History YMMV / DevilMayCry2

* FanonDiscontinuity: Many prefer to forget ''[=DMC2=]'' entirely because of its questionable gameplay. Its canonicity is also doubted because it only receives minimal acknowledgements[[note]]Following the release of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'', it's only mentioned briefly in the [[PreviouslyOn story recap]] of that game, Lucia appeared in this game and ''Before the Nightmare'' but not in the other games, and from that same novel, Argosax was also inconsequential to the point where Dante doesn't remember its name[[/note]], or that the characterization of Dante in ''2'' stands out from his other game iterations, making it difficult to justify the game being placed after ''4'' in the series' AnachronicOrder in terms of his personality[[note]]He recovers his cheerful personality in ''4'', but suddenly becomes mellow again in ''2''[[/note]]. The chronology was later updated to set ''2'' between the anime and ''4''. Although the changed order is well-received by many because it can justify an AlternativeCharacterInterpretation, it would unintentionally cause minor plot holes[[note]]If Dante had the Majin Form in ''2'', why didn't he use it in ''4''?[[/note]]. The existence of ''[=DMC2=]'' makes the stories confusing at certain points. Even in {{crossovers}} such as the [=PS2=] version of ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' by Creator/HidekiKamiya, some players don't think that ''[=DMC2=]'' is canon because Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fails to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor. While the prequel novel of ''2'' finally justifies Dante's drastic shift in personality[[note]]He regrets killing an AlternateUniverse Trish[[/note]], not everyone is aware of the ''DMC'' side materials anyway. Thankfully, the later installments don't [[ContinuityNod reference]] ''[=DMC2=]'' enough, so newcomers won't miss much even if they skip this game or consider it non-canon.

* ContestedSequel: Some think ''[=DMC2=]'' still holds up fine but just isn't as technically polished as the rest of the franchise, others remember it for its odd gameplay issues and [[FanonDiscontinuity swear off its existence and events entirely]]. The fact that it was the last chronological entry for a long time before ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came into play (prior to rearranging the timeline so that ''4'' takes place after ''2'') didn't help matters. The only thing fans can really agree on is that the game's intro is slick and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the OST is pretty damn good]].
* FanonDiscontinuity: The sudden shift in Dante's personality and the TroubledProduction surrounding the game made fans question the canonicity of ''[=DMC2=]''. This sentiment is "backed" by the Creator/HidekiKamiya-helmed ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' having Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fail to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor in the [=PS2=] version. Lucia has a significant role here, but [[ShooOutTheNewGuy she never returned in the next games]] (unlike the recurring characters such as Trish, Lady, Vergil and Nero) apart from appearing in a light novel. It grew even further after the release of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' - In the [[PreviouslyOn story recap]] segment of that game, ''[=DMC2=]'' only receives a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance, the [[spoiler:Sin Devil Trigger]] has more relevance there even if it actually [[OlderThanTheyThink debuted here]] as the Majin Form, and in the prequel novel of ''5'', Argosax was so inconsequential to the point that Dante doesn't remember the demon's name. Because of these, some fans declare ''[=DMC2=]'' as non-canon, and series newcomers won't miss any important plot point even if they skip it.

* HilariousInHindsight: Arius's corporation goes by the name of [[{{Ouroboros}} Uroboros]]. [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Sound familiar?]] The hilarity only magnifies if you consider Arius's international enterprise is just like Wesker's dealings with Tricell, [[spoiler:Possessed Arius sporting some very Ouroboros-esque tentacles along with a core on his chest is just like Wesker's [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak points]] in the final battle of ''[=RE5=]'']].

** The last two missions of Dante's disc consist of [[BossOnlyLevel Boss-Only Levels]], going from a rematch against [[FlunkyBoss Arius]] (now with [[SerialEscalation even more]] {{Mooks}}!) to [[MarathonBoss Argosax the Chaos]], [[SequentialBoss followed immediately by]] a fast-paced showdown against [[OneWingedAngel The Despair Embodied]] that keeps players on their toes and is fondly remembered as, perhaps, the best part of the entire game. By comparison, Lucia's significantly shorter campaign ends with a whimper, not a bang. Her final mission begins with [[spoiler:Possessed Arius]], who can pack quite a wallop and [[ImmuneToFlinching is difficult to stagger]] but is generally [[ClippedWingAngel a clumsy, lumbering oaf]] players can easily run circles around on account of Lucia's speed and mobility. If that wasn't a breezy enough experience, next comes [[spoiler:Arius-Argosax]], an EldritchAbomination whose [[NightmareFuel scare factor]] is nullified by the utter lack of difficulty, to the point of being a borderline ZeroEffortBoss. Even with Lucia confined to a very narrow space, the few attacks this boss does have are highly telegraphed and easy to react to.
** Same goes for the Secret Rooms. Dante's final Secret Room has him fight [[FinalBoss The Despair Embodied]] and, once you kill it, ups the stakes by having him fight ''[[OhCrap TWO]]'' of those. It's by far the hardest fight in the game if you do it on Dante Must Die, while still being really challenging on lower difficulties. Lucia's final Secret Room? [[spoiler:Possessed Arius]], then two of them after the first one is down. While not the easiest fight in the game, it just doesn't keep up with the craziness of fighting two Despair Embodieds at once, and is arguably easier than Lucia's Secret Room 15 (which has ''her'' fight The Despair Embodied, with some mooks to assist it).

** The ''2'' prequel novel, which takes place before the events of the game, can be considered one for providing some explanation for Dante's [[SameCharacterButDifferent drastic shift in personality]]. He is very much like how he was portrayed in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 the first game]] until near the end when it ends on a [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet note]]. He [[AlasPoorVillain expresses regret for having to kill]] [[spoiler:an AlternateUniverse Trish who remained loyal to that universe's Mundus]] after repeatedly trying to persuade [[spoiler:her]] to pull a HeelFaceTurn.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Phantom's]] reappearance towards the end of both scenarios (Mission 14 for Dante, and Mission 10 for Lucia). [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere He just randomly pops out of nowhere]], despite (in his last appearance) ''melting after being impaled on a spiked pillar''. The fact that he's inexplicably [[TheVoiceless mute]] doesn't help, although the description for Dante's mission hints that TimeTravel may be involved.

