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        For the Playstation2 Console Only           #                   #
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                         A Devil May Cry FAQ/Walkthrough
                             Written by AdrenalineSL
                      Version 1.84: Released April 2, 2002
               Visit the Official site: http://www.devilmaycry.com


         The very latest versions and updates can be found at GameFAQs:
                            http://www.gamefaqs.com


_____________________________________________________________________________

This is currently [Version 1.84] of Adrenaline's Devil May Cry Strategy Guide
for the Playstation2 console.

Any questions not answered  in the guide, death threats, and all things Devil
May Cry can be sent to...there are footprints  on the ceiling...What? ...Stop
looking at me weird.

Contact me: narnia_M3@hotmail.com (See Part VI for additional contact info.)


And before we start...Just a little plug to get your adrenaline pumping. Play
this song: _Crawling in the Dark_ by Hoobastank. Tally-ho!


---------------------
-  VERSION HISTORY  -
---------------------

Version 1.8  | February 21, 2002
Went through the entire guide and took out a lot of superfluous crap. Also, I
have re-written many aspects of the guide, so it's worth taking a look. I've
went in more detail with the extra modes and hidden characters, in hopes of
clearing up some uncertainties and doubts. The Ranking Guide has been added
back in just so this would be a fully comprehensive guide. The Additional
Tips section was removed, only because the tips were practically brainless or
just plain stupid. The only remaining things left to do are to add some DMD
strategies and other DMD-related sections I've long been working on.  I will
hopefully add them to the guide soon, but I won't guarantee anything. Tune in
later to see!

Version 1.7  | February 6, 2002
Hey guys!  No, I'm not dead, as you can see.  Been really busy, lately, and I
have now managed to squeeze in another update. Reformatted some things and
corrected a few errors, along with other additions.  Right now, I have a
separate guide for DMC in the works. My ideal date to get it out is sometime
this year, but we'll see.  There were some slight changes made to the format
and placement of certain sections, although I think they're hardly noticeable
unless you're a regular. The next and final update will be made once I'm able
to release the other DMC guide.

Version 1.66 | January 10, 2002
Proofread the guide again and cleaned  up the remaining errors.  I managed to
catch a lot of yucky mistakes and rephrase them, but chances are, there are
still some lurking about.  If you see any grammar  errors or whatever, please
contact me!

Version 1.64 | January 8, 2002
In this update, I've taken out some things I thought were redundant. Also,
I've excised the Ranking Guide from this document  and put it in a completely
separate file, which can be found at GameFAQs.com. Thanks to all the
contributors. I won't be accepting anymore unless it really is necessary. All
of the contributions in this guide were nothing short of magnificent. Thanks!

Version 1.6  | December 19, 2001
Proofread the guide.  Boy, did I find a lot of  mistakes  and sentences  that
confused me, even though I was the one who had written them. I may have
overlooked some errors. I'm exhausted and I'm trying awfully hard to keep
from slamming my head on the keyboard.  Added  cool contribution to Normal
Skills and other ones.  I think that would be it.  Hopefully, no more updates
unless something big comes up, or when I feel like it.

Version 1.59 | November 25, 2001
Lots o' new contributions and corrections.  Nothing new from me.  Oh yeah, I
rock. =D

Version 1.5  | November 12, 2001
Finished boss strategy for Mundus. Pretty cheap, I must say.  Also, cleared
out my inbox and added contributions as needed. Thanks everyone! I think this
will be the last of the major updates unless anything significant comes up. I
had fun. Really.

Version 1.43 | November 6, 2001
Finished  Secrets section and added contributor tidbits.  Thanks to all those
people who have contributed to the FAQ.  I still have some sitting around  in
my inbox, so I'll get to those later.

Version 1.3  | November 2, 2001
Finished Ranking Guide and Secret Missions. Now all I have to do is finish a
Boss strategy for Mundus and the Secrets section, which will all be coming
very, very soon. I've been saying that for the past 3 updates, haven't I? ^^

Version 1.1  | October 28, 2001
Proof read the whole guide and rewrote a lot of stuff.  Also corrected some
errors that instigated unhealthy disputes.

Version 1.09 | October 27, 2001
Finished Blue Orb and Additional Red Orb piece locations. Polished some other
things.

Version 1.0  | October 26, 2001
Well, things didn't go as well as I wanted them to, but what the heck.  Great
news! I've now finished the walkthrough and the guide is nearing completion
as well. Although I wasn't able to stir up a strategy for Mundus on the spot.
That will be covered in the next version! The last 3 missions were written in
haste since I have pressing matters to attend to later tonight. Most sections
have been finished off as well.  That's about it.  You're now looking at the
first complete version of this DMC FAQ. Enjoy!

Version 0.57 | October 22, 2001
Walkthrough up to Mission 13. I may as well just finish the FAQ on Wednesday.
I also have a few new sections in mind, but  haven't been able to create yet.
Check them out in the Contents to see what's coming.

Version 0.4  | October 21, 2001
Big update. Walkthrough up to Mission 8 and a good start on many of the FAQ's
remaining sections. Things are looking good. The way things are going, I
could be done with the walkthrough by Wednesday.  That actually depends if
school is nice to me.

Version 0.29 | October 20, 2001
The walkthrough is going at a snail-like pace.  I just got up to Mission 3 on
the walky now. Please be patient.  Typing takes a lot longer than playing the
game.  I've also a gotten a good  start on the other sections.  I'm hoping to
finish the walkthrough by Tuesday. Keep an eye out!

Version 0.2  | October 19, 2001
Very little has been done.  This is a very sketchy first version.  Let's see,
I've got the Introduction, Game Basics, and very little of the walkthrough
air-tight. The walkthrough is still under construction and I beg you NOT to
send me any questions that  has surpassed the current portion  of the
walkthrough, or try to help with it! Well, you can if you want, but it
insures that your e-mail will be DELETED! I will reiterate this at somepoint
in the guide to pound this into your brain!  Until Version 1.0  is released,
you'll have to hang on tight and keep your hair on, or read JL's awesome and
*complete* guide for this game. Current content is subject to change!
_____________________________________________________________________________


WHAT'S NEW: A few corrections and additions. That's it.

_____________________________________________________________________________



==--==--==--==--==--==
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
==--==--==--==--==--==

Press Ctrl + F to find what you're looking for if the TOC doesn't help...

Part I: Introduction
  - Game Details
Part II: Basics & Lists
  - Basic Controls
  - Playing Devil May Cry
  - Weapons
  - Normal Skills
  - Special Skills
  - Battle Techniques
Part III: Game Walkthrough
  - Changes From the Demo
  - Part One
  - Part Two
  - Part Three
  - Part Four
  - Part Five
  - Secret Missions
Part IV: Indices and Guides
  - Items Index
  - Enemies & Bosses Encyclopedia
  - Blue Orb Locations
  - Ranking Guide
  - Additional Red Orb Locations
Part V: Miscellaneous
  - Secrets
  - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Part VI: Outro
  - Contact Information
  - Legal Junk
  - Sources
  - Credits, Plugs and Extra Junk
  - Contributor Credits
  - Closing Statement

______________________________________

-WALKTHROUGH NAVIGATION GUIDE-
The walkthrough has been split into 5 parts.  Here's a quick guide that tells
you how much each part covers.

Part One:   Missions 1-4
Part Two:   Missions 5-9
Part Three: Missions 10-15
Part Four:  Missions 16-19
Part Five:  Missions 20-23

_____________________________________________________________________________




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   ||                 ======= Part I:  INTRODUCTION =======              ||
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Capcom has finally (and wisely) decided to  take a break from the  RE formula
they have exploited for years.  Combining sublime graphics, a new, horrific-
gothic tone, an  original storyline and  unbelievable gameplay--Devil May Cry
rose from the ashes. So clean the table and wash your hands because Devil May
Cry is a  frenetic feast for  your eyes.  As SegaShiro  best puts it: "It's a
game...and that devil...he just may cry."

If you liked Onimusha, then Capcom's  newest masterpiece will make that early
PS2 hit seem rudimentary.  You'd enjoy every second of it, hail it as a  one-
of-a-kind action/horror title, and you  would even think up some weird scheme
to bribe your parents into buying some Devil May Cry threadz.

And to get the most out of your  gaming experience, this FAQ aims to give you
all the tips and tricks needed to achieve that. It is also all the help I (as
the unpaid author of this guide) is capable of offering. If you try to ask
for something that supercedes my ability, I'm sorry, please consult another
guide. An even better idea is to confer with the people of the GameFAQs
message boards.  If you can't find help there, you probably won't be  able to
find help anywhere.

This guide offers a perfect solution to your Devil May Cry needs in a span of
5 sections. The format took a few hours worth of scrapping and minting of
ideas.  Please  show that  you respect this guide by not doing anything dirty
with it. *snicker* Err, anyway, moving on to more important details...

This is a  friggin' FAQ and walkthrough  and as such, it WILL have subsequent
spoilers (intentional and unintentional) splashed all over the damn thing.
Realize that the guide itself is just an onslaught of Devil May Cry spoilers,
that can possibly  ruin the whole  experience  of the game. Please  read with
caution! This is your final warning...


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                               Game Details
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"Sometimes, I get scared because this guy called the Devil--He has  horns and
wears spandex--may eat me in my sleep. "

Devil May Cry eschews the conventions  of modern action/adventure  games. The
game stars a silver-haired  man that looks to be in his late 20's (either
that, or he's actually over 2000 years old), who  is a descendent of the long
forgotten, legendary demon-warrior Sparda.  What do you get when you cross
hairs with a half-demon and half-human bloodline? Why, Dante, of course! With
his inherited attributes, Dante can whoop serious ass! A sword is latched on
to his back to make him look even more badass, then  add along that blood red
trench coat to boot.  A  new addition to the genre  is the ability to combine
gun and sword attacks with ease, since they work  independently.  Hell, there
are all sorts of combos that can be made possible with the fluid controls.

Combat falls under two options: Blast them silly with your guns, or slash and
hack their corpses. The general shooting is effective if there's a horde of
minions trying to slice and dice you. Then there's the cut-their-heads-off
offensive, which works fairly well if you're dealing with 2 or 3 of those
nasty-looking fiends; both offensives offer a vast amount of options. You can
also use a deadly slash-and-shoot combo to broaden your attack arsenal, but
that may take some practice.  The jumping  command adds extra efficiency to a
great array of combat commands.

If you call for it, Dante  also transforms into a  devilish facade that seems
to heighten his strength and invoke new abilities to make him a pretty nasty
fellow (L1 Button to trigger). Don't mind his ill-humored demeanor, though
(wave to the nice folks at Capcom, Dante).  With the combined power of his
patented abilities and the physical  power of the numerous weapons  Dante can
find, tell evil not to rear their welcome head in too far.

Need not fear about the graphics and visual effects.  They're richly crafted,
right down to the illumination of a gun blast. The enemies are hella deranged
and offer quite a treat. They range from giant scissor-wielding grim reapers
to poppy-moving puppets bearing scissorhands or double-barreled shotguns. The
background harks impressionist paintings dated back during the Renaissance
from artists like um...well, you  get the  idea (/lame excuse for not being
able to think of a artist). Well, that pretty much wraps it up! I command you
to get off your lazy ass and  buy this game NOW!  Believe me, games by Capcom
are hardly ever disappointing.



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   ||               ======= Part II:  BASICS & LISTS =======             ||
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   \/                                                                    \/


D-Pad..................................................Move Dante/Highlighter
Left Analog Stick......................................Move Dante/Highlighter
Right Analog Stick...............................Switch weapons onscreen (R3)
Circle Button................................................Sword Use/Attack
Cross Button...................................................Action/Confirm
Triangle Button...............................................Jump/Dodge/Roll
Square Button..................................................Guns (with R1)
L1 Button.......................................................Devil Trigger
L2 Button.........................................................Map Display
R1 Button............................................Turn Pages in Sub-Screen
R2 Button....................................................Taunt/Lure Enemy
SELECT Button...........................................Skip Cut-scenes/Pause
START Button....................................................Pause/Confirm


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                            Playing Devil May Cry
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Devil May Cry holds a very distinct structure to Onimusha and share many game
play themes with the March 2001 PS2 hit. If you've played Onimusha, you'll
know what to expect; with the controls and game play mechanics, that is.  But
you may still want to read up and segregate some differences.


MISSIONS--//
Unlike most Capcom games  where everything shifts  smoothly through the whole
game, Devil May Cry steps in and starts a trend of its own. The game is
played out in what I like to call "intervals".  You have missions to expedite
in order to advance through the game.  Each mission, embraced with objectives
to fulfill, is the ticket to getting from the beginning to the end.


MISSION OBJECTIVES--//
In each mission, you are given mission objectives you must achieve to move on
to the next mission. It's there to remind you of what you need to do to
complete the task and move on with the game. Often times, they require you to
defeat an evil entity or perform a task that sets things up for later events.
Happy playing!


SAVING--//
There are two ways to save in the game: Pressing select and choosing the Save
command or completing each mission properly.  At the end of each mission, you
can choose to save your game or not. In the save menu, choose the file you
would like to start or overwrite and confirm.  Four sub-topics will appear on
the left. It shows the mode you are currently undertaking, your game time
after the recent  save, the  number  of saves, and  stars  that  indicate the
number of Secret Missions you have fulfilled.

Saving via the SELECT screen  only saves  your progress (i.e.- number of  Red
Orbs, moves and items you've already collected, not the entire mission.)
Tasks you've already done in the mission you've saved in before completing it
will be reset and must be done again.


ORBS--//
Strewn across  the areas of the game  are distinguishably  colored orbs, each
having an individual role in the game. It mostly has to do with powering up.
There are 5 different types of orbs--The Red, Green, Yellow, Blue and Purple.
Listed below are the 5 orbs and their purposes.

RED ORB  -  These  are the most  common and are easily  obtained by defeating
each enemy, or slashing environmental objects that veil these orbs to
obscurity.  Red Orbs are used to unseal certain doors and used to "buy" items
and abilities that help beef up Dante. They basically act as a type of
currency to trade in for some demonic items and Dante's Ifrit/Alastor skills.

GREEN ORB  -  The holy orb that restores Dante's health by a moderate amount.
Some of the time, enemies drop this when his health has been drained to a
miniscule length.  Although they don't excrete these all the time, don't have
your, or Dante's rather, life depend on this. Be sure to have spare Vital
Stars handy.

YELLOW ORB  -  A sacred orb that  enables a continuation  after death, like a
Life Up. Whenever Dante dies (and depending if you have any in stock), you
can spend one Yellow Orb to continue from the last door you entered.  You can
occasionally find  these around the castle  grounds, but purchasing them from
Time Statues is the customary way to get a hold of one (at an eye-popping
price).

BLUE ORB  -  They  must be found  and gathered  from the surroundings of each
mission. Four of these fragments combine into one.  This special orb augments
Dante's maximum life by 10% when you disburse one.

PURPLE ORB  -  Special Orbs that raise Dante's Devil Trigger capacity.  These
enable Dante to increase his "magic meter", and as such, the time duration of
the effect of Dante's devil form is much greater.  You can  buy these at Time
Statues, but they cost a lot of toil and sweat.


ORB FOUNTAINS--//
Orb fountains are generally red, 3-Dimensional spheres that render stockpiles
of Red Orbs when ferociously struck by Dante's sword. These don't appear too
often and they have their limits.  Once you have ferreted out all the orbs it
can offer, it will shatter and be disbanded.


TIME STATUES--//
Otherwise known as that "weird-way-you-buy-stuff-in-DMC".  Time Statues, as I
would like to call them, are these funny-looking statues that hold over their
heads an hour glass. Well, they're like shops, where you can purchase items
and sword skills. No weapons, unfortunately. Of course, it asks for the
"blood of monsters" in  return, which are  known as  Red Orbs to  you literal
people.


ATTACKING--//
Devil May Cry offers a huge bag of tricks.  What you do with them is entirely
dependant on your ability and sense of justice. You'll quickly notice this
game's capabilities once you pop open a can of ass-whooping attacks, and  tap
into the inner warrior within you. DMC offers fast-paced action.  So awesome,
you'll be shaking and crying to your parents.

There are generally two primary attacks: Shooting and slashing.  Slashing was
vicinal in Onimusha, but DMC throws in a splash of combo variants.  Hack  and
slash, shoot  and slash, hack and shoot, shoot  and puff--sinking in yet?  Be
creative and make up strings of attacks with interchanging attack
capabilities. For example, a High-Time and fire arm technique juggles enemies
in the air. And so on...Care to experiment?


DEVIL TRIGGER--//
Besides the conventional hack, hack, HACK, Dante  is deft at tapping into his
own devilish side to raise some hell. The Devil Trigger is the L1 Button by
default. By awakening the devil concealed within him, you open a door to even
more attacks. Pave the  road  as clown carnage cowers in the dirt! Devil
Dante is indicated by a flash of blue light discharged from Dante's body, and
then a light of blue aura that surrounds him.

While his attacks and speed are heightened, Devil Dante, unfortunately, lasts
as long as the runes situated below his life gauge are still healthy.
Triggering his devil powers also enables Dante to slowly regenerate some
health. As Dante continues to use his devil powers, it dissipates the "magic"
meter, eventually withering it away until Dante is forced to return to
normal.


DEVIL TRIGGER GAUGE--//
Once Dante has obtained the Alastor, the DT bar (explained above) will appear
just below his life gauge. You start with 3 in the beginning (10x more if
you're playing Easy Automatic mode), but they can be augmented when Dante
consumes Purple Orbs. It acts as a "magic bar" for Dante's devil ruse.  There
are some special  Alastor and Ifrit skills  exclusive to this form.

The components of the gauge are indicated by  filling in a single  character.
Once all characters have been filled, or until you hear a chime, Dante can
transform.  To refill it again, simply  land successful attacks on the enemy.
It also refills as Dante receives damage.


ALASTOR & IFRIT SKILLS--//
Once Dante wields  the Alastor, a sword he will  be using for the majority of
the game, and the Ifrit, flaming gauntlets that induce the fire element, he
will be granted new and powerful abilities.  This broadens an already massive
combination of attacks. This is what makes the game so fun!  The more attacks
you have, the more you'll  enjoy murdering  Dante's raving fans.  Alastor and
Ifrit skills can be unlocked through trading Red Orbs with the Time Statue.


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                                  Weapons
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Dante can  unearth a selected  number of weapons throughout his destined trip
through the Romanesque castle. On the subscreen, you can scroll between Devil
Arms (Swords) and Guns to customize Dante's weapons.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 DEVIL ARMS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Otherwise known as swords.  Swords play the major role in attacking if you're
up for in-your-face action. They also give birth to the Alastor abilities
you'll learn to love and use.  It  makes things more  fun this way! Giddy-up!


-FORCE EDGE-
Found: Default
Power: Low
Elemental: None

Dante starts with this. Its power is below average.  When it comes to dealing
with enemies, your chances of victory over a myriad of clowns plummet.
Because of its non-elemental power, it presents a big problem when battling
enemies. All enemies are impervious to the present state of the Force Edge.
The blade will unveil its true power later  on as Dante has yet to understand
his father's heirloom. For now, just stick with the Alastor.


-ALASTOR-
Found: Mission 2
Power: Moderately High
Elemental: Lightning

Dante receives this  through a cruel crucifixion.  Pretty gory, but cool in a
way. The Alastor chooses its master. That is determined through a strange and
unusual ritual. The Alastor holds the power of electricity, which is good
since most of the monsters in the castle are susceptible to lightning.
Wielding the Alastor also unlocks the Alastor roster in the Time Statue
"shop", which allows you to make  purchases to learning new sword skills. The
Alastor also evokes Dante's Devil Trigger mode.


-IFRIT-
Found: Mission 9
Power: High
Elemental: Fire

Dante finds this in an airborne gazebo  that has held these flaming gauntlets
for centuries (I assume). With the Ifrit gauntlets, you let enemies taste
what you've been through to possess this awesome power. Ifrit emanates the
scorching fire from hell and sends off the same heat to any of its oppressors
(like the Griffon). These gauntlets make new abilities available for purchase
that pertain to the power of the fire god.


-SPARDA-
Found: Mission 18
Power: High
Elemental: None

Named after Dante's father, the  legendary  dark-knight, Sparda. Dante wields
his father's legacy after combining the lost half of the amulet to his own.
It conjured the true form of the Force Edge, which came to be the Sparda. You
acquire this at the beginning of Mission 18.  It disallows Devil Trigger, but
its raw power makes  up for the loss of it.  Dante can use all of the Alastor
skills so it's all peaches and cream.

The Sparda, I discovered, isn't really a sword, but a three-fold weapon. When
Dante sunders with it normally, it uses the first form of the blade which is,
in fact, a sword to the casual eye. However, when Dante implements the
Roundtrip skill, the  blade  protracts into a huge sickle, or scythe--depends
on your school of thought.  Then the blade transforms into a halberd when the
Stinger is used.

The weapon's hilt is connected through the blade a little off the center, not
on one side of the blade. By doing this, this allows  free maneuvering with
the handle and enables Dante to switch between the three blade forms. This is
only an educated synopsis, so don't take it from me.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 GUNS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

A good thing about the  guns in Devil  May Cry is that they expend ammunition
without having you worry about finding and reloading ammo. They're unlimited!
The Recovery Speed listed with the weapons below represents how quickly Dante
can take a shot one after another. Guns are cool. Guns are sleek. Guns are
brain-splattering weapons.


-GRENADEGUN-
Found: Mission 8
Power: High
Recovery Speed: Slow

The  Grenadegun is  very  heavy and limits  Dante to ground  combat only. The
force of a blast leaves Dante momentarily stunned and open to any attacks by
nearby enemies. While it is very powerful, its recoil time is its main fault.
And since it disallows aerial combat, you would want to use this only when
you fire from a short distance.  In the  later modes, this becomes the single
most useful fire arm in the game.  Just remember to press the dodge button to
cancel the recoil time.


-HANDGUNS-
Found: Default
Power: Low
Recovery Speed: Fast

Dante crafted these guns himself and  named them "Ebony & Ivory". These fast-
slinging guns are his most trustworthy companions, and most of which I use to
wreak havoc. Its recovery time is amazing since you can keep shooting with no
pauses. They are very reliable with fast-moving enemies and in (certain)
fights.  However, when using Ebony and Ivory, it takes longer to restore your
DT runes. It's just so cool to watch Dante work with them.


-NEEDLEGUN-
Found: Mission 12
Power: Medium-High
Recovery Speed: Fast->Slow

Dante finds this shiny new gun in a sunken pirate ship. It's best utilized in
aquatic combat. It cannot be equipped or used any time other than the
underwater use the gun was intended for. Like the name implies it peppers the
enemy with air-pressured needles. The gun was cleverly constructed to force
the needle to hurl towards the enemy with great velocity and power. The
Needlegun is capable of rapid shots for a limited amount of expenditure.  The
Recovery Speed listed above is Fast->Slow only because it can fire
consecutive shots on the get-go, but it  takes time for it to reload and fire
up again.


-NIGHTMARE-BETA-
Found: Mission 15
Power: High
Recovery Speed: Medium-High

It makes its appearance towards the end of the game.  However, you still have
many opportunities to put it to use, rest assured. Dante uncovers this weapon
in the second chamber  explored of the  two sealed shield doors in the garden
area.

The Nightmare-Beta clasps onto the keeper of this  weapon and merges with the
his hand.  Not physically, but the power of the blast is based on the courage
of the wielder.  It launches jolts of electricity that can ricochet off walls
and bounce around. Each shot is worth one slot of the Devil Trigger Gauge.
Yes, blasting it once costs a  whole slot.  It absorbs the power within Dante
and reproduces it to the shot  that escapes the gun.  That about explains its
formation in the dark  reaches of the underworld.

Also, when wielding the  weapon, you can  charge  it up and pump "DT" bullets
like you do with the other guns.  Here's a  bizarre  coincidence to blow your
mind: The Nightmare-Beta closely resembles a solidified form of Nightmare. Is
that trippy or what?


-SHOTGUN-
Found: Mission 2
Power: Middle
Recovery Speed: Slow

The Shotgun  is found in the  library  on the second floor, covered up by the
study desk. Its shots glide a long range. When Dante shoots a single enemy,
it often impacts the  others  around the victim because of the shell's vast
radial range. While it is very powerful, its shortcoming is the slow recovery
time between  each shot.  If you're  up against enemies  that  require nimble
abilities, this isn't a preferred  gun to use  in those situations.  You just
need to jump around a lot.


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                               Normal Skills
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Normal skills are  abilities that Dante had already  inherited.  Although not
plenty powerful, they are effective when combined with other attacks.


HIGH-TIME
**********
Controls: Hold R1 + Back + Sword Attack

High-Time is  what makes  Devil May Cry  so great!  Half of the cycle of this
unique attack enables Dante to toss the enemy into the air, which unlocks new
opportunities to perform crazy stunts and combos. Like the famous slash-up
and shoot technique DMC is well-known for.  Once the enemy is in the air, you
can use the guns to juggle the enemy in the air. Other than that, if you hold
the sword attack button for a little longer, Dante will follow the enemy into
the air.  Pressing the Circle button a third time allows Dante to strike down
the enemy with a powerful downward slash.


ROLL
*****
Controls: Left/Right + Jump

Rolling is one of many "professional" aspects  Devil May Cry has to offer. It
is a way of defending yourself since Capcom didn't throw in any Block command
like they did with Onimusha. You can roll to the side to escape danger's way.
Make sure you learn to use it well and that it becomes an instinct to use
whenever your gamer's intuition senses danger. Once you reach Dante Must Die,
rolling isn't an option.


