The Game Plan 04.04.08: The Greatest Video Game Anti-Heroes...Ever

Posted by James McGee on 04.04.2008

Not all anti-heroes have to be dark, brooding maniacs. They can be cocky jerks with a soft side, too.



So far in this series, I've focused on the dark side of the anti-hero movement. I've shone the spotlight on characters that were perhaps more akin to villains who find themselves performing heroic deeds, rather than the other way around. While these characters may be what most people think of when they talk about anti-heroes, there's another side of things. Back when I started this series off, I defined an anti-hero as someone whose deeds are admirable in a "big picture" kind of way, but who may not be all that likeable as a person. Well, being unlikable doesn't necessarily mean you have to be a murderous psychotic (as both Kratos and James Earl Cash could be described). You could also simply be a jerk, which describes this week's subject pretty well. Dante—the protagonist of the Devil May Cry series—is cocky, flashy, and self-absorbed. But all of his punk-rock posing actually hides a heart of gold, making him a perfect example of anti-heroism's more positive side. I'm James McGee, and here's The Game Plan.

The franchise's title is an obvious riff on "devil may care," which perfectly describes Dante's attitude. When players first meet him at the beginning of Devil May Cry, he seems indifferent to the end-of-the-world scenario laid before him…until he learns that the demon responsible is Mundus, against whom he has a personal grudge. The second and third games in the series share similar openings, where it seems Dante begrudgingly sets off to save the world only after he learns that there's something in it for him. Even when he does finally set out on his adventure, he does so very flippantly. A recurring scene throughout the second game sees Dante flip a coin to decide whether he will continue helping others vanquish the forces of evil. As we learned several weeks ago in The Game Plan, true heroes always rush head-on into danger without any prodding or promise of reward. Though he ultimately saves the day, Dante's reluctance and "whatever" attitude is far from the norm when it comes to a hero.

Aside from his questionable attitude, Dante's most defining (and annoying) quality is his monumental arrogance. If I may paraphrase the great Tully Blanchard, when you're the best at something and you talk about it, people tend to get irritated. Well, in that case, Dante is one irritating s.o.b. Devil May Cry is often credited with revitalizing the "hack-n-slash" genre by adding a decided flair to the combat. DMC wasn't the first game to let you switch between ranged and melee weapons, but I can't think of another that let you mix them together as fluidly. Seamlessly switching between his sword and dual pistols (dubbed "Ebony and Ivory"…when the guy names his guns, you know he's got an ego), Dante can mow down multiple enemies without breaking his stride. And if his stylish, double-digit-breaking combos weren't enough, the dude talks (constantly) about how thoroughly he's kicking your butt. Dante is like the worst punk rocker, jock, and spoiled preppy you've ever known all rolled into one.


Red leather and big guns...Sounds like a typical Saturday night.

Ah, but there's another side to the cocky equation. Part of what makes Dante so unlikeable also accounts for his charisma. Like a good pro-wrestler, he walks that fine line between confidence and arrogance perfectly. Since wrestling is a big part of 411mania's identity, I don't see a problem slipping in a comparison here or there. Dante is a little like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Rock played both the good guy and the bad guy at different points during his in-ring career. But, if you look back at the way he crafted his character, the personality didn't change all that much regardless of which side of the fence he happened to be on. He always played the cocky, self-absorbed jerk. The only thing that really changed was where he focused his smug attitude—against wrestling villains or heroes (and fans). Even if they don't like a guy's attitude, people tend to respect talent when they see it, so Dante's flash and style make him admirable just as much as they make him despicable.

Besides, as many people have said over the years, it isn't arrogance if you can back it up, and Dante certainly does that. You can accuse Dante of a lot of things, but never of false bravado. He really is as good as he thinks he is. The combos he inflicts on his enemies may be overly showy, but they're mightily effective. Dante regularly faces down half-a-dozen or so enemies at once, and he always does it with style (a Devil May Cry trademark that has gone on to define many other action games, such as God of War and Heavenly Sword). It's hard to argue with the guy's boasting when he justifies it so spectacularly.

Whereas Dante's arrogance is justified and sincere, his indifference to others is, largely, a façade. Beneath the ultra-cool persona he's crafted for himself beats a heart of gold, as he really cares about people much more than he lets on. That coin-flipping nonsense I mentioned earlier? Well, turns out the coin has two heads, so all of his flippant machismo was just a show. Even after Trish (the vixen who pulls him into all the trouble in the first game) betrays him, Dante opts to save her life—not once, but twice!—though he would have been totally justified in the eyes of most gamers for seeking revenge. Dante even shows vulnerability in DMC3, where he weeps at the loss of his brother. What a softy! But, letting a few chinks show in the armor is a sure way to win people over to your side, especially if you tend to be an arrogant prick. For all Dante's genuine toughness, there's just as much feigned attitude.

So, you see, anti-heroes don't always have to be dark, brooding lite-villains. Dante represents the less sinister side of things. He's basically a good guy that would prefer no one noticed he happens to be a hero. In order to maintain his coolness, he has to convince everyone he cares for nothing but himself…kind of like a perpetual teenager. All the same, when duty calls, he'll take care of business, and he'll do it better than anyone else. Don't believe me? Just ask Dante. He'll be glad to tell you himself.