A short but fun romp into gamings most established stereotypes, hammy dialogue and guns.
Devil May Cry 4 is my first foray into the well loved Japanese franchise and it definatly leaves an impression. First of all the cut scenes are fantastic, the introduction is especially impressive with the new lead protagonist Nero being introduced via the series' trademark gun-fu style. If may be flamboyant and over the top you would be hard pressed to find any action fan who wouldn't enjoy them.
The story progresses at a fast pace with Nero trying to figure exactly what is going, threatened by strange fabric clad monsters and destruction of his city. As this is my first DMC game I cannot tell you what Capcom has added to the long running series, but as this is the first on a Microsoft console, many 360 owners will be in the same boat. For anyone that has played games such as God of War, Tomb Raider, and Ninja Gaiden the Devil May Cry formula is something different and dare I say it special. The fluidity and achievement felt when performing different combos and special moves of either player characters Dante or Nero is commendable, crucially its fun. Its a formula which many games of the action adventure genre try to aim for but the rare few actually deliver. This is accomplished by providing the player with 3 different weapon stances achieved by pumping the left trigger before or during the battle to offer more power to your combos, combine this with the devil arm and the ability to shower your enemy with bullets. The gamer has an impressive amount of choice to decimate his or her enemy's with, and that is without doubt one of Devil May Cry 4s best strengths. Within an hour or so of combat on the easiest level, impressive combos were not only being enjoyed by myself by passers by as well, who were asking what that "cool" looking game was, which brings me to another strength of DMC4, the graphics.
The character models of DMC4 are beautiful, and a step up from what Capcom's previously achieved on the 360 with both Dead Rising and Lost Planet. The action is fluid with no signs of frame rate slow down and the environments can provide, at times, an impressive back drop to action which bombards the screen with red and blue light with corresponding combos and moves, most noteworthy is the Church which is expertly modelled and textured. My only complaint is that some areas are markedly more impressive than others, which travelling from the initial church set up is disappointing. Some gamers will also be disgusted with the repeated frequency at the which environments repeatedly appear, partly due to the dual player character story, but also due to what some players may call lazy level design.
Repetition is DMC4s largest pitfall and inevitably its most disappointing element. It has been a criticism of the series before but here the prospective buyer is effectively getting a story which repeats itself half way through the game, albeit it in reverse order. This isn't a reference to the varying difficulty levels but the way the story forces the player to revisit previous environments with a second protagonist, effectively playing the game with what constitutes as an unlockable player mid-way through the game, a time most players will get to within six hours. This makes the game a very difficult recommendation for those who aren't interested in multiple play through's or mastering the combat system.
The campaign will only take the player a maximum of twelve hours once dealing with a suitable amount of puzzles and highly enjoyable boss battles, but if you want to complete the 4 different difficulty levels which unlock as you complete the prior level then DMC4 will take considerably longer. If you are willing to commit to this game, and its four difficulty level than it will feel like £40 pounds well spent, but if you are only interested in the story than you are effectively getting a quarter of a game. However what is present within the game is polished, with interesting bosses, puzzles and plot lines and will keep you entertained. You can also purchase new moves as you play from which as you play through them unlock new skill sets and moves which gradually rank up as you play, bought from your local save point using the games red coloured economy orbs, Enhancements do change tactics, and at times make you feel like a sword wielding maniac who has the ability to shatter the world with the appropriate button press, especially when you are offered an S by the games combat system. This competitive element, which has long been a hallmark of the DMC series, is expanded here with the benefit of an big friend list and an xbox live connection. As each time you connect to Live you will be alerted of your friends progress within the game via a menu pop up, for example what levels they have finished, what difficulty and at what score and rank. Also included are detailed leader boards, ranking players down to the aforementioned attributes at each level. It is a little touch, but one which goes a long way to encouraging the gamer to beat their friends best score, maybe climbing up that leaderboard. This addition will only interest a few gamers, but it is a online addition which Capcom should be praised for, when you are presented with that pop up it really hits home the point that this is a competitive game amongst friends and increases the chances of DMC4 staying in your hard drive for much longer than the story lasts.
DMC4 showcases its Japanese origins with depth that awards committed gamers and genuinely provides a sense of considerable achievement once you beat it on the hardcore difficulty levels. In a sense, this is a sense of what makes DMC4 a traditionally but paradoxically refreshing experience, it is one you would be much more familiar with in the 1990's not 2008. As an addition to the series DMC4 is more accessible than it ever has been offering tutorials and the easiest of difficulty levels, and it will remind some older gamers of other classic games such as Castlevania and Ninja Gaiden in its attempts to lengthen its experience. How you think of those games now will undoubtedly effect your thoughts on DMC4. Personally I found this title not only beautiful but deep, ironically funny, but more than anything else fun. Capcom has made a game that isn't without its issues but if you can put the incredibly short story and limited game modes behind you, DMC4 is a worthwhile purchase.