KICK JUMP
**********
Controls: Jump onto a wall and jump again

Kick Jump endows Dante  with the  ability to jump higher, provided that there
is a wall or object there to support his second jump. As long as there's
something there for Dante to kick off of (Thus, the name Kick Jump), he can
boost himself up another level. Use this to reach those higher levels that
contain Blue Orb fragment, keys, weapons and all those goodies.  To perform a
kick jump, simply jump onto a wall, or object, and when Dante connects, press
the jump button again to make Dante kick off of it and leap higher.


CHOP SUEY!
***********
Controls: After slashing twice, hold the button down

This is an un-named and unlisted move in the menu, but it's a really cool way
to dice up some enemies. What Dante does is rapidly impale the enemy back and
forth repeatedly until you release the button or until he finishes it off
with a stinger move.  It's a great asset to a combo you'd like to perfect. To
perform this onion-chopping move, just after Dante slashes across an enemy
twice and the sword is positioned  behind him, hold the button  down until he
gets into the motion, then start rapidly tapping it. Then watch Dante deliver
a flurry of stabbing attacks at his enemy like a mad chef at Bennihanas.


AERIAL ATTACKS
***************
Controls: While in the air, shoot

This was something I never noticed in the demo. It was either that I couldn't
do it, or I've never tried. Dante can suspend his fall by blasting his guns
frenetically at enemies.  The force of the guns will keep him aloft.  Now you
don't find that everyday!


SWORD PLAY
***********
Controls: Varies

Just a little something for those who want to optimize DMC's capabilities. It
may be subtle, or you may have  already noticed it, but Dante can attack with
his sword regularly in four different ways (without combining any Alastor
skills):

Style 1
Tap Circle button expeditiously: Dante cross slashes the enemy twice and adds
an overhead slash down.

Style 2
Tap Circle  button  slowly: Dante cross  slashes the enemy twice and does two
more slashes diagonally. Then finishes with a vertical slash down.

Style 3
Tap Circle button  twice rhythmically, but pause  briefly  between each swing
and then rapidly tap the Circle button:  Dante cross slashes twice and then
starts to chop the enemy with great celerity and ends it with a fierce jab in
the abdomen.  You can  prolong the chopping by tapping Circle before he stabs
the enemy.

Style 4
Tap the Circle button thrice rhythmically: Dante cross slashes twice and adds
two diagonal slashes.

Try these out and you'll notice a  difference in the styles Dante strikes his
sword, and they all  depend on how much force you apply to the sensitive Dual
shock controller.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[EXTRA COMBOS]  Submitted by Arnaud "HeldWin" Tihy

Tap Circle Button twice  slowly and  hold down Circle: Dante cross  slashes
twice and then starts to chop the enemy twice and finish with a Round Trip.
(You have to hold down the button until Dante is in the position to use the
Round Trip).

You can also make him chopped 3 times before using the Round Trip:

Tap circle three times slowly, as you would do the Style 3, but rapidly after
you have pressed the third time Circle, hold down Circle until Dante is in
the position to use the Round Trip.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


PUNCH, KICK, POW!
******************
Controls: Varies

With the gauntlets, Dante now has the  ability to attack  with inferno-filled
punches and kicks, using the power of Ifrit. Ifrit skills are a bit different
from the Alastor and require more competency to properly harness its power.
Holding down the Circle button generates masses of fire energy into the punch
or kick Dante is about execute.  Dante can do a total of four base moves with
the gauntlets. In order of display: A powerful jab forward, a low uppercut, a
high kick up, and finishing off with a roundhouse kick.

You can charge each  attack with concentrated  energy to maximize the damage.
You must tap the Circle button slowly and time things right. For example, tap
the button once, pause briefly, then hold down the button to store energy.
Dante automatically releases the stored energy. You can also just simply hold
down the Circle button the  whole time, but it leaves Dante vulnerable to all
kinds of attacks--left and right; front and back.


ALASTOR/IFRIT AMMO
*******************
Controls: Hold down R1 + Shoot button

This ability was neglected to  be mentioned anywhere.  Dante  can reserve the
elemental power he is currently equipped with (Alastor or Ifrit) in his guns
to release a hail of elemental ammo.  It's the same gun attack performed when
Dante is in Devil Trigger state. To perform this unique attack, hold down the
R1 + Shoot button until you see the gun discharge elemental power.

Once you release the button, it'll send off 3 waves of the attack, as long as
you tap the button repeatedly. While Dante charges his guns, he is
momentarily vulnerable to attacks. Luckily, these don't take quite as long to
absorb as some of the other attacks Dante has.


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                  Special Skills (Alastor & Ifrit Gauntlets)
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


You'll need a glut of Red Orbs to unlock these abilities, so remember to keep
up your  practice of genocide!  Both special  weapons open  doors to powerful
moves that make fighting stylish and easier.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 ALASTOR
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

The Alastor is what you'll be using for the majority  of the game.  It's much
more powerful than Dante's default weapon, the Force Edge. It can deal with
enemies quicker, and the response is much greater. The elemental power of
Lightning surges through the sword which channels the power to Dante, as you
can see whenever Dante  strikes his sword--he is engulfed in electric energy.


-STINGER-LEVEL 1-
Cost: 350
Controls: Hold R1 + Forward + Sword Attack

Stinger will probably be the first attack you'll purchase, since it  requires
the least amount of Red Orbs at first glance. It comes in 2 levels of
strength, the next one being level 2.  Upon executing this move, Dante rushes
forward, with his Alastor pointed towards the enemy, in a violent stabbing
motion.  He sweeps across the floor in one quick movement. It is indicated by
the sound of a tremendous thunder.


-STINGER-LEVEL 2-
Cost: 1400
Controls: Hold R1 + Forward + Sword Attack

An enhanced  version of Level 1, obviously, except Dante  responds to it with
more distance and stabs the enemy with stronger, death-defying power. I would
recommend buying this after you've purchased Air Raid and Round Trip, in that
order.


-ROUND TRIP-
Cost: 1550
Controls: Hold the Circle (Default) button

The Round Trip proves to  be Dante's best Alastor skill (for me, anyway).  It
enables Dante to hurl his sword at an enemy like a boomerang and swipe the
enemy for multiple hits before returning to Dante. How long it stays out of
your possession depends on how long you've taken to charge it. To use it, you
must hold down the attack button and allow it to charge. Then watch it go.
You can press the button down again to retract it at your leisure. To amplify
damage, you  can use your guns  while the  Round Trip attack slices gleefully
through  an  enemy's  body.  This  helps  maximize damage  and  is especially
effective against tough enemies and bosses.


-AIR HIKE-
Cost: 4000
Controls: Jump again while jumping

This technique demands a lot of Orbs for it.  In my opinion, it's useful, but
unnecessary. Dante can manage without it. I wouldn't buy it for the life of
me.  Air Hike enables  Dante to jump to even greater heights his regular kick
jump could not. Simply jump up, and while still in the air, press jump again,
and Dante creates a red, rimmed platform and hoists himself from there to a
greater height.  The only known advantages for this is that it can help Dante
gather hard-to-reach orbs and items. It also capacitates Dante to improve his
aerial  combat by leaping  higher in the air, and  therefore, allowing him to
stay aloft even longer.


-AIR RAID-
Cost: 750
Controls: R1 + ([]) or Circle

In Devil  Trigger mode, jump up  and press R1  with one  of the corresponding
buttons listed above so that Dante blasts electric ribbons at his foes. It
also enables Dante to hover in the air for the time that Devil Trigger is
still active.  This neat trick allows you to reach some high ledges he cannot
normally reach.


-VORTEX-LEVEL 1-
Cost: 1150
Controls: In the air, D-Pad + Circle

In Dante's  Devil Trigger  state, jump  into the air and  direct  Dante to an
enemy and tap the Circle button (Default). By doing this, Dante catapults
himself towards his foes like a cannonball for mega damage. Remember the
technique about  battling enemies  in large numbers?  Well, use this skill to
scatter any points of congestion.


-VORTEX-LEVEL 2-
Cost: 2400
Controls: In the air, D-Pad + Circle

Level 2 of this attack has a  much greater  impact. Dante can bounce back and
forth for multiple hits to the enemy. When Dante glides through a single foe,
it often cripples any surrounding enemies.  Like I said above, use this skill
to scatter any point of congestion and then bash away at the secluded groups.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 IFRIT
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

The Ifrit gauntlets display strength greater than that of the Alastor in some
ways. It disables Dante's swordsmanship and has him utilize some martial art
skills instead. Its shortcomings are that its attacks are slow and does not
have  the wide range the Alastor had.  You must know when and when not to use
this.  Some enemies may be susceptible to Ifrit, while some are impervious to
it. Mastering the Ifrit is difficult.


-MAGMA DRIVE-
Cost: 500
Controls: R1 + Back + Circle

The Magma Drive works like High Time with the swords. Dante connects with the
enemy with a high uppercut, sending them into the air. At this time, like you
would with the High Time skill, Dante can pull out his guns and juggle his
victim in the air, followed by some other twisted combos Ifrit is capable of.
However, it won't always be pulled off successfully. Magma Drive should be
your first Ifrit  skill to purchase because  of the vast  combo opportunities
that become available, following the perfecting of this technique.


-KICK13-LEVEL 1-
Cost: 700
Controls: R1 + Forward + Circle

Kick13 is a derivation of Stinger.  It  generally works  the same way, except
Dante uses a low roundhouse kick forward with his foot wrapped in hell's
flames. It sends enemies flying if used at the right time. The first level of
this skill isn't too effective since Dante skids a VERY short range (like two
feet) in front of him. Level 2 is a big improvement and more destructive. You
might want to earn some Red Orbs just for the  second level of this skill.


-KICK13-LEVEL 2-
Cost: 2100
Controls: R1 + Forward + Circle

Level 1 with a finishing touch.  This enhanced version allows Dante to pierce
through an enemy from a much farther distance. It also induces more vehemence
into the attack. Simply stated--it's a fire kick version of the Stinger.
'Nuff said.


-ROLLING BLAZE-
Cost: 3450
Controls: Jump button

After purchasing  this ability and adding it to the almighty Ifrit abilities,
Dante will be shrouded in fiery flames every time he jumps with the Ifrits
equipped.  This isn't nearly as effective against enemies on the ground as it
is with enemies in the air. It works especially well against Frosts, since
fire has potent effects against ice-based enemies. Mostly it serves as a
secondary attack and never a primary.  Why?  Because it is ineffective.  That
and you'll get pummeled before you know it.


-METEOR-LEVEL 1-
Cost: 900
Controls: R1 + Back + Circle

A nifty long-range attack.  Fire energy amass in the palm of Dante's devilish
hands and release to form a highly concentrated fire attack. While in Devil
Trigger mode, press R1, move the Analog stick to Dante's back, and press
Circle.  Dante immediately acknowledges and pitches huge balls of fire masses
at his foe.


-METEOR-LEVEL 2-
Cost: 2700
Controls: R1 + Back + Controls

Like all Level 2 attacks, Meteor-Level 2  is obviously an enhanced version of
the first level. This time, Dante is able to fire multiple masses at the same
time with doubled strength augmented in each ball. I'd recommend getting this
as soon as it becomes available.  After learning Inferno, that is. Read below
for mild details on Inferno.


-INFERNO-
Cost: 4850
Controls: Jump + Movement + Circle

The most expensive, yet the most destructive of all the available Ifrit moves
Dante can perfect. Inferno is capable of inflicting explosive damage on the
masses. In Devil Trigger mode and while in the air, move the analog stick and
press Circle. Dante speeds toward the ground and plant firmly his fist into
the solid earth. The ground will swell up in a conflagration that encompasses
Dante and sets any enemies ablaze. Enemies can receive  continuous  damage as
long as they are  still in the raging fire.


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                              Battle Techniques
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


COMBOS--//
When you battle with monsters, you'll notice a word that appears to the right
of the life gauge, ranging from Dull to Stylish. The words mean what they
imply. They grade your performance with each monster.  Knowing this, will you
still use those sissy long-range attacks with the guns.  In order to get good
ratings, let your attacks flow smoothly. As long as the attacks run smoothly,
you'll get a good rating.  It's always  nice to mix up your attacks to polish
your skills and to hoard a pile of Red Orbs.


DODGING--//
Dodging and jumping is your friend, other than Dante's sword and guns. You'll
find that this comes to be extremely useful against Mundus' evil minions.
It's not some wussy way of fighting.  It'll help you more than I can (gasp!).
You'll notice that when you sometimes swing your sword, there is a brief
pause between the second and third slash. At this time, the enemy can quickly
counter the attack and use it against you. Not a good thing.  So, it's a very
safe deed to have your finger resting on the jump button.  As you attack, you
can press the jump button in conjunction with the directional buttons to dart
to the side to avoid contact with the enemy.  It really is a superb technique
you should cling onto.


UTILIZING THE GRENADEGUN--//
While the GrenadeGun displays explosive power, it has horrendous recoil time.
The force of the shot leaves Dante off guard and momentarily stunned. To
reduce the recoil time, as you start to blast a grenade at the enemy, dodge
or slash at the same time to compress  the impact considerably.  Since you'll
(I hope) be using this against formidable adversaries, you must exercise this
weapon properly. Using this with the Roundtrip technique works wonders.


ROUNDTRIP COMBOS--//
Once you have the  Roundtrip skill, using it  will  almost always net you the
"Stylish!" rating on enemy performance. Not only that, but it is very
effective when you don't want to get too close to the enemy. Combine its
advantage with a fire arm like the Grenadegun or even the Nightmare-Beta. You
can make ravaging duos with any fire arm.


SPARDA-BETA--//
Try equipping the Nightmare Beta and Sparda at the same time. You would think
that because you have no Devil Trigger gauge, the Nightmare Beta would be
useless, but this is not the case--you actually have infinite Nightmare Beta
shots. This makes both the Sparda sword and the Nightmare Beta much more
useful because together they're a bad-ass combination. It makes Shadows a
piece of cake.  However, the fallback of  this combination is that the single
projectile  only ricochets once, while when the  DT gauge  is present, it can
ricochet several times.



   /\                                                                    /\
   )(                                                                    )(
 _(  )__________________________________________________________________(  )_
  ||  || 
   ||              ======= Part III:  GAME WALKTHROUGH =======           ||
 _ || __________________________________________________________________ || _
 (  )(  )
   )(                                                                    )(
   \/                                                                    \/

--- Changes From the Demo: ---------

- Dante does not start with the Alastor (his sword); he'll acquire it shortly
  however.
- Dante begins with Force Edge.
- Red Orbs can be found and don't have to be dropped from enemies.
- Blue Orbs are now present.
- Battle variety has been tweaked somewhat.
- Different control placement.
- More items to trade in with Red Orbs.
- You can fire guns in the air and jump on enemies.
- A transmission from female statue to the Judge of Death
- The values of the items are MUCH GREATER.
- Boss fight with Phantom after acquiring Pride of Lion
- More animations with the birth of Shadow and its destruction.
- Dante is chased by the Phantom at the beginning of Mission 4.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hear Dante calling, and he says if you don't haul ass right now, he'll make
sure to change the caliber in his shot gun...BOOM! Chik-chuk! Oops, too late.
Don't say I didn't warn you.

****************************
IMPORTANT NOTE:  Stop sending me mail about  discrepancies! The walkthrough I
have here was created playing through NORMAL Mode. Any objections mean that
you were playing a mode other than Normal.  I'll make subtle or no references
to other modes.
****************************

In the dark reaches of the underworld, the demon king will come to light once
again to feed on the terror of the ensuing chaos. Many cry out in distress,
but no one has the power to stand up  to the King of Evil.  No one. Alas, the
heavens part, a lone warrior steps forward, driven by vengeance to contravene
the lord of the dead.  The fate  of mankind rests on your shoulders...Now, we
begin Part One of your destined quest...


=============================================================================
                               ____________
                              (  Part One  )
                               

Pop in the disc and start a new game. Let's rock, baby!

The beginning features a  narrative  introduction  to some background info on
the events that have occurred in Devil May Cry. You can see a dark silhouette
of what looks to be the revered Sparda. After the narration, the scene
switches to a movie, where a woman appears out of the night sky and peers
over to a tavern called Devil May Cry. Inside, you find our hero kicking back
and reveling in a day's work.  That is, until  the woman crashes  through the
door in a motorcycle.

A really cool fight scene commences between the two, and Trish, as we learned
her name from the instruction manual, hires Dante for a job that involves the
devil he has long been seeking. Our mission to save humanity begins on Mallet
island, where Trish claims to be the gate at  which the dark lord will rip
from his dimension to enter theirs. Dante kicks the doors open supahfly
style, and Trish heads along first, leaving Dante stranded  at the bottom and
feeling rather  foolish.  Un-thoughtful customers  these days...For the first
time, you take control of the devil hunter.

Follow the one-way path upwards and on the way, you'll find a [YELLOW ORB] on
a side path. Dante will also run under a low-hanging overpass you can reach
by kick jumping to get a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].  Then, continue  up the path to
the pristine castle.  Your first mission begins here...


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 1: CURSE OF THE BLOODY PUPPETS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
             Mission Objective: Break the evil spell and open the cursed door

o Collect the Red Orbs
o Find the Rusty Key
o Activate the elevator via the dial
o Kill all Marionettes to open door

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== COLLECT THE RED ORBS ======

Entering the castle, Dante whips  around to find the cavity in the wall  seal
behind him, leaving him with the only option to explore the wombs of the
castle entrance hall. The main hall consists of 3 floors. The second floor
holds a Time Statue, and the third floor offers a few orbs. The two doors are
locked and protected by an enchantment.

There are Red Orbs lying around the main hall.  At the central stairs leading
to the giant statue, take the right stairs since the left one has been
crumbled.  On the balcony above are some Red Orbs that cannot be reached
unless Dante kick jumps up there.  Simply jump onto the debris and jump again
to boost him up to the top.  Take the first orb and drop down to harvest some
more.

On the ground floor, you'll notice a blue  object in a caged area higher  up.
Simply hoist Dante up there using the kick jump and grab your second [BLUE
ORB FRAGMENT]. The Time Statue on  the second floor is  temporarily unusable.

Your goal  here is to  collect all 45 of the  Red Orbs  strewn throughout the
quarters. There are some on the third floor, so make sure you get to those.
Most, if not all, of them are casual to the eye so no need for my guidance
here.  A good tip to know  is to always slash your surroundings to relinquish
plenty of Red Orbs.  Once  you've assembled the 45 orbs, take them to the red
door to break the seal and continue to the next room.

====== FIND THE RUSTY KEY ======

In this new room, tear apart the suit of armors to unearth some more Red Orbs
and a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].  The other door takes Dante to the catacombs. Head
to the back into a spiraling cork staircase and head through the next opening
since the path ahead is blocked by some debris. There's an in-animated puppet
in this room, but you don't have to worry about it now.  The room to the left
features a three-hole mechanism, which you can't mess with just yet.  You can
find a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] in the left pool of water.

Take a  look at the aperture in the ceiling. Climb onto the bronze object and
boost yourself up to the upper level.  Take the shimmering object from the
still Marionette to receive the [RUSTY KEY]. As you turn to leave, the puppet
becomes invigorated and attacks.  Another drops from the ceiling to join the
fun. Incidentally, the one below also becomes juiced with life and
threateningly approaches Dante as he drops down. Take the Rusty  Key  back to
the main entrance  hall and unlock the blue door with it.

====== ACTIVATE THE ELEVATOR VIA THE DIAL ======

Entering the next room, you'll notice some more of these puppets hanging from
the ceiling. Don't worry; they won't attack until later. Naturally, after the
first encounter, you'd think you would meet some more. Your prayers have been
answered. The wooden double doors won't budge until you have lifted its curse
by defeating all the Marionettes. So let's get cracking!

There's a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] on the left wing of the airplane.  Getting onto
the wing takes some doing. You'll want to kick off the pillar by the door
and direct Dante over to the wing. Do you notice Dante's moving shadow in the
background? Details, details! Gently tap the down button to land on the
propeller where a deluge of huge Red Orbs mysteriously fall from the ceiling.

In the far corner  of the  room is a  blue-lit  alcove with a pair of  armors
blocking the way to a circular crest. Strike it continuously until all the
lights fill the dial.  This activates the pillar Dante is on that takes him
to the basement level of the castle. He arrives in an underground battle
arena. The smell of blood teases the air. Things don't look so good when some
malicious Marionettes drop from the ceiling and attack.

Get down to business  and chop 'em up. After you've destroyed them, the gates
open and bring forth a second wave of these maniacal assassins. Careful, now!
Fighting too many of them at once is a little dangerous. Gingerly circle them
and strike when you see an opportunity.

Afterward, take the  elevator back  to  the previous room, where  you will be
graciously greeted by a third group of assassins.  Continue with your efforts
to fend them off, and eventually, the  madness will subside.  The once-cursed
door has now been purified, accomplishing your first mission.

From now on, enemies  will start  to appear out of rimmed-hell gates from all
over the place--the floor, the  walls and the ceiling (Da roof! Da roof is on
fire!). Just thought I should let you know. =)


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 2: JUDGE OF DEATH
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                                Mission Objective: Open door to the Cathedral

o Wield the legacy, Alastor
o Find the Rusty Key
o Get the Staff of Judgment
o Giving to the Judge of Death

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== WIELD THE LEGACY, ALASTOR ======

The next three missions should  be familiar to anyone who has played the demo
version of the game. You'll notice a few changes, but that won't stop you
from knowing what to do.  Anyway, you arrive in a long hallway with paintings
of war plastered on the walls. Across from the entrance is a room that
holds a Time Statue and a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT], found by smashing the tables
near the statue.  Other tables produce  Red Orbs, which  you can now exchange
with the Time Statue for some  items in return, but  save them for now!  Take
the long corridor down the screen. Chances are you'll encounter some enforced
resistance.

At the top of  the stairs is a  white maiden  statue with a  sword protruding
from its chest. You learn that it is the [ALASTOR]. Witness the amazing, but
gory cutscene that highlights Dante's getting a hold of this godly weapon.
Now that Dante is able to wield this legacy, you can unlock new Alastor
abilities. They are available through the Time Statues. Since you are only
this far, I'm assuming you can only learn  the Stinger-Level 1. However, each
time you leave the Study, Marionettes will crowd the corridor.  You can build
up a cache of orbs by going back and forth to  stain your  weapons with clown
carnage.

====== FIND THE RUSTY KEY ======

Head through the doors and into the library.  Smashing tables is fun. The one
on the second floor yields a [SHOTGUN], which you can equip now if you want.
You can also read small passages from books to learn more about the
Castellans by searching the bookcases. But your purpose here is to find the
Rusty Key, which can be taken from the painting of a grim reaper. Examine the
painting to pocket the [RUSTY KEY].  This particular  key opens the doors you
passed by in the rounded corridor.

====== GET THE STAFF OF JUDGMENT ======

Going through the locked door brings Dante to the castle courtyard, where you
just happen to meet a thick line of gut-spewing clowns. Since there's a whole
throng of them and many more appearing  out of their hellgates, you shouldn't
care how cool you'd want to look when chopping them asunder. Depending upon
whether you have the patience or not, you could stick around and play kitchen
with them, or if you're running low on life or just plain jittery, move up to
the second floor and loop around to the door at the end.

When Dante arrives on the other side of the door, a clan of Marionettes greet
him with sharp knives. The door is also secured with those ghastly hands that
attempt to reach out and grab you. In this confined space, you should try out
that new Shotgun to eliminate these foes.

After trouncing this set of evil-doers and assuming you've read the plaque on
the gray statue, viciously strike the ceremonial altar repeatedly until
you've pushed it back far enough or until it stops moving back. Open the
sliding panel in the floor and drop down.

In the  fungi-infested room, grab  the [STAFF OF JUDGMENT] from the  Judge of
Death statue in the back. The column on the other end will rotate to an
opening, allowing you  to move on.  This will  take you back  to the library.

Attempt to open the door to find that it is cursed, barring you from  leaving
the room.  In the distance, Dante hears delirious laughter emanating from the
grim reaper painting.  It disappears and materializes into a Sin Scissor! Two
others appears to join the merry party.  Then, they attack.

Equip the Shotgun (or Handguns if you're feeling brave) to take them out with
cold efficiency. Watch for their giant scissors, which they use to snip and
snap maniacally at Dante's head.  Their deaths will cause the door to unseal.
Even after they've been wiped out you're still haunted by the echoes of their
laughter.

====== GIVING TO THE JUDGE OF DEATH ======

As Dante enters the room, some bug creatures  on the ground make an effort to
scurry away from him. They are harmless, but they let up some much needed Red
Orbs. Take a look at the Judge of Death statue and insert the Staff of
Judgment in its rightful place.  It opens the  door to the cathedral and ends
Mission 2.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 3: DESTROYER OF ARDOR
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
          Mission Objective: Overcome the trial and acquire the Pride of Lion

o Subdue the trial                        BOSS: Phantom
o Prove a hero's courage
o First encounter

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== OVERCOME THE TRIAL ======

Dante finds himself sealed in  the room...again.  Not a real big surprise. No
worries, though because the Pride of Lion bathing in the light on the
pedestal breaks the first seal for you.  The Pride of Lion is a crest that is
granted to the one who has proven his courage.  Take the  door to the Path of
Trials.  At the other end of the bridge  is a lion epitaph that  imparts some
knowledge about gaining the Pride of Lion.

