Home Games Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 4

Action
Releases: 02.05.08
Capcom Productions
Capcom Entertainment
ESRB: Mature

Devil May Cry 4

Dante and Doppelganger once again battle their demons.

by Sarah Schutz

The Devil May Cry series . . . the precursor to so many games we hold so dear. . . has arrived on next generation consoles and as expected Dante and friends have gotten a visual upgrade. Dante, however, is not the primary protagonist in this demonic, but rather most of the gaming time is spent with his younger doppelganger, Nero, as he fights his own personal demons. At first glance Nero’s arsenal seems insignificant and puny in comparison to Dante’s big guns, until your attention is drawn to his demonic arm. Most of Nero’s powers are derived from his arm and Devil Bringer powers, but he is also blessed with sword and gun fighting skills as well. Within the first few minutes of the game Nero and Dante are introduced to each other as formidable foes, pinned against each other amidst a mysterious conspiracy within Nero’s Order of the Sword. The first half of the game you spend playing as Nero, following Dante and then seeking to save your girlfriend Kyrie. You are then given the opportunity to turn the tables and once again wield the swords and guns of Dante.

The driving forces of the game in addition to the stylish combat are the outstanding cutscenes and compelling storyline. The cutscenes propelling the story are the rewards we get for fighting our way through each mission. While the rewards are greater, the challenges are significantly and thankfully less. Recalling my Devil May Cry 1-3 days, when playing through Devil May Cry 4 I found myself wondering if my gaming skills had significantly increased or if the series had gotten less difficult. I’m pretty sure it’s the latter. DMC4 offers several options that make the game available to most gamers. The game can be played through on Human and Devil Hunter difficulties and an automatic combo option is available that makes for easier button-mashing. These options allow for significantly less frustrating gameplay, but for more advanced Devil May Cry aficionados, challenges abound. Secret Missions offer especially difficult, yet rewarding opportunities.

While the gameplay and combat is smooth, stylish and challenging, it is also exceedingly repetitive. Chasing the same enemies back and forth through the same environments is grating on the nerves, though attempting fancier combos never gets old. The boss battles are each so varied, challenging and visually compelling . . . the first time around. Halfway through the game when you switch over to Dante, you suddenly have to become accustomed to different controls and combat styles. And then you get to fight your way back through the same levels, the same swarms of enemies and the same boss battles. While I could complain about the repetition, the gameplay is so neatly elegant, that I didn’t really mind all that much, but remain skeptical that a more creative and varied course of action couldn’t be presented. And please, for the love of all things gaming, remember to save your game or you will face more repetition than the game already provides. While DMC4 has arrived in the next generation, it has not yet made the leap to Autosave.

In many ways Capcom games, and particularly the Devil May Cry series remains stuck in the gaming cliché past. The mission segmentation, lack of autosave and repetitive levels reek of gaming days gone by and serve to successfully, if only temporarily remove you from the exquisite narrative. The cheesy, if still talented, charismatic and entertaining, voice acting serves as comic relief from the melodrama of the demonic plotline. All these cliché markers aside, the storyline and knock-your-socks off cutscenes force you to the end of the game, and you’ll be a satisfied gamer for doing so. Just remember to save.

Outstanding visuals and satisfying, stylish gameplay

Repetitive and again repetitive . . . and no autosave.

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