2008 Woodie Awards
'Devil May Cry 4' impresses with visual effects, gameplay
Steven Graboski
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Arts and Leisure
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While the original Devil May Cry was regarded by many as a classic for its high-quality presentation and intuitive mixture of close combat gunplay and sword fighting, its sequel, Devil May Cry 2, is often seen as a disappointment among fans for being too easy.
Devil May Cry 3 combined the presentation and gameplay of the prior games with one of the hardest quests in the series' past, which pleased fans, but made it nearly impossible to complete for newcomers.
This poses questions on how the latest DMC game compares to the series' past. DMC4 focuses on Nero, a man born with a demonic arm. Nero lives in a village that follows a cult that worships a demon known as Sparda, who fought his own kind to protect humanity.
However, during one of the cult's ceremonies, Dante, the half-demon main character of prior games, assassinates the cult's leader.
This may shock fans, as Dante was never depicted as one to take a human life. A battle between Nero and Dante ensues, but the latter escapes mid-battle, and Nero is sent by his cult to track him down.
Along the way, Nero will not only discover Dante's intentions, but also many secrets concerning the cult's leaders.
The story is presented through cut-scenes, both containing dialogue that continues the story and battle scenes that could easily rival many of today's action films.
Where DMC4 really shines is not its story, but its gameplay. First, the series is known for its intensity and this sequel does not disappoint.
Fortunately, DMC's powerhouse combat system, which mixes gun and sword attacks, is maintained for DMC4-gunplay is used to attack demons at long-range, while sword attacks deal out heavy, close-range damage. Nero has the ability charge his sword and pistol, as well, which allows for more powerful attacks.
The game also includes puzzles that the player must solve to proceed in the game, though these are rather simple and shouldn't pose too much of a threat to the player's progress.
Puzzle complexity aside, DMC4's gameplay provides the most enjoyable experience of the series, thanks to the innovation that Nero's demonic arm provides to combat.
For presentation, DMC4, for the most part, is worthy of the DMC name.
The game's visuals are vastly impressive, and without question the best the DMC series has seen-special effects such as fire, ice and spark effects look outstanding, while all of the characters are well-animated and designed.
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