* BreatherBoss: The Infested Tank -- sure, both its main cannon and its flamethrower are highly damaging, and the machinegun fire is hard to dodge. However, once you get right next to one, it will no longer be able to hit you with a cannon/flamethrower, and the tanks never use the machine gun unless you try to climb on top of them -- and they have no other form of offense whatsoever. The only problems when fighting those come from the fact that, as Dante, you fight [[WolfpackBoss three tanks at once]], while for Lucia, a tank is [[FlunkyBoss supported by infinitely respawning Msiras]].
* ContestedSequel: Some think this game still holds up fine but just isn't as technically polished as the rest of the franchise, others [[FanonDiscontinuity swear off its existence and events entirely]]. The fact that it was the last chronological entry for a long time before ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came into play (prior to rearranging the timeline so that ''4'' takes place after ''2'') didn't help matters. The only thing fans can really agree on is that the game's intro is slick and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the OST is pretty damn good]].
* FanonDiscontinuity: The sudden shift in Dante's personality and the TroubledProduction surrounding the game made fans question the canonicity of ''[=DMC2=]''. This sentiment is "backed" by the Creator/HidekiKamiya-helmed ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' having Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fail to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor in the [=PS2=] version. Lucia has a significant role here, but [[ShooOutTheNewGuy she never appeared in the next games]] (unlike Trish, Lady, Vergil and Nero) apart from appearing in a light novel. It grew even further after the release of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' - In the [[PreviouslyOn story recap]] segment of that game, ''[=DMC2=]'' only receives a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance, the [[spoiler:Sin Devil Trigger]] has more relevance there even if it actually [[OlderThanTheyThink debuted here]] as the Majin Form, and in the prequel novel of ''5'', Argosax was so inconsequential to the point that Dante doesn't remember the demon's name. Because of these, some fans declare ''[=DMC2=]'' as non-canon, and series newcomers won't miss any important plot point even if they skip it.

** The above goes double for Dante, who gets more perks out of Devil Trigger than Lucia does. First off, activating Devil Trigger replaces Dante's firearms with [[RevolversAreJustBetter three-barreled revolvers]] [[HandCannon embedded into his palms]], giving him the same rapid-fire capabilities as the Submachine Guns... only with vastly increased power on top of that. (Compare this to Lucia's throwing knives becoming a SpreadShot with greater startup and recovery.) This is why a lot of boss "strategies" boil down to building up the Devil Trigger Gauge and then [[MoreDakka putting about a hundred or so bullets into your enemies]]: Dante's offensive capabilities with his guns alone are so great that it's more efficient to use those over any other options. And if [[DesperationAttack Dante's health is in the red when DT is activated]], this prompts him going into a ''super'' Devil Trigger mode (Majin Form), which is just comical. The "drawbacks" of Majin Form only being available once per life and burning through the Devil Trigger Gauge in mere seconds aside, [[PurposelyOverpowered Majin Form is so deliberately and grossly overpowered]] that it is capable of killing ''anything'' in the game, the FinalBoss included, with minimal effort--a simple volley of fireballs (Dante's projectiles in this state) deals immense damage in a short period of time. If that wasn't overkill enough, Dante gains access to two {{Secret Art}}s that will expend his remaining meter for added lethality, resulting in either an [=AoE=] shockwave of demonic energy (if no targets are locked-on) or a YinYangBomb KamehameHadoken (if any targets are locked-on). Both attacks have a large enough radius that they ''will'' hit (and eradicate) most enemies on the screen. [[note]]Curiously, the former attack has no effect on Argosax the Chaos.[[/note]] And unlike the regular Devil Trigger, Dante is '''[[TheJuggernaut completely]]''' [[NighInvulnerability invincible]] for the duration of Majin Form, giving the player impunity to destroy everything in his sight.

** [[MultipleHeadCase Trismagia]] hovers somewhere between this trope and ThatOneBoss due to how the fight is structured. The usually recommended strategy is for the player to slowly fill their Devil Trigger Gauge (either by attacking Trismagia directly or slicing up the icicles [[BossArenaIdiocy occasionally spawned by one of the three heads]]) and then use it to unload on Trismagia between his attacks, but because a) only one of the three heads is vulnerable at a time; b) [[GetBackHereBoss the heads tend to stay out of the range of your firearms, let alone your melee weapons]]; and c) [[BulletHell Dante/Lucia is being assailed by all manner of projectiles and ranged attacks]], the battle turns into [[MarathonBoss a long-range slog]] that only slows down further when Trismagia periodically halts his attack pattern(s) so that he can [[FusionDance recombine]], deliver a CombinedEnergyAttack, and then [[BodyHorror tear himself apart]]. This would be infuriating enough on its own if not for the fact that Trismagia's constant barrage will likely leave you in dire need of healing by the time his lifebar has been whittled down--whereupon Trismagia proceeds to give [[TakingYouWithMe one final screw you]] in the form of a LastBreathBullet that will force you to start the entire battle all over again if it kills you.
* GrowingTheBeard: An in-game variant. Players with a less hostile view towards ''[=DMC2=]'' will point to the final two missions of Dante's scenario as the part of the game where it's evident Itsuno was at the helm and course-correcting as best he could: Dante "crowns" Arius after [[BatmanGambit pulling]] [[FakinMacGuffin a fast one]] [[BatmanGambit on him]] (better resembling his ''[=DMC1=]'' self in terms of personality and setting the stage for his attitude adjustment in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening the next game]]); Lucia angsts over her origins as [[spoiler:a demon created by the BigBad]] as Dante comforts her with the words [[ArcWords "Devils never cry"]] (providing a parallel to Trish's conflict of allegiance and resulting CharacterDevelopment in ''[=DMC1=]'' while tying into one of the {{Central Theme}}s of the series: the question of what--if anything--separates humanity from demonkind); and the game ends with a FinalBoss that behaves far more like your typical ''DMC'' boss than any other foe in the game, testing one's reflexes and reaction times extensively while providing a fair (and fun) challenge.
* HilariousInHindsight: Arius's corporation goes by the name of [[{{Ouroboros}} Uroboros]]. [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 Sound familiar?]] The hilarity only magnifies if you consider Arius's international enterprise (not unlike Wesker's dealings with Tricell) as well as the fact that [[spoiler:Possessed Arius sports some very Ouroboros-esque tentacles along with a core on his chest not unlike Wesker's [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak points]] in the final battle of ''[=RE5=]'']].