After reading the inscription, return the way you came. At the halfway point,
Dante gets fiercely  struck by  lightning. The impact splits the bridge  into
pieces, and Dante  gets engulfed by  the roaring waves below.

====== PROVE A HERO'S COURAGE ======

Dante arrives in what seems to be some underwater ruins. Stand in the center,
on the iridescent circle inscribed on the floor. The door shuts tightly and
seals Dante in with several Sargassos that magically appear around him.  Just
be sure to attack them one by one to make things easier. After the last of
the disembodied skulls have  fallen to Dante's blade, step  into the light to
be transported back to the surface.

Amazingly, fractions of the bridge are drawn closely together and floating in
mid-air! Following the event with fate, a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] now sits in
front of the lion epitaph. Jump back across the bridge pieces to reach it.
Don't worry about falling into the water. You'll just have defeat the
Sargassos again. Then you'll be taken back to the other side of the bridge.
Before you head back into the castle, jump onto the small ledge above  and an
abundance of Red Orbs will bless you from the sky.  Also, if you have the Air
Raid ability, you can use it to  reach an airborne bridge chunk just directly
across from the red  orb deposit point.  By doing this, you will gain another
[BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].

====== FIRST ENCOUNTER ======

Back in the monastery, the Pride of Lion descends to rest on the platform. It
can now be claimed by the devil hunter. Once you pluck the Pride of Lion from
the altar, a giant, molten tarantula-scorpion explodes through the skylight.
It's disappointed to have found such a small catch, but it will squash you
like an ant, anyway. Hence, your first boss fight begins...See Enemies & Boss
Encyclopedia for details.

Acknowledging defeat, Phantom  scampers back into  his hell-hole.  Go through
the double doors to complete the mission.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 4: BLACK KNIGHT
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
     Mission Objective: Display one's strength to the Lion and open the path.
                            Acquire the "Melancholy Soul".

o Escape from Phantom's fiery grudge     BOSS: Phantom (Optional),
o Battle the Lion GateKeeper                   Nelo Angelo
o Gain the Melancholy Soul
o The Dark Angel

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== ESCAPE FROM PHANTOM'S FIERY GRUDGE ======

The  start of this  mission  begins in front  of the statue where you've last
completed Mission 2. Head back down the corridor. However, you won't get far
before Phantom comes charging from behind and attempts to run you down. You
can choose to fight him or just run for your life! Deciding to be a man and
facing up to him is total suicide, but it's possible. You'll net an extra 500
Orbs. Running for Dante's life is more logical.

As you run down the hall, Phantom will be trying to saut your head with icky
fireball attacks. Roll to the side the split second before he releases the
foaming fireballs. There are two places where you could hide: the courtyard
(which is much easier) or the study room. The first choice is better if you
choose not to battle him. As soon as you regain control of Dante, move to the
left and kick the doors open to the courtyard. The moment he enters any other
room, the carnage in the long corridor  will have ended. It's safe to go back
out, but the corridor is left in shambles, no thanks to that raging nutcase.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[PHANTOM RAMPAGE STRATEGY] Thanks to Eliot Lefebvre

The thing is, while Phantom's difficult to beat here with conventional means,
Air Raid does two things.  One, it does plenty of damage to Phantom with each
shot, and two, if you place yourself right, you'll be blowing up his
fireballs before they can hit you.  Even if you don't, he doesn't seem to
shoot up very often, and this  method works fast  enough  that health isn't a
huge problem.

So, the trick. Start Mission 4, with the aforementioned items. Make sure your
Devil Trigger is filled - you need four slots of it (although having five is
far better, and once you can do that it'll be easier).  If you need to fill
up, just go back into the Cathedral after the Phantom Baby secret mission and
shoot at the Marionettes for a while. Go into the hall, get chased to the end
of the hall by Phantom, but don't focus on shooting him - just run away.
Well, maybe you're good enough to shoot him a couple times, I've not had
enough practice.

Once you're at the end of the hall and he's shooting  fireballs at you, Devil
Trigger, jump, and start letting fly with that purple lightning as fast as
you can.  If you're getting hit by him, just fly away from him a little.  A
fast finger will nail him with enough lightning to send him into the ground
pretty quickly.  Five slots of DT will mean you'll never come out of it
through the whole battle; four will mean you'll need to mix it up with him a
little.  By then his health will be low enough that it's not too daunting.
(Incidentally, I find that if you jump off one of the walls as he's gathering
the fireball in his mouth, then keep shooting him as you're coming down with
the pistols, you'll hover over his shots almost all the time.)  But, anyways,
Air Raid him to death, you get 500 orbs, big deal, right?

Except he resets with the mission.  So you can save right then, choose to
reset the game, and claim another easy victory for another 500 orbs.  And
another.  And another.  It's so very cheap that I didn't believe it was
supposed to work, but it does.  Air Raiding him to death takes him out so
quickly it isn't even a challenge, and so  every few minutes you'll be making
a huge cache of red orbs.  With a little practice, it's almost comical.  You
can have the Air Hike early in the game, a mess of Blue Orbs and Purple
Orbs... basically, with just a little time investment, you can power up Dante
far beyond the levels he's supposed to have at the beginning of the game.
It's cheap, but it works wonderfully.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


====== BATTLE THE LION GATEKEEPER ======

Head to the  castle courtyard  and use the  Pride of Lion to dispel  the blue
force field. Strike the lion statue thrice to "break" it free. Underneath
that hardened layer is a new enemy you'll learn to hate. It's a Shadow!  If
you've played the demo, you should know how to make short work of this
sabertooth tiger from hell.  When the Shadow  jumps into the air, be prepared
to leap to the side immediately  unless you enjoy dying.  For elaborations on
how to skin this guy, see Enemies & Boss section.

====== GAIN THE MELANCHOLY SOUL ======

Go through the unsealed door and enter the long staircase leading up. There's
a single Bloody Mari, however, you must attend to. Don't start climbing  the
stairs yet.  Instead, dive into the abyss to the very bottom.  There's a blue
door with a lion head chiseled on it and  a dial that  resembles the one from
Mission 1.

Don't bother going up the stairs since there's a blockade halfway up.  Thwack
the dial until the light fills around it, and step on the pad that emits the
red glow. It elevates to the very top, taking Dante with it. Procure the
[DEATH SENTENCE] from the small platform and hop back to the stairs. Dust off
the Marionettes that crowd the double doors and enter the bedroom.

Inside is a Castellan  bedroom adorned  with strange furnishings and objects.
You can find a Time Statue in the back if you need to stock up on or purchase
anything. Jumping atop the bed releases some Red Orbs. Take a look at the
emerald statue by the mirror.  Use the Death Sentence to free the [MELANCHOLY
SOUL] from its mouth.

====== THE DARK ANGEL ======

The following  scene shows a  mysterious  devil  man  manifest  from  Dante's
reflection in the mirror. Thanks to a few people who sent me the dialogue
here. The devil man departs through the balcony and bids Dante to follow him.
The door begins to seal, so I guess you can only go one way. But before you
follow suit, buy a Holy Water and a Vital Star if possible.  Trust me, you'll
need them. Then, trot on over to the doors and enter the patio.

On the balcony, jump below.  High above Dante, the devil  man makes an insane
leap towards the ground, and a honorable duel begins. See Enemies & Boss
section for details on how to beat him. Upon his defeat, Nelo and Dante still
continue to fight, but  in an awesome hand-to-hand combat  scene, which Dante
ends up losing.  But Nelo retreats after he sees Dante's amulet  hang loosely
from his neck.


=============================================================================
                               ____________
                              (  Part Two  )
                               


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 5: GUIDING OF THE SOUL
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 Mission Objective: Go to the destination before the power of the "Melancholy
                       Soul" fades away.

o Fend off the Shadow in haste
o Race to the lion's den

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== FEND OFF THE SHADOW IN HASTE ======

At the start of this mission, the game pops open the menu screen. It seems
that the Melancholy Soul has self-activated. You have 3 minutes to take it to
its destination before the effect of the Melancholy Soul becomes wasted. A
Shadow seals the doors to the bedroom.  Before Dante can leave the  patio, he
must  bring this ferocious feline down. Do it quickly because you can only
spare 40 seconds--90 seconds at the most. Once it turns red, do not let Dante
be swallowed by the Shadow's final counterblow. It's a doozy.

====== RACE TO THE LION'S DEN ======

Back in the bedroom, it will take no more than 15 seconds to reach the door,
which is the blue lion head door you saw earlier. Leap into the abyss and
scurry to the door. That's the end of Mission 5. Really, it is.  Short, huh?

However, if you  were unable to  bring  the ornament  to the door before the
time had expired, you can recharge it in the room that led to the Staff of
Judgment back in Mission 2. Charge it on the golden statue and try again. But
that just took away your chance to receive a S-Rank as a Devil Hunter because
if you managed to complete it in under 2 minutes, you could have affixed that
S-Rank status.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 6: EVIL OF THE WATERWAYS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 Mission Objective: Defeat the evil guardian and acquire the "Guiding Light".

o Bug Extermination
o Dead Cows with Scissors

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== BUG EXTERMINATION ======

The door Dante unlocked from the  last mission leads to the castle waterways.
The dungeon is poorly lit so you may need to strain your eyes a bit to make
things out clearly, or you can have Dante blast his guns to illuminate the
area for a millisecond.  Run up the screen toward  the wall.  Move toward the
crumbled alcove  on the  left, and  a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] will sift  from the
ceiling. Move back down and continue past the entrance.

The left arched doorway takes you to some  Red  Orbs and a Green Orb, as well
as an Orb Fountain that furnishes Red Orbs. Back on the main water path, go
through the door on the opposite wall. Dante comes to a room full of sewer
pipes. The only red-glowing pipe at the far end contains the [RUSTY KEY]. As
soon as Dante picks it up, a swarm of Beelzebubs congest the room. Looks like
anything you try to gain isn't easy. More so, the door won't budge until
you've exterminated every last one of these hell-manifested bugs. They are so
weak that they fall in one swing of the Alastor (plus a Shotgun blast).

====== DEAD COWS WITH SCISSORS ======

The door  at the end calls for  a  Rusty Key, which you so rightfully have in
your possession. Moving on, the arched doorway ahead leads to a bunch of
Green Orbs. Follow the main path up to find what appears to be 4 Blue Orb
Fragments at the end. Unfortunately, Dante is not blessed with Lady Luck.
They're actually beacons to uh, make sure you know where you're going. Yeah,
that's it. Walk across it and a ghastly matter with a cow head appears from
the cow fossil  hung on the wall.  The beacons form  impenetrable barriers in
which you must defeat the Death Scissor in. Claustrophobia anyone? See the
Enemies & Boss Index for details.  Once you've laid the smack down on it, the
spell that encased the Guiding Light  will shatter.  Take the [GUIDING LIGHT]
to end Mission 6.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 7: HOLDING THE KEY OF ARDOR
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
Mission Objective: Return to the bedroom before the Guiding Light absorbs all
                       of your vitality.

o Three to Tangle
o Open a new path

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== THREE TO TANGLE ======

Mission 7 begins after Dante has just  added the Guiding Light to his item
collection. Your goal is to bring this key to the sun inscription in the
Castellan Bedroom before the Guiding Light drains your life. Slowly, but
surely it is. Start backtracking and head back to the lion head door you came
from.  The door is protected by three Sin Scythes that swipe at you from
behind. They're rather tough; just don't let them hurt Dante, or it'll
shorten the time you have. Must I always tell you to check the Enemies & Boss
Encyclopedia every time there is a new enemy? I guess so. See the Enemies &
Boss Encyclopedia for details on how to scrunch up this bunch. Or you can use
the Shotgun and go trigger-happy.

====== OPEN A NEW PATH ======

Strike the dial to activate  the  elevator and ride it up.  Descend back into
the bedroom. Then use the Guiding Light in the appropriate place. You end
the mission, but you don't immediately kick into the next mission. Instead,
there's a little interval that allows you to take your time and complete some
things you've neglected to do previously.

You find yourself on an overhang high above  the main entrance hall.  Jumping
across the  gap and going through the other door initiates Mission 8, but you
don't want to do that yet unless you're prepared.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[PHANTOM NOTE] Thanks to Eliot Lefebvre

At the beginning of Mission 7, if  you've killed Phantom  when he was chasing
you down the hallway in Mission 4, he'll chase you through the sewers as
well.  This time he's a little easier to beat, although the same strategies
work just as well.  He'll start chasing you as you leave the chamber with the
Guiding Light. He has not learned any new tricks since the last time, though.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


====== [BETWEEN MISSION 7 & MISSION 8] ======

Check the Blue Orb Locations to see if you've missed any of fragments from
previous missions and go back to obtain them. Now is also a good time to pick
up a nifty item and an extra fragment. Head back to the patio where you've
fought Nelo Angelo.

On the highest ledge directly above the patio doors, you may notice a glowing
fragment snuggled in the small pavilion. Directly across from that, on the
upper left, is a stone tower that's possible to reach by  kick jumping at the
right time.

Simply leap off the ledge towards the left stone tower. At the peak of
Dante's first jump, kick the wall.  If done correctly, he should  land on top
of the tower, where  some Red Orbs will be relinquished.  Also, pick up the
[UNTOUCHABLE] sitting at the edge. You need to press X to pick it up.  To get
the Blue orb piece, simply use Air-Raid and hover over to the pavilion.

Whatever you may still have to do, do it now since  you aren't graded at this
time. When you're ready, step through the door and begin Mission 8 properly.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 8: THE LEGENDARY KNIGHT RETURNS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
        Mission Objective: Activate the mechanism and escape from the rooftop

o Phantom Shishkabob                  BOSS: PHANTOM
o Lower the drawbridge
o The water source

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== PHANTOM SHISHKABOB ======

Dante begins in a heated room with raging fires blazing behind lattices. Jump
to the thin ledges on either side and head through the door. Climb up the
ledge outside to come to a rounded rooftop. Below you is the main castle
entrance hall.  Attempt to leave  through the  opened gates and Phantom makes
his fourth and final appearance. He just can't leave you alone. See Enemies &
Boss Encyclopedia for details.

Finally, Phantom falls through the skylight and gets skewered by the statue's
spear. Phantom _finally_ notices that Dante isn't just any old human. You
witness a darker side to Dante. On the ground below, Trish appears and
compliments Dante's strength.  Seriously, where has she been all this time?

====== LOWER THE DRAWBRIDGE ======

In the lower quarters of the rooftop, pick the [TRIDENT] from  in the ground.
If you manage to jump on top of the pillar in the right niche, Dante will be
rewarded with Red Orbs. Stand a few feet away from the left horse, and facing
it, somersault jump  onto its head for more Red Orbs.  From its head, spring
to the ledge above and collect the [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] that appears. Now drop
into the hole between the two statues.

Smash the blue spherical object to lower the drawbridge. Run around the heavy
machinery to find an open  latch and a corpse.  Extract the [GRENADEGUN] from
its remains and continue down.

====== THE WATER SOURCE ======

Dante  arrives in a  room you've  probably  explored in  Mission 1--Neptune's
room. Stick the Trident into the bronze object. It unplugs the water source
and raises the gate below. You'll hear some clanks. Better hurry to the  room
below before the gate closes because it's faltering slowly. If you mess up,
simply use the Trident again and retry. Once you've navigated Dante under the
gate, dive into one of the pools of water  for an unseen [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].
Go through the double doors to complete Mission 8.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 9: NEW STRENGTH
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                     Mission Objective: Use the new strength to open the door

o Searching for the fire god           BOSS: Griffon
o The third servant of Mundus
o Forest trap
o Fetish frenzy

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== SEARCHING FOR THE FIRE GOD ======

Take the drawbridge down the  screen and hop over the black circle.  The area
ahead features ruins of what seems to be a ritual place. There's a Time
Statue at the far left corner, as well as a [DEVIL STAR], hidden behind the
monolith in the center. Collect some extra Red Orbs by jumping atop 3 finely-
shaped pillars. Jumping on them is tricky. Stand in front of the thin  pillar
at an angle you're comfortable with and jump directly up. Do not kick jump at
the peak of Dante's first jump. Instead, wait until Dante drops a little,
then immediately kick up thereafter and gingerly direct him to the top. If
it's been done right, he will either grab onto the ledge and help himself up,
or land right on top of it.

Travel down the spiraling stairs under the ruins and head through to the main
garden grounds. Dante turns up in a huge garden where new enemies await him
from down under. Some pretty intense battles commence with these newborn
Blades. Equip the Handguns for maximum celerity and get to work.  See Enemies
& Boss Encyclopedia for further details.  They  release a lot of orbs, so you
may want to keep that in mind for future reference.

Pick up the lovely treasures around the garden. There's a [YELLOW ORB] lodged
away in one of the dark corners, extra Red Orbs in the circular walkway, and
a [HOLY WATER] on the roof of a low cylinder-shaped building. To the right of
the entrance to the ruins is a hidden path that winds to a secluded
tombstone. Thwack it repeatedly to push it back and dig up the [BLUE ORB
FRAGMENT] hiding underneath it.  Once you've reaped everything there is, head
towards the blue flares lighting the path to another area.

The area ahead is composed of  two  upper floors that converge above the gate
wreckage. Search the area for some items, like a [DEVIL STAR] and an extra
[YELLOW ORB]. Go around the midpoint section to find a dial. Energize it to
activate some fluctuating platforms.  Leap from platform to platform to reach
the skyborne gazebo that houses the almighty Ifrit gauntlets.  Watch  Dante
painfully claim and absorb Ifrit's power.  You can test out these new fads on
some Marionettes below.

====== THE THIRD SERVANT OF MUNDUS ======

The moment you  step back  into  the main section of the garden, a giant bird
wrapped in red lightning swoops over Dante. Apparently, it knows that he's
about to go up against the son of the legendary Sparda, but it dares to
contend nonetheless. Make sure Dante has the Ifrit and Handguns equipped. See
Enemies & Boss section for the recipe on how to make roast Griffons.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[AVOIDING GRIFFON'S FIGHT]  Thanks to Dingo Jellybean for the idea.

You can actually avoid the fight with  Griffon on  your _second_ time through
the game since you already have the Ifrit Gauntlets. Make sure you don't head
into the area where you've obtained the gloves, and skip over to the door
that requires your setting the brazier ablaze.  Then just continue on to the
forest area.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


====== FOREST TRAP ======

The blue flares on the ground  have  now relocated and are directing Dante to
the iron door on the right. Set the unlit brazier on the right ablaze to open
the door. If you want, you can leave the garden and head back to the Time
Statue to check out the new Ifrit skills, but beware, when you return, you
must put up with a ferocious version of the Blade and several of its lackeys.

The iron door takes Dante  to a forest covered in a  thick, semi-translucent
fog. Attempt to go through the door on the right, and it seals. Closing in
from behind is a troupe of Marionettes, and in the back of the line is a
powerful Fetish. The Fetish is a terrifying and formidable foe. See the
Enemies section for details. After Dante dispatches the first batch, rimmed-
hell gates will be sending wave after wave of these guys.

You must keep alive and eliminate  one after another before the door reopens.
Finally, after the chaos subsides, jump atop  the broken stump  in the center
for bonus Red Orbs. There are also more hidden orbs and a hidden [HOLY WATER]
stashed on a platform high above the entrance (not exactly over it). To reach
it is pretty tough. If you have the Air Hike, it will save you a lot of
trouble. Otherwise, you can Air Raid to it from the circular building. It's a
little tricky though.

====== FETISH FRENZY ======

Take a gander at the shop selections in the  Time Statue and see what you can
afford. Now, equip the Grenade gun and head down the stairs. Dante encounters
MANY Fetish funks. Get cracking with the Grenade gun. The strategy is simple.
Keep capping grenades into their bodies  and  avoid any attacks they throw at
Dante. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. You will have amassed over 500 Red Orbs by
defeating these fearsome foes.

The red door dictates 200 Red Orbs. Might as well give them up since there is
no other exit, and you don't want to stick around and battle more Fetish
punks, do you?  Unless you've absent-mindedly spent the orbs, just wait until
some more Fetish appear and let the chaos recycle.


=============================================================================
                               ______________
                              (  Part Three  )
                               


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 10: CANYON OF MIST
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                           Mission Objective: Come out of the labyrinth alive

o Navigating the path of illusion
o Open the doors to the next area

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== NAVIGATING THE PATH OF ILLUSION ======

The objective makes it sound like this is a suicide mission.  When you arrive
at the first gate, jump on top of the thin pole against the wall to gather
additional Red Orbs. Up ahead, Dante meets some resistance by Marionettes and
a Fetish and any following appearances by them. Careful not to let them knock
Dante into the gate nearby.

Once they're dispatched, read the monolith in the center to discover the
secret of the labyrinth. After reading the inscription, a ball of light rises
and drifts away. Follow it. Shadow it.  Do whatever you can to stay behind it
because if Dante steps through any other gate besides the one the ball
disappears into, it will take him back to the trail's starting point. This is
your only ticket out. It's completely random, so you must follow it at all
times.

The first area  the ball  guides Dante  to is choked  with 3 Sin Scythes, who
capture the little fellow. Kill them to free it, but Dante will still be
stuck fending off following groups. Throughout the labyrinth, enemies will
try to distract your attention from the ball, and therefore, cause you to
enter the wrong gate. You must pay full attention to where the ball is
headed before concentrating on eliminating the present threat.  However, this
is a completely different story in DMD.  In the  next segment, 3 Blades await
your arrival.

====== OPEN THE DOORS TO THE NEXT AREA ======

After entering three correct gates, Dante winds up in a new area, which seems
to be the end of the labyrinth. However, there is a Kyklop here to delay the
completion of the mission.  Kyklops are mini-versions of the Phantom, but are
obviously less deadly. Their bodies are encrusted with hard earth instead and
they drop a ton of orbs.

If, at any time, Dante  needs  to recuperate, there  are floating  Green Orbs
around the place. After the first Kyklops disintegrates, search the tall
grass on the left side for a [HOLY WATER].

A remaining Kyklops is currently inactive behind the outcropping. You need to
eliminate this last one to open the iron gate. Go about doing so. Start
whacking its shell to stimulate it.  After both Kyklops have been eliminated,
the iron door will lower and allow the devil hunter to proceed.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 11: FATE
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                     Mission Objective: Offer the "Chalice" and open the path

o Battle with King of Sins              BOSS: Nelo Angelo
o Claim the sign
o Acquire the holy Chalice
o Requiem of the Dark Knight

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== BATTLE WITH KING OF SINS ======

Immediately after initiating the mission, a Death  Scythe swoops in and comes
to give Dante a good spanking. Death Scythe is the deadliest and father of
the "Sins".  See Enemies & Boss section to see Death Scythe tactics. He's not
terribly difficult, but  definitely not a  picnic in the  park.  Defeating it
causes a platform to appear.

====== CLAIM THE SIGN ======

The pit in the ground leads to some Blades and a Time Statue. Inside the pit,
search for a crack in  the wall and smash it.  A small  troupe of Blades will
storm through the  aperture and lunge at Dante.  Make  them bite the dust and
snag the [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] that drops down.

In the chamber from which the Blades poured in from, there's an extra Red Orb
perched on the ledge. On the same ledge, jump up to the square light to
arrive in an enclosed area. In the caged room, take the [SIGN OF CHASTITY]
and return to the pit. The Blades have regenerated. It's breeding season, and
I hear they are mighty feisty around that time.

Back in the main chamber, there are Red Orbs resting on  higher  ledges Dante
can reach with his hyper jumps. A [DEVIL STAR] rests on the floating platform
in the center. On the other side of the room is a cornered ledge with some
shattered glass Dante can slide through.  Head in  and drop down to the glass
area and nab the [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT]. Also, grab the Green Orb on the upper
level if you need it.

====== ACQUIRE THE HOLY CHALICE ======

Take the top door situated in the back of the main chamber. Leap to the Green
Orb and proceed to collect whatever you can before examining the glowing
panel in the square below.  Then proffer the Sign of Chastity in exchange for
the [CHALICE].

Upon receiving this item, an event occurs where Dante meets Nelo Angelo for a
rematch. Cheaters. He's been watching your progress all this time and has
followed you all this way. Now, he has decided Dante has gone far enough. His
plans to hinder your progress is about to backfire. See the Enemies & Boss
section for elaborations on how to send his ass flying back to the underworld
where he belongs.

Thanks to this exclusive battle, the doors have been corked off. Travel along
the stone roof and follow it to a deep alcove drilled into a high ledge.
Inside is a knight's statue that calls for the Chalice.  Place the Chalice in
its rightful place to reveal an exit in the brick wall.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 12: GHOST SHIP
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
            Mission Objective: Go to the deck and head to the Captain's Cabin

o Needle in a shipwreck               BOSS: Griffon
o Protect the ship!

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


Before  the mission  begins properly, you are  introduced to  some underwater
controls. Yes, Dante is taking some swim lessons. Take a few minutes to
let it all sink in. Remember, when swimming in the water, the Up and Down
controls are inversed, meaning that up will be down and down will be up.  Ok!
Alright, let's get to it!

====== NEEDLE IN A SHIPWRECK ======

Past the Time Statue is a staircase that  leads down  to the bunkers, where a
masquerade of dancing Marionettes twirl their cute little blades. An Orb
Fountain lies ahead, which you can use to stock up on Red Orbs.  In the large
cavern, head towards the water and wade to the battered pirate ship.  Dive
into the water and start getting used to the controls now. Swim to the line
of Red Orbs to find a rift  on the side  of the ship.  Use this  to enter the
ghost ship.

