Devil May Cry 4
Devil May Cry 4 immerses gamers in a gothic supernatural world, where a new protagonist clashes with a familiar hero. As the new leading man, Nero, players will unleash incredible attacks and non-stop combos using a unique new gameplay mechanic, his powerful “Devil Bringer” arm. Dynamic action and undeniable style combine with explosive fighting options and a gripping story to produce the incomparable experience that only a Devil May Cry game can deliver.
Released: February 5th, 2008
Genre: Action
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 1
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Score: 6 Out Of 7
Devil May Cry 4 is the latest instalment of Capcom’s franchise. It’s been a bumpy ride, as the first was amazing, the second was disappointing and the third was a return to form. Number 4 is here, with a new character and all the style and flair of it’s predecessors. Unfortunately, it is let down by repetition. Making you fight a boss twice is reasonable, but making you fight them three times is just plain annoying. But that doesn’t mean this game is bad, as I’d heartedly recommend it to anyone.
Devil May Cry 4 follows new character Nero, a member of a cult who worships Sparda. In the middle of a ceremony, old hero Dante crashes the party, takes out the leader of the cult plus several members, and leaves the place in a mess. When Nero tries, and fails, to take down Dante in a fight, he is then sent to find him and take him out. The plot might not sound like much at first, but when you’re hit by several twists and turns as well as amazing cut scenes, DMC4’s story is easily one of the most exciting of this year.
DMC4 plays mostly like it’s predecessors-you hack and slash through enemies while occasionally doing a puzzle or two. The difference here is who you’ll control, as now there is Nero and Dante to play as. Nero has a sword similar to the handle of a motorbike where he revs it up for more power, as well as a single revolver and his devil arm. Dante has duel pistols, a sword and a few different abilities too, like being able to use this box which transforms into cool weapons. Both characters can use an ability where their attacks are much stronger than usual. As you kill enemies you earn orbs and proud souls, which you can use to upgrade Nero and Dante. This adds replay value as you will want to maximise their abilities.
There is also the old platforming and puzzle, and they’re still lame. Puzzles are about as simple as pushing crates and other boring stuff and the platforming sections are as responsive as a dead corpse. However, the boss fights in DMC4 are the best yet. They are all larger than life, and require a good amount of skill to beat. It’s definitely fun, and whats funny is how both the lead characters constantly insult them as if they’re the same size. It’s hilarious to see Dante’s reaction to a giant horse on fire is sitting on it’s tail!
But DMC4 is quite repetitive. The least that can happen is you’ll fight repeated enemies throughout, which isn’t much of an issue. The biggest repetition comes when you switch from Nero to Dante, where you have to backtrack through levels you went through as Nero, as well as fight the same bosses, except you’ll have to change your tactics as Nero and Dante play very differently. But the real kick in the nuts is the penultimate level, where you fight all the bosses yet again in a case of Déjà vu. But these issues aside, DMC4 is one of the most intense and fun games of 2008 so far. It’s a great sequel, but some of it’s old gameplay mechanics are starting to feel dated.
The graphics, however, are not. DMC4 looks incredible. The character models are top notch, with little intricate details, which are also present in the environments. A nasty thing however is the shadows, which look pretty bad. The cut scenes are incredible. The fighting, acrobatics and stunts shown in these are amazing, and the cut scenes look technically great too. The sound is just as good, with all the cool gothic tunes from previous games. The acting is good and the dialogue is great, with constant one-liners that are sure to at least amuse.
DMC4 is not the best in the series, or the best game on the platform, but it’s a quality game worth anyone’s time. The game does get repetitive, some may tire of the constant one-liners and the game won’t last you long. But if you’re looking for stylish action and great challenge, DMC4 won’t disappoint. Bravo Capcom, you didn’t screw up like you did in DMC2!