* MemeticLoser: The Infested Chopper, for being a boss that's [[GoddamnedBoss not fun to fight]] and a concept that's ''too'' ridiculous for a series that runs on RuleOfCool.

* ReplacementScrappy: Lucia became this to Trish and ironically so, as Lucia's creation was in response to the lack of a playable Trish in the original ''DMC'' and Trish herself was a SecretCharacter ''in this game''. While the sentiment has died down in the intervening years, partially because a good number of fans actually like the character (or feel that she was wasted potential), it was mainly because most of the fanbase blots out ''2'' from memory.

** While the underwater sequences in the first game were neither horrible nor impressive, here [[ThatOneLevel they become this]], thanks to hampered mobility/attack speed and a very limited selection of usable weapons, a few of which [[ScrappyWeapon aren't all that great]]. You get to play through these sections with ''only'' Lucia, and there's an UnderwaterBossBattle to be faced too.
** The GameplayGrading is ''very'' unforgiving. Taking as much as a single hit can drop "Damage Taken" from S to B or even C, even on Normal difficulty; "Stylish Average" practically requires you to kill ''every'' enemy you kill with an S rank, which is not exactly easy considering enemies usually don't last long enough to reach high style levels; "Clear Time" is usually very strict for getting S; and while normally "Orbs Collected" is a cinch, it's a pain during [[BossOnlyLevel levels with bosses and no mooks]]. As a result, while completing the game is easy, getting anywhere above B on mission ranking is really, ''really'' hard. It's telling that when ''Devil May Cry 3'' eased up on the ranking system, it benefited from it.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Trish, both in terms of plot where she just plays through Dante and Lucia's stories for the battles with no bearing on either sequence of events, and in her playstyle which is effectively Dante's moveset and mechanics from the first game. Yes, an optional hidden character unlock has an overall set of skills and attacks that are way less clunky than Dante's default by sheer virtue of playing like when he saw better days, but it's all stuck in a post-game bonus playthrough long after the player has probably had enough of it.

** While even many of its staunchest defenders will admit that ''[=DMC2=]'' is easily the weakest of the first four titles and may go as far as to admit that, from a technical standpoint, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhVLh-sx7YQ#t=23m9s it's arguably a worse-designed game]] than [[VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry the controversial reboot]], a growing contingent stands by its opinion that the second game is merely dull and mediocre by ''DMC'' standards, but not abjectly terrible like the fandom might paint it. This sentiment has only grown since players [[https://www.reddit.com/r/DevilMayCry/comments/8tcvw0/reminder_that_dmc2_was_essentially_a_miracle/ discovered]] via the ''Devil May Cry: 3142 Graphics Arts'' artbook that Hideaki Itsuno not only came in about halfway through the game's development period, but also had a mere '''[[https://imgur.com/yd3bXLu six months]]''' to slap together the finished project despite its TroubledProduction (the scenario was not yet written at the time, no filmed cutscenes, no finished environments, no Devil Trigger for Dante, and no moves programmed for Dante other than his infamously {{nerf}}ed Stinger). Given how Itsuno was similarly constrained during ''4''[='s=] development yet that game turned out an adequate product (to say nothing of how the [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel third]] and [[EvenBetterSequel fifth]] games turned out when he was given a proper budget and development time), this revelation made many wonder how ''[=DMC2=]'' would've fared if not for [[ExecutiveMeddling Capcom's actions behind the scenes]].
** Another example is Dante's characterization. Rather than the [[LargeHam snarky showoff]] from the original game, Dante was instead [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[DeadpanSnarker standoffish]] and [[DullSurprise drained of energy]], coming across as [[TheStoic eerily Vergil-like]] (to the point that some fans joked "Dante" was actually Vergil in disguise [[note]]while non-canon, ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' instead suggests [[CostumeCopycat Enzo stole Dante's clothes and masqueraded as him]] during the events of ''2''[[/note]]). While fans largely hated this characterisation, the anime, supplementary material, and even ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' to an extent would depict Dante as a more subdued and [[HiddenDepths surprisingly nuanced]] character, causing many of those same fans to re-evaluate and eventually warm up to this version of Dante (who, to his credit, ''did'' exhibit flashes of his usual personality throughout the game). Combined with the revised timeline that came with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and how the Dante in ''2'' seems to be a logical progression from [[AdaptationPersonalityChange his muted personality]] in ''TAS'', fans have since interpreted this version of Dante as suffering from depression, most likely following the [[spoiler:apparent]] death of Vergil. This has also popularized an AlternativeCharacterInterpretation dating back all the way to the original ''DMC'' (but made prominent by Dante's "I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!" line at the end of ''3'') that Dante's bombastic nature in later games [[StepfordSmiler is something of a facade]], which adds additional depth to Dante's character as a whole.