Beware of the skulking Blade taking its own swim lessons. Swim to the surface
to automatically leap out of the water.  Ascend to the ship's hold. Get ready
to spring away from a charging Blade. This room is a home to two Blades!
Lying around in the back is a brand spankin' new [NEEDLEGUN]. Search the
drawers behind it to find a [DEVIL STAR]. The Needlegun cannot be equipped or
used on land. Dante automatically equips it once submersed in water.

If you're just  itching to try it out, head  back  to the water at the ship's
entrance and Needlegun the Blade to death. It's very effective. You can find
an [UNTOUCHABLE] in the chest on the left side of the hulls gash. Also, blast
the underwater cargo to release some Red Orbs.

Head back to the main hold and up the stairs to the deck.  There are many Red
Orbs sprinkled across the deck, and many more that will fall out of the sky
by standing on the sail poles. On the high pole in the southern end of the
deck, climb to the very top to the bird statue. From there, do a Stinger
towards the front  of the ship.  Dante will land  on the bow, and a [BLUE ORB
FRAGMENT] will gently fall from the sky.

====== PROTECT THE SHIP! ======

Attempt to enter the Captain's Cabin. A Death Scythe appears through the door
and attacks. Eliminate the monster and Dante will have protected the ship.
The ship starts to set its course again, powered by ghost engines. As Dante
begins to get into a sight-seeing hobby, a huge bird plunges from the sky and
ruins Dante's perfectly peaceful state of mind. Another intense battle with
the Griffon ensues.  See Enemies & Boss section for plans on making your next
Thanksgiving dinner.

The blue swords, as if they sensed your pure heart, now raise themselves from
the door and finally allow entry into the cabin.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 13: ABYSS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                     Mission Objective: Find an exit and escape from the ship

o Pluck the Staff Of Hermes
o Get out of a watery predicament

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== PLUCK THE STAFF OF HERMES ======

First they ask us to get on the ship  and now, off it?  What madness is this,
you say? Little do you know--the whole time Dante has been accomplishing his
missions  outside  the  castle  grounds--he has been  setting up rituals that
eventually help lead him to the underworld. Get it?

Dante enters the cozy cabin as the ship careens gently from side to side.
Grab the glowing [STAFF OF HERMES] from the chest of the statue and...Titanic
is sinking! This ship is sinking! Dante watches helplessly as water rushes
in from the cracks and vents.  Soon after, he gets  fully submerged in water.

====== GET OUT OF A WATERY PREDICAMENT ======

Swim through the tiny vent at the right of the door  since the door is sealed
by the water's pressure.  Deal with the two  Blades in the following room. In
the shaft between the two stairs is a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] floating around the
home of 3 Blades!

Find your way back  to the first  room you came  from and escape  through the
rift. Finish this mission in under 3 minutes and receive a S Ranking.

====== [MISSION 13 and 14 INTERVAL] ======

It appears that Mission 14  won't  begin just yet.  Get  out of the water and
dive into the right pool of water to find a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT]. Back on the
surface, head to the door at the top of the stairs to  initiate Mission 14.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 14: DEEP DARKNESS & TOWERING MOUNTAINS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
               Mission Objective: Go to the surface and head for the coliseum

o Quest for the Emblem Shield
o Life's like a waterfall
o Blood thirsty Spirits

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== QUEST FOR THE EMBLEM SHIELD ======

On the ground level, notice that  the floor is punctured with numerous holes.
What are they for? Looks like some kinda weird scheme of things you may have
to deal with later on. The spikes on the wall can hurt Dante if he walks into
them. Why would you want to do that, you evil person?? Head through the
corridor strip and follow it around to the adjacent hallway.

This hallway is also filled with punctured holes (Hmm...).  At the end of the
rounded strip is a (more than) disemboweled skeleton. Carefully walk towards
it, and it will bestow the [EMBLEM SHIELD]. Flipping the switch designated on
its right hand opens the iron gate back in the other hallway, but it also
activates the dungeon's death trap! The floors start to rotate, drawing Dante
towards the spiked walls, and spears erupt from the holes.

As the spears come up, they  burst forth in an ebb motion.  Once they retract
into their individual holes, leap over them and pause. Repeat this with the
second wave  and anything that follows to the end of the corridor.  Each time
Dante gets perforated by the spikes, he loses a lot of life!

====== LIFE'S LIKE A WATERFALL ======

Dante steps off the elevator to find a  waterfall roaring in the  background.
Behind the base of the waterfall  is a [HOLY WATER]. It is also possible to
retrieve the Red Orb chunk resting on top of the caged gazebo. Simply use one
of the pillars on either side and kick jump up. Dante will do the rest. Also,
if the Air Hike ability is available, use it to reach a high ledge that
contains a [YELLOW ORB] and a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] stashed higher up. Although
reaching these treasures can be possible without the aid of Air Hike.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[OBTAINING THE ORBS]  Submitted by Mike Barr. Extra thanks to Chris.

I found that you don't need Air Hike in order to get to the high ledge.  You
can actually jump up on top of the gazebo, then use Air Raid and fly across
to a ledge on the other side of the water.  From there you can jump your way
all the way up the cliffs and get the two items.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[OBTAINING THE ORBS II]  Submitted by Brian

I have found yet another alternate means of attaining the 3 items (Red Orb,
Yellow Orb, and the Blue Orb fragment).  Instead of using Air Raid or Air
Hike, simply use Stinger (much like when you jump/flew across the sail posts
on the ship) to fly/jump across from the gazebo to the ledge by the
waterfall.  Just jump up a few ledges to get the Yellow Orb.  Then, get back
on the gazebo and use the same maneuver, to jump/fly to the ledge to the
right of the gazebo, landing you the Blue Orb Fragment.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


Outside, some Blades and a bigger  version of a Blade pounce  on Dante almost
instantly after entering this cliff side from the waterfall area. Because of
the small space provided, it makes things a little hard. Jump to some lower
ground and take advantage of the footholds.  Then go wild with the Shotgun or
your weapon of choice. If you happen to be blessed with the Devil's luck, two
Shadows and a Death Scythe will substitute the Blade groupie.

====== BLOOD THIRSTY SPIRITS ======

Drilled into the flank of the cliff is a small mining cave.  Jump to the high
entrance and cross the swaying bridge to an Orb Fountain, where Dante can
ferret out a few hundred Red Orbs.  Drop down the ledge on the right to a low
overhang where a lonely [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] is looking for a friend. The exit
is sealed by the give-me-thy-blood-and-ye-shall-pass spell.  The door demands
200 of your hard-earned Red Orbs.

The exit takes Dante to a field, where he must go up against a glut of Fetish
and Marionettes. Jump on top of the circular building and onto the thin porch
above.  A slew of Red Orbs will mysteriously drop from the  sky after running
to the left edge.

To deal with this dark army, stand on the low platform by the sealed red door
and take shelter there, while blasting enemy after enemy with the Grenadegun.
Locate and take the [DEVIL STAR] nearby.  Then, expend another 100 to the Red
Orb-sucking doors.

Collect the Red Orbs around the center  pillar and head through the only door
in the room.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 15: WHEEL OF DESTINY
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
        Mission Objective: Use the shield and a pair of lances to conquer the
                                 Coliseum

o Which door shield I open first?         BOSS: Griffon
o The Blue Door
o The Red Door
o Appeasing the Gods

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== WHICH DOOR SHIELD I OPEN FIRST? ======

Mission 15 begins back at the garden ground.  If you haven't exterminated the
reigning Blades yet, they're still here. They will come in great numbers, but
usually three at a time...With that shadow version to boot. The blue flares
now lead the devil hunter to the rounded column that houses two sealed doors
and a single iron-gated  door that calls for the  Pair of Lances.  The Emblem
Shield can be used here to unseal the shield doors on either side.

Whichever one you enter first doesn't matter. The items you need can be found
in either, but the order you can obtain them will be reversed, depending on
which dungeon you explore first. In other words, once the Luminite and the
Pair of Lances have been taken from the first dungeon explored, the
Nightmare-Beta will be found in the next room. Also, once Dante has conquered
the trap in the first room, it will be negated in the second room.

====== THE BLUE DOOR ======

Pry the radiant [LUMINITE]  from the heap of debris and head down the stairs.
Waiting at the bottom of the stairs is a trio of Fetish enemies. Level down
the discolored wall and blast the barrels out of the way. Collect the various
goodies hiding in the barrels including a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] and a [HOLY
WATER].

Immediately  after  heading through  the blue double doors, two  Sin  Scythes
follow in pursuit. What's worse is that the floor at the foot of the stairs
makes like a conveyor belt--drawing its victims to the wall of spikes. Fight
the Sins in what little space you have on the stairs, but for goodness sake,
don't attempt to play hero and subdue them on the moving floor. Being the
stint person  that I am, I just  took  the damage  and blasted their face off
with the Grenade gun, but  you don't  have to follow  my example.  Use a Holy
Water if you have to.

In the narrow strips of the rotating floor, the  walls expel a net of spikes.
After crossing one spiked wall, there's a small doorway on the left indented
wall. Stepping on the glowing light in the center fully restores Dante's DT
gauge!  Recover his health by tapping into devil Dante and then, refilling DT
while you're at it!

In the next chamber, the  purple substance  below is toxic goo  that eats the
life of stupid victims that fall into it. If Dante does fall, however,
frantically scramble back onto the low platform.  Then casually make your way
across the chasm and claim the [PAIR OF LANCES].

Return back through  the rounded spike passage.  It's  easier this time since
you aren't working against friction. The Fetish will have regenerated for
more beating.  Fighting them allows Dante to digest many Red Orbs, which will
probably create a buying urge  since there's a Time Statue nearby.  This is a
good time to level up his Alastor and Ifrit skills.

Exit back to the main garden grounds to find that Sin Scythes  have dominated
the garden, and night  has fallen  on the castle.

====== THE RED DOOR ======

Another secret  chamber lies behind the discolored  wall at the bottom of the
stairs. Smash the furnishings for a [YELLOW ORB]. As Dante enters the blue
double doors on this end, there is yet another rotating floor, except the Sin
Scythes are non-attending. Strike the dial on the right before the sliding
through the first set of exploding spikes.  This  lowers a  wired platform at
the end that allows access to the gem of the dungeon. There's another dial to
activate that's facing the left side chamber.  This side chamber features the
magic-rejuvenating device, too.

At the end of the corridor, drop into the pit and battle the two Blades. Then
kick jump just under the opposite platform to host a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT]. You
can now claim  the [NIGHTMARE-BETA], the  last  gun Dante  can find, from the
glowing panel.

====== APPEASING THE GODS ======

Enter the coliseum by placing the Pair of Lances in the statues' hands on the
iron gate. Go around the coliseum arena and assemble all the possible orbs
before stepping into the blue, glowing satanic circle.  Doing so  immediately
triggers the fight with the next boss, the final Griffon confrontation. Offer
it as a sacrifice to exhibit Dante's true heroism and courage.  See Enemies &
Boss menu for large stuffed owls (that's getting a bit old, eh?).

After  witnessing the  pitiful  demise of the  Griffon, we  get  to  catch an
exclusive glimpse of Mundus' powers. Trish shows up at this point. Is she
pulling our strings or what?  At this point, more of the underdeveloped story
unravels and we learn a little of Dante's biological parents.

The huge column  that pinned  Griffon down is actually an elevator that leads
to an  underground shaft, where the Wheel of Destiny  rests in the hands of a
maiden statue. Acquire the [WHEEL OF DESTINY] and finish Mission 15.


=============================================================================
                                _____________
                               (  Part Four  )
                                


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 16: NIGHTMARE OF DARKNESS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
              Mission Objective: Unravel the mystery of the "Staff of Hermes"

o Breeding of new evil              BOSS: Nightmare
o The Nightmare begins

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== BREEDING OF NEW EVIL ======

There's a  whole [BLUE ORB] floating  right  next to  the elevator.  Ride the
elevator back up to the surface and retrace your steps back to the ceremonial
ruins area, where the drawbridge was last raised. Insert the Wheel of Destiny
in the black orb to lower the drawbridge.

After regaining entry into the castle, Dante  notices that complete  darkness
has reigned over the castle. The only source of light emits from the single
Luminite Dante found in one of the sealed shield doors. An additional door
that was supposed to be there has long disappeared  since the castle had been
contorted with prominent evil.

Enter the main hall. Some of the debris has been cleaned up and the blue door
has been resealed by spirits. A lone [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] revels in the dark
on the left side of the statue that _was once_ there. Now a dial hangs in its
place. That's for later. First, acquire another Blue Orb piece by going to
the Time Statue on the second floor. From there, you should be able to see it
floating in front of Dante. Use his Air Raid ability to reach it.

Activate the dial to  trigger a sequence, which  highlights  a  Plasma coming
into existence. Jump over its laser and equip the Ifrit immediately since it
is impervious to the Alastor's energy. Beat on it as quickly as possible
before it splits into three  separate parts.  Defeating the  first Plasma not
only hints that more tough enemies are to come, but it also banishes the
tormented souls from the sealed door.

The airplane hangar presents one other  Plasma that _will_ split into 3 parts
upon contact with Ifrit. Plasmas tend to take on the form of Dante and mimic
his abilities with their imitation of the Alastor. Using Ifrit's DT abilities
is recommended here. After you've fried the Plasma men, step into the
familiar hallway. The tables in the study room  blossom Red Orbs. If you have
enough, get the Inferno. You will need it later. Facing the painting, jump up
and tap the protruding statue head to summon a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].

Follow the hallway that doesn't seem to be so...familiar anymore.  The  doors
to the courtyard have been replaced by a line of armored suits. They yield
some Red Orbs to make up for the confusion. The library door and the Judge of
Death statue are gone. A huge, iron door is their substitute.

====== THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS ======

The monastery has been  remodeled and re-adorned  with strange circles in the
ground, as well as a small puddle of thick liquid in the center. Also notice
the walls sporting dials? Smells like a boss fight. Light up all the
characters in one of the dials before examining the puddle of water. Checking
the puddle calls forth a reeking creature you'll learn to hate. See Enemies &
Boss section to find out how to dispose of this excess garbage.

After it sinks back to its dismal den, head  through the doors to the bridge.
Hop across the broken path and use the Staff of Hermes on the inscription
behind the lion epitaph. It reacts to the evil surging through the castle and
creates two paintings on both sides.  Jump into the left rippling painting.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 17: PARTED MOMENTO
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
     Mission Objective: Slash away at the dragon and enter the court with the
                               "Quicksilver"

o Quicksilver hunt                     BOSS: Nelo Angelo
o Secret of the Dark Knight

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== QUICKSILVER HUNT ======

A red outer-rimmed circle appears behind Dante. It takes him back to the Path
of Trials when desired. Ascend the spiraling stairs to the first doorway and
harvest some Red Orbs from the furnishings. Then continue to the top.  In the
research room, dive into the left portal that appears.

Dante emerges from the portrait and finds himself in an enclosure. Attempting
to open the door nets him a fight with new appearances by Frosts. Equip the
Ifrit, tap into Devil Trigger and have fun. Watch out for their ice aerial
attack. It's a doozy. Defrost the two Frosts and be on your way. When you get
to a long corridor, ignore the split to the right and continue down while
decongesting the hallway of  Marionettes and Fetish.  Around the corner, take
the door to the display room.

A giant  fossilized  reptile  collects masses of  energy and ejects them at a
dazed Dante. Stay in the back and time it as it comes. Then deflect it back
using the Alastor. Three consumptions, and it dies in agony. Before heading
forward to the hall, jump to the ledge above.  Hug the right wall until Dante
disappears to a hidden balcony. Strange. It's snowing outside.  Run around to
the left and  jump for a snowflake shaped like a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] to fall.

Next to the mirror gathering moonlight is a crank.  Press  the confirm button
to position Dante. Then start rotating the analog stick to turn the handle.
It turns the mirror around to cast back the moonlight onto the device on the
small, high balcony across the room. A small silver ball takes shape from the
moonlight.

====== SECRET OF THE DARK KNIGHT ======

Jump onto the higher ledge again and follow it around.  Across  from Dante is
an overhang he must kick jump to. As lightning strikes outside, it
illuminates the room for a split second. During that second, you will have
noticed some thick, transparent platforms  floating in the air.  Direct Dante
to the first platform and  jump over to  the other ones  to the porch holding
the [QUICKSILVER].

Take the Quicksilver back to the main hallway and take the door at the end of
the passage branched off to the right. Use the moon-made item on the door and
proceed to face Nelo Angelo. He unmasks himself through an odd ritual. He
looks human enough...This time, his attacks are MUCH MORE DAMAGING than
before. Read the boss strategy I have for him in the only place in the  guide
that has enemy statistics.

After the difficult battle, you'll be in for a surprise...


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 18: SPIRIT STONE "ELIXIR"
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 Mission Objective: Throw the "Philosopher's Egg" into the fire and transform
                          it into the Spirit Stone.

o Underwater Siege                   BOSS: Nightmare
o The Philosopher's Egg
o Goblet of Fire

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== UNDERWATER SIEGE ======

At the beginning of the mission, Dante's amulet begins to glow with a luster.
The one Nelo dropped and Dante's merge together to form the [PERFECT AMULET].
The combined amulets evoke the secret power of Dante's Force Edge. In a
stunning cutscene, the Force Edge transforms into the [SPARDA]! Woohoo! Kick
ass! However, its true powers have been temporarily sealed.  They will be
unleashed at the right time.  Anyway, take the red panel  that appears in the
floor and head into the newly depicted portrait.

Underwater, follow the trail of the finely laid out Red Orbs. Destroy barrels
and such for additional Red Orbs. Explore each of the cells that have been
left ajar for more orbs.  The last one holds a single and easily overlooked
[BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].  In the following area, take  care of the 3 treading Sin
Scissors to open the door between the two horse displays. There is some
strange force  field that's  keeping the  water from  flowing into this room.

====== THE PHILOSOPHER'S EGG ======

A dial rests on the wall across the room. Activating it fills the entire room
with water for a limited time. This allows Dante to swim up the shaft. It
also allows him to get an extra Blue Orb piece. Swim up quickly and look for
a separate overhang.  Float  over it and wait until the water level instantly
drops. A [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT] will drop from the ceiling thereafter.

Activate the dial again and swim up until you reach a different set of stairs
separated by the walkway at the bottom. When the water vaporizes, start
climbing the stairs.  At the end of the first set, Dante  comes to a painting
of a decapitated knight pointing to the east. At the edge, press jump.  Dante
does a frantic leap to the other side.  Continue  to follow the knights' lead
and eventually, Dante will find the [PHILOSOPHER'S EGG].

====== GOBLET OF FIRE ======

Descend the stairs.  At the bottom, enter the brown  door that takes him to a
twisted version of the courtyard, where everything is in reversed order.
There is a blue hearth below, but ignore that for now and kick jump to the
ledge  on the  other side.  Head into the door  there  and grab the [BLUE ORB
FRAGMENT] at the end of the short passage.

Back  in the courtyard, Dante  tosses the Philosopher's Egg into the heart of
the flames. A voice resounds in his head that tells him it will be a while
before the transformation is complete. Just as it does, Nightmare emerges
from the center of the room, looking for a playmate.  Seeing as how Dante has
nothing else better to do, he decides to play along with its charade.

After the second downfall of Nightmare, the metamorphosis of the Philosophers
Egg will be complete.  Pretty damn convenient too; just after beating
Nightmare. Examine the blue fire and take the freshly baked [ELIXIR] from it.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 19: ENTER THE CORRUPTED WORLD
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                           Mission Objective: Open the gate to the Underworld

o Bedrooms Hold Many Secrets
o Nobody is a Nobody
o Underworld Admittance

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== BEDROOMS HOLD MANY SECRETS ======

From Dante's current  position, backtrack  all the way to  where the Staff of
Hermes was used. Jump straight through the second depicted painting of the
Castellan bedroom. Near the bed in the back is a [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].  And on
top of the bed's canopy is an [UNTOUCHABLE] glimmering faintly. Dante finally
notices  the "scariness" and becomes  falteringly  human when he examines the
wall  that once  held the  patio doors.  Take a look at the  mirror  and step
through the undulating reflection.

The room Dante arrives in turns out to be pretty trippy; kinda  like when you
are high on uh, nevermind. You're still in the Castellan bedroom, but it's
just...different. Dante seems to have been transported to an alternate world,
where absolute evil reigns supreme. In the dilapidated version of this
bedroom, the Time Statues have lost its effect.  Your Red Orbs have no use in
this sinister dimension.

====== NOBODY IS A NOBODY ======

Head through the  patio doors that  have made its way to the alternate world.
Jump off the balcony and take the [PHILOSOPHER'S STONE]. Having it in Dante's
possession provokes an inevitable battle with three bizarre monsters. They've
decided to hop on the bandwagon and tease the devil hunter. Bad choice. But
then again, it isn't so bad  since they're  capable of busting  a few caps in
Dante's ass.

Focus on attacking one, and  one only, until an imminent cutscene takes over,
showing the transformation from a small Nobody to a big Nobody.  However, you
_want_ to skip the cut-scene.  It slowly sucks up the Devil Trigger's health.
Nobody's are pretty hard, but they drop  enormous Red Orbs to recompense your
efforts and struggles.

Now jump to the ledge above the patio doors and head down the screen.  Notice
the floating Blue Orb piece?  To get it, kick jump to the stone tower. Facing
the sun, gently tap "jump" for Dante to drop down. On the way, he will grab
the [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT]. After embracing this orb piece, return to the top of
the stone tower. Then Air Raid to the green pavilion, where Dante will be
blessed with another [BLUE ORB FRAGMENT].  You can get  this piece only after
acquiring the one prior to procuring this orb, or it will not appear.

====== UNDERWORLD ADMITTANCE ======

Return to Dante's logical world and head back to the Cathedral. The puddle of
water now responds to the combined powers of the Elixir and the Philosopher's
Stone. With those two keys in hand, Dante can submerse into the liquid and
enter the Underworld.  Dante gets consumed and drops  below.  The gold-plated
platform takes  Dante back to the surface  world when desired. Use the powers
of the Philosopher's Stone on the blue liquid to break the covering.


=============================================================================
                                _____________
                               (  Part Five  )
                                


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 20: SHOWDOWN WITH NIGHTMARE
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                            Mission Objective: Head to the place of sacrifice

o Welcome to the Underworld               BOSS: Nightmare
o An End to a Nightmare

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== WELCOME TO THE UNDERWORLD ======

The Underworld, or whatever of it, is comprised of intestinal  organs full of
bulging veins. Jump to the little capillary and follow it. Rip through the
flimsy tissue. Equip the Ifrits and go up against two Frosts. The
Underworld's dark aura seems to affect the abilities of enemies--they are a
bit tougher than usual. A Time Statue sits in  the center of the room. Do any
last minute shopping and max out Ifrit skills, if possible.

====== AN END TO A NIGHTMARE ======

The chamber ahead features a  satanic  character-filled ceiling that suddenly
light up upon Dante's arrival into the room. On the other side of the chamber
is Trish imploring for Dante's help. However, a renewed Nightmare stops Dante
in his tracks and forms a barrier around the outer ring.  "Trish, stay back!"
as if she had any intentions to go somewhere at this time...

This is the most insane encounter with Nightmare.  What was Capcom thinking?!
Heck, this is the toughest battle thus far, and we're pretty darn far into
the game now, don't you think? In fact, almost done with it.  I know, boohoo.
See Enemies & Boss section to  permanently send it to  an isolated wasteland.

Gleefully watch the final demise of Nightmare. Good riddance.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 21: LIVING CAVE
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                  Mission Objective: Pulsate the heart and open the last gate

o Organ Donor
o Onto the Final Gate

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== ORGAN DONOR ======

This final legitimate  mission begins  where you've  left off in Mission 20--
on the outskirts of the Nightmare chamber. Head back in to find an
[UNTOUCHABLE] lounging around the opposite entrance. Back in the initial
chamber, there's a Time Statue in the room if you need it. But by now, you
should have gained  all of Ifrit's and Alastor's moves...right?  Anyway, take
the [HOLY WATER] on the ground lying below the sealed door.

The Heart Chamber isn't beating very healthily, which  revokes your admission
to whatever lies beyond the final gate. Start climbing the platforms. Then
viciously strike the mechanism to unseal the door in the previous room.

Beyond  that door, follow the tortuous  path  and watch out for the tentacles
that extend from the walls. If Dante gets tangled by them, they will be hard
to shake loose and they do a lot of damage! Fire at them with his handguns to
break free. Once they clasp on, they won't let you go 'cause they love you
that much! They are also able to elongate them bodies to try to grab you, but
not by much.

The next task is to defeat  3 Nobodys from each  section to unseal each door.
Keep a constant move on, or a worm-like creature will emerge and snack on
Dante. After entering the tissue wall, immediately equip the Ifrits and fight
to the death with two bat-like Plasmas. Jump kick them to death or use the
Rolling Blaze.  These Plasmas must die for  Dante so that  he can move on and
warm up for the final fight.

====== ONTO THE FINAL GATE ======

Hop across the platforms to the dial.  Strike it  to activate the platform on
the other end. Jump up the trail of platforms and bash the Orb Fountain to
harvest many Red Orbs.  Beside the fountain is another dial.  Activate it and
head to the tissue wall at the top.

Dante leaps across the wide gap with ease. He finds himself above the room of
the last gate. On the other side, strike the dial repeatedly to purify and
lift the curse from the door. Doing so gets the heart pumping healthily
again. A healthy heart is always a good start! ...Except this heart isn't so,
um, normal.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 22: LEGENDARY BATTLE
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Ok, this is it, folks!  The ultimate showdown with the god of evil! This will
determine Dante's fate and your proficiency  as  a sane gamer.  Good luck and
may the devil's luck be with you.  Check out the  Enemies & Boss Encyclopedia
as the usual routine, genius!


