arcana	O
for	O
Lucia	O
,	O
then	O
attacks	O
Arius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
escape	O
,	O
Arius	B-Application
forces	O
Dante	O
to	O
decide	O
between	O
saving	O
Lucia	O
or	O
killing	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lucia	O
,	O
worried	O
about	O
the	O
ritual	O
and	O
conflicted	O
about	O
herself	O
,	O
wonders	O
how	O
they	O
will	O
stop	O
Arius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dante	O
leaves	O
Lucia	O
to	O
think	O
as	O
he	O
departs	O
to	O
defeat	O
Arius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Matier	O
arrives	O
a	O
short	O
time	O
later	O
,	O
reaffirms	O
their	O
mother-daughter	O
bond	O
as	O
stronger	O
than	O
blood	O
ties	O
,	O
and	O
persuades	O
her	O
to	O
rejoin	O
the	O
fight	O
against	O
Arius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dante	O
arrives	O
at	O
the	O
tower	O
to	O
find	O
Arius	B-Application
in	O
the	O
middle	O
of	O
his	O
immortality-inducing	O
ritual	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
fight	O
ensues	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
Dante	O
finishes	O
Arius	B-Application
off	O
with	O
his	O
pistols	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Outside	O
,	O
Lucia	O
confronts	O
Dante	O
and	O
demands	O
that	O
he	O
kill	O
her	O
because	O
she	O
fears	O
she	O
will	O
become	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
herself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
the	O
issue	O
can	O
be	O
resolved	O
,	O
a	O
large	O
stream	O
of	O
energy	O
strikes	O
the	O
tower	O
and	O
a	O
portal	O
to	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
world	O
is	O
opened	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Dante	O
departs	O
,	O
Arius	B-Application
returns	O
to	O
life	O
bearing	O
demonic	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Lucia	O
fights	O
Arius	B-Application
,	O
he	O
finds	O
himself	O
injured	O
and	O
attempts	O
to	O
distract	O
her	O
,	O
a	O
tactic	O
which	O
fails	O
,	O
and	O
Lucia	O
goes	O
on	O
to	O
defeat	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finding	O
the	O
portal	O
closed	O
behind	O
him	O
,	O
Dante	O
instead	O
drives	O
further	O
into	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
realm	O
on	O
a	O
motorcycle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
the	O
turn	O
of	O
the	O
millennium	O
,	O
Team	O
Little	O
Devils	O
—	O
a	O
group	O
within	O
Capcom	O
Production	O
Studio	O
4	O
helmed	O
by	O
Hideki	O
Kamiya	O
,	O
who	O
previously	O
lead	O
the	O
successful	O
Resident	B-Application
Evil	I-Application
2	I-Application
—	O
developed	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
production	O
on	O
that	O
title	O
wound	O
down	O
in	O
the	O
summer	O
of	O
2001	O
,	O
company	O
management	O
greenlit	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
made	O
by	O
the	O
arcade-centric	O
Capcom	O
Production	O
Studio	O
1	O
,	O
for	O
release	O
soon	O
after	O
the	O
original	O
to	O
capitalize	O
on	O
its	O
high	O
awareness	O
and	O
popularity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Capcom	O
management	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
was	O
disappointed	O
with	O
the	O
financial	O
performance	O
of	O
Studio	O
1	O
's	O
output	O
,	O
the	O
change	O
of	O
teams	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
part	O
of	O
a	O
pivot	O
reflecting	O
industry	O
trends	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
—	O
a	O
former	O
Studio	O
1	O
member	O
hired	O
to	O
join	O
Team	O
Devil	O
for	O
character	O
,	O
monster	O
and	O
stage	O
design	O
as	O
a	O
contract	O
worker	O
—	O
described	O
the	O
situation	O
thus	O
:	O
{{	O
bquote|	O
"	O
Capcom	O
had	O
traditionally	O
been	O
split	O
into	O
two	O
main	O
pillars	O
:	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
division	O
and	O
the	O
console	O
division	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
But	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
's	O
increased	O
processing	O
power	O
and	O
a	O
change	O
in	O
the	O
nature	O
of	O
Capcom	O
's	O
arcade	B-Application
game	O
market	O
meant	O
a	O
company-wide	O
shift	O
of	O
human	O
resources	O
from	O
arcade	B-Application
to	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
big	O
hits	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
like	O
Resident	B-Application
Evil	I-Application
and	O
DMC	O
,	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
fighting	O
game	O
teams	O
were	O
switched	O
over	O
to	O
teams	O
making	O
games	O
for	O
home	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Studio	O
4	O
General	O
Manager	O
Shinji	O
Mikami	O
agreed	O
to	O
the	O
switch	O
due	O
to	O
headcount	O
:	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
require	O
a	O
large	O
crew	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
wanted	O
the	O
freedom	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
multiple	O
titles	O
,	O
and	O
felt	O
Kamiya	O
lacked	O
experience	O
working	O
with	O
small	O
teams	O
,	O
assigning	O
him	O
to	O
what	O
became	O
Viewtiful	B-Application
Joe	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
localization	O
and	O
