Ignore the controversy over leading man Dante's redesign – the revamp and revitalisation of Capcom's Devil May Cry franchise is an exceptional offering. Along with Dante's new look – all punk attitude (see picture below) and brooding swagger, complete with a cheeky union flag on his coat, courtesy of Cambridge-based developer Ninja Theory – comes a fresh approach to the series' mythology.

The demons plaguing the world are now creatures of the age, viral marketers and propagandising TV pundits. The approach feels amazingly pertinent, touching on the fears and oppressions of modern life, and the monsters feel all the more powerful for not merely being slavering beasts from the pit. The omnipresence of the villains extends into the environment itself, with the setting of Limbo City itself actively trying to kill you, creating a perfect level of tension.

Gameplay remains reassuringly familiar, a flurry of melee attacks linking into brutal shooting combos, thanks to an endless supply of ammo. Performance is once again ranked on style and efficiency, and Dante's impressive abilities grow at a steady pace, tempting you to replay to improve your score. However, chaining together some of the more navigation-oriented skills can require overly precise timing, leading to frustrating repeats of platform-esque sections. Nonetheless DmC remains a fantastic, refreshing effort that even the early naysayers will enjoy immensely.