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 MISSION 23: MOTHER'S GUIDE
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
                  Mission Objective: Escape Mallet Island before it collapses

o Run, Dante, Run!                     BOSS: Final Mundus
o One Final Match
o Escape!

==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=


====== RUN, DANTE, RUN! ======

The mission  begins with a timer clocked at 5 minutes.  Dante  has this exact
amount of time to reach the entrance of the Underworld before its destruction
brings him along with it. Begin by running as fast as Dante possibly can,
which is pretty damn slow. Proceed to the chamber where the memorable
Nightmare had been slain.

In this chamber, Dante must quickly defeat two Nobodys before anything. Do it
as quickly as your ability permits since time is against you. The Frost
monsters from before have regenerated in hopes of retribution for the
consecutive defeats. Ignore them since  you don't want to waste anymore time.
Head to the  gold-plated elevator and ride  it safely  back up to the surface
world.

====== ONE FINAL MATCH ======

Defeat the two Blades  that seal  off the progression in the airplane hangar.
As soon as the last Blade bites the dust, the floors give in and collapse
into the waterways below. Surprise! Witness Mundus squiggle out of his
Underworld portal and challenge Dante to a final match. Mundus is heckuva a
lot easier this time.  Plus, Dante gets a boost of energy from someone...Good
luck! As directed in the menu, keep blasting your handguns until the gauge is
full, then unleash DT. Jackpot!

====== ESCAPE! ======

Dante hops into the airplane that  crashes through the ceiling.  Dante pilots
the plane and bails out. This is your final task. Don't crash into tumbling
debris and rocks one  too many  times  because the airplane  can take only so
much abuse. Well, actually, even if you hit every single rock in sight, you
might have just enough to make it out alive, although I wouldn't recommend it
you know.  Once you've  successfully  escaped the crumbling island, enjoy the
ending! You've just beaten Devil May Cry!


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                               Secret Missions
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Secret Missions are objective missions that  test how proficient you are as a
DMC player and how sagaciously you utilize Dante's agility, weapons, and the
mission's surroundings. Each mission allots a certain amount of time to
complete an often difficult task. Secret missions occur in places you've
already visited in the castle, but they become available in certain
missions--before, during, or after a mission. This section helps you find
these missions. They also come embodied with fairly helpful strategies on how
to get through each  of these missions.  The missions  will be listed  in the
chronological order that they transpire.

--TIP--
All of these Secret Missions can be re-done (with the exception of a few), so
if you botch one up on the first try, leave and enter again to restart the
mission.


CRITICAL HIT
-------------
Condition: After defeating Phantom in Mission 3, head  back to the underwater
Place, where you fought the Sargassos.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

Assassinate the single  Sin  Scissor with _one_ critical hit (Hence, the name
of this secret mission). Don't linger around too long since Dante's life is
slowly drained by being underwater.  Like I've told you in the Enemy section,
the Sin Scissor's primary  weak point is its sinister  mask. The only problem
is its giant scissors--it acts as shield to defend against your attacks.

Connect with its scissors to throw it behind the Sin for a brief moment, then
crank out the Shotgun and blast its mask at an EXTREMELY close range. So
close, the gun should be "sticking out" of her mask. If you try to kill the
laughing maniac while her scissors are positioned in front, the scissors will
somehow absorb 60% percent of the shrapnel. Other than that, it should die in
that instant kill. The first accessible Secret Mission, yet one of the
hardest.


PHANTOM BABY
-------------
Condition: Enter the Cathedral Doors at the start of Mission 4.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

Equip the Handguns since you'll need to blast 100 scattering baby spider-like
creatures in quick succession. Start by blasting the first bunch near Dante
into oblivion.  Be sure to move around as well, since stepping on them can
also be a deadly technique. Then head directly across to a second batch. Near
the holy altar in the front of  the room is a lot full of  these tiny scamps.
By then, you should have killed 100 within the time limit.


PHANTOM BABY 2
---------------
Condition: After Phantom Baby, head to the  back study room at the end of the
long hallway.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

This is pretty much the same as Phantom Baby, but this time, it disallows the
use of weapons. In other words, Dante will have to stomp and thrash on these
punks with his feet and body parts. Thanks to the confined space in the room,
it doesn't pose too much of a problem. Devil Trigger and run around,
squashing the little buggers. Stop. Drop. Roll. Repeat.


THREE BEASTS
-------------
Condition: After defeating the Shadow in Mission 4, go to the basement arena
from Mission 1.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

Talk about difficult. One Shadow is enough to head-banging madness, but three
just results in house-tearing insanity. That's right, folks. Dante will be up
against 3 hard-hitting Shadows. Make sure you have a view of all 3 Shadows so
you won't be jumped from behind. The Shadows move to protect each other when
one of their cores are exposed. Focus on _one_ only. Just keep track of which
one you're dealing with before you get confused. Shooting at the Shadows does
not solve anything unless you're looking to counterattack. If you've got them
rounded in a corner, blasting at them will make Dante target all three, which
_is not_ an entirely good thing.

Try to lead one of  them astray from the pack  while  keeping your eye on the
others. Then blast the secluded one to submission with the Shotgun as many
times as possible _before_ it reaches you with its speed. When you start
dodging, try not to run into the skulking Shadows waiting to prey on a stupid
Dante. Once a core is expose, Devil Trigger immediately and slash like mad.
That should do one of them in. Killing off at least one Shadow lifts a lot of
the tension from the fight.


ONE-EYED EVIL
--------------
Condition: Before starting  Mission 8, in the interval, go to  the room where
the first encounter with Beelzebubs was predetermined.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

The point of this is to let the two Kyklops duke it out with each other while
Dante sits out of their field of vision. Find a pipe that projects outward
just slightly so Dante can use it as a ledge to stand on. Jump on top of it
and wait there. Watch as  the Kyklops get confused and engage each other in a
fierce battle. The Kyklops that dies unveils the prize.  Then just finish off
the remaining Kyklops.


WANDERING GHOSTS
-----------------
Condition: Go back to through the doors at the start of Mission 11.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

This is pretty hard.  Use the  enemies as stepping  stones and boost Dante to
the Blue Orb piece in the air. Jump from the mask of the Sin Scissors and
collect the orb in the sky.  As long as you  keep moving, the ghosts won't do
anything life-threatening.


WATER CELL
-----------
Condition: Before Mission 14, enter the Ghost  Ship and  go to the Captain's
Cabin. Inspect the skeleton on the chair.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

Keep swimming and use the Needlegun to put the Blades to rest.  Scatter your
shots amid the group. You can shoot their missile attacks. Swim away from
them and pepper the Blades like crazy. If you mess up, reset and start over.


TREASURE OF THE REAPER
-----------------------
Condition: After  initiating Mission 15, return to the narrow corridor where
spikes shot out of the floor. Inspect the painting.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

After inspecting the painting, Shadows flow from the painting and materialize
to tear Dante into pieces. Whip out the Shotgun or Grenade gun, and get to
work. You can lead the Shadows into the spikes that expel from the ground to
add some damage. The Roundtrip technique works pretty well here. Try to
defeat the first (yes, first) Shadow as  quickly as possible before the other
2 start to wiggle out of their magical cells.  Steer clear of the spikes  and
all will be well.


STAIRWAY TO TRANQUILITY
------------------------
Condition: Go back to the coliseum at the start of Mission 16.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

A clustered line of Sargassos act as a stairway leading to the Blue Orb piece
suspended in the sky. Leap from the skull heads to the top without falling to
reach the orb piece. This isn't too hard. It's not easy either. Just keep the
R1 down to focus the camera angle on the imitated stairs.


SHADOWS IN THE DARK
--------------------
Condition: After Nightmare in Mission 16, go to the airplane hangar.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

Seek and destroy 4 Shadows, trying their best  to hide from the devil hunter.
Two of them are on the wings of the airplane. Another is hiding in the main
entrance hall on the left.  The last one is in  the caged  area that leads to
the outside area. The last Shadow rewards the prize.


BLUE GEM IN THE SKY
--------------------
Condition: In the beginning of Mission 17, go back to  the Path of Trials and
jump across the bridge without falling into the water.
Prize: Blue Orb Fragment

The primary penalty of the mission that renders an instant failure is falling
into the water. Once you've made it across the bridge, a Death Scythe comes
into play. The idea is not to kill it. Instead use its tornado spells to cast
Dante into the air. However, don't let the Death Scythe swipe at Dante, or he
will be pitched into the water--failing the mission.

Once Dante is tossed into the air by the tornadoes, Devil Trigger immediately
and Air Raid. This allows you to determine what and where to do or go next.
When you've gotten an  idea of where  the orb is, shake  off the Air Raid and
AIR HIKE to the orb.

If you don't have Air Hike and have an incredible amount of luck, try to have
one of Death's tornadoes toss you near the orb and Air Raid to it. This
mission may not be accessed more than once in any given time.  So you'll need
to reset if you screw up.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[ALTERNATE METHOD]  Submitted by Damon Collins

Instead of waiting to be launched in the air. You can just hop up onto the
ledge above the door where you get some red orbs in the beginning of the
game. Then just Air Hike, then Air Raid and fly to the blue orb in the sky.
The only catch is that you must have at least 4 to 5 devil trigger slots to
make it that far. But that's how I got the thing. Afterwards, I just killed
the Death Scythe for some red orbs and left.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


HIDDEN BANGLE
--------------
Condition: As Mission 21 begins, go to the secret corridor across from the
second Time Statue. Press X to activate the mission.
Prize: Blue Orb, Bangle of Time

Follow the path and dispatch the Nobodys along the way. In the area beyond is
an orb fountain which you can abuse to release Red Orbs. Bounce up the ledges
to the top. There's a dragon here breathing hot air. Charge up to it and
whack its head with Devil Arms.  After the downfall of the dragon, two Frosts
tag him and step into the ring. Ifrit butt-kicking time. After defrosting the
rather chilled  demons, jump on the  platform that  appears to  reach another
level. From there, just amble to the [BANGLE OF TIME].



   /\                                                                    /\
   )(                                                                    )(
 _(  )__________________________________________________________________(  )_
  ||  || 
   ||               ======= Part IV:  INDICES & GUIDES =======           ||
 _ || __________________________________________________________________ || _
 (  )(  )
   )(                                                                    )(
   \/                                                                    \/

Please note that anything you may  find different here has nothing to do with
discrepancy.  All  references  here were  garnered from  playing NORMAL mode.
D'accord? D'accord.


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                                 Items Index
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


There are two kinds of items: Consumable and Key items. Both play major roles
in the game.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 CONSUMABLE ITEMS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

These items are items you can use  to Dante's benefit.  They can be auxiliary
items or destructive items to use against enemies. They range in a variety of
uses, but cost an awful lot. However, when you buy an item, its price
increases each time, except for the Holy Water.  That stays the same for some
time.


BLUE ORB
*********
Starting Price: 300

You can buy these after all!  They augment Dante's maximum vitality.  You can
also find these scattered around the missions, but in fragment form. You need
4 of them to form one full orb. Time Statues sell the full forms of these
orbs.  You can only buy 7 of  these altogether in Normal, Hard and Dante Must
Die.


DEVIL STAR
***********
Starting Price: 550

Typically one of the many items in the Extras roster. These can be bought for
the listed price from Time Statues. There _will_ be times when you absolutely
need them, especially with boss fights near the end.  The Devil Star restores
5 slots in the Devil Trigger gauge, and should only be used  when there is no
other way to recharge the Devil Gauge.  Otherwise, it should collect mites in
the back of your inventory  for future use.  Throughout the game, you will be
able to find several of these.


HOLY WATER
***********
Starting Price: 700

It's a lot more imposing than the name implies.  No, it's not some cheesy way
to give you holy powers or something, but it is a cheap way to fight bosses
and multitudes of tough enemies.  It blesses you with the power to knock off
about half the life of a  boss (actually depends on the boss) and annihilates
all normal enemies around you. If you decide to get this, use it ONLY in boss
fights because that's the best way to exploit this immense power, although
some are immune to its power.  Using it against some enemies kinda wastes the
700 Red orbs (Normal) you spent to buy it.


PURPLE ORB
***********
Starting Price: 440

Unlike Blue Orbs (fragments), Purple Orbs can't  be found in anywhere. Purple
Orbs add to Dante's maximum Devil Trigger Gauge, allowing him  to remain in a
devil form for a longer amount of time.  Isn't that a good thing? Yes, it is.
You can buy 7 of these altogether in Normal, Hard and Dante Must Die.


UNTOUCHABLE
************
Starting Price: 1000

Untouchables work just like  the name implies--it makes Dante untouchable, or
invincible rather, for a limited amount of time. During this shielded state,
Dante is also automatically in Devil Trigger mode. Using this is a cheat
since you can't receive any damage for the time being. Not to mention that
you're in Devil Trigger state during the time this is still ticking.  I found
myself using one in the last Nightmare fight.  You'll be able to find five of
these in the whole game.


VITAL STAR
***********
Starting Price: 480

An item you should slowly stock up on, but the game restricts you to carrying
only one at a time. Try to conserve them because there'll be times when Dante
will need it more than anything else. Since most enemies can do a decent
amount of damage to him, having a Vital Star handy is key to avoid using your
life preserver--a Yellow Orb. Vital Stars replenish a full life gauge.  If
possible try to save it for boss fights only since the green orb drop rate by
normal enemies is pretty high.


YELLOW ORBS
************
Starting Price: 350

The mighty Yellow Orbs that save you the  trouble  of going through a single,
entire mission again. It serves as a Continue if you die, but if you use them
all up, you'll really die and will have to start over from your last save.
For instance, if you die fighting the Phantom (As I did), you won't have to
start from the beginning of the mission, you basically  pick up from the last
door you've entered.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 PRICE LISTINGS FOR CONSUMABLE ITEMS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Since, as explained in the Consumable  Items section, the Extras  items shoot
up the price each time you buy that certain item, I've listed (Thanks to
Nightmare Beta) the  following  prices and  their increasing  prices for each
Mode.


Consumable Prices - NORMAL MODE
********************************

Holy Water - 700
Vital Star - 480-580-680
Blue Orb - 300, 550, 1000, 1800, 3200, 4300, 5500
Untouchable - 1000
Devil Star - 550
Yellow Orb - 350, 450, 550
Purple Orb - 440, 830, 1560, 2920, 5440, 6340, 7740


Consumable Prices - HARD MODE
******************************

Holy Water - 3800
Vital Star - 2100, 3200, 4300
Untouchable - 5500
Blue Orb -  300, 550, 1000, 1800, 3200, 4300, 5500
Purple Orb - 440, 830, 1560, 2920, 5440, 6340, 7740
Yellow Orb - 1000, 1500, 2000
Devil Star - 2700


Consumable Prices  DANTE MUST DIE!
************************************

Holy Water  4100
Untouchable  6000
Vital Star  2800, 3900, 5000
Blue Orb  300, 550, 1000, 1800, 3200, 4300, 5500
Purple Orb  440, 830, 1560, 2920, 5440, 6340, 7740
Yellow Orb  ????
Devil Star  ????


Consumable Notes  IMPORTANT!
*******************************

- Max Devil Stars is 10
- Max Vital Stars is 1 (3 on Easy)
- Max Holy Water is 5
- Seven Purple orbs can be bought, 10 total DT gauge
- Seven Blue orbs can be bought, more life baby!
- No limit to Yellow Orbs
- No limit to Untouchables (Easy, I think)


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 KEY ITEMS
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Key items  are story-driven  items you need to use for something in order for
the game to move on. Some items turn out to be weapons you can use in real
life, but Dante's inability to use them sucks. Items you find are usually
used in the same  or the  following mission, so you won't keep them for long.
Dante's Amulet is an exception, however. Onwards.

Also, some of the descriptions  are a bit farfetched.  They are just based on
my own assumptions.


AMULET
*******
Found: Default

Read what the in-game text has to say about this item.  Vergil is the name of
Dante's twin brother, whom he will meet later on. Dante received this amulet
as a lasting memento before his mother passed away. The true purpose of it is
shrouded in mystery, but it may hold some kind of mysterious power. After the
first confrontation with Nelo Angelo, Dante was about to be crushed by Nelo's
preternatural strength, but upon seeing Dante's amulet, Nelo flees with
fright, or so it seems.  That indicates something's up with this pendant, and
we're about to find out sooner or later.


BANGLE OF TIME
***************
Found: Secret Mission- Hidden Bangle

This is acquired through completing the Secret Mission in Mission 21.  It's a
mysterious wrist band that has the power to stop time. This is a great item
to use against multiple tough enemies. By using this, you can stop them in
their tracks momentarily.  However, DT consumption is required and the effect
will last as long as there is DT energy.


CHALICE
********
Found: Mission 11

A grail that once held the divine blood of the dead. Supposedly, it also held
the blood of Christ from which the knights drank to make them youthful and
courageous. The Castellans also believed that it could grant them powers
beyond their imaginations, but they were wrong.  So  they  sealed the Chalice
within the protective field and made a separate key, the Sign of Chastity.


DEATH SENTENCE
***************
Found: Mission 4

A prop sword  Dante finds at the very  top of the stairs on a small overhang.
It's used to retrieve the Melancholy Soul from the statue in the Castellan
bedroom. The sword's hilt is inlaid with a strange design that I'm unsure
about what it represents. The blade itself was forged in a zigzag pattern. It
is a sword the ancient Castellans used for rituals.


ELIXIR
*******
Found: Mission 18

The result  of the Philosopher's Egg  after being  incubated in a huge goblet
of divine flames. It unseals the supernatural energy field surrounding the
mirror in the bedroom.  It  allows entry into the  alternate dimension, where
Dante retrieves the key to entering the Underworld. After its initial use, it
will remain in Dante's inventory.


EMBLEM SHIELD
**************
Found: Mission 14

The engraved design on the shield has the same pattern as those on the sealed
doors in the garden. Dante finds this on a skeleton, which happened to almost
take his life by being the activation key for arousing the booby traps in the
area.  Unlike  other key items, the Emblem  Shield can be  used several times
before it disappears into oblivion.


GUIDING LIGHT
**************
Found: Mission 6

A key with a  sun graphic shaped  on the handle.  It gradually drains Dante's
life as it remains in his possession. You'll have to bring it to the sun
symbol back in the Castellan bedroom.  Of course, you need to do it before it
zaps every trickle of life  remaining in Dante.  Those who overcome this task
shall light a new path.


LUMINITE
*********
Found: Mission 15

It is a stone that reminds me of uranium. It glows with a strange but intense
radiance that illuminates the dark areas around Dante. The Luminite's
stem line begins as an ordinary stone from the Underworld, but somehow it has
gained new properties that make it something unique and a rare-finding on the
surface world.  Other than its  more useful purpose  as a flashlight, there's
nothing else known about it.


MELANCHOLY SOUL
****************
Found: Mission 4

An ornament resembling a soul in a  form of a sphere.  It lets loose from its
comfy home in the statue's mouth when Dante sticks the Death Sentence in its
rightful place. When activated, it  gives off a glowing orange color, and
will lose its efficiency over a short period of time (3 minutes in the game).
You use this to open the door with the lion's head.  How it self-activates is
beyond me.


PAIR OF LANCES
***************
Found: Mission 15

Like the name implies, it's a pair of lances glued  together in a criss-cross
fashion. It raises the gate to the coliseum arena. Dante finds these in the
first room explored of the two sealed shield doors. The Pair of Lances, I
believe, are to be used in conjunction with the Emblem Shield, which were the
preferred weapons of choice for the warriors of the coliseum.


PERFECT AMULET
***************
Found: Mission 18

After defeating Nelo Angelo for the last time, Nelo drops the unknown half to
Dante's amulet. Vergil & Dante forever. Once you've acquired these two
pieces, they will  automatically merge into one, forming  the Perfect Amulet,
which awakens the hidden power of the Force Edge.


PHILOSOPHER'S EGG
******************
Found: Mission 18

An egg with  hidden powers.  It needs  to be  incubated in a fireplace, found
inside the nefarious castle. Dante leaves this egg in the blue flames while
he deals  with a  visiting predator.  After some time, the  Philosopher's Egg
hatches and becomes the Elixir.


PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
********************
Found: Mission 19

The Philosopher's  Stone bears  one  of the keys to  opening  the gate to the
Underworld. It exhibits the Star of David mark on its 3D hexagonal sides, but
it looks a teeny bit different. This strange stone cannot be found in Dante's
present world. He takes a trip through a portal in the Castellan's bedroom
that takes him to a twisted, alternate dimension. The Philosopher's Stone
exists only in this  world and is forcibly guarded by several strong, bizarre
creatures.


PRIDE OF LION
**************
Found: Mission 3

The Pride of Lion is a crest that proves a hero's strength and courage. Lions
represent strength, determination and all that cheesy stuff. The energy field
in Mission 4 requires you to show the "sign" to challenge the lion
gatekeeper.  Once you've proven your  strength, it determines  that you are a
worthy opponent of the gatekeeper.


QUICKSILVER
************
Found: Mission 17

The Quicksilver is a palm-sized orb filled  with the harmful substance called
mercury. While mercury is very corrosive, it's safely contained within the
moonlight-generated orb. Dante obtains this from the high veranda in the
display room, after reflecting moonlight  onto it, manifesting its true form.
The Quicksilver is used to open the door to  the chamber, where the master of
the castle resides.


RUSTY KEY
**********
Found: Varies

A rusted key that will unlock many of the doors in the castle. These keys are
usually guarded by hideous castle guardians and such. Dante will find many of
these throughout his missions, so a set location is impossible.


SIGN OF CHASTITY
*****************
Found: Mission 11

A glazed taxidermic organ, a testicle (according to Randy Keefe, who seems to
be much more knowledgeable than I). It's the sign that removes the force
field around the Chalice. Only those who possess this sign can claim it. This
item is well  protected by a horde of vicious Blades. They will do everything
in their power to protect it.


STAFF OF HERMES
****************
Found: Mission 13

It seemed  to have been the  plug for some  supernatural force that  kept the
pirate ship afloat. After Dante removed this from the statue, the ship
immediately experienced violent turbulence and  made like Titanic--it started
to sink, flooding the interior with water. Its true purpose was un-riddled in
Mission 16, where Dante places it in the engraving on the wall, at the end of
the Path of Trials. Its power depicted certain rooms of the castle and
foretold Dante's destinations.


STAFF OF JUDGEMENT
*******************
Found: Mission 2

A mystical staff that the  Judge of Death statue holds.  In the game, it acts
as the key to opening the door to the Cathedral.  It shines with a mysterious
light.  Cool stuff.


TRIDENT
********
Found: Mission 8

A lance with three pronged pikes at the end. Unfortunately, it's not a weapon
like you thought it would be. Dante equips swords only!  Rather, it's the key
to opening the water source in  Neptune's room.


WHEEL OF DESTINY
*****************
Found: Mission 15

A rounded plate with strange etchings in the center. It resembles a destiny's
repetitive cycle, as the game states. It lowers the drawbridge from the
outside.  The whole time Dante was outside the castle, he had been setting up
rituals to open a  gateway for him  to enter the underworld.  This item helps
initiate it.


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                          Enemies & Boss Encyclopedia
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Dante will be encountering a glut of hideous beasts, shadow figures, frothing
uh, things, and many other children of the supernatural. The enemy section
has been divided into two parts, separating the servants of Mundus to the
stronger knights of Mundus. Typically known as Enemies and Bosses.  I will be
identifying  their weaknesses  and lots o' other junk.  I will also make some
decent tactics to use against these fiendish underdogs.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 ENEMIES
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Even the norm is as hard as they come.  Some require  some improvised tactics
to defeat. But that won't be necessary for you since I'll be helping your lil
devil ass.


=============================================================================
 BEELZEBUB
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 6
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: *----
Attacks: Excreting some brown substance

Ahem, yes, they really do crap on you.  No joke. Not much of a strategy here,
since they're so friggin' easy. They disintegrate in one slash of Dante's
Alastor.  Just be vigilant  as they sometimes  fall from the ceiling and crap
you to death.


=============================================================================
 BLADE
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 9
Appearance Rate: ***--
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Spitting speeding red blood,
         Lunging at Dante,
         Swiping at Dante with its metal claws,
         Burrowing

These guys take a lot of abuse before they cower in the dirt.  The first time
Dante encounters them is outside the castle in the garden. Blades usually
emerge from the ground. They're fleet-footed, overgrown lizards and are the
first enemies that have the potential to beat Dante's demonic ass down if
he's not careful. Their attacks are well-coordinated, but their lunging
attacks often fall short. If Dante is blasting them from afar, Blades can
retaliate with a spitting  attack of their own, where  blood spews from their
mouths and fling at 100 MPH towards him.  Blades are well equipped with hard-
plated armor that covers every inch of their scaly body, except the belly.

It's advised that when you go up against 2  or more of these, have Dante turn
into demonic Dante! It makes the battles with them much quicker. Don't forget
that they have shields too! That's the main point of rebound--but you can
shatter them with the Stinger, making  them slightly  weaker. You must keep a
move on at all times since Blades have a tendency to pounce on you at short
notice, especially  when you're dealing with another batch of them.  The best
way to make them eat dirt is  to "High-Time" them and  pump shells into their
stomachs. Otherwise take out the handguns, jump around a lot and Air Raid.


