Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is being remastered for PC, PlayStation 4, and Switch next month, and for more on that, you should check out Steven’s thoughts on the remastered RPG here.
But beyond being a great game, Nocturne has another thing that makes it significant in the grand scheme of the series’ long history: it has a cameo from Devil May Cry protagonist Dante. It’s signified on the game’s cover with this sticker:
The sticker itself was on the original PlayStation 2 game, and has reached meme status due to its odd, out of context declaration that Capcom’s human/demon hybrid is in this game somewhere. It’s a tacit insistence that “you should care about this game not just because it’s good, but because a popular character is in it.” And you know, that probably worked. An unsuspecting Devil May Cry fan was likely perusing their local store when the game launched in 2004, saw their favorite video game action hero is going to be in it, and took the plunge into Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.
More crossovers:
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- 2020’s Multiplayer Superhits Collide: There Are Fall Guys Among Us
It got me thinking, what are some other games that might benefit from an appearance by Devil May Cry’s main man? Here’s a list of seven games I thought of that would be objectively better if Dante were to miraculously show up:
Fortnite
Fortnite has already brought so many guest characters into its battle royale from other franchises, I had to make sure Dante from the Devil May Cry series wasn’t already there. Turns out, he’s not. And who wouldn’t want to make that man floss?
Ring Fit Adventure
I frankly just would like to add Dante from the Devil May Cry series to Ring Fit Adventure because it might motivate me to start playing the game again. And man’s got washboard abs. So like, it’s eye candy and also motivation to get off my ass and be more active.
The Guitar Hero series
Those who haven’t played Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening might not know Dante from the Devil May Cry series actually uses a guitar as a weapon in the prequel. The scythe/guitar mash-up was called Nevan, and has unfortunately not made more appearances as a mainstay in Dante’s arsenal. Perhaps it was too novel. Although he had a weaponized hat in Devil May Cry 5. So it might just be because he’s already got too much at his disposal and has to leave some things back at the shop. But Dante could be a playable character in any of the Guitar Hero games, using Nevan as his instrument and also weapon.
Anthem
Look, I just think Bioware’s ill-fated loot shooter needed any edge it could get that might make it interesting. And what’s more interesting than a demon hunter suddenly showing up in the midst of all your flying, looting, shooting, and Not Kissing Anyone.
Dream Daddy: Dadrector’s Cut
Speaking of kissing, I would like to be able to date Dante from the Devil May Cry series in a dating sim. And Dream Daddy is just sitting there and Dante has practically adopted his nephew Nero at this point. So it’s fine.
Dead by Daylight
Yeah, Dante from the Devil May Cry series might be an unorthodox choice for Behaviour’s asymmetrical horror game. But I can’t think of anything scarier than a Devil Trigger-using Dante booking it in my general direction and me and my human running speed unable to even fathom escaping.
The Kingdom Hearts series
You know what Sora’s problem was? He tried to fight an army of white-haired anime boys for a whole franchise without the help of his own white-haired anime boy (Riku has the aura, but the wrong color hair). Who’s the white-haired anime boy that could cut this franchise in half by winning the fight eons ago? Dante from the Devil May Cry series.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
I know you’re probably thinking: “Kenneth, Dante was in Sony’s Super Smash Bros.-like released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012 that deserved more.” But this is only half true. Capcom only signed off on the DMC: Devil May Cry reboot version of the character, who is distinctly not Dante from the Devil May Cry series. Would his inclusion have saved that game from its fate? Probably not. But it might’ve helped!
