It has been a long wait, but finally Capcom has brought us the “next-gen” heavy hitter we have all been waiting for. Sure Dead Rising was a cool idea, but a lot of the systems it employed were severely flawed, and Lost Planet was mediocre at best. But Devil May Cry 4? Absolute gaming bliss.
Originally started as a Playstation 3 exclusive, Devil May Cry 4 was later changed to a multiplatform title on both the PS3 and 360. This review is based on the PS3 version, but both versions are almost exactly the same. The main difference is that the PS3 version requires a 20 minute install which slightly improves load times, and the PS3 version features an option to control the camera via motion control, but honestly it doesn’t work well at all so you will probably just want to leave it off. Also as far as the install is concerned, it seems like everyone has been making a big deal out of it, but really its not that significant. It’s a one-time thing, and I’m sure all those shortened load times will add up over the long run. If you have both consoles and are having trouble choosing which version you want, I would say your best bet is to choose based on your controller preference.
Devil May Cry 4 takes place after DMC1 but before DMC2, and stars a new character, Nero. You would think with such a significant change, a lot of other things might be changed as well, but actually DMC4 sticks exclusively to the series classic formula, right down to red orb collection. Some players might be unhappy with the fact that the series refuses to move forward, but honestly this entry perfects the system to such a degree that it easily ranks as one of the best action games in years.
No matter which one you look at, every DMC game had areas where it could have improved. The first entry was unbelievably difficult, and while and easy mode was offered, you were forced to play on automatic mode which meant that beyond just being easier, the game was completely shallow. For the hardcore players none of that was an issue, but that didn’t excuse it from lacking middle ground. On the opposite end of the spectrum, DMC2, while adding a lot of depth to the combat system and a new character, was extremely easy with uninteresting boss fights and level design. DMC3 Special Edition brought a lot to the table, with four different combat styles, quick changing of weapons, well balanced difficulty that suited a wide range of players, and a theatre mode to rewatch the game’s cutscenes. It was close to perfection, but still had some camera problems, confusing level design, and a few annoying puzzles.
Really all I expected from DMC4 was slight improvement over 3, but the developers really went all out and analyzed all the good aspects in the series and threw out everything bad. The camera is among the best in 3rd person action games, the two character system is well integrated and adds diversity to the gameplay, and it has the best story and writing the series has ever known.
I mentioned earlier that the DMC4’s main character is not Dante, but Nero. Dante is still present and is your character for a large section of the game, but something about his personality makes for great over the top action scenes and one liners, and shallow storytelling. The difference in personalities gives you the more tradition and heroic Nero for the more emotional character growth driven story, and Dante to retain the series traditional style. Beyond that it also adds a lot to the gameplay.
Dante has received some significant upgrades from DMC3, including new weapons and moves that seem more accurate and responsive than in 3. The kicker though isn’t the expected new moves; it’s the fact that Dante can now change his special style, at will. DMC3 limited you to one style at a time, causing you to choose specialization in either advanced gun or sword skills, or advanced evasive or defensive skills. I always felt that this decision made the combat somewhat shallow compared to other 3rd person slashers like Ninja Gaiden, but now by merely tapping the d-pad you can instantly change from one style to another. Dante is fast, violent, powerful, and better than you’ve ever seen him before.
Nero however, is a completely different story. Nero has one weapon, his sword the Red Queen, and one gun, the Blue Rose. His moves are somewhat slower than Dante’s and require more technique to execute, meaning he can’t rush down and destroy his opposition quite like Dante. However, with the proper mix of defense and technique, combined with the Devil Bringer, a grappling skill that has a devastating attack unique to each enemy, he is arguably the better character of the two. In many ways he also feels like he is the deeper character, particularly because of his Exceed trigger. By hitting L2 to rev up the Red Queen you can stock what are essentially fighting game style super attacks to maximize damage to your enemies. Also you can instantly charge a full bar of power by hitting the trigger with perfect timing after executing an attack. The potential for combos and strategies is incredible and will be satisfying to both advanced and new players.
Another welcome change to the series is the vastly expanded skill upgrade system. In games past you could learn a couple skills for each weapon, and upgrade the power of your guns in exchange for red orbs, but now you are awarded a special orb type called “Proud Souls” for use exclusively in the skill upgrade system. These orbs cannot be collected within the game, but are instead given based on mission rank, adding some incentive to go back and work for high scores in the missions. Also you can now get full refunds on skills you don’t need anymore, which allows you to completely restructure and maximize your character build for each mission.
Even the level design has been improved, with more variation in areas that capitalize on the beautiful graphics. You get to traverse towns, gothic castles, forests, and snowfields all of which are beautiful to behold. The character models and moves all look awesome too, and the only rough spot I found was in the shadows, which can look disappointingly pixilated, especially in the forest stage, but honestly you don’t notice them much. The level design has more to it than a graphical showcase though, as they also have a more straightforward progression than preview entries in the series, so there is less running around in circles collecting this and that item you don’t care about. Puzzles are also pretty much nonexistent, and honestly I don’t think they had much place in the series in the first place. DMC4 is all about the action, and that’s exactly what it does perfectly.
Great acting and music, beautiful graphics, extremely deep and varied combat system, interesting story, classic Devil May Cry over the top action scenes, online ranking systems to prove your DMC dominance; honestly I cant think of anything more to ask of Devil May Cry. Maybe some better shadows would be nice but that seems kind of petty. Without a doubt Devil May Cry 4 is the best game in the entire series, and if you are even remotely a fan of 3rd person action games you would be doing yourself a disservice not to pick it up. Keep up the good work Capcom.
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8.8