finishing	O
touches	O
of	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
,	O
Kamiya	O
first	O
heard	O
about	O
the	O
sequel	O
from	O
its	O
original	O
director	O
,	O
who	O
asked	O
him	O
to	O
share	O
that	O
game	O
's	O
screenplay	O
and	O
design	O
document	O
so	O
they	O
could	O
develop	O
the	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
a	O
producer	O
did	O
n't	O
like	O
the	O
"	O
joke-cracking	O
wiseass	O
"	O
Dante	O
of	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
,	O
he	O
was	O
re-envisioned	O
as	O
grown-up	O
and	O
taciturn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiple	O
Team	O
Devil	O
members	O
were	O
fond	O
of	O
Arius	B-Application
because	O
"	O
it	O
was	O
neat	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
CEO	O
as	O
a	O
villain	O
"	O
;	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
symbol	O
of	O
high	O
contemporary	O
culture	O
"	O
,	O
he	O
became	O
the	O
precedent	O
that	O
allowed	O
writing	O
opportunities	O
in	O
sequels	O
beyond	O
the	O
"	O
fantasy	O
world	O
"	O
setting	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
Morihashi	O
,	O
who	O
sees	O
"	O
love	O
"	O
as	O
the	O
central	O
theme	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
"	O
is	O
about	O
Dante	O
's	O
love	O
for	O
his	O
father	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Arius	B-Application
 '	O
face	O
is	O
an	O
homage	O
to	O
Colonel	O
Douglas	O
Mortimer	O
,	O
a	O
character	O
played	O
by	O
Lee	O
Van	O
Cleef	O
in	O
For	O
a	O
Few	O
Dollars	O
More	O
;	O
his	O
noble	O
look	O
and	O
palette	O
"	O
imply	O
that	O
he	O
's	O
compensating	O
for	O
a	O
deep	O
,	O
dark	O
evil	O
that	O
he	O
harbors	O
within	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Capcom	O
Design	O
Room	O
illustrator	O
Naru	O
Omori	O
created	O
four	O
cover	O
images	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
which	O
he	O
found	O
unsatisfactory	O
due	O
to	O
a	O
short	O
three	O
week	O
deadline	O
,	O
though	O
content	O
with	O
one	O
used	O
on	O
the	O
packaging	O
;	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
logo	O
pose	O
render	O
,	O
made	O
during	O
an	O
all-nighter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cutscenes	O
were	O
outsourced	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
production	O
to	O
the	O
CG	O
animation	O
and	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
studio	O
Links	O
DigiWorks	O
,	O
who	O
'd	O
contributed	O
to	O
games	O
by	O
other	O
Capcom	O
divisions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
factor	O
also	O
played	O
a	O
part	O
in	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
demons	B-Operating_System
,	O
whose	O
names	O
are	O
derived	O
from	O
languages	O
such	O
as	O
Latin	O
,	O
Greek	O
and	O
archaic	O
Japanese	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ikeno	O
turned	O
to	O
the	O
roots	O
when	O
crafting	O
their	O
designs	O
:	O
"	O
Ancient	O
portrayals	O
of	O
demons	B-Operating_System
rarely	O
incorporated	O
elements	O
that	O
were	O
n't	O
already	O
known	O
to	O
people	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
so	O
they	O
might	O
have	O
the	O
head	O
of	O
a	O
lion	O
but	O
the	O
body	O
of	O
a	O
human	O
,	O
for	O
instance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Inspiration	O
derived	O
from	O
western	O
imagery	O
includes	O
woodblock	O
illustrations	O
of	O
the	O
brazen	O
bull	O
,	O
Norse	O
mythology	O
,	O
the	O
Bible	O
,	O
alchemical	B-Language
symbolism	O
,	O
and	O
rituals	O
with	O
pagan	O
roots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Possessed	O
Arius	B-Application
was	O
partly	O
based	O
on	O
deep	O
sea	O
lifeforms	O
and	O
Arius-Argosax	O
on	O
east	O
asian	O
dragons	O
because	O
Ikeno	O
thinks	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
strongest-looking	O
demons	B-Operating_System
tend	O
to	O
be	O
humanoid	O
dragon	O
ones	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Team	O
Devil	O
's	O
arcade	B-Application
background	O
was	O
reflected	O
in	O
the	O
approach	O
to	O
texture	O
mapping	O
:	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
experience	O
with	O
realistic	O
resources	O
meant	O
most	O
of	O
their	O
textures	O
were	O
handmade	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
its	O
visuals	O
and	O
essence	O
more	O
drawing-like	O
in	O
comparison	O
with	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
,	O
whose	O
modelers	O
tackled	O
realism	O
by	O
making	O
textures	O
out	O
of	O
photographs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
option	O
of	O
running	O
through	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
with	O
Lucia	O
was	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
player	O
feedback	O
per	O
Tanaka	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
set	O
up	O
for	O
an	O
easy	O
first	O
playthrough	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
increasing	O
degree	O
of	O
challenge	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
goes	O
through	O
its	O
unlockables	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Motion	O
animator	O
Hiroyuki	O
Nara	O
was	O
"	O
drafted	O
"	O
into	O
Team	O
