Angels vs. Demons with a new spin

Capcom has been in a rather precarious predicament this generation. Sure, they’re arguably the Japanese company taking the correct approach to the current generation of consoles by appealing equally to tastes in all territories. But some series can still slip through the cracks, and remind us that the company is still the Capcom we know and love (or not). They release sequels way too similar to previous installments – a concept mainly responsible for the prolonged life and temporary semi-respite of Mega Man and total respite Street Fighter. You’d think a company would learn its lesson after a certain amount of time, but some don’t until their franchises are bone dry. Devil May Cry 4 is the next-gen upgrade for the franchise, being the first installment for the current high-definition consoles. With that, the potential for innovation rises, as do its development costs. DMC4 does attempt a couple of new ideas, but too much emphasis might have been placed on the budget rather than making the game the fresh, new experience one would expect from a new installment. The story is mainly interesting-though-typical affair, the tale taking place after the first game and before the second game. The first game also took place after the third game, making the continuity very confusing at this point if you’re going by numbers attached to the end of the name. This time, it’s about a holy order known as the Order of the Sword. The order is conducting a ceremony at the Opera House, until it’s interrupted when Dante drops through the glass ceiling and assassinates its High Priest, Sanctus. Nero, after battling Dante after the incident, embarks on a quest to seek the answers to this mystery. The story is told through cut scenes that are as over the top and melodramatic as you’d expect from Devil May Cry. This also means that Dante is no longer the protagonist of the franchise in this title. The spotlight is on Nero, with Dante playing second fiddle. With Nero’s demonic arm, known as the “Devil Bringer,” brings a wide range of new techniques to the franchise, which help in shaking up the formula a bit and making the approach to battles different. With the game centering on a holy order, the game marks the return of the Antoni Gaudi-inspired gothic environments curiously missing since the first game. The presentation is excellent, with the forests, snowfields, and castles looking picturesque and boasting wonderful effects. A pity there aren’t more of them, though, as you’ll be running through the same environments multiple times. Some games are obviously padded, but never has this been more blatant than in this game, where constant backtracking is required to advance to a new location that’s opened itself through some arbitrary mechanism. Collecting multiple items and opening doors during the missions requires running back and forth through many of the same locations at least three times. It’s perhaps a victim of the obviously high budget, but nonetheless disappointing.

Similar to the previous titles, DMC4 truly shines through its combat system. This involves raking up the biggest combos in order to get the highest rankings at the end of a Mission, which usually requires taking minimal-to-no damage while dispatching the enemies quickly and stylishly. Not an easy task, since the enemies and bosses regularly encountered can be pretty vicious, especially later in the game. The Devil Bringer also allows you to approach battles differently than the previous games, making the combat feel a little fresher than in previous installments. The game’s difficulty curve is the most balanced it’s ever been in the franchise. It’s tough, but not difficult enough that it feels impossible. And if the normal difficulty, known as “Devil Hunter,” proves too much, there’s always the ability to play on the easier difficulty level, cleverly referred to as “Human.”

 

Dante plays almost exactly like he did in DMC3, with a few necessary changes. Though only one style could be used between missions in the third entry, you’re now allowed to switch fighting styles at anytime during battle with the d-pad. Dedicated players who mastered Dante last time around will feel right at home with him here. Interestingly, the flow of the game is broken by Dante’s mere inclusion. With so many of the platforming elements using Nero’s Devil Bringer, and with the number of battles given a twist because of it, it feels as if Dante was haphazardly thrown into the game for the sake of him being there. Sure, he’s the most recognizable character in the series, but at least give him a few unique battles and obstacles instead of throwing him into Nero’s environments, complete with the same enemies and bosses.

There’s also the game’s structure to take into account. DMC4 may look like a current generation title, but it’s structured like a game from 2001. Arbitrary walls will still stop you and only open until you’ve defeated every enemy in the vicinity. It’s the traditional way that DMC deals with enemy battles, but it’s still constricting, and not something to expect from a sequel, whose traditional objectives are to correct the flaws of the original and evolve a specific franchise. Devil May Cry 4 remains a solid entry in the series, though its flaws are worrying for the future of the franchise. With the amount of recycling the game resorts too, if it wasn’t for Nero’s inclusion, it would feel like a complete retread. The next game needs to be more ambitious, and feel less like a last generation game design roots lest its well dries up completely.