* FanonDiscontinuity: The TroubledProduction surrounding ''[=DMC2=]'' made fans question just how much of the game's plot is canon. This sentiment is "backed" by the Creator/HidekiKamiya-helmed ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' having Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fail to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor in the [=PS2=] version. Lucia has a significant role here, but [[ShooOutTheNewGuy she never appeared in the next games]] (compared to Trish, Lady, Vergil and Nero) apart from appearing in a light novel. It grew even further after the release of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' - In the [[PreviouslyOn story recap]] segment of that game, ''[=DMC2=]'' only receives a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance, the [[spoiler:Sin Devil Trigger]] has more relevance there even if it actually [[OlderThanTheyThink debuted here]] as the Majin Form, and in the prequel novel of ''5'', Argosax was so inconsequential to the point that Dante doesn't remember the demon's name. Because of these, some fans declare ''[=DMC2=]'' as non-canon, and series newcomers won't miss any important plot point even if they skip it.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Phantom's]] reappearance towards the end of both scenarios (Mission 14 for Dante, Mission 10 for Lucia). [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere He just randomly pops out of nowhere]], despite (in his last appearance) ''melting after being impaled on a spiked pillar''. The fact that he's inexplicably [[TheVoiceless mute]] doesn't help, although the description for Dante's mission hints that TimeTravel may be involved.

* ContestedSequel: Some think this game holds up fine and just isn't as good as the rest of the franchise, others [[FanonDiscontinuity swear off its existence and events entirely]] ("backed" by the Creator/HidekiKamiya-helmed ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' having Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fail to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor in the [=PS2=] version). The fact that it was the last chronological entry for a long time before ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came into play (prior to rearranging the timeline so that ''4'' takes place after ''2'') didn't help matters. The only thing fans can really agree on is that the game's intro is slick and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the OST is pretty damn good]].

** Devil Trigger was strong in the first game, but here it's just ridiculous--most bosses are trivialised by the ability to just charge up Devil Trigger then unload an insane amount of non-stop damage (enough to melt through most bosses in one or two goes) while not only being ([[ImmuneToFlinching practically]]) invincible, but [[RegeneratingHealth healing from the damage you deal]] (though this is not a passive ability of Devil Trigger by default--as is the case in most ''DMC'' titles--and is instead tied to the collectible Devil Hearts that are used to customize the Amulet). Unless you're playing on one of the masochistic difficulty levels, Devil Trigger is the main reason the game was considered [[ItsEasySoItSucks disappointingly easy]] by critics.

** While even many of its staunchest defenders will admit that ''[=DMC2=]'' is easily the weakest of the first four titles and may go as far as to admit that, from a technical standpoint, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhVLh-sx7YQ#t=23m9s it's arguably a worse-designed game]] than [[VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry the controversial reboot]], a growing contingent stands by its opinion that the second game is merely dull and mediocre by ''DMC'' standards, but not abjectly terrible like the fandom is wont to paint it. This sentiment has only grown since players [[https://www.reddit.com/r/DevilMayCry/comments/8tcvw0/reminder_that_dmc2_was_essentially_a_miracle/ discovered]] via the ''Devil May Cry: 3142 Graphics Arts'' artbook that Hideaki Itsuno not only came in about halfway through the game's development period, but also had a mere '''[[https://imgur.com/yd3bXLu six months]]''' to slap together the finished project--with the scenario not yet written at the time, no filmed cutscenes, no finished environments, no Devil Trigger for Dante, and no moves for Dante programmed in other than his infamously {{nerf}}ed Stinger. Given how Itsuno was similarly constrained during ''4''[='s=] development yet turned out an adequate product (to say nothing of how the [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel third]] and [[EvenBetterSequel fifth]] games turned out when he was given a proper budget and development time), this revelation made many wonder how ''[=DMC2=]'' would've fared if not for [[ExecutiveMeddling Capcom's actions behind the scenes]].

* ItsEasySoItSucks: A common complaint is that, if the original ''Devil May Cry'' could be mercilessly difficult at times, the sequel went in the complete opposite direction by greatly reducing the sense of challenge, resulting in a rather unengaging experience overall.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: This game is much easier than the first one, due to the less aggressive enemy A.I. and overpowered guns that let [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5FrWcrc-XU Dante safely snipe enemies from a distance without fear of any counterattack]].

** Same goes for Secret Rooms - Dante's final secret room has him fight [[FinalBoss The Despair Embodied]] and, once you kill it, ups the stakes by having him fight ''[[OhCrap TWO]]'' of those. It's by far the hardest fight in the game if you do it on Must Die, while still being really challenging on lower difficulties. Lucia's final Secret Room? Possessed Arius, then two of them after the first one is down. While not the easiest fight in the game, it just doesn't keep up with the craziness of fighting two Despair Embodieds at once, and is arguably easier than Lucia's Secret Room 15 (which has ''her'' fight The Despair Embodied, with some mooks to assist it).

** The GameplayGrading is ''very'' unforgiving. Taking as much as a single hit can drop "Damage Taken" from S to B or even C, even on Normal difficulty, "Stylish Average" practically requires you to kill ''every'' enemy you kill with an S rank, which is not exactly easy considering enemies usually don't last long enough to reach high style levels, "Clear Time" is usually very strict for getting S, and while normally "Orbs Collected" is a cinch, it's a pain during [[BossOnlyLevel levels with bosses and no mooks]]. As a result, while completing the game is easy, getting anywhere above B on mission ranking is really, ''really'' hard. It's telling that when ''Devil May Cry 3'' eased up on the ranking system, it benefited from it.

** While even many of its staunchest defenders will admit that ''[=DMC2=]'' is easily the weakest of the first four titles and may go as far as to admit that, from a technical standpoint, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhVLh-sx7YQ#t=23m9s it's arguably a worse-designed game]] than [[VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry the controversial reboot]], a growing contingent stands by its opinion that the second game is merely dull and mediocre by ''DMC'' standards, but not abjectly terrible like the fandom is wont to paint it. This sentiment has only grown since players [[https://www.reddit.com/r/DevilMayCry/comments/8tcvw0/reminder_that_dmc2_was_essentially_a_miracle/ discovered]] via the ''Devil May Cry: 3142 Graphics Arts'' artbook that Hideaki Itsuno not only came in about halfway through the game's development period, but also had a mere '''[[https://imgur.com/yd3bXLu six months]]''' to slap together the finished project--with the scenario not yet written at the time, no filmed cutscenes, no finished environments, no Devil Trigger for Dante, and no moves for Dante programmed in other than his infamously {{nerf}}ed Stinger. Given how Itsuno was similarly constrained during ''4''[='s=] development yet turned out an adequate product (to say nothing of [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel how the third and fifth games turned out]] when he was given a proper budget and development time), this revelation made many wonder how ''[=DMC2=]'' would've fared if not for [[ExecutiveMeddling Capcom's actions behind the scenes]].