=============================================================================
 BLOODY MARI
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 1
Appearance Rate: ****-
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Twirling around at Dante with its blades stretched out,
         Launching its blades at Dante,
         Stringing Dante to the ceiling and trapping him

Since a Bloody Mari bears striking resemblance of style to that of the Mario-
nette, I'm just going to repeat the strategy.

Bloody Maris can get quite annoying since you'll be seeing them all the time.
Hell, you'll find them in every mission. Well, almost. One or two of them
doesn't pose much of a problem, but large groups of these puppet-stringed
clowns is deleterious. Why? While you attack, say 1 or 2 of them, others will
try to exploit your vulnerable spot--Dante's backside. That's what you should
expect.

Luckily for you, most of their attacks are predictable from the indication of
a twirling sound before they attack. Once you hear a twirling bit, prepare to
jump to the side to avoid getting impaled by their blades. The most dangerous
type of Bloody Mari is the one brandishing a shotgun. It deals the most
damage. To defeat them in groups, it's always a good idea to isolate three,
four at the most, in one remote area and chop away. Then repeat for the other
groups.


=============================================================================
 DEATH SCISSOR
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 6
Appearance Rate: *----
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Hurling itself at Dante 4 times from different sides,
         Swiping at Dante with its giant scissors

Following an  encounter  with a Death Scissor, it puts  up a barrier in which
you must defeat him within this barrier. He's a much stronger variation of
a Sin Scissor except he's uh, stronger and a male, I think. Using the tactics
you used with the Sin Scissor won't work adequately against him since he
blocks very well with  that weapon of his.  You'll need to dance around until
you find a weak spot, then attack. His cowhead-mask is his main weak point.
If you stall for too long, he'll act first. It starts to heave itself at you
4 times, all from different directions. Dante can avoid them by jumping to
the side every 1 1/2 seconds.  When it is almost about to cower at Dante's
feet, it will  speed  up its attacks, but that won't stop you from completely
whooping its ass.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Submitted by Rejean "Billco" Lambert

When battling Death Scissor in the swampy sewers, try to slash at his
scissors whenever you can, even if he starts doing his one-handed
triple-lunge move (time it right and you can knock him out of each swing),
and when he loses his guard and falls on his face, activate DT and slash him
silly.  His face will then turn red and he'll start doing his nose-dive
attack, which is laughably avoided by jumping at a straight angle from his
trajectory.  After three dives he will make a beeline straight for you, just
jump and shoot him a few times with the handguns, then go back to slashing
his scissors.  You should be done with him after his second nose-dive stunt,
taking a little under a minute to beat him.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 DEATH SCYTHE
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 11
Appearance Rate: *----
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Spawns black tornados to lift Dante into the air,
         Slashing downwards knocking Dante down

I've only noticed two attacks, but I could be wrong.  Dante  meets the father
of the "Sins" as he begins Mission 11. Immediately, before you can register
what is happening, the Death Scythe casts a tornado spell on the ground in
which if Dante steps over it, he will be  cast in the air and encapsulated in
a black sphere each time he jumps. The Death Scythe then uses its powerful
blades to slice Dante and knock him back to the ground.  However, you can use
these tornados, the living cowhead has made manifest, to your advantage. As
Dante gets sucked into one and slung into the air, transform to demonic Dante
and slash down on the Death Scythe before you give him a chance to act. This
is about the only way to hurt him. That, or if there are higher platforms,
Dante could run along those  and  jump into the air  for brief aerial combat.
Another alternative way is to use Air Raid.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[STRATEGY (HARD)] Thanks to Wayne T. Edwards (om1kron@hotmail.com)

Equip Ifrit and the Shotgun.  Don't jump around.  Walk on  the ground keeping
it in clear sight. When it swoops down to attack you, jump at it (you should
have bought the fire flip move [it escapes me what it's name was]), that will
hit it. Then press the kick button and you will kick it. When you land on the
ground, pump it with the shotgun. When it comes at you again, rinse and
repeat. If you want to get bold, you can hop on the tornado squares, and fire
kick. As soon as you land, you will fly up again so kick once again. It seems
to be the fastest and most effective way to beat it. You can finish it off
with an Inferno once it starts to slowly come at  you with all of its blades.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 FETISH
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 9
Appearance Rate: ***--
Difficulty Rate: ****-
Attacks: Spinning around in flames,
         Flamebreath,
         Pitching its flaming shurikens at Dante

Believe it or not, but they are as tough as Nelo Angelo on steroids. They may
be sluggish, but the damage they are able to deal is jaw-dropping. The three
attacks listed above may not be all that are available. I didn't want to get
too close to find out.  Close combat with these strung fire-loving puppets is
suicide. Like the Marionettes, it makes a twirling sound before it launches
its flaming twin shurikens at Dante in which case you should immediately dart
to the side because they will stay in place for a few seconds. If Dante is
caught in it, it will end up slicing him multiple times for lethal damage.
While you can depend on the twirling sound for indications of an attack, it
can sometimes get muffled, and you will only know it's coming when Dante gets
sliced up. The flamebreath is rather capricious. You'll just have to jump
away if it closes in on you.  The spinning attack  can be foreseen because it
begins to rotate itself for momentum and spring.

The glowing core encased within its abdomen is the target.  The very BEST way
to deal with these Fetish fiends is to crank out that Grenadegun and start
capping bombs into their interiors. Or use a devastating combo of a Roundtrip
AND the Grenadegun. That usually works the best. However, in the event where
Dante must stand up to these  fearsome foes in DMD Mode, I wish you luck. The
safest way to finish them off is to unload two grenades upon them.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Thanks to Isaac Sherman

Use Stinger until they are up against a wall.  It breaks through their
guards, and knocks them down.  Once you've done that, hit them with High
Time, and finish with a sword combo (or, if you're alone in the room, blast
away with the grenade-gun or E&I).  Between Stinger and High Time, they
should have their backs turned toward you.  You can do pretty much anything
you want to them.  But if they're facing you, well, _always_ have you're
finger on the jump button.  Sometimes you can get avoid their breath.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 FROST
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 17
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Ice variation of the Inferno,
         Projecting icicles at Dante,
         Forming an ice barrier around it,
         Swiping at Dante with its steel-like forehands

Frosts act very much like Blades. In fact, they could probably be pre-evolved
forms of them, except they're ice oriented, obviously. A Frost proves to be a
formidable adversary, especially  when  two or more of them gang up on Dante.
Their most devastating attack is the ice variation of Ifrit's Inferno,
whereby stalagmites violently jolt out of the ground. They aren't easy to
dodge, unfortunately, but their ritual in preparing that attack is rather
conspicuous, leaving you with a  forewarned sense of running away from them.
Frosts will leap into the air and speed back to the ground. If Dante
can get away before they reach the earth, then he's in good shape, but if not
prepare to feel their wrath.

Obviously, Dante needs to  equip  the Ifrit against  them.  Lightning and Ice
repel against each other, but Fire doesn't. Simply pound it into them and use
Ifrit's Inferno if you have it. It works _wonderfully_.  It saves you a few
taps of the attack button.  Don't  try to beat them without  Devil Triggering
because they have the ability to parry very well. You've got to keep in their
face the whole time.  If  they try to escape, simply use a Kick13 to get back
in their Dentyne Ice face.


=============================================================================
 KYKLOPS
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 10
Appearance Rate: *----
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Launching boulders at Dante,
         Leaping into the air and landing on Dante,
         Clasping Dante with its strong pincers

Easily said to  be derivations  of the Phantom.  His successors have arrived!
Don't get me wrong, though. They are not nearly as tough as Phantom, but have
the ability to deal serious damage if not properly managed.  Simply apply the
tactics you have used against Phantom. They do not present a formidable
challenge after vanquishing the hot-headed Phantom.  However, their  boulder-
launching attack does chip off a good amount of life from Dante's gauge. This
attack comes at you capriciously. You're hardly able to forecast it. Just
keep in mind that whenever you find a Kyklops in front of you, jump out of
the way.  Other than that  attack, their other dubious  tricks are nothing to
mull over.

At any rate, start jumping on their backs and give them a good scratching. Do
whatever you please with them. Pump shells, erode their earthly layers, and
the works. The Grenadegun works wonderfully, by the way. If there is more
than one, they do more damage to each other than one does to Dante. Perch
Dante on a high area, or somewhere where he can watch a raging duel between
two or more Kyklops peacefully, then have him lounge there.  The Kyklops will
not detect a common enemy and decide to attack each other! Such irony.


=============================================================================
 MARIONETTE
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 1
Appearance Rate: *****
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Twirling around at Dante with its blades stretched out,
         Launching its blades at Dante,
         Stringing Dante to the ceiling and trapping him

Marionettes can get quite  annoying since you'll be seeing them all the time.
Hell, you'll find them in every mission. Well, almost. One or two of them
doesn't pose much of a problem, but large groups of these puppet-stringed
clowns is deleterious. Why? While you attack, say 1 or 2 of them, others will
try to exploit your vulnerable spot--Dante's backside. That's what you should
expect.

Luckily for you, most of their attacks are predictable from the indication of
a twirling sound before they attack. Once you hear a twirling bit, prepare to
jump to the side to avoid getting impaled by their blades. The most dangerous
type of Marionette is the one brandishing your shotgun. It deals the most
damage. To defeat them in groups, it's always a good idea to isolate three,
four at the most, in one remote area and chop away. Then repeat for the other
groups.


=============================================================================
 NOBODY
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 19
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Enlarging itself,
         Releasing egg-like objects that explode upon contact,
         Spitting acid balls,
         Biting Dante

Nobodys are the most repulsive looking demons of all the lower class servants
to Mundus. They are also the last new enemies Dante will encounter in the
game.  They add  to a growing, friendly neighborhood of sinister groupies. In
the first encounter with them, they start out to be small guys with an
appendage protruding out of its neck or something. Further into the fight,
the Nobodys begin to put on a mask that enlarges their bodies and brings
forth menacing strength and attacks. Beware, while they transform, the
cutscene drains the DT Gauge.  Press SELECT to skip it and prevent it from
happening.

Nobodys are very adept at dodging your attacks, and the  guns are ineffective
for the most part.  The Grenadegun works the best if you just need to stick
with fire arms. What really sucks is that Dante is unable to "High-Time" them
to pull off sick combos, which kinda makes him feel weak.  However, the
Roundtrip and Stinger, as well as Ifrit moves dominate them. HARD. Especially
Inferno, may I add. They are only deadly when you allow them to inflate
themselves.  So while they're in  their early stage, you can  pick on them at
your heart's desire.


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[STRATEGY (Hard)] Thanks to Wayne T. Edwards (om1kron@hotmail.com)

1. Alastor and Grenade Gun: Shoot with the grenade gun, jump, land, and shoot
again, Stinger.  Rinse and repeat. This is if they get big and you are only
fighting one. When it turns small again do a high time on it. It won't fly in
the air, but it will get shot up and will be defenseless. Unleash the rhythm
combo of sword slashes or even the repetitive sword stab.  Then finish it off
with a Stinger. It's fast and effective. If you can't muster that off, try to
shoot it with a grenade before it falls back to its feet.

2. Ifirit and  Grenade gun (need fire kick flip): Shoot  the Nobody  with the
Grenade gun, jump and kick, then jump away (will cause damage) shoot with
Grenade gun when you land. If they get big, pull off an Inferno. You can also
do the Magma Drive and stand them up like described above, and then do the
powerful R1 + towards the enemy kung-fu combo (all you have to do is a kick13
and keep pressing after it lands) to save your DT meter and to get another
pass at it.

3. If in multiple  groups, it's Ifirit and  Grenade gun, DT, jump Inferno, DT
grenade shot some of them and repeat with a finishing Inferno. Build up with
the Grenade gun again and a couple of Kick 13's.  Then DT  again and Inferno.
Inferno kills 'em off fast and efficiently...

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 PLASMA
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 16
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Slashing at Dante with an Alastor imitation,
         Splitting to 3 parts to surround Dante,
         Shooting a single laser beam that closes in on Dante

Plasmas are annoying fellows made up entirely of plasma energy. Incidentally,
it is also susceptible to the strength of Ifrit. However, because of Ifrit's
inability to execute swift, consecutive attacks, it makes it an advantage for
the translucent beings. At first, it may seem that there is only one Plasma
to deal with, but soon after Dante has pound into their glossy, rigid bodies,
they split into three other Plasmas. Plasmas also have the ability to
transform into 2 other shapes, but they frequently take shape of a bat, which
makes it a chore to try and damage it.

The safest way  to eliminate these  annoying pests  is to  devil trigger.  It
amplifies the swiftness of Ifrit's attacks, making it nearly impossible for a
Plasma to counterattack.  Normally they  can, in-between his slow movements
with the cumbersome gauntlets. By tapping into Devil Trigger mode, it makes
it less plausible for the Plasmas to retaliate with any attacks other than
the ones its companions can execute. In DT mode, be sure to keep the R1
button down. By doing this, Dante is somehow able to launch a flurry of kicks
and punches more quickly than he usually would, even in DT mode.


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[TIP]  Thanks to Ryan Paul (rpaul@grandecom.net)

I've found that Shotgun is a good way to fend them off while you're trying to
build back up your Devil Trigger gauge.  Jump around, shotgun the hell out of
them, then hit Devil Trigger and pound the snot out of them.  Oh, and I think
if you hit them with Alastor or Air Raid, it actually makes them stronger, so
they will keep splitting.

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Submitted by Kain Nosgoth

I find that beating Plasmas is easy with the Ifrit gloves and inferno.  After
you do a combo and the Plasma splits into three, use your devil trigger and
pull off Inferno and you will kill all three of them at the same time and get
300+ orbs. It's a really good way of building up orbs right after the
introduction of the first Plasma. Every time you go back to the airplane
room, a Plasma is there and you can beat it really fast like that. You can
get about 900+ orbs in a minute.

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=============================================================================
 SARGASSO
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 3
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: *----
Attacks: Blowing a frost breath
         Attempting to chew Dante up

Very easy floating skulls. They like to laugh at and intimidate you.  Doesn't
that just piss you off? Again, not really much of a strategy needed here. You
need to eliminate all the lackeys (white skulls) to call forth the bigger,
strangely painted skull, which takes more hits than the rest. Equip the
Alastor and shotgun; it takes only one attack from each weapon to crush any
one Sargasso. Here's a quick strategy: Use a Stinger Level 1 and follow it up
with a blast of the shotgun. End of Sargasso number one.


=============================================================================
 SHADOW
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 4
Appearance Rate: *----
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks include: Leaping into the air and hurling itself at Dante,
                 Springing at Dante like a spear,
                 Focusing its power into the ground, then spikes shoot from
                 the ground several times,
                 Transforming into a Venus Fly Trap that engulfs Dante

This opaque sabertooth tiger is a lot more imposing than it seems. It attacks
only if one of two things happen: You shoot at him, or you stall for too
long. Doing either of these goads the phantom feline to retaliate with
lightning speed attacks, all of which  you can dodge.  Although  there is one
you'll be able to dodge by just nose length. Keep your finger on the R1
shoulder button to focus the camera on it at all times.  You can usually tell
when the big guy is about to attack.

Your basic strategy is to shoot it as many times as possible before it
responds.  When he gets ready for an attack, just  either roll to the side or
jump wildly around. Either  way works.  Repeat this until it exposes its main
core. Switch to a sword offense and use your most powerful sword attacks on
the core before  it conceals it again.  If you were able to  get  in a couple
good slashes, it should turn a bloody red. Now he gets dangerous and slightly
quicker, but it shouldn't bear too much  of a problem afterwards.  Just avoid
its "Venus-fly trap" attack at all  times because it will  use this finishing
move to incapacitate you off.


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[STRATEGY (HARD)]  Thanks to Wayne T. Edwards (om1kron@hotmail.com)

Stinger, Stinger, Stinger. When you open a core on one, use the shotgun, stay
on the ground, move left to right and just pump the shotty at 'em. If they
turn into the high blade, then do a roll. If you see them prepping to do the
lance move at you, and if you're dope enough, try to jump on top of their
heads, the flat spot on the spear. IT WILL PARALIZE IT FOR A MOMENT. Then you
can unleash on the ****er. Once the core is exposed, go into DT mode and
don't waste time with combos. Stinger, Stinger, Stinger. Why? Stinger is very
very, very devastating to the core, and it also pushes your enemy forward
which helps you dodge the spike pillars it shoots up at you...and makes it
hard for the other Shadow's in the area to hit you as well,  then if you luck
out all you have to do is focus in on one of them instead of  more so it will
refill your health when one of them dies.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 SIN SCISSOR
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 2
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: *----
Attacks include: Snipping gleefully at Dante

Yes, I've only noticed one style of  attacking, but that's about all you need
to be worried about. They are most deadly in groups of 3 or more. You can
have hell of an easy time just using the shotgun and pumping shells into
their non-existent hearts. If you attempt to slash at them normally, they are
apt to parry your attacks like crazy.  Remember  to watch for their scissors.
If it's wide open, it's about to lop off your silvery head.

The flimsy black cloak is there to deceive you into thinking that that is the
point of target when in fact, the real target is its head. The best way to
connect with its pretty mask is to jump slash it. However, it's long scythe
is in the way, which will block some of your attacks. If your attacks connect
with a solid target, the Sin Scissor will be momentarily susceptible to your
attacks. Take this opportunity to deposit a few shotgun shells into its head.
It should make short work of these laffy-taffies.  Be careful though, when it
dies, its weapon will fly into the air, and if it lands on you, you will
suffer bad surgery.


=============================================================================
 SIN SCYTHE
=============================================================================
First found in: Mission 4 (After Shadow encounter)
Appearance Rate: **---
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Swiping its long scythe horizontally across the area,
         Using the scythe as a boomerang,
         Sudden springs forward to swipe Dante

Sin Scythes are  relatives  of the Sin  Scissors and are much more calamitous
than their aforenamed bloodline. When I first encountered them in Mission 7,
I was pissed off to see them well prepared against my attacks. But that
changed after I pumped shell after shell into their limpid guts. They have
some tricks the Sin Scissors don't.  Their scythes can reach a long way, so
don't underestimate them. The boomerang they launch must be avoided the whole
time it is still flying  around until it returns  to its owner, otherwise you
will experience some mince meat and gravy.

The flimsy black cloak is there to deceive you into thinking that that is the
point of target when in fact, the real target is its head. The best way to
connect with its pretty mask is to jump slash it. However, it's long scythe
is in the way, which will block some of your attacks. If your attacks connect
with a solid target, the Sin Scythe will be momentarily susceptible to your
attacks. Take this opportunity to deposit a few shotgun shells into its head.
Be careful though, when it  dies, its weapon will fly into the air, and if it
lands on you, you will suffer bad surgery.


==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=
 BOSSES
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=

Unlike some games, Dante will have to face  these bosses several times before
they actually die. Some play a role to boost the storyline a little, while
others are  just plain annoying.  Many  of these bosses are very difficult to
defeat, even  the first one.  You must  think on your feet, or  prepare to be
wasted.


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[TIP]  Submitted by Rejean "Billco" Lambert

It should be noted that you can pepper most of these strategies with a holy
water to finish things even quicker, but you're better off using it late in
the battle, ideally to finish off your foe, rather than right at the
beginning.  This will avoid you some cheap shots that the bosses often take
near the end of their life.

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=============================================================================
 PHANTOM (First Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 3
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Volcanic columns erupt from the ground,
         Shoots powerful fireballs,
         Jabs with its powerful pincers,
         Stings with its scorpion-like tail,
         Jumping high into the air and landing on Dante

You'll be seeing more of this hot-headed tarantula on several occasions.  But
for now, you should worry about this fight. For the first boss, he's hella
hard. His exoskeleton acts as an impenetrable shield, which causes any sword-
struck point rebound back.  First things first, play around with him a little
and learn what he has up his sleeve. His attacks are listed above, but you
need to know the signs he gives away  to indicate that he is about to perform
a specific attack. When he is about to project a fireball, you can see his
mouth frothing with energy. For the volcanic columns, magma circles appear
underneath Dante's nimble feet and shoot up in rows. All of his rampant
attacks can be avoided.  That's the first step  to bringing  this sucka down.

The pillars around the battle arena takes the abuse from Phantom's firebreath
or whatever. So, hide behind one to protect Dante from that attack. Phantom's
weak point is its back. Whenever it exposes its molten interior, jump on his
back and slash it as many times as you can. Using the Devil Trigger mode
helps since it is powerful and also gradually restores Dante's health. You
can always  recharge the meter by  attacking Phantom over and over again.  If
you want to  beat his ass un-professionally, simply jump around wildly and
slash downwards into his insides.


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[TIP]  Thanks to Brian Oliver (captainmonkeynuts@aol.com)

I found  my brother  using the  Phantom's lava mouth  projectile  attack as a
weapon against it. The same way you do when the dragon sends the fireball at
you. Keep in mind that his game was on easy.  And it did work on Hard for me,
but only when I used the Sparda sword. (I could not time it right with Ifrit,
and I could not get him to execute the attack when I equipped the Alastor).

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[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Submitted by Rejean "Billco" Lambert

I found it best to jump right onto his back when the stinger is raised, turn
on DT and slash at its ass until you fall off, as usual.  Phantom will then
turn around and start charging a fireball most of the time, or it might try
to claw you.  If you see it wind up a claw, jump straight up and fire the
shotgun once, then slash on your way down and follow it up with the diagonal-
slash combo.  It will be blocked but this will recharge your DT meter.  If
instead it prepares a fireball, either slash it quickly or use Stinger if you
have it, this will knock Phantom out of its fireball stance.  You may then
jump on its back again and repeat the process.  30 seconds is all it takes,
the hard part is getting the hang of jumping on its back since it is easy to
fly right past it.

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=============================================================================
 PHANTOM (Second Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 8
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Volcanic columns erupt from the ground,
         Shoots powerful fireballs,
         Jabs with its powerful pincers,
         Project fireballs high into the air that come hailing down

He's easier this time around, and after this  final confrontation, he's mince
meat. This rematch with Phantom isn't as hard as it would seem as some of his
attacks are in absentia, or he doesn't use them as often as he should. The
only new magic trick he's learned is the last attack listed above. They crash
down in sets of 3. Being that there are no pillars in this arena, you may
have some trouble avoiding his fireball attack. Don't dodge it until the very
last second before he releases it, or it'll lock onto Dante and blast him
away, anyway.

Let me reiterate the tactic from the last encounter: Using  the Devil Trigger
mode helps since it is powerful and also gradually restores Dante's health.
You can always recharge the meter by attacking Phantom over and over again.
If you want to  beat his ass un-professionally, simply jump around wildly and
slash downwards into his insides.


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[QUICK 'N' DIRTY KILL]  Thanks to COR121@aol.com

Every time he jumps around, stand in the middle of the glass dome.  He'll try
and land where you are.  It'll shatter a bit each time he lands in the center
of it (Make sure to jump out of the way as he comes down).  After 7 or so, it
breaks and he falls in. No damage done, none taken. Cool, huh?

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 NELO ANGELO (First Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 4
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Surge of projectiles,
         Similar sword styles to Dante except more powerful

I'd recommend purchasing a Holy Water before this fight. Holy Water will help
and abridge the fight tremendously. Get it! Also, learn to use Dante's sword
deftness well. You'll need it for executing maximum damage in one attack. The
battle ground with Nelo Angelo here is spacious--more than ample space for
Dante to move around.  Nelo Angelo has a huge sword and his sword attacks are
identical, or hold  subtle similarities to Dante's, except they pose a bigger
threat. Again, learn to read his attacks to give yourself a slight advantage.

Use a Holy Water to kick off the fight and cement a good advantage. The power
of the Holy Water knocks off half of Angelo's life. At this time, he
teleports to a higher ledge and beckons you. He does this when a 1/3 of his
life is gone. When you steal another 1/3 of his life, he teleports to a final
level and taunts you.

As you jump to the second level, Angelo strikes his sword viciously at you to
render services for what you did to him earlier. His attacks are very hard to
dodge once you're caught in a flurry of them, but if you're able to dart away
from every last assault, you have the advantage over him. Angelo is weighed
down by his body mass and the sword he's carrying, and he cannot match up to
your agility. Thus, he's bound to get exhausted. At this time, he starts to
sag, and opens himself to attacks by Dante. Take this opportunity to go all
out on him. He's also vulnerable if you manage to jump behind him and attack.
Just keep yourself moving and watch for his attacks, and eventually, you will
get to witness an ensuing fight scene.


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[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Thanks to Guillermo Gallego

Aside from  the dodging, which at  this point  is customary,  you can force a
break in Nelo Angel's concentration. Prior to his grandiose attack, which he
begins by raising his  sword up high and glowing blue, he is open for a short
time. Too often this is not long enough to launch an offensive hit, but... if
you do a jump-slash, your blow is automatically parried, but he automatically
goes into his tired stance.

At this point, you can either hit him  a few times with your sword, or better
yet, use a double taunt (press and hold R2). This, considering the distance
between yourself and your opponent is enough to recover a sufficient amount
of your DT gauge. As soon as you regain control, start slashing until he
blocks (You'll only get off a few, if any, hits at all). As soon as he blocks
quickly back flip away and wait for him to counter. Most often he will either
raise his sword again or teleport near you and begin slashing. As soon as his
sword is in the air, repeat the process.

Should you on the other hand have three or more levels on your DT bar, tap in
and begin chopping him down mercilessly until he blocks. Tap out and back
flip. Although this strategy is somewhat time consuming, the large amount of
damage it affords as well as the fact you will barely take any hits will most
likely help your grading as well  as look damn cool if anyone else is around.