Devil	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
development	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
two	O
unlockables	O
:	O
Dante	O
's	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
model	O
and	O
Trish	O
,	O
the	O
latter	O
featuring	O
the	O
former	O
's	O
playstyle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
help	O
from	O
Team	O
Devil	O
's	O
coders	O
,	O
Nara	O
recreated	O
the	O
animations	O
by	O
eyeballing	O
them	O
on	O
a	O
television	O
running	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
side	O
by	O
side	O
with	O
his	O
work	O
monitor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Funamizu	O
gave	O
Team	O
Devil	O
complete	O
creative	O
freedom	O
;	O
since	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
tells	O
a	O
complete	O
story	O
,	O
they	O
opted	O
to	O
explore	O
various	O
directions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
originally	O
set	O
in	O
New	O
York	O
City	O
and	O
starred	O
a	O
man	O
in	O
a	O
green	O
jacket	O
instead	O
of	O
Dante	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
was	O
changed	O
due	O
to	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
factors	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
September	O
11	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
production	O
of	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
a	O
very	O
difficult	O
process	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
staff	O
struggling	O
against	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
both	O
know-how	O
in	O
3D	O
action	O
games	O
and	O
manpower	O
due	O
to	O
other	O
titles	O
concurrently	O
in	O
the	O
works	O
within	O
the	O
division	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
point	O
they	O
had	O
around	O
six	O
months	O
left	O
before	O
the	O
deadline	O
,	O
Studio	O
1	O
director	O
Hideaki	O
Itsuno	O
had	O
finished	O
work	O
on	O
Capcom	B-Application
vs.	I-Application
SNK	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
was	O
doing	O
the	O
early	O
conception	O
of	O
what	O
became	O
Dragon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Dogma	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Itsuno	O
was	O
angered	O
at	O
his	O
assignment	O
and	O
took	O
on	O
the	O
job	O
in	O
a	O
"	O
burning	O
 [ his ] 	O
own	O
bridges	O
"	O
way	O
;	O
he	O
originally	O
planned	O
a	O
complete	O
overhaul	O
which	O
would	O
detach	O
the	O
game	O
from	O
the	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
intellectual	O
property	O
:	O
"	O
part	O
of	O
me	O
was	O
dissatisfied	O
because	O
I	O
had	O
n't	O
started	O
with	O
the	O
project	O
from	O
day	O
one	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Capcom	O
pegged	O
its	O
launch	O
window	O
in	O
early	O
September	O
,	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
65%	O
complete	O
around	O
then	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
demo	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
a	O
Dengeki	O
PS2	B-Device
bundled	O
disc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
features	O
emphasized	O
on	O
previews	O
as	O
bringing	O
accessibility	O
to	O
both	O
casual	O
and	O
dedicated	O
players	O
—	O
but	O
cut	O
from	O
the	O
final	O
game	O
—	O
are	O
automatically	O
scaling	O
difficulty	O
,	O
fully	O
customizable	O
controls	O
and	O
multiple	O
paths	O
for	O
all	O
missions	O
;	O
Tanaka	O
felt	O
the	O
uneven	O
mission	O
lengths	O
of	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
was	O
an	O
issue	O
,	O
and	O
saw	O
the	O
last	O
feature	O
as	O
a	O
way	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
pace	O
playthroughs	O
out	O
to	O
match	O
their	O
preferences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ikeno	O
's	O
early	O
boss	O
drafts	O
depicted	O
Jokatgulm	O
as	O
either	O
a	O
conventional	O
demon	B-Operating_System
or	O
a	O
humanoid	O
woman	O
whose	O
body	O
is	O
composed	O
of	O
multiple	O
giant	O
skulls	O
with	O
tentacles	O
coming	O
through	O
them	O
;	O
while	O
Nefasturris	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
buddhist	O
art	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
unused	O
foes	O
are	O
a	O
plant	O
demon	B-Operating_System
,	O
masses	O
of	O
bodies	O
and	O
spirits	O
,	O
a	O
rival	O
with	O
abilities	O
similar	O
to	O
Dante	O
's	O
who	O
could	O
shoot	O
energy	O
balls	O
and	O
fly	O
at	O
any	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
boss	O
would	O
've	O
been	O
a	O
huge	O
dragon	O
with	O
fire	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
did	O
n't	O
want	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
to	O
be	O
his	O
legacy	O
within	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
so	O
before	O
development	O
had	O
wrapped	O
,	O
Itsuno	O
asked	O
his	O
higher-ups	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
with	O
himself	O
as	O
director	O
from	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
the	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
rallied	O
Team	O
Devil	O
to	O
stay	O
for	O
it	O
;	O
some	O
members	O
shared	O
his	O
sentiment	O
,	O
with	O
many	O
wanting	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