** Gameplay-wise, those familiar with the ins and outs of ''[=DMC2=]'' will usually cite one of two highlights from this game: either the final battle against The Despair Embodied at the end of Dante's campaign or Dante's ability to activate Majin Form and [[GameBreaker gloriously toss any prospect of difficulty out of a 100-story building]]. The latter saw increased interest come ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'', as its abilities, aspects of its design, and its sheer sense of power serve as the basis for [[spoiler:Dante's Sin Devil Trigger]]. Trish's stint as a playable character is an arguable third, as she plays the closest to ''[=DMC1=]''!Dante while possessing a number of unique (and fun) quirks, most of which found their way into her kit for ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 4:SE]]''.

* MisBlamed: Hideaki Itsuno got all the blame for the game's problems due to being the sole credited director, but as it turns out, the game was directed by someone else ([[UncreditedRole who remains unknown]]) for most of development, and left production in a very disastrous state months before release. If anything, the game might have been ''even worse'' if not for Itsuno.
* {{Narm}}: Arius' voice is incredibly silly sounding, ''especially'' during his VillainousBreakdown. It's no wonder Dante shuts him up.

** The GameplayGrading is ''very'' unforgiving. Taking as much as a single hit can drop "Damage Taken" from S to B or even C, even on Normal difficulty, "Stylish Average" practically requires you to kill ''every'' enemy you kill with an S rank, which is not exactly easy considering enemies usually don't last long enough to reach high style levels, "Clear Time" is usually very strict for getting S, and while normally "Orbs Collected" is a cinch, it's a pain during [[BossOnlyLevel levels with bosses and no mooks]]. As a result, while completing the game is easy, getting anywhere above B on mission ranking is really, ''really'' hard. It's telling that when Devil May Cry 3 eased up on the ranking system, it benefited from it.
* SequelDifficultyDrop: This game is much easier than the first one, due to less aggressive enemy A.I. and overpowered guns that let [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5FrWcrc-XU Dante safely snipe enemies from a distance without fear of any counterattack.]]

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The entirety of the game is a footnote in the mythos: [[DecoyProtagonist Dante has barely anything to do with the story]] (despite his father yet again having been embroiled in a past conflict that shaped the current narrative, something which Dante hardly comments or dwells on), with [[{{Deuteragonist}} Lucia]] being the real hero at the center of everything with a personal stake in the battle. And even then we barely learn anything about her or how she [[spoiler:was freed from Arius's control]]. Also, while Trish is a playable character, she has no role in the story, wasting the potential to tell tales of hers and Dante's partnership, or even her own parallels to Lucia in terms of backstory and character arc.

** Many fans consider the rearranging of the timeline to be this; this game was originally set after ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', but with the games being reordered so that ''2'' is now set beforehand, it provides another explanation where Dante is still upset over Vergil's death (by his own hands, no less) in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 the first game]] (a line of thought congruent with a similar AlternativeCharacterInterpretation for ''[[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries The Animated Series]]''), and ''Devil May Cry 4'' is when [[HesBack he shows signs of recovery]] thanks to meeting Nero in that game.

* AntiClimaxBoss: The last two missions of Dante's disc consist of [[BossOnlyLevel Boss-Only Levels]], going from a rematch against [[FlunkyBoss Arius]] (now with [[SerialEscalation even more]] {{Mooks}}!) to [[MarathonBoss Argosax the Chaos]], [[SequentialBoss followed immediately by]] a fast-paced showdown against [[OneWingedAngel The Despair Embodied]] that keeps players on their toes and is fondly remembered as, perhaps, the best part of the entire game. By comparison, Lucia's significantly shorter campaign ends with a whimper, not a bang. Her final mission begins with [[spoiler:Possessed Arius]], who can pack quite a wallop and [[ImmuneToFlinching is difficult to stagger]] but is generally [[ClippedWingAngel a clumsy, lumbering oaf]] players can easily run circles around on account of Lucia's speed and mobility. If that wasn't a breezy enough experience, next comes [[spoiler:Arius-Argosax]], an EldritchAbomination whose [[NightmareFuel scare factor]] is nullified by the utter lack of difficulty, to the point of being a borderline ZeroEffortBoss. Even with Lucia confined to a very narrow space, the few attacks this boss does have are highly telegraphed and easy to react to.

* ScrappyMechanic: While the underwater sequences in the first game were neither horrible nor impressive, here [[ThatOneLevel they become this]], thanks to hampered mobility/attack speed and a very limited selection of usable weapons, a few of which [[ScrappyWeapon aren't all that great]]. You get to play through these sections with ''only'' Lucia, and there's an UnderwaterBossBattle to be faced too.

** The above goes double for Dante, who gets more perks out of Devil Trigger than Lucia does. First off, activating Devil Trigger replaces Dante's firearms with [[RevolversAreJustBetter three-barreled revolvers]] [[HandCannon embedded into his palms]], giving him the same rapid-fire capabilities as the Submachine Guns... only with vastly increased power on top of that. (Compare this to Lucia's throwing knives becoming a SpreadShot with greater startup and recovery.) This is why a lot of boss "strategies" boil down to building up the Devil Trigger Gauge and then [[MoreDakka putting about a hundred or so bullets into your enemies]]: Dante's offensive capabilities with his guns alone are so great that it's more efficient to use those over any other options. And if [[DesperationAttack Dante's health is in the red when DT is activated]], this prompts him going into a ''super'' Devil Trigger mode (Majin Form), which is just comical. The "drawbacks" of Majin Form only being available once per life and burning through the Devil Trigger Gauge in mere seconds aside, [[PurposelyOverpowered Majin Form is so deliberately and grossly overpowered]] that it is capable of killing ''anything'' in the game, the FinalBoss included, with minimal effort--a simple volley of fireballs (Dante's projectiles in this state) deals immense damage in a short period of time. If that wasn't overkill enough, Dante gains access to two {{Secret Art}}s that will expend his remaining meter for added lethality, resulting in either an [=AoE=] shockwave of demonic energy (if no targets are locked-on) or a YinYangBomb KamehameHadoken (if any targets are locked-on). Both attacks have a large enough radius that they ''will'' hit (and eradicate) most enemies on the screen. [[note]]Curiously, the former attack has no effect on Argosax the Chaos.[[/note]] And unlike the regular Devil Trigger, Dante is '''[[NighInvulnerability completely]]''' [[TheJuggernaut invincible]] for the duration of Majin Form, giving the player impunity to destroy everything in his sight.

* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/DevilMayCry See here]].
* MisBlamed: Hideaki Itsuno got all the blame for the game's problems due to being the sole credited director, but as it turns out, the game was directed by someone else (who remains unknown) for most of development, and left production in a very disastrous state months before release. If anything, the game might have been ''even worse'' if not for Itsuno.

-->'''Arius''':No! My dream; my life! I was supposed to be the [[IncomingHam kiiiinnnng]] of this world.

* AnticlimaxBoss: The last two missions of Dante's disc consist of [[BossOnlyLevel Boss-Only Levels]], going from a rematch against [[FlunkyBoss Arius]] (now with [[SerialEscalation even more]] {{Mooks}}!) to [[MarathonBoss Argosax the Chaos]], [[SequentialBoss followed immediately by]] a fast-paced showdown against [[OneWingedAngel The Despair Embodied]] that keeps players on their toes and is fondly remembered as, perhaps, the best part of the entire game. By comparison, Lucia's significantly shorter campaign ends with a whimper, not a bang. Her final mission begins with [[spoiler:Possessed Arius]], who can pack quite a wallop and [[ImmuneToFlinching is difficult to stagger]] but is generally [[ClippedWingAngel a clumsy, lumbering oaf]] players can easily run circles around on account of Lucia's speed and mobility. If that wasn't a breezy enough experience, next comes [[spoiler:Arius-Argosax]], an EldritchAbomination whose [[NightmareFuel scare factor]] is nullified by the utter lack of difficulty, to the point of being a borderline ZeroEffortBoss. Even with Lucia confined to a very narrow space, the few attacks this boss does have are highly telegraphed and easy to react to.

** Another example is Dante's characterisation. Rather than the [[LargeHam snarky showoff]] from the original game, Dante was instead [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[DeadpanSnarker standoffish]] and [[DullSurprise drained of energy]], coming across as [[TheStoic eerily Vergil-like]] (to the point that some fans joked "Dante" was actually Vergil in disguise [[note]]while non-canon, ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' instead suggests [[CostumeCopycat Enzo stole Dante's clothes and masqueraded as him]] during the events of ''2''[[/note]]). While fans largely hated this characterisation, the anime, supplementary material, and even ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' to an extent would depict Dante as a more subdued and [[HiddenDepths surprisingly nuanced]] character, causing many of those same fans to re-evaluate and eventually warm up to this version of Dante (who, to his credit, ''did'' exhibit flashes of his usual personality throughout the game). Combined with the revised timeline that came with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and how the Dante in ''2'' seems to be a logical progression from [[AdaptationPersonalityChange his muted personality]] in ''TAS'', fans have since interpreted this version of Dante as suffering from depression, most likely following the [[spoiler:apparent]] death of Vergil. This has also popularized an AlternativeCharacterInterpretation dating back all the way to the original ''DMC'' (but made prominent by Dante's "I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!" line at the end of ''3'') that Dante's bombastic nature in later games [[StepfordSmiler is something of a facade]], which adds additional depth to Dante's character as a whole.

** Another example is Dante's characterisation. Rather than the [[LargeHam snarky showoff]] from the original game, Dante was instead [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[DeadpanSnarker standoffish]] and [[DullSurprise drained of energy]], coming across as [[TheStoic eerily Vergil-like]] (to the point that some fans joked "Dante" was actually Vergil in disguise [[note]]while non-canon, ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' instead suggests [[CostumeCopycat Enzo stole Dante's clothes and masqueraded as him]] during the events of ''2''[[/note]]). While fans largely hated this characterisation, the anime, supplementary material, and even ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' to an extent would depict Dante as a more subdued and [[HiddenDepths surprisingly nuanced]] character, causing many of those same fans to re-evaluate and eventually warm up to this version of Dante (who, to his credit, ''did'' exhibit flashes of his usual personality throughout the game). Combined with the revised timeline that came with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and how the Dante in ''2'' seems to be a logical progression from [[AdaptationPersonalityChange his muted personality]] in ''TAS'', fans have since interpreted this version of Dante as suffering from depression, most likely following the death of Vergil. This has also popularized an AlternativeCharacterInterpretation dating back all the way to the original ''DMC'' (but made prominent by Dante's "I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!" line at the end of ''3'') that Dante's bombastic nature in later games [[StepfordSmiler is something of a facade]], which adds additional depth to Dante's character as a whole.

* MemeticMutation [[Memes/DevilMayCry See here]].

* SequelDifficultyDrop: This game is much easier than the first one, due to less aggressive enemy [=AI=] and overpowered guns that let Dante safely snipe enemies from a distance without fear of any counter-attack.

** [[SecretCharacter Trish]] in general. She is playable in both Dante's and Lucia's campaigns, her sword Sparda combines the immense reach of Dante's Merciless with Vendetta's damage, her Luce & Ombra deal damage comparable to Dante's Ebony & Ivory while firing faster, both Sparda and [=L&O=] start at maximum level and don't need to be upgraded, and her moveset is incredible in general (her Stinger actually has great range unlike Dante's, [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Round Trip]] is easily the best non-DT move in the entire game, and her DT is only slightly less damaging compared to Dante's Majin Form without having any of its drawbacks). The only time when Trish genuinely struggles is during underwater levels, as Nightmare-γ is nowhere near as effective as Lucia's Bowgun.

