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The character-action genre isn't one that's particularly new, but one that has evolved in the new millennium. Much faster than the typical third-person fare and more flexible than the fighting games they try to mimic at times, this new breed of action game has defined a large part of the past two generations. The genre's focus on lightning-fast reflexes excites fighting game fans, and the stylish precision appeals to most everyone else. Constantly outnumbered but rarely outmatched, the player can decimate groups of enemies in a variety of ways, and look good doing it.
I've never been that much of a fan of God of War, so it's automatically disqualified; while the spectacle is certainly there — more so than either of my two contenders — but I've always felt that God of War lacked substance. The combat just isn't as varied, as far as I'm concerned. I can get behind a bloody mess or two, but the simplistic combat never did it for me, no matter how many legendary creatures I beheaded. I've also only beaten the first game, so trying to officially qualify it one way or another would be disingenuous.
Devil May Cry, being the first of the two to enter the character-action genre — either having invented or popularizing it, depending on the people and level of semantics involved — has a had quite a storied history, considering its recency. Its eight-year history has allowed it ample time to evolve and refine its execution, its characters, and most importantly, its combat.
Devil May Cry's flashy combat is augmented by its gunplay, which serves as a support levy for the melee combat. Dual handguns can keep enemies at bay while you approach them for a sword combo, keep them in the air while you wait for the next enemy to approach, and whittle down enemies' health. Some of the more powerful guns can flow into melee attacks, and they're always good for picking off enemies before they can get near you.
One other aspect of Devil May Cry that differentiates it is its tone of perpetual evaluation. Every time you begin a combo, you're given a letter rank, from D to the absurd SSS, and keeping a combo from dying will give you further points. Because it's something you're always aware of, you're constantly encouraged to do better, which can lead to a more motivated assault than previously thought possible.
Better than most other games in its genre, Devil May Cry is great making what you're doing look crazy onscreen.
Ninja Gaiden, on the other hand, focuses on the more technical aspects of combat. Rather than rewarding each button press with a flashy move, Ninja Gaiden makes you earn each combo. Each move on its own does not inspire the same awe that Devil May Cry's moves do; you have to link several of them in a row to accomplish anything worthy of a youtube video.
But this increased focus on mechanics gives the combat a much larger variety. Looking at a moves list for Ninja Gaiden isn't too different from looking up a Soulcalibur character move list, which is fitting, since the main character, Ryu Hayabusa, is a recurring character in the Dead of Alive series. You can combo anything into anything, and if you know what you're doing, no two combos are the same. There's also nothing more satisfying than working your way up to the devastating Izuna Drop.
You could also argue that Ninja Gaiden's "flash" is gore, but that isn't that interesting of an aspect to me. The Flying Swallow is always fun to execute, but not because it beheads the enemy, but because it's an intimidating introduction to a battle.
Ninja Gaiden hasn't had as much time to develop its combat, especially if we disregard to older, more pixelated entries in the series. On top of that, Ninja Gaiden 2 was a shadow of the first, which was brilliantly designed. Ninja Gaiden only nailed it once, but that one entry was all that I needed to get hooked on the rest of the franchise. Ninja Gaiden 2 was still enjoyable, but just not as methodical as the first.
Still, I ultimately side with Ninja Gaiden on this important issue. Devil May Cry's flash makes it feel as though it lacks substance, even when it doesn't. Because you have to earn every great combo, it makes the accomplishment that much greater, that much more real. It's the best kind of character combat period, even if it is the least forgiving.