what	O
they	O
learned	O
making	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
regards	O
to	O
player	O
reception	O
,	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
pleased	O
those	O
who	O
found	O
the	O
original	O
too	O
difficult	O
,	O
but	O
drove	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
base	O
away	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
Team	O
Devil	O
's	O
goal	O
to	O
win	O
them	O
back	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2020	O
,	O
Capcom	O
was	O
targeted	O
by	O
a	O
ransomware	O
attack	O
,	O
which	O
led	O
to	O
a	O
file	O
batch	O
containing	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
backup	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
leaking	O
on	O
the	O
internet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
focus	O
of	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
on	O
style	O
,	O
Capcom	O
partnered	O
with	O
the	O
Diesel	O
clothing	O
company	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
a	O
history	O
of	O
working	O
with	O
game	O
developers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Per	O
Ikeno	O
,	O
the	O
collaboration	O
happened	O
via	O
Tanaka	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
an	O
ex-Diesel	O
employee	O
:	O
"	O
People	O
on	O
both	O
sides	O
talked	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
and	O
felt	O
that	O
DMC	B-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Diesel	O
's	O
visual	O
styles	O
would	O
work	O
well	O
together	O
and	O
could	O
be	O
quite	O
appealing	O
to	O
the	O
casual	O
audience	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
posters	O
and	O
kiosks	O
showcasing	O
a	O
demo	O
and	O
trailer	O
were	O
placed	O
in	O
Diesel	O
stores	O
across	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
a	O
charm	O
bracelet	O
with	O
a	O
detachable	O
steel	O
miniature	O
of	O
Dante	O
's	O
sword	O
Rebellion	O
was	O
distributed	O
in	O
a	O
first	O
come	O
first	O
served	O
basis	O
to	O
people	O
who	O
preordered	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
through	O
participating	O
retailers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
year	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
Dante	O
—	O
sporting	O
the	O
design	O
and	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
personality	O
he	O
has	O
in	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
—	O
was	O
featured	O
as	O
a	O
boss	O
and	O
summonable	O
ally	O
in	O
the	O
Atlus	O
RPG	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Nocturne	I-Application
Maniax	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
in	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Nocturne	I-Application
HD	O
Remaster	O
by	O
purchashing	O
the	O
"	O
Maniax	O
Pack	O
"	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
,	O
Capcom	O
was	O
very	O
reluctant	O
to	O
release	O
an	O
officially	O
sanctioned	O
soundtrack	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
a	O
test	O
period	O
during	O
which	O
Capcom	O
sought	O
1,000	O
pre-orders	O
as	O
a	O
proof	O
of	O
demand	O
,	O
the	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
soundtrack	O
was	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
on	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
two-disc	O
set	O
,	O
with	O
Masato	O
Kohda	O
,	O
Tetsuya	O
Shibata	O
and	O
Satoshi	O
Ise	O
credited	O
as	O
producers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
chose	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
the	O
Most	O
Disappointing	O
Game	O
of	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
UGO	O
Networks	O
ranked	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
19th	O
on	O
its	O
list	O
of	O
"	O
The	O
Biggest	O
Disappointments	O
in	O
Video	O
Games	O
"	O
,	O
adding	O
"	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
was	O
so	O
good	O
 [ ... ] 	O
There	O
was	O
no	O
way	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
could	O
've	O
lived	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
hype	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
did	O
n't	O
have	O
to	O
fail	O
so	O
spectacularly.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
PSXextreme	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
countered	O
arguments	O
by	O
many	O
critics	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
the	O
environments	O
only	O
looked	O
worse	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
range	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
only	O
reason	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
2	I-Application
failed	O
to	O
surpass	O
its	O
origins	O
was	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
challenge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Play	O
called	O
Lucia	O
's	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
story	O
"	O
a	O
cruel	O
sonnet	B-Language
of	O
self-realization	O
wrapped	O
in	O
a	O
story	O
steeped	O
in	O
religious	O
overtones	O
"	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
the	O
story	O
alone	O
was	O
reason	O
to	O
purchase	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
