--Devil May Cry 4 Review--

Background: Devil May Cry is a franchise with a rocky history and a fiercely loyal fan following. Its first iteration on the PS2 was easily one of the best games on the console while its sequel left much to be desired. Luckily, the series returned to form with the release of Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening, a prequel to the first game that depicted the main hero, Dante, during his younger days. It has been several years since DMC3 and it is finally time for Dante to make his return to glory on a next generation console but the question is, does it live up to the incredibly high standards set by the original.

Story: (80 out of 100):  For those who don’t know, Devil May Cry tells the story of a half demon, half human devil hunter who just happens to be the son of a legendary demon, Sparda. Sparda protected humans and eventually bore half-breed children, Dante and Virgil. In a surprising, yet welcomed move, Capcom gave Dante, the franchises main hero, a backseat to newcomer, Nero. The story opens in Fortuna, a small island community that worships Sparda as a god and is protected by a clan of knights known as the “Order of the Sword”. When a young, cocky knight named Nero witnesses the island’s leader ruthlessly murdered by an unknown assailant (Dante), he steps up to protect his people and the woman he loves. After an impressive demonstration of demonic power, you realize that Nero has something to hide. With his right arm in a sling, he hides the fact that his arm is possessed by a demon, a fact that would certainly put him at odds with the people he strives to protect. The first half of the game basically has you playing as Nero as he searches for the reasons for Dante’s appearance and uncovering the shady truth behind the “Order of the Sword”. As you reach the half-way point, you begin to see that things aren’t as they seem and that Dante may not be the threat that Nero thought him to be. This narrative plays out in classic Devil May Cry style with numbered missions that are usually sprinkled with stylish cut scenes and larger than life boss fights. While the story does remain interesting, many of the events are just out of this world and even step outside the realm of what is expected from a serious action game. Also, the ending doesn’t wrap up all the loose ends and may leave you scratching your head. All in all, the story is incredibly entertaining to watch unfold even though it tends to not take itself as seriously as you might expect.

Presentation: (95 out of 100):  Devil May Cry has always been a series that prides itself on gorgeous visuals and atmosphere. This new entry is no different. Almost everything in this game is beautiful. The opening cut scene alone demonstrates just how accurate and detailed the character models are and shows off an impressive amount of detail on textures and animations. When you first see the scarecrow enemy, you will know exactly what I mean. The outdoor environments are almost perfect and provide a brilliant contrast with the dreary environments found throughout most of the indoor areas. As we all know, a pretty environment is only as good as the characters and objects that interact inside it. Luckily, one of the most impressive aspects of this game’s visuals is in the boss characters. Every boss is oozing with detail and ominous presence. This detail is just as high in every character you interact with in the game, most notably Lady…. My only complaint would have to be with the outdoor lighting effects that are often jaggy and annoying, but this is not enough to detract from the overall quality of the visuals. To sum it up, this game is stunning.

Gameplay: (100 out of 100)  Some games can be explained by simply watching somebody play, but Devil May Cry is one of the few games out there that really requires you to actually get your hands on a controller and play. Simply watching somebody play won’t work. It would be impossible to understand the complexity of the combat system by simply watching someone play or even reading this review. When the controller is in your hand, you actually get a sense of just how much work goes into every attack. The transition from firing a weapon with the square button to attacking with short-range weapons with triangle is so smooth that you realize how shameful it is that other games don’t implement this kind of control scheme. Just when you think you can’t be anymore of a badass, you press the O button and watch as Nero unleashes his devil bringer on some poor sap. The X button handles the jumping which can sometimes get annoying when the camera angle isn’t in the best position but it is still relatively easy to avoid. These combat elements come together for some crazy yet beautiful boss battles. At one point in the game, you gain control of series star, Dante. At this point, you may be so use to playing as Nero that you would dread switching this late in the game but the controls are almost identical when controlling Dante. The main difference however is that Dante can switch between 4 styles using the d-pad. These styles are the same as they were in DMC 3 (gunslinger, trickster, royal guard, and sword master) and control basically the same as Nero’s style. Having access to these styles obviously opens up a slue of different attacks and combinations that you have to mess with yourself to understand. Finally, the weapons that are unlocked when playing as Dante are brilliant, especially Pandora which is a weapon so original and fun that I refuse to spoil it in this review. All of these control schemes and fighting styles come together to make an incredibly addicting combat system that probably won’t be bested for years.

Sound: (95 out of 100) Not much to say here except that the sound really does stand up to the standards of the series and playstation 3 in general. Voice acting is pretty good for the most part but can be a little cheesy at some points.  The music featured in the game, particularly the battle music, sounds like a hybrid between hard japanese and american metal which works out most of the time.  I enjoyed this style of music because it is similar what I listen to normally but it definitely isn't for everyone.  The music does get a bit repetitive because it is the same in almost every fight so some additional music would have been a welcomed addition.  Overall though, nothing to really complain about in the music department.

Content: (100 out of 100) DMC 4 is a game that is built to last. Advancing the story unlocks a library that gives detailed descriptions of all the enemies, bosses, items, weapons, and characters. Also, a movie theatre will be unlocked which allows you to watch previously viewed cutscenes which is nice when the cutscenes are as good as these. Players are offered a choice between 2 difficulty settings from the get go which offer a fair amount of difficulty throughout. Upon completion, several more difficulties are unlocked. These additional modes include “Dante Must Die”, a difficulty in which the character will die after a single hit. In addition to increased difficulty settings, players will also unlock “Bloody Palace”, a mode that is tier based and allows players to move forward only after defeating increasingly difficult enemies. This mode is timed but defeating enemies and stages adds precious seconds to your timer, allowing you to move forward. Sprinkled throughout the primary missions, players will stumble across secret missions that usually offer a prize for completing a challenging task in a short amount of time. Overall, the game is packed with content that will keep any gamer busy for weeks on end.

Closing Thoughts and Recommendation:  I have enjoyed every Devil May Cry entry (yes even the second one) and was very impressed with its first next gen outing. The new character was a nice change of pace and the combat system works better than ever. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a good action adventure game with a decent amount of challenge.

Pros: (+)
-Ability to play as 2 characters (Dante and Nero)
-Beautiful environments and character models throughout
-Incredibly fast, intense combat mechanics
-Intriguing characters and story

Cons: (-)
- Too much backtracking
- Not enough time playing as Dante
- Not enough Lady

0-59      = F
60-69   = D
70-79    = C
80-89   = B
90-100 = A

Final Letter Grade: 94 Out of 100 (A-)

-Nick