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[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Submitted by Rejean "Billco" Lambert

DON'T waste your holy water on him, he's a pansy! Just wait for him to charge
his sword and give him a Stinger, then slash wildly.  He will block a few
hits, but keep going and he'll be stunned, at which point you should activate
DT and pull off a fencing combo.  If he teleports nearby, jump right towards
him and slash down, then start cheesing him again.  When he teleports to
higher ground, jump and do a Stinger right away before he has a chance to
strike.  Don't use DT for now, let it recharge.  This time around he will try
to teleport and launch projectiles at your back.  Just jump and slash down to
break him out of it.  Keep on cheese-slashing his defense away and very
quickly he will fly off to the top platform.  Kick jump right into his face,
switch on DT and finish him off.  42 seconds is my record for this fight.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 NELO ANGELO (Second Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 11
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Surge of projectiles,
         Similar sword styles to Dante except more powerful

Yes, this dark knight is back and more vindictive than ever.  The arena Dante
and he battle on is sufficient enough to get the job done. I personally beat
him in 2 minutes. He basically has the same attacks, except Nelo's taken some
steroid pills to boost his potency. You'd want to have a Holy Water with you.
You should have one since  you should've found at least two before the fight.
Use it following  the initiation of the battle.  It instantly drains a 1/4 of
his life. Parry any sword attacks he burdens Dante with and retaliate by
thrashing him  viciously in Devil  Trigger mode. To maximize  the damage, use
the Chop Suey! move and follow it up with a Stinger. Continue Dante's
relentless assault to cancel any of Angelo's counterattacks.


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[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Submitted by Rejean "Billco" Lambert

Use the Ifrit instead of the Alastor and just constantly pummel him into
submission, using your DT whenever available.  The trick here is to get the
timing right so that he can never counter-attack.  Star out of his range
until he starts calmly stalking you, then jump in close and start pounding
him.  If you got the timing right, he will block the first three punches, at
which point he will try to slash you but your final kick will push him back
and stun him.  Don't charge any of your hits, just strike him as fast as
possible.  If he teleports, jump-kick immediately and start beating him
again.  30 seconds later he's dust.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 NELO ANGELO (Final Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 17
Difficulty Rate: ****-
Attacks: Surge of projectiles,
         Similar sword styles to Dante except more powerful,
         Sword-cicle attacks

Yes, the very first boss to earn a four star difficulty rating from me. So he
really _is_ hard, believe me. Now that his cumbersome mask is off, he has
greater reaction time, and consequently, greater power channeled  within each
swipe of his massive saber. Luckily for us, his sword emits a mighty radiance
of blue light before he swings his sword in any way to warn us that he's
about to attack.  Thanks to that, he's _somewhat_ easier, so  don't tense up.

For starters, his  swordsmanship  is  making a triumphant return, except he's
been perfecting it during the time Dante has been making his way to his
chamber.  Now, it does HELLUVA LOT more damage than before. So Rule No. 1: Do
your absolute best to prevent from getting skewered by his attacks.  For some
reason, the Alastor isn't as omnipotent as it should be. It's better to
switch to the Ifrit. Because of this, you will now need to use different
attack strategies, but applying  the ground tactics  of the last two battles.

Rule No. 2: Avoid his  stupid energy balls.  You can achieve  this by jumping
around. His new, well-thought out attacks involve summoning icicles that
circle above Dante, and then causing them to rain down on him.  He also casts
a vertical line of  piercing icicles at Dante and conjures  another variation
of the first icicle attack.  All of these can be  dodged with careful timing.

Rule No. 3: Don't stay close to him.

With those rules digested, it's time to get down to business.  Initiating the
final battle, immediately use a Holy Water to cut down the battle time. If
you don't have one, you'll have to improvise and find some way to slowly
knock 1/4 of his life away. After doing so, Nelo teleports to the back of the
room near the windows and starts casting those icicle attacks at Dante.  They
are easier to avoid if you have a full view of him. Then tap into DT and
pound away, although Nelo is able to defend well against most of the attacks.
Jump kick him to  break his guard stance.  Don't allow him to execute some of
his own attacks. You'll regret it.  When he starts to charge his sword for an
attack, strike him immediately to break it.  However, some  of his attacks
cannot be disrupted and will proceed to damage Dante. This is a very
difficult battle.  Don't  hesitate to use up  all the Devil  Stars you  have.


=============================================================================
 GRIFFON (First Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 9
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Dropping a bombardment of huge energy balls,
         High and low radius lasers,
         Wing thrust,
         False tornado wind

The Griffon poses a false belief of his being a really tough boss, but you'll
be able to see through that frivolous covering after reading this strategy.
Throughout the battle arena, there will  be  these red rimmed-gates stationed
around that can be used as platforms to give you an advantage in height.
However, this strategy does not require the use of those. The Griffon
performs all the attacks listed above in a certain order once he's started
the first attack of the pattern: Bombarding Dante with an endless swarm of
energy balls, charging at Dante, a wing thrust, heavy wind formed by flapping
his wings, and finally, sequential lasers that try to trap Dante. All attacks
are predictable, but you  may need to adjust to  his  patterns before you are
able to fully avoid  them with ease.  Jumping  out of the way and ducking are
the two ground techniques for recoiling all of his attacks.

The strategy for this battle: Equip Dante with  the  Ifrit and his sidekicks,
the handguns. Then switch to Devil Trigger mode and blast away. Pump those
shells as rapidly as possible. When you run out of the devil gauge slots,
simply continue blasting the oversized feather brain to refill it. Then, give
it another whirl. Just repeat this easy two-step process, and he'll flee. You
also need to avoid his attacks in the process (Duh).


=============================================================================
 GRIFFON (Second Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 12
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Converging high and low radius lasers,
         False duplication of itself that attaches to Dante

The Griffon is back again.  Yes, another reappearance by a lowly underling to
the great devil lord, Mundus. He's carried over some of his dirty tricks to
this fight, except one. In this rematch, he's concocted a new attack. A very
good one at that. Yes, it can knock Dante's ass around like a ping pong ball.
It's listed as "False duplication of itself that attaches to Dante". Now,
you must think it'll give birth to a physical mirror image of itself for a
two-on-one battle, but that's an incorrect philosophy.  What he  does is send
a separate Phoenix wing that slings a silly string at Dante and binds itself
to him until Dante sends it away with his guns. The wing will fly around
like a rubberband and each time it closes in on Dante, you must JUMP away, or
it'll toss Dante into the air and juggle him. If this happens, blast it
wildly to loosen its grasp and fall back onto the deck.  Keep  blasting at it
until it flees. Throughout the fight, it will keep returning until you've
permanently fell the Griffon.

To make things worse, while  Dante  is occupied  with the Phoenix wing, dirty
ol' Griffon projects some of his own electric attacks at Dante. So, you have
to dodge two concurrent assaults! This can be achieved by adapting quickly as
the fight moves on. Use the same tactic as before. Equip the Ifrit and
Handguns, and tap into the Devil Trigger mode. Then gleefully blast away.
This fight will make your fingers hurt since you'll be mashing the shoot
button like a maniac.  What really makes this fight so hard is the numerous
obstacles on the deck of the ship.  The best place for solid battle is at the
front of the ship, near the bow. Why? While you're dealing with a Phoenix
Wing, the Griffon will be hanging around on the back of the ship for the most
part.  Keep up a steady counterattack to send him packing his bags and making
a run for it again.


=============================================================================
 GRIFFON (Final Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 15
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: Converging high and low radius lasers,
         Forming harsh winds from flapping its wings,
         A vertical net of fast-moving beams,
         A straight line of lightning that scatter upon reaching Dante

The Griffon is back for becoming part of next year's Thanksgiving feast. Now,
he's learned something and has adapted to Dante's style of combat. He's also
adopted some new tricks (The last two attacks listed). It's basically the
same strategy from the last two battles, except either Devil Arms work fine
(Ifrit or Alastor).  The  first half of the battle is customary, so I'll skip
some yapping. With about 1/3 of his life gone, Griffon decides to put his new
tactics into play.

The Griffon  forms a  vertical wall  of laser beams  that close in on Dante's
current position. Trying to outrun it quickly becomes a stupid idea. Instead,
move to an opportunist angle. By this I mean you have a clear view of the
whole enchilada. Standing as far away as possible also makes it easier. There
are wide gaps between each beam. Watch as the lasers focalize on Dante and
immediately position Dante so that he slides between the gap of two laser
beams. Thus, escaping Griffon's electrical wrath. The Griffon does this a few
times in one assault so keep re-adjusting  Dante so that he slips between the
gaps unscathed.  His other attack has a line of lightning striking the ground
that slowly closes in on Dante. Stay still and the moment before it coincides
with him, jump wildly to the side to dodge that attack as well.

Also, remember seeing three platforms stacked on top of each other throughout
the battle area? Well, they help somewhat in this battle. The Griffon tends
to release a horizontal electrical charge of lightning at Dante that only
converge on him depending on the height.  For instance, if he is currently in
the air while the Griffon prepares the attack, it will centralize on the jump
position Dante was in a moment ago. That's about all there is to beat him.
Knowing about  his attacks  and how to avoid  them is the only  real strategy
here.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[TIP]  Submitted by DaRkLiNg

Go to the top level, whip out the grenade gun and shoot him while he's in the
air. This will knock the Griffon down into the middle, pummeling everything
(the middle platforms and bridge etc.) and causing him to loose 1/4 of his
life in one shot. But after that you won't have the platforms or anything to
help you kick jump out of the way of the electric lines (that's why I got Air
Hike earlier on).

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[DMD STRATEGY]  Submitted by Tefari

What you need to do is start off the fight by using as many fully charged
Meteor 2's as you can. This should do considerable damage, sending him into
flight. You should run out of Devil Trigger, so switch to Sparda and use
Round Trip. That should do the very small amount of damage needed to tear off
his wing. After he is on the ground, switch to Ifrit and use Rolling Blaze
and jump kicks, and a lot of them. This is the most vital thing. You should
be able to do a wall jump off of his body and then jump kick. This will do
two things, charge your Devil Trigger as well cause the Griffon to fall down.
After he falls down change to Alastor and use Air Raid. After you run out of
Devil Trigger, repeat. This should be enough to kill him. The most important
thing is to always be up in his face using Rolling Blaze. This will disrupt
almost anything he will try to do, even when the screen turns dark and he is
bristling with lightning. This is the most vital move to stop, because it is
remarkably hard to dodge. You might want to use a Holy Water or two,
especially when he is very low on health. You should be able to win without
the use of anything besides (possibly) a Holy Water.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 NIGHTMARE (First Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 16
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: A resilient beam of ice,
         Ice needles,
         Launching dark missile like things

Nightmare  will be the  most  challenging boss (All three of him) of the four
loyal underlings to Mundus. His appearance is somewhat inane as compared to
the swanky look of the dark knight. Nightmare is basically a pile of toxic
mush with some garbage embedded into its slimy body.  However, don't  let its
appearance deceive you. It has the ability to send Dante to the afterlife
numerous times before Dante can send it there once. What makes him so hard is
the chore of having to keep the room bright with a source of light. Nightmare
has two forms: A liquid and a solidified form. Its liquid form is most deadly
so you need to keep it in its solidified state as long as possible. Since the
room reigns with darkness, it's Dante's job to keep it well-lit by hitting
the dials sported on 4 sides of the Cathedral walls.  However, the dials will
constantly detract.  The maximum time the room stays lit is 20 seconds or so.

In its liquid state, a sudden surge of it can  engulf Dante and transport him
into Nightmare's twisted world. In this world, Dante must face Sargassos, as
well as a deceased, but weak Phantom. Beating this hybrid lets Dante regain
some lost life and collect many Red Orbs, as well as take him back to reality
and continue the battle with Nightmare.  As Dante rips out of Nightmare's
goo, he damages it and takes off 1/4 of its life, which is a good thing.  You
may want to let it swallow Dante near the end of the battle.  Allowing him to
consume Dante  once and returning to  reality  prolongs the effect of the lit
dials. They won't decrease half as quickly anymore, so it gives you more time
to bash Nightmare.

Nightmare's solidified form is the only way you can do any harm to it.  While
in this form, it reveals its internal core--his weak point. It doesn't expose
itself for long, so once  you see it--it's a blue sphere--pummel  it like mad
because after a short while, Nightmare conceals it again. During the time you
wait for its exposure, Nightmare has several attacks to experiment with.  The
ice beam is most devastating, since it can lock on.  Dante  can take multiple
hits of explosive damage. The guns should not be used in this fight since
they don't comply much help.  If you can, use an Untouchable towards the end.
It helps immensely. If you don't feel the need to use one, more power to you.


=============================================================================
 NIGHTMARE (Second Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 18
Difficulty Rate: ***--
Attacks: A resilient beam of ice,
         Ice needles,
         Launching dark missile like things,
         A flying appendage that slices Dante upon contact

Nightmare  carries over his  abilities  from the  last battle, but  this time
the battle arena has shrunk. Because of the much smaller, enclosed space, it
makes this battle tougher. Dodging its attacks, that is. It's got a new
attack up his sleeve. Er, in this case, goo. It can release one of its
appendages  that  acts on its own, by  twirling around  the room  and hitting
Dante like a mad, animated baton. Fortunately, the dials last longer. Even
longer after being consumed by Nightmare. Nightmare's world this time is
still a cozy  home to the  Sargassos, except an unstable Griffon replaces the
Phantom.

Things generally  work the  same here, except  you'll have to adapt to a new,
refreshing state of surroundings. Exposing the core on his back is much
better than it sticking out of its ass because while Dante slashes the core
on the back furiously, Nightmare's attacks won't touch him. Well, some of
them, anyway.  Don't attack  when it launches  those shadow missiles and that
loose appendage of his.  Concentrate more on running rather than attacking at
that moment. If you end up dying, don't waste a Yellow Orb. Instead, just
reset and go at  it again since it's a short  way to Nightmare from the start
of the mission.


=============================================================================
 NIGHTMARE (Final Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 20
Difficulty Rate: ****-
Attacks: A resilient beam of ice,
         Ice needles,
         Launching dark missile like things,
         A flying appendage that slices Dante upon contact,
         Hovering in the air and launching missiles at Dante

And you thought the last battle was hard! This is just insane. If you thought
the last arena was cramped, this area is even smaller and the ceiling caves
in, preventing you from using aerial attacks. The Nightmare world houses a
faux Nelo Angelo. He's _pretty_ tough.  Don't condone the fact that he's easy
just cuz he's in a trippy reality. He's not.

Also, Nightmare isn't much different other than  his new attack (The last one
Listed) in its liquid form. After the cut-scene at the midway point,
Nightmare will attempt to reconstruct itself. Don't let it do that! During
the time Dante is not up in his face mutilating it, Nightmare is slowly
regaining his health.  Prevent  this from  happening or you'll have to relive
the Nightmare again! Inferno just rocks its slime bed. Use it continuously.
Land a couple of successful hits using either  a  gun or Devil Arms to refill
the DT gauge. Then go all out. You'll be seeing the last of this monstrosity,
thankfully.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Submitted by Scott (Doppelganger)

First off, I'd make sure your DT gauge is full and you've got all 10 slots.
Equip Ifrit and whatever gun you want (likely you won't need it). As always,
pound the light switch. When the orb appears on top of Nightmare, jump on it,
go DT, and keep pressing forward + R1 + O to perform that nasty combo (is
there a name for it?). When you've got about 1 or 2 slots left on the DT
gauge, jump and Inferno. Then go into his realm and kill off Nelo
Angelo. Because the Nightmare will continue to drain your DT gauge, the next
time jump on him and do rapid Kick13's until you can DT, then pull off 2 of
the combo and another Inferno.

Also, I noticed that when he starts to send an appendage flying around the
room, hit it with a blazing jump and it will retreat, leaving the core wide
open to attack (this also works against the one that he shoots out at you
when the core is exposed on his ass, but it's better to just hit the core
when it appears on his back.)

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 MUNDUS (First Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 22
Difficulty Rate: *****
Attacks: Raining giant meteors,
         A vertical net of fast-moving beams,
         Firing a powerful particle beam,
         Smashing Dante,
         Dancing destructive gold orbs,
         Pitching two energy blades at Dante

Since this will be the most intense battle in  the game, I'd  hate to ruin it
for you and give you an exact strategy on how to mangle his ass. There are
many various ways to knock him off. I'll just list some tips and whatnot. You
can take care of the rest, my brave devil hunter.

- The real controls and power of the Sparda awaken.
- Be sure to have plenty of Devil Stars.
- As he flies away, he'll attempt to rain speeding meteors and raise hell. It
  can easily be dodged. They can even be destroyed by regular attacks.
- He has retained the neat Griffon attack. Just adjust Dante so he slips just
  between them.
- When the signal for the particle  beam  commences (a satanic circle), dodge
  to one side of the screen at the right moment.
- Blast Handguns at the God of Evil to refill your DT gauge often.
- Stay in Devil Trigger Mode for as long and often as possible.
- Destroy the black orbs Mundus casts into the air for both forms.
- Smash all orb-shaped objects Mundus throws at Dante.
- Kill any fire Dragons that appear out of the lava for them to replenish any
  Green Orbs needed to restore Dante's health.

- SPECIAL NOTE (Thanks to Nico Valencia): You can deflect the white fireballs
  Mundus casts at Dante with his sword.  If Dante gets hit, it'll fill his DT
  gauge like mad.  Also, Dante can speed up his  evasion by holding Triangle.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[STRATEGIES READERS DID FOR ME]  Thanks to DanteFWLM@aol.com

For the outer space scene I just used Devil Stars and DTed him again and
again. Only took 4 or 5. For the second part I stayed on the piece of land I
started out on as moving to others seemed hazardous to my health. For this
part I had a few Holy Waters, a Vital Star, 4 Devil Stars and an untouchable.
The Holy Waters were pretty useless except as a way of recharging my DT.
Basically I just used my DT form and shot his ass. I used the Untouchable
when he summoned some big ass balls of fire to rain down upon me, saved me
ALOT of health. I also used the grenade gun to charge my DT some. It did
minor damage but then so does anything else to Mundus.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
Thanks to CJViolin@aol.com

Just pound on the fire button as fast as you can. Don't hold it down, as that
makes it fire about half as slow.  For the second part (the lava pit part),
there is a simple strategy. Use the Grenade launcher on Mundus to fill up
your Devil Trigger.  When you get full power, get as close as you can to
Mundus, which means jumping up to the highest floating rock.  Then turn on
your Devil Trigger and let him have it using the "style two" swordplay.  This
is the one which has two  cross slashes, two diagonal slashes, and a vertical
slash.  Whatever  you do, don't use Sparda's fireballs, because they don't do
enough damage.  Two more things:

      1) You can replenish a large amount of health by killing the fire
         dragon which Mundus releases.
      2) Avoid all of his attacks, of course ; ) but most of all avoid
         his white "balls of fire".  You can see when Mundus is about
         to use them, because they circle his head.  Run quickly to one
         side of the screen before they start to fall, and then book it
         to the other side to avoid them.  It's tough, but try not to
         get hit  at all in this onslaught, because if you do, Dante
         will stagger and get hit by multiple attacks, and it does more
         damage than you can shake a sword at.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
Thanks to Ben (Herak@aol.com)

In his first form where you're flying  around in space at him, the boss fight
becomes much easier simply by using Devil Stars. Just blast him using your
Devil Trigger, then use a Devil Star and do it  again.  Should only take 4 of
them or so. Unless you use way more Devil Stars than I do, you should have at
least that many saved up; if not, you can just buy some beforehand.

For the second  form, the most  damaging  thing  I've found  is to just stand
There and shoot him while in your devil form.  Don't jump and shoot, stand
still, the fireball thing does  more damage.  Most of his attacks are easy to
dodge, and you can refill your Devil Gauge by hitting the large grayish
spheres with runes on them or by  just using more Devil Stars.  Kill the fire
dragon thing for health. If you get desperate, use an Untouchable.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


=============================================================================
 MUNDUS (Second Encounter)
=============================================================================
Where: Mission 23
Difficulty Rate: **---
Attacks: Curving eyebeam

He's so easy, I can singe his ass blindfolded. Air Raid him until a cut-scene
occurs.  Afterwards, pump your Devil Gauge back to maximum and blast him into
submission. If you can't beat him, I don't know how you've gotten this far.


/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/
[ALTERNATE STRATEGY]  Thanks to Ben (Herak@aol.com)

The final form in the sewers later on is a piece of cake.  All you have to do
is use Round Trip, and aim it so it turns around right in the middle of his
body.  The sword pauses for a couple seconds as it turns around, slashing him
continuously.  While you're waiting for your sword to come back, just pump
shots into him with the Nightmare Beta-- your sword will refill your Devil
Gauge for you while you shoot.  He'll be dead before you know it.

/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-/


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                           Blue Orb Piece Locations
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Since Blue Orbs cumulate to Dante's life gauge, they aren't in superabundance
in the game. To make it harder, they are split into 4 fragments which you
must gather to form one whole Blue Orb. That is the only way you can help
Dante intensify  his vitality, which you'll  really start to need towards the
midpoint of the game. If I've missed any, please feel  free to e-mail me with
corrections.  Any missions I've neglected to list are ones that yield no Blue
Orb Fragments.


CASTLE ENTRANCE
----------------

 When you gain control of Dante  for  the first time, have him jump onto the
overpass ahead and you'll find the Blue Orb piece there.

MISSION ONE
------------

 Found on a small caged area in the  main entrance hall on the second floor.
Get it by using the Kick Jump to hoist yourself up there.

 In the room after you've unlocked the red door, smash the suit of armors to
unveil some Red Orbs along with this piece.

 Jump onto the wing of the suspended airplane by kicking off the wall and on
to the wing.

 Dive into the left pool of the gate raising mechanism in Neptune's Room.

MISSION TWO
------------

 In the Time Statue room in the long corridor, smash the table nearest to it
to reveal a hidden Blue Orb fragment.

MISSION THREE
--------------

 After coming back from the underwater palace, jump  back across the broken
bridge to the lion gravestone to find this floating there.

 On the bridge  outside, just  right above the drop-off place the door from
the Cathedral takes you, there's a small ledge. With Air-Raid ability and
spare Devil Trigger slots, transform  into Devil Dante and leap onto that
ledge. From their, take off into the air  and hover to a higher chunk, where
an orb piece will be dispersed. You can also achieve this feat with Stinger.

MISSION SIX
------------

 In the first watery  corridor, face  the barricaded doorway on the left and
attempt to walk into it, and an orb will sift down.

MISSION EIGHT
--------------

 Above the two horse  statues  is a high ledge.  Jump atop one of the horse'
head, and then jump to the ledge.

 Once you've entered  the  closing cage safely, jump into the right pool of
water. You can't see it, but it's there.

MISSION NINE
-------------

 To the right of the garden entrance is a lonely tombstone. Push it back by
striking it, and it'll eventually reveal concaved part of the earth and this
orb.

MISSION ELEVEN
---------------

 In the caged area on one side of the main chamber. Right below the hovering
Green Orb.

 Jump into the hole in the main chamber and battle the incoming Blades. Then
look for a crack in the wall and bust it open. Eliminate the remaining Blades
and this piece drifts from the sky.

MISSION TWELVE
---------------

 On the main deck of the ship, climb up the southern pole to the unlit stone
and do a Stinger towards the front of the ship. Dante lands on the bow and an
orb drops from the sky.

MISSION THIRTEEN
-----------------

 In the shaft between the two stairs leading to the top deck, there's an orb
floating around that's protected by 3 Blades.

MISSION FOURTEEN
-----------------

 Dante must use the Air Hike ability to reach this orb piece stashed high up
above the waterfall.

 On a high cliff in the waterfall area. Use Stinger or Air Hike.

 In the mine entrance  on the flank of the cliff, cross  the rope bridge and
drop down below to the right.

MISSION FIFTEEN
----------------

 Behind  the blue  shielded room, knock down  the weak wall  across from the
blue double doors and blast the barrels to find this piece.

 Defeat the two  Blades in the pit and  kick the platform  for this piece to
fall.

 Above the blue satanic circle; on a circular platform.

MISSION SIXTEEN
----------------

 Floating right next to the elevator at the beginning of the mission.

 In the main entrance hall, this piece is tucked away in the right corner of
room.

 On the second level in the main entrance hall; in front of the Time Statue.
Glide to it with the Air Raid.

 In the main hallway, kick jump the  protruding head for  to shake it loose.

MISSION SEVENTEEN
------------------

 To the left of the arched doorway on the hidden balcony in the display room
that holds the fossilized dragon.

MISSION EIGHTEEN
-----------------

 In the last cell before the exit  to the next room, shoot the single barrel
to reveal this orb piece.

 In the vertical shaft where water  fills by activating the dial, swim up to
the low overhang and drop on it when the water vaporizes.

 Jump to the balcony on the other side and head through the door. At the end
of the short hallway is this piece.

MISSION NINETEEN
-----------------

 Just above the patio doors, from the ledge, kick jump to the opposite stone
tower. Facing the sun, drop down and grab this piece along.

 Use the Air Raid to glide  over to the green pavilion opposite of the stone
tower.

OTHER
------

 In the patio where you  fought  Nelo Angelo for the first time, jump up to
the ledge above the patio doors. Kick jump to a stony tower on the other
side. It may take some doing; when you  make it, tap into Devil Trigger mode
and hover to the pavilion and nab this piece.

 After escaping from the sunken ship, dive  into the right pool of water to
find this.