** [[SecretCharacter Trish]] in general. She is playable in both Dante's and Lucia's campaigns, her sword Sparda combines the immense reach of Dante's Merciless with Vendetta's damage, her Luce & Ombra deal damage comparable to Dante's Ebony & Ivory while firing faster, both Sparda and [=L&O=] start at maximum level and don't need to be upgraded, and her moveset is incredible in general (her Stinger actually has great range unlike Dante's, [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Round Trip]] is easily the best non-DT move in the entire game, and her DT is only slightly less damaging compared to Dante's Majin Form without having any of its drawbacks). The only time when Trish genuinely struggles is during underwater levels, as [[FrickinLaserBeams Nightmare-γ]] is nowhere near as effective as Lucia's Bowgun.

** [[SecretCharacter Trish]] in general. She is playable in both Dante's and Lucia's campaigns, her sword Sparda combines the immense reach of Dante's Merciless with Vendetta's damage, her Luce & Ombra deal damage comparable to Dante's Ebony & Ivory while firing faster, both Sparda and [=L&O=] start at maximum level and don't need to be upgraded, and her moveset is incredible in general (her Stinger actually has great range unlike Dante's, [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Round Trip]] is easily the best non-DT move in the entire game, and her DT is only slightly less damaging compared to Dante's Majin Form without having any of its drawbacks). The only time when Trish genuinely struggles is during underwater levels, as [[FrickinLaserBeams Nightmare-γ]] is nowhere near a effective as Lucia's Bowgun.

** The [[HellishCopter Infested Chopper]]. Not only does the damn thing chase you through half the level, once you actually fight it, the fight mostly consists of mashing shoot button, occasionally dodging homing missiles, and trying not to fall off a skyscraper.

** Another example is Dante's characterisation. Rather than the [[LargeHam snarky showoff]] from the original game, Dante was instead [[TheQuietOne quiet]], [[DeadpanSnarker standoffish]] and [[DullSurprise drained of energy]], coming across as [[TheStoic eerily Vergil-like]] (to the point that some fans joked "Dante" was actually Vergil in disguise [[note]]while non-canon, ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' instead suggests [[CostumeCopycat Enzo stole Dante's clothes and masqueraded as him]] during the events of ''2''[[/note]]). While fans largely hated this characterisation, the anime, supplementary material, and even ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening DMC3]]'' to an extent would depict Dante as a more subdued and [[HiddenDepths surprisingly nuanced]] character, causing many of those same fans to re-evaluate and eventually warm up to this version of Dante (who, to his credit, ''did'' exhibit flashes of his usual personality throughout the game). Combined with the revised timeline that came with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and how the Dante in ''2'' seems to be a logical progression from [[AdaptationPersonalityChange his muted personality]] in ''TAS'', fans have since interpreted this version of Dante as suffering from depression, most likely following the death of Vergil. This has also popularized an AlternativeCharacterInterpretation dating back all the way to the original ''DMC'' (but made prominent by Dante's "I love this! This is what I live for! I'm absolutely ''crazy'' about it!" line at the end of ''3'') that Dante's bombastic nature in later games [[StepfordSmiler is something of a facade]], which adds additional depth to Dante's character as a whole.

** The above goes double for Dante, who gets more perks out of Devil Trigger than Lucia does. First off, activating Devil Trigger replaces Dante's firearms with [[RevolversAreJustBetter three-barreled revolvers]] [[HandCannon embedded into his palms]], giving him the same rapid-fire capabilities as the Submachine Guns... only with vastly increased power on top of that. (Compare this to Lucia's throwing knives becoming a SpreadShot with greater startup and recovery.) This is why a lot of boss "strategies" boil down to building up the Devil Trigger Gauge and then putting about a hundred or so bullets into your enemies: Dante's offensive capabilities with his guns alone are so great that it's more efficient to use those over any other options. And if [[DesperationAttack Dante's health is in the red when DT is activated]], this prompts him going into a ''super'' Devil Trigger mode (Majin Form), which is just comical. The "drawbacks" of Majin Form only being available once per life and burning through the Devil Trigger Gauge in mere seconds aside, [[PurposelyOverpowered Majin Form is so deliberately and grossly overpowered]] that it is capable of killing ''anything'' in the game, the FinalBoss included, with minimal effort--a simple volley of fireballs (Dante's projectiles in this state) deals immense damage in a short period of time. If that wasn't overkill enough, Dante gains access to two {{Secret Art}}s that will expend his remaining meter for added lethality, resulting in either an [=AoE=] shockwave of demonic energy (if no targets are locked-on) or a YinYangBomb KamehameHadoken (if any targets are locked-on). Both attacks have a large enough radius that they ''will'' hit (and eradicate) most enemies on the screen. [[note]]Curiously, the former attack has no effect on Argosax the Chaos.[[/note]] And unlike the regular Devil Trigger, Dante is '''[[NighInvulnerability completely]]''' [[TheJuggernaut invincible]] for the duration of Majin Form, giving the player impunity to destroy everything in his sight.
** [[SecretCharacter Trish]] in general. She is playable in both Dante's and Lucia's campaigns, her sword Sparda combines immense reach of Dante's Merciless with Vendetta's damage, her Luce & Ombra deal damage comparable to Dante's Ebony & Ivory while firing faster, both Sparda and L & O start at maximum level and don't need to be upgraded, and her moveset is incredible in general (having Stinger that actually has great range, [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Round Trip]] is easily the best non-DT move in the entire game, and her DT is only slightly less damaging compared to Dante's Majin Form, without having any of it's drawbacks). The only time when Trish genuinely struggles is during underwater levels, as [[FrickinLaserBeams Nightmare-γ]] is nowhere near a effective as Lucia's Bowgun.

** Gameplay-wise, those familiar with the ins and outs of ''[=DMC2=]'' will usually cite one of two highlights from this game: either the final battle against The Despair Embodied at the end of Dante's campaign or Dante's ability to activate Majin Form and [[GameBreaker gloriously toss any prospect of difficulty out of a 100-story building]]. The latter saw increased interest come ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'', as its abilities, aspects of its design, and its sheer sense of power serve as the basis for [[spoiler:Dante's Sin Devil Trigger]].

* MemeticLoser: The Infested Chopper, for being a boss that's not fun to fight and a concept that's ''too'' ridiculous for a series that runs on RuleOfCool.

** The above goes double for Dante, who gets more perks out of Devil Trigger than Lucia does. First off, activating Devil Trigger replaces Dante's firearms with [[RevolversAreJustBetter six-barreled revolvers]] [[HandCannon embedded into his palms]], giving him the same rapid-fire capabilities as the Submachine Guns... only with vastly increased power on top of that. (Compare this to Lucia's throwing knives becoming a SpreadShot with greater startup and recovery.) This is why a lot of boss "strategies" boil down to building up the Devil Trigger Gauge and then putting about a hundred or so bullets into your enemies: Dante's offensive capabilities with his guns alone are so great that it's more efficient to use those over any other options. And if [[DesperationAttack Dante's health is in the red when DT is activated]], this prompts him going into a ''super'' Devil Trigger mode (Majin Form), which is just comical. The "drawbacks" of Majin Form only being available once per life and burning through the Devil Trigger Gauge in mere seconds aside, [[PurposelyOverpowered Majin Form is so deliberately and grossly overpowered]] that it is capable of killing ''anything'' in the game, the FinalBoss included, with minimal effort--a simple volley of fireballs (Dante's projectiles in this state) deals immense damage in a short period of time. If that wasn't overkill enough, Dante gains access to two {{Secret Art}}s that will expend his remaining meter for added lethality, resulting in either an [=AoE=] shockwave of demonic energy (if no targets are locked-on) or a YinYangBomb KamehameHadoken (if any targets are locked-on). Both attacks have a large enough radius that they ''will'' hit (and eradicate) most enemies on the screen. [[note]]Curiously, the former attack has no effect on Argosax the Chaos.[[/note]] And unlike the regular Devil Trigger, Dante is '''[[NighInvulnerability completely]]''' [[TheJuggernaut invincible]] for the duration of Majin Form, giving the player impunity to destroy everything in his sight.

** The above goes double for Dante, who gets more perks out of Devil Trigger than Lucia does. First off, activating Devil Trigger replaces Dante's firearms with [[RevolversAreJustBetter six-barreled revolvers]] [[HandCannon embedded into his palms]], giving him the same rapid-fire capabilities as the Submachine Guns... only with vastly increased power on top of that. (Compare this to Lucia's throwing knives becoming a SpreadShot with greater startup and recovery.) This is why a lot of boss "strategies" boil down to building up the Devil Trigger Gauge and then putting about a hundred or so bullets into your enemies: Dante's offensive capabilities with his guns alone are so great that it's more efficient to use those over any other options. And if [[DesperationAttack Dante's health is in the red when DT is activated]], this prompts him going into a ''super'' Devil Trigger mode (Majin Form), which is just comical. The "drawbacks" of Majin Form only being available once per life and burning through his Devil Trigger Gauge in mere seconds aside, [[PurposelyOverpowered Majin Form is so deliberately and grossly overpowered]] that it is capable of killing ''anything'' in the game, the FinalBoss included, with minimal effort--a simple volley of fireballs (Dante's projectiles in this state) deals immense damage in a short period of time. If that wasn't overkill enough, Dante gains access to two {{Secret Art}}s that will expend his remaining meter for added lethality, resulting in either an [=AoE=] shockwave of demonic energy (if no targets are locked-on) or a YinYangBomb KamehameHadoken (if any targets are locked-on). Both attacks have a large enough radius that they ''will'' hit (and eradicate) most enemies on the screen. [[note]]Curiously, the former attack has no effect on Argosax the Chaos.[[/note]] And unlike the regular Devil Trigger, Dante is completely invincible for the duration of Majin Form, giving him impunity to destroy everything in his sight.

* JustHereForGodzilla: Most newcomers to the series play this game just to find out more about [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome Lucia]].

* GameBreaker: Devil Trigger was strong in the first game, but here it's just ridiculous--most bosses are trivialised by the ability to just charge up Devil Trigger then unload an insane amount of non-stop damage (enough to melt through most bosses in one or two goes) while not only being (practically) invincible, but [[RegeneratingHealth healing from the damage you deal]] (though this is not a passive ability of Devil Trigger by default--as is the case in most ''DMC'' titles--and is instead tied to the collectible Devil Hearts that are used to customize the Amulet). Unless you're playing on one of the masochistic difficulty levels, Devil Trigger is the main reason the game was considered [[ItsEasySoItSucks disappointingly easy]] by critics.

* ContestedSequel: Some think this game holds up fine and just isn't as good as the rest of the franchise, others [[FanonDiscontinuity swear off its existence and events entirely]] ("backed" by the Creator/HidekiKamiya-helmed ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' having Dante [[DiscontinuityNod fail to remember what happened at Dumary Island]] when crossing paths with Alastor in the [=PS2=] version). The fact that it was the last chronologial entry for a long time before ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' came into play (prior to rearranging the timeline so that ''4'' takes place after ''2'') didn't help matters. The only thing fans can really agree on is that the game's intro is slick and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic the OST is pretty damn good]].
* GameBreaker: Devil Trigger was strong in the first game, but in the sequel it's just ridiculous- most bosses are trivialised by the ability to just charge up Devil Trigger then unload an insane amount of non-stop damage (enough to melt through most bosses in one or two goes) while not only being invincible, but healing from the damage you deal. And if your health is really low when you activate it, you have a chance of going into ''super'' Devil Trigger mode, which is just comical. Unless you're playing on one of the masochistic difficulty levels, Devil Trigger is the main reason the game was considered [[ItsEasySoItSucks disappointingly easy]] by critics.