SECRET MISSIONS
----------------

 All of them

 Complete Hidden Bangle (Full Orb)


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                                Ranking Guide
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


At the end of each mission, the game calculates and evaluates the time it has
taken you to complete that mission, the number of Red Orbs you were able to
amass, and whether or not, you've violated the mission's restrictions.  Each
mission emphasizes specific penalties that can  knock off a full letter grade
if you fail to fulfill them.  Each mission also requires you to complete them
in a certain amount of time. You are expect to garner a certain amount of
orbs, or all orbs  in the mission.  Finally, Dante cannot  sustain any damage
(Well, he can, but it's not preferred).  It takes off ranking points.

Of course you can't expect yourself to make a perfect S-rank in every mission
the first  time through.  Once you reach the  last mission, the game displays
a lengthy list of all your grades from all 23 Missions for comparison to a
later game.  I believe the Ranking Guide  is relevant to the other difficulty
settings.

The grade you get sits on a number of factors.  The sub-topics  are the major
ones, but here are a few things you should know:

 Entering a room more than once knocks off ranking points unless the mission
specifies otherwise.

 Departing a room while enemies are still alive makes you a wuss.  This also
affects the ranking.

 You will be penalized if you  fail to do something subtle in every mission.
Such examples: Mission 5- If you do not place the Melancholy Soul in the door
before its powers run dry, your grade drops dramatically.

Sooo, what really is the purpose of all this "S" Rank crap? Other than trying
to flaunt your mad DMC skillz, it's a  great  source of Red Orbs.  That's it?
That's it. You're welcome.


S-RANK REQUIREMENTS
--------------------

This chart relates to the Normal Mode. Different modes vary. The requirements
for each mission are as follows:


+--------------+------------+------------+
|   MISSION    |    TIME    |  RED ORBS  |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      1       |    6:00    |    400     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      2       |    7:00    |    450     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      3       |    3:00    |    550     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      4       |    4:00    |    550     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      5       |    2:00    |    100     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      6       |    3:30    |    250     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      7       |    3:00    |    650     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      8       |    3:00    |    585     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|      9       |    8:00    |   1500     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     10       |    4:30    |    600     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     11       |    5:30    |   1000     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     12       |    4:00    |    700     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     13       |    2:30    |    200     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     14       |    5:00    |    500     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     15       |   10:00    |   1400     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     16       |    6:00    |   1000     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     17       |    7:00    |    600     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     18       |    6:00    |    900     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     19       |    3:30    |    500     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     20       |    4:30    |    700     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     21       |    5:00    |    700     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     22       |    5:00    |      0     |
|--------------|------------|------------|
|     23       |    7:00    |    600     |
+--------------+------------+------------+


EXCEEDED TARGET TIMES
----------------------

Refer to the mission required  times for a "S" Rank  and implement this chart
to those times. For example, if Mission 5 dictates you to complete it in
under 2  minutes, but you eclipse  it by 2 minutes, you  get only 200 points.


+--------------------------+-----------+
|  Under Preset            |    500    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
|  Over 30 seconds         |    300    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
|  Over 2 minutes          |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
|  Over 5 minutes          |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
|  Exceeding 5 minutes +   |      0    |
+--------------------------+-----------+


SUSTAINED DAMAGE
-----------------

Believe it or  not, the amount of damage Dante  has sustained is also counted
towards your final grade of the mission. The chart below displays the amount
of points you gain depending on the severity of the damage. Minimal damage to
Dante results in more points.


+---------------------+----------------+
| No Damage           |      500       |
|---------------------|----------------|
| Minor Damage        |      300       |
|---------------------|----------------|
| Medium Damage       |      200       |
|---------------------|----------------|
| Heavy Damage        |      100       |
|---------------------|----------------|
| Extreme Damage      |        0       |
+---------------------+----------------+


RED ORBS
---------

In each mission, there is a  fixated amount of Red Orbs you must collect from
enemies or veiled red orb drop-off points.  Red Orbs actually play a very big
role in helping you get a S-Rank. If you've managed to accumulate over the
specified preset, your chances of getting the S-Rank is affixed regardless of
the amount of time you took to finish the mission and other factors. Refer to
the "S" Rank Requirement chart and implement this  chart to the preset of Red
Orbs in each mission.


+-----------------------+----------------+
| Over Specified Preset |      500       |
|-----------------------|----------------|
| 80% of Preset         |      300       |
|-----------------------|----------------|
| 50% of Preset         |      200       |
|-----------------------|----------------|
| 30% of Preset         |      100       |
|-----------------------|----------------|
| Less than 30%         |        0       |
+-----------------------+----------------+


BATTLE PERFORMANCE
-------------------

Well, they're not really points, but  the enemies  drop the listed amount  of
red  orbs for each of the ratings.


+--------------------+-----------+
| ATTACK RATING      |   ORBS    |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Dull               |     1     |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Cool               |     3     |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Bravo!             |    10     |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Awesome!           |    15     |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Stylish!           |    25     |
+--------------------+-----------+


ITEM USE
---------

Using any of the consumable items (except Blue and Purple Orb Pieces) deducts
points from the total points Dante has been able to rack up so far in any
specific mission. If Dante uses one of the items listed below (I'm sure you
have your reasons), the following points in the chart will be subtracted, and
your overall grade will, consequently, drop.


+--------------------------+-----------+
| ITEM NAME                |   PTS. -  |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Vital Star               |   -300    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Devil Star               |   -100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Yellow Orb               |   -300    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Holy Water               |   -100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Untouchable              |   -500    |
+--------------------------+-----------+


SECRET MISSIONS
----------------

Secret Missions give bonus points upon completion of each.  They  add to your
points of that mission it occurred in.


+--------------------------+-----------+
| SECRET MISSION NAME      | BONUS PTS.|
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Critical Hit             |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Phantom Baby             |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Phantom Baby II          |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| The Three Beasts         |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| One-Eyed Evil            |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Shadows in the Dark      |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Blue Gem in the Sky      |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Hidden Bangle            |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Stairway to Tranquility  |    100    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Treasure of the Reaper   |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Wandering Ghosts         |    200    |
|--------------------------|-----------|
| Water Cell               |    200    |
+--------------------------+-----------+


TOTAL THEM UP
--------------

Now that we've got the  factors down, it's time to  evaluate how well you did
with each category. Total them up, and you've got one of the following grades
below:

                                     B O N U S  R E D  O R B S

+-----------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+----------+
|   TOTAL POINTS  |   RANK   |   M1-8    |   M9-15   |   M16-22  |    M23   |
|-----------------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
|    1000-1500    |    S     |   800     |   1500    |   2000    |   3000   |
|-----------------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
|     800-999     |    A     |   400     |    800    |   1000    |   2000   |
|-----------------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
|     500-799     |    B     |   200     |    350    |    500    |   1000   |
|-----------------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
|       0-499     |    C     |   100     |    200    |    250    |    500   |
|-----------------|----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
|   Less than 0   |    D     |    50     |    100    |    100    |    250   |
+-----------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+----------+


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                         Additional Red Orb Locations
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


Most areas (or objects) contain Red Orbs. They make it so that you'd overlook
it and move on with the game. Little do you know, you're missing out on a
huge chance to stock up on those needed Red Orbs.  It's imperative that you
purchase any moves you can before nearing the endpoint in the game. And this
section is here to help you. It lists all the locations (I've found) in the
game that relinquish Red Orbs.  Instead of listing _every single_ location of
the Red Orbs, I'm just going to list the ones that are less overt to the
average person (hehe).

Tips to help reap more Red Orbs:

* Smash everything in sight. They usually blossom many Red Orbs.

* Jump and land perfectly on high pillar or poles.

* Kick, smash and jump on anything suspicious-looking.

* Kill a lot of Fetish, Plasmas and NoBodys.


ROOMS OF THE CASTLE
--------------------

 Make a pain-in-the-ass jump on the tip of the warrior statue's spear.

 Land on the propeller of the pendulous airplane in the plane hangar.

 Leap to the  top of the fountain in  the courtyard for a small batch of Red
Orbs to appear.

 On the bridge leading to the Path of  Trials and just outside the Cathedral
entrance, leap onto the head ornament.

 In the Castellan bedroom, jump on top of the bed frame.

 On the ledge above the patio doors, kick jump to the stone tower on the far
left to release some bonus orbs.

 In the area with two horse statues, jump on top of the pillar in the alcove
on the right.

 Make a perfect landing on the horse' head.

CASTLE GROUNDS
---------------

 Jump on top of the three  pillars in the  ceremonial ruins  area just after
Dante has left the castle in Mission 9.

 Deep in the  forest grounds, jump atop the broken  stump after clearing the
Marionettes and Fetish.

 Walking the path of the cursed labyrinth, leap on top  of the right pole of
the first gate.

GHOST SHIP
-----------

 Shoot the various sunken cargo to reveal some Red Orbs.

 On the deck of the ship, ferry around the place to collect the various orbs
but also walk onto the sails of the ship to release hosts of Red Orbs.

UNDERGROUND
------------

 There are Red Orb drop off points on a ledge high above the waterfall.  You
need the Air Hike ability to get to them.

GARDEN GROUNDS
---------------

 Behind the Blue shielded door, jump on the  ledge above the pile of debris.

 Blast the weak wall across from the blue door  and smash the furnishings in
both the blue and red rooms.

 Step aside to the side chamber in the left wall of the blue and red rooms.

 Behind the red shielded door, jump on  the  ledge above the pile of debris.



   /\                                                                    /\
   )(                                                                    )(
 _(  )__________________________________________________________________(  )_
  ||  || 
   ||                 ======= Part V:  MISCELLANEOUS =======             ||
 _ || __________________________________________________________________ || _
 (  )(  )
   )(                                                                    )(
   \/                                                                    \/


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                                  Secrets
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


EASY AUTOMATIC MODE--//
Play through the first 3 missions in the game and meet the following criteria
to unlock this mode.

Mission 1 - Use Vital Star or use at least 1 Yellow Orb
Mission 2 - Use at least 1 Yellow Orb
Mission 3 - Use at least 2 Yellow Orbs

The information above was by courtesy of JL Lee.

When you meet the  requirements of  the three  levels  and  after  completing
Mission 3, the game asks whether you would like to switch to Easy Automatic
Mode or not. It displays its pros and cons so it's entirely up to you whether
you want to change it or not. I'd advise against it since it balks you from
capitalizing DMC's full aptitudes.  Basically, what easy mode does for you is
practically "battle" for you.  While you can still carry out attacks
independently, the game will do most of the work for you.  Dante's health and
DT bar is twice as long at the start of the game. Not to mention that his
life fills much quicker in DT mode.  Once this mode has been unlocked, it can
be  set anytime when you start a new game from here onwards.

Just a note to the PAL version owners:  You only  need to  complete Mission 1
with a rank below C to unlock Easy mode.


HARD MODE--//
Beat Normal mode once and save the game. Then start a new game from this save
file. Dante carries over his abilities and weapons from the previous game
(that also includes life bar, consumable items, Red Orbs, etc.). In this
mode, the presets for enemy and boss difficulty skyrocket.  Bosses take twice
as long to kill and Dante does minimal damage. The sinister children of
darkness also appear in earlier missions than they normally would. During
this mode, it's imperative that you begin to dodge attacks with no trouble at
all.

Also, after completing  Hard mode, you will  also unlock a new  option on the
menu screen that allows you to set your difficulty mode.


LEGENDARY DARK KNIGHT--//
Overcome Hard Mode to unlock this special character.  It's the Legendary Dark
knight, otherwise known as Dante's father, Sparda. LDK allows you to assume
the role of Sparda himself, who wields his exclusive Yamato.  The sword isn't
packed with any special abilities, nor can you buy any. He has the same
skills as Dante, except he's  by far stronger--his Yamato does as much damage
as Dante's Sparda. He can Devil Trigger and seriously smack demonic ass. Like
father, like son. He even has his own theme music and different names for his
twin handguns--Luce and Ombra (which by the way mean "Light" and "Shadow" in
Italian). The coolest thing about him is his shadow. But other than the
smoking jacket, monocle, the funky hair and the aforementioned attributes, he
plays just like Dante.

Once you've unlocked  this secret  character, start a new game.  When you do,
choose the "Character Select" option. Now you can play a new game as Dante or
his father, Sparda.


DANTE MUST DIE!--//
Like the mode implies, every  enemy in the game  only acknowledges one thing.
And that is to mutilate Dante. Complete Hard mode to open this nightmarish
world where bosses can only be harmed greatly by DT attacks and enemies
ripple with supernatural powers. Throughout this mode, you will encounter
rooms that perform countdowns. If you do not defeat all the enemies within
the allotted time, the survivors will  be granted with red energy that swirls
around them. None of Dante's attacks can knock them down--they will not fall.
It's also worth mentioning that not only in these suicide situations that the
enemies will amplify their strength--they can pull it off with the absence of
the timer. It is an intimidating travesty.

In all actuality, you can ditch the enemy  parties by leaving the room. Only,
the problem is that some of them cannot be avoided. Specifically, the ones
that require all the enemies to be dead to unlock a door. Those you will need
to find some way to survive.  It's also important to note that leaving a room
with enemies still alive will drop your rank, although I'm sure you can
attempt the S-Rank once you've unlocked Super Dante.  At its core, Dante Must
Die! is simply a Hard mode, enhanced.  Bosses have  INSANE health and enemies
take a good amount of spanking before they finally give in.

By the time you finish this mode or at least get up to Nelo Angelo in Mission
4, you'll be at your local sporting goods store purchasing a punching bag to
relieve all of that pent-up frustration. However, when you've dominated this
difficulty you should be crying and making circles  around the house.  DMD is
tough to overcome, but the feeling of completion pays off.


SUPER DANTE--//
Complete the intensely challenging Dante Must Die! difficulty to unlock Super
Dante. Unfortunately, you must begin play as Super Dante from scratch. You
won't realize his supremacy until after he's acquired the Alastor. Super
Dante's DT gauge is maxed out and  never loses power. Unlike regular Dante,
where he has a finite amount of time before he's knocked out of DT, Super
Dante's meter will never deplete. Other than a great advantage of maintaining
a DT state perpetually, his health is also constantly recuperating. The name
"Super Dante" just doesn't sum it up. It should be "supersonysonicflypickle".
So now it won't be that hard to challenge DMD mode again and it'll be a cinch
to earn that perfect S-Rank.

Once you've unlocked  this secret  character, start a new game.  When you do,
choose the "Character Select" option. Now you can play a new game as Dante,
the Legendary Dark Knight, or Super Dante. It's cool because Super Dante
crackles with immeasurable power  on the loading screen.  Kinda scary, if you
think about it.


KING OF HELL--//
Get a S-Ranking in every mission on any given mode (Normal and above) and you
will finish the game  with a cool background  art with the text, "You are the
king of hell". It depicts a group photo of all (or almost all) the enemies in
the game with Dante in the front.


BLACK DEATHS--//
If  you let  any enemy  fell  Dante with their  special  moves, you'll  get a
gruesome animation of how the monstrous being will add fatality to the corpse
of Dante. You'd have to be in a position in which Dante needs only one hit to
fall face flat on the ground--and the enemy must use its unique attack. While
I haven't confirmed that each enemy has their own ways of dealing with Dante,
I've seen quite a few and I must say, I'm glad I'm not in his place.  I think
this occurs more frequently in Hard and DMD mode.


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                         Frequently Asked Questions
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Q: Why don't you ever answer me you stupid idiot!?

 A: It's either because  you're not utilizing your brain cells correctly to
    read through the entire FAQ looking for you answer even when it's right
    there in your demented face, or it's because I'm too busy and you don't
    ask questions intelligently.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Q: Can I post your FAQ on my site?

 A: Maybe if I feel that you are a responsible webmaster with a strong sense
    of courtesy to others. I base that judgment off of your e-mails you send
    me. Did I mention you have to ask for permission?  Yes, you do. Only the
    sites listed below can use my FAQ without permission.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Q: I just beat Easy-Automatic Mode. I'm wondering whether I can carry _all_
    the skills I've purchased over to Normal Mode...

 A: According to Kai P. Krupinski, you can--in the PAL version of the game.
    This does not apply in the NTSC-US Version.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------



   /\                                                                    /\
   )(                                                                    )(
 _(  )__________________________________________________________________(  )_
  ||  || 
   ||                    ======= Part VI:  OUTRO =======                 ||
 _ || __________________________________________________________________ || _
 (  )(  )
   )(                                                                    )(
   \/                                                                    \/
               [!][!][!] READ THIS BEFORE E-MAILING ME [!][!][!]


My contribution to the Devil May Cry community has been the FAQ and I neither
have the time nor desire to regurgitate information from this FAQ and pass it
on as individual help.  If it's not here, then I don't know. Don't bother me.
You can e-mail me, but if you think you're a sly fox and try to spam my inbox
with multiple duplicates of the original mail, you are a pathetic little man.
I rarely reply to any mails unless I feel they are worth my time and effort.
And PLEASE, DO NOT SEND ANY types of chainletters!  No matter if it's a dying
child diagnosed with liver disease or whatever, I don't care. Leave me out of
it.  Other than that, valid questions, comments, criticism, etc. are welcome.


For you lazy blokes, here's a rundown on my e-mail rules:

Do's:
- Send me a question which cannot be found in the CURRENT version of the
  guide.
- Be specific! I cannot stress this enough. I get tons of e-mails a day,
  and it will be very helpful if I can scan through them quickly. And that
  is when you come into play. Specify what you want, how you want it and
  whatever.
- State the name of the game you are talking about. I do not have psychic
  powers!
- Check the newest version of the guide before e-mailing me! And READ it!
  I will not answer you otherwise.
- Try to put your English skills to good use (good grammar, spelling, etc.)
- Drop a line telling how good my FAQ is. ^_^

Don'ts:
- Ask a question that has already been explained in the guide. All you
  need to do is peruse it.
- Send me any help on the walkthrough.
- Request that I send you an updated version of my FAQ. The answer will
  be no. Just check GameFAQs.com or other sites that have my FAQ!
- E-mail me with something stupid.
- Type in all CAPS or in PRETTY COLORS like yellow. That's just blinding.
- Send me an e-mail in another language. I may or may not understand it, but
  I will ignore you nonetheless.
- Ask me to be your friend!
- Send me something just to annoy me.

CHAT NOTICE: Please DO NOT add me to  your list and then  ask "Who are you?".
If you're going to add me to your list of wonderful buddies, please note that
I'm that insane DMC author, or whatever the hell you need to remind  you. I'm
just so sick of getting that all the time. You either add me and know who the
fuck I am, or I block you. It's simple, really.

                       E-mail: narnia_M3@hotmail.com
                         MSN Messenger: see above
                               ICQ: 70967247


|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|
                                LEGAL JUNK
|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|


The unofficial Devil May Cry strategy guide was created on  October 16, 2001.
 2001-2002 AdrenalineSL. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole and  in part
in any form.  Playstation 2 and Playstation 2 logos are registered trademarks
of Sony, Inc.  Devil May Cry is a registered trademark of Capcom, Inc. The
author of this  document  is in  no way affiliated with Sony Entertainment of
America.  You may not place  this document on your website or reproduce it in
any way without the author's consent.

This Devil May Cry FAQ/Walkthrough was written by AdrenalineSL, who holds all
copyright for this document, in whole and in part. This guide may be used for
private and  personal use only.  You may  not permit anyone under any patents
to reproduce it, in part or in whole, or use it for profitable purposes.  All
content  within this  file is owned and created by Stephanie Lee.  Should you
attempt any infringement of these terms under the false belief that you are
safe from international copyright law, it must be said that you are a  moron.

You may download the file  through a  web browser onto  a single computer for
your  personal, non-commercial  use only.  You may not permit anyone  else to
modify the file or use it for any  commercial purpose, display, performance,
sale or rental.  It absolutely cannot be decompiled, disassembled, modified,
or create derivative works based on the documentation in whole or in part. Do
not remove any copyrights.

DISCLAIMER: Devil May Cry, the Devil May Cry logo, and all related characters
are copyright and property of Capcom, Inc.

*****************************************************************************

Webmasters- If you want to use this guide, just ask for  permission.  To make
this known, here is a list of the official or authorized carriers of this DMC
FAQ:

GameFAQs <http://www.gamefaqs.com>
Neoseeker <http://www.neoseeker.com>
Happy Puppy <http://happypuppy.com>
GameShark <http://www.gameshark.com>
Game Winners <http://www.gamewinners.com>

All other sites are FAQ stealers that  do not respect  copyrighted works! And
if I do grant permission, I  reserve the  right to ask that it be removed for
any reason! I also sincerely urge you to keep ALL my FAQs UPDATED! UPDATED!
UPDATED!  Outdated versions of FAQs are the devil! Are we clear on both terms
here? Great.


Sources
--------

Some parts of the guide could not have been made possible without the help of
the following sources:

- JL Lee for writing a helluva great guide for this game. I used it to fill
  in blank spaces in the Blue Orb Piece section.
- A number of sources and confirmations for the secrets found in the Secrets
  section.
- The 3 official guides  of the game: Prima, Versus and  BradyGames Strategy
  Guides for different and useful information on the Ranking procedures.
- Barnes & Nobles for conveniently carrying all the guides listed above.


Credits, Plugs, and Extra Junk
---------------------------------

- Many thanks to AstroBlue for some tips for my FAQ! Bow, scrape, bow,
  scrape...Sorry, I didn't use your art!
- Croco, for a cheap imitation of his table of contents.
- CJayC for posting this guide and hosting all my other guides on his next to
  best site.
- Capcom for making this helluva sweet game in the first place. WORD.
- DevilMayCry.com for being an awesome official site.
- Everyone who has supported me.


Contributor Credits
--------------------

Thanks to the readers of this FAQ who have taken some time aside to e-mail me
with corrections, tips, hints and suggestions; the guide is immensely
improved by their efforts. The people that are listed here are not
particularly special than the  other contributors listed  throughout the FAQ,
but they have sent me  small tidbits of information I've incorporated into my
own info. Credit due to them is found here.

- Adrian Creel for making corrections to the Combo paragraph in Battle
  Techniques.
- Nightmare-Beta for pointing out a lot of errors and helping me correct
  them. He also helped me compiled the increasing price lists for the
  consumable items. Thanks!
- LoneWolfNEMO for the tip about charging the Nightmare-Beta for DT shots.
- Christian Seier Wittus for telling me about the PAL Version difference in
  the way Easy Automatic Mode is unlocked.
- JoeLightlingJoe for the bit about the bizarre resemblance of the Nightmare-
  Beta to the solidified form of Nightmare.
- Ben (Herak) for the Sparda-Beta technique found in Battle Techniques.
- PranaDevil2k for the small correction to the Sparda-Beta technique.
- Dingo Jellybean for the tidbit explained in the Red Orb chart section about
  collecting more  of them to  affix a better chance of getting a S-Rank than
  with less orbs.
- Dave Riley for correcting some errors I had made.
- Rougewisp for help with refining the Sparda description.
- Carlos Aldasoro Vergara for a small correction regarding the Time Statue.
- Matt (shogun2k1) for a small addition to the Blade strategy.
- Steven Gabriel for telling me about the Holy Water item in Mission 9.
- DaRkLiNg for reminding me that I can also retreat into the courtyard when
  Phantom pursues Dante in Mission 4.
- DB for a Blue Orb piece in Mission 1.
- DashR40 for providing an extra way to get the orb piece in Mission 3.



_____________________________________________________________________________

                ************* CLOSING STATEMENT **************
_____________________________________________________________________________

I'm so happy about how well this guide turned out.  Thank you to the numerous
people who've contributed to the guide and offered to point out corrections
without calling me an inept dumbass. Corrections of all sorts are still
welcome. I've worked extensively on this guide, and now, I think it's time to
retire (from this project) and move onto  another, which will be done quicker
than you know it. If you  have something you can append to that I've missed,
please don't hesitate to e-mail me and help me fix the flaw. I honestly hoped
you enjoyed this guide. You'd better; I worked hard on it. Thanks to everyone
who has supported me! Look out for my future works!

~AdrenalineSL

Shameless plug--Other FAQs by yours truly:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/8212.html


=============================================================================
                                MUCHAS GRACIAS!!
=============================================================================
                                        /^  ^^    ///
                     / // ^  ^       /O%G%/t(   /////
                     O(@@ 6@e    /RG(t////~t%K^/ //^/
                      DeFtones   @#(((^  ^//~6K%^^^^
                                R@G%/~     //(CK@
                               @@B6((~/ ^^^~/~t%@
                               @@R6((~((/%/~(/CO@   /
                               @@GC%GtC~/~((tte@@^
                              /@QGCCtCCt%tCCQQR@@/^^/
                              RBC%tCCGGC/GCeR@@@/////
                             (#O((%%CGG#KKR@BB@et/~//
                             et(/tt(K@@#K#eGGOQet////
                            C~/(((OB#OGC%6eGGKGGC(///
                        ^^ % /(OKeC%tCC6C6666OG%~// /
                      / ^(t/~%G6(tC%(%tC%%C6%%///////
                    ^  ^%/(%KCC(((%((/(/(~// //^//~//
                       C/%R@(t(/^        ^^   / / ///
                   ^/^(t#@(((/^  !~AdrenALiNe~!
                   ^%%@@(~/~/^          ^    ^//^// /
                    /(//////// ^  /  / R~%G^C~Gt~/^ ^
                     // ////// / ^^^///////G/ ~/ ///^
                     /// ^//^/// / /   /^ / ^//// ///

                       _Adrenaline_ Deftones 1995
                   ------------------------------------
               The Unofficial Devil May Cry Strategy Guide
                   Copyright  2001-2002 Stephanie Lee
                              October 2001



