Gaming Devil May Cry 4

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2008/...il_may_cry_4/1

Devil May Cry 4 discards the stories of old, introducing new characters and enemies. But with Dante apparently the bad guy in the latest instalment, has Capcom pushed the series too far? We find out in a comprehensive review of Nero's adventure!

[Mankz]

Why must they all still look like Gerard Way?

[p3n]

wewt my copy just fell on the doormat <3 play

how much of the game did you play? Dont recall you mentioning any boss fights Oo

[CardJoe]

An online embargo prevents me from mentioning any boss fights unfortunately

[Paradigm Shifter]

Hm. Considering just how much time you seemed to spend railing at the games' perceived weak points, I expected a far lower score than 7.

I'll freely admit that the DMC series had me completely hooked from the moment I first played the original - and I'm one of the few 'heretics' who thought that even DMC2, which was widely considered the worst by far of the series, to be pretty enjoyable. I'll also admit to being extremely cautious about Nero as a character.

However, the hovering 'glitch' you describe isn't a glitch - it's been a feature of all of the DMC games, and the ability to use it properly made the difference between completing some of the DMC3 Secret Missions, or failing miserably. Just part of the OTT sword 'n' gun-play that is DMC's trademark.

[Redbeaver]

haha was just gonna mention that... blasphemy! hovering IS the signature feature of DMC games!!

ill b picking this game up just to have a little bit of hacknslash fun and definitely for the cutscenes and story... being a DMC and Anime otaku and all

so yeah, for me, most likely, the cutscenes evry 10 steps is a welcome feature!

[p3n]

just done a few missions on devil hunter mode, damn good fun and pretty taxing thus far. only managed a smokin' combo so far though :<

*smashes some evil furniture for its devilish currency*

[CardJoe]

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter

However, the hovering 'glitch' you describe isn't a glitch - it's been a feature of all of the DMC games, and the ability to use it properly made the difference between completing some of the DMC3 Secret Missions, or failing miserably. Just part of the OTT sword 'n' gun-play that is DMC's trademark.

That just strikes me as bad game design then. It looks crap and makes no sense, serving only to really break the game. We found it within moments of starting the game up and the universal reaction was one of rolled eyes, muttered swears and the slow realization of what sort of game this was.

[DoR]

Im sorry Joe but if you do your research you'll come to find its designed into the game from the get go. You clearly are a newcomer to the game series and as such you seem unable to accept the way the game is designed and thus mark it down simply because you havent played it before and are unwilling to see it as a feature but as a bug? Please, someone else review this game who knows what they're doing...

[CardJoe]

I accept that you think that, but it reads more as if you just want someone to give it a higher score. The general reaction when I scored the game a 7/10, was incredulity that I didn't score it lower (coming from most of the office, including series fans). I admit I haven't played 2 and 3, though I have played 1.

I mark the game down not because I haven't played it before, but because I think there are specific design flaws in the game which get in the way of the gameplay. I like the OTT cutscenes a lot - but having so many of them, having them so long and putting them so close together really does break the game. I was gobsmacked to find out that the game features more cutscenes and longer cutscenes than all the previous games put together, BUT isn't significantly longer in gameplay.

I've been told that the jerky-hovering-shooting action etc is intended and from my knowledge of anime I can kind of believe that - but why not include a simple animation for Nero so that he can be seen to actually hover in the air for a reason. Even if he just flapped his legs it would make some kind of sense, or if he fell to the floor in slo-motion or whatever. As it is having a guy holding a gun in a frozen in one stage of an animation and jerking up and down by a centimeter or two (on screen) just seems poor and inexplicable and that the developer hasn't even tried to hide something that clearly breaks the feeling of the game.

But m'eh. The fanboys hear what they want to hear etc.

[Jojii]

the 6-9 scoring scale strikes again

[CardJoe]

It really doesn't.

[Paradigm Shifter]

being a DMC and Anime otaku and all

Red, seen the DMC anime, then? That was pretty good - not quite what I was hoping for, but it wasn't the complete rubbish I was quietly expecting, either. Strawberry sundaes cheesecake. Was a bit annoyed at one thing, though - twin pistols, Ebony, the first one and Ivory, the second - not two pistols, both called "Ebony & Ivory".

[devdevil85]

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter

Hm. Considering just how much time you seemed to spend railing at the games' perceived weak points, I expected a far lower score than 7.

Joe knows what he's talking about and just like he said, your criticisms are only hinting that you wanted a higher score vs. an actual game review. I, too, am new to the series and the hovering made it almost too easy, in the demo, to kill things, but I did find it to be fun and useful when fighting bosses....the cutscenes did start to annoy me after the 3rd time and they, like Joe said, just pointed out obvious things and came a little too often.....

I will be playing the full version of the game soon, so my experiences w/ the game could change, but for the most part the demo was Ok...and 7/10 just proves that point.....nothing completely special/new, but it did what it was expected to do...

Joe, what system did you play the game on?

[Paradigm Shifter]

Originally Posted by devdevil85

Joe knows what he's talking about and just like he said, your criticisms are only hinting that you wanted a higher score vs. an actual game review.

How did you manage to twist my surprise at a higher score than I was expecting into 'I want the score to be higher'? If anything, given the reviews general tone, I would want the final score to be lower.

[Tim S]

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter

How did you manage to twist my surprise at a higher score than I was expecting into 'I want the score to be higher'? If anything, given the reviews general tone, I would want the final score to be lower.

We went over this together for quite a long time and the game itself (minus the cutscenes) is an 8/10 - it's fun to play, but there are a few problems and most of those are minor... the scale of some of the problems are a matter of personal preference.

The cutscenes every few minutes really broke up any involvement in the game for him and we were fighting between a 6 and a 7... for quite some time, I might add. I sat watching him play the game for a few hours to get an understanding of what the game was about and how it played, so that when I came to read the review, I would know what he experienced. In the end we went with the 7 because we know there are fans of the series and fans of anime that we lap up the cutscenes - it's a matter of personal preference in that respect.

The game is a safe bet for fans of the series, but doesn't really offer anything new to anyone that doesn't like the previous games. I can understand why someone would give this an 8/10 though, because once you get through the cutscenes, it's a fun game to play if you're a hack n slash fan.

[Jokkocze]

Can you change the language that nero speaks? He's speaking nothing but english in the demo, and it feels kinda weird. Can you change the language of the talkage to japanese or something?

[Paradigm Shifter]

Originally Posted by Tim S

We went over this together for quite a long time and the game itself (minus the cutscenes) is an 8/10 - it's fun to play, but there are a few problems and most of those are minor... the scale of some of the problems are a matter of personal preference.

The cutscenes every few minutes really broke up any involvement in the game for him and we were fighting between a 6 and a 7... for quite some time, I might add. I sat watching him play the game for a few hours to get an understanding of what the game was about and how it played, so that when I came to read the review, I would know what he experienced. In the end we went with the 7 because we know there are fans of the series and fans of anime that we lap up the cutscenes - it's a matter of personal preference in that respect.

The game is a safe bet for fans of the series, but doesn't really offer anything new to anyone that doesn't like the previous games. I can understand why someone would give this an 8/10 though, because once you get through the cutscenes, it's a fun game to play if you're a hack n slash fan.

Cool. Thanks for the clarification there. The cutscenes will likely annoy me after the first play through and as you say, it's all going to be down to whether one likes the DMC gameplay mechanic or not.

[devdevil85]

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter

How did you manage to twist my surprise at a higher score than I was expecting into 'I want the score to be higher'? If anything, given the reviews general tone, I would want the final score to be lower.

My bad Paradigm...I was in a hurry and though you wanted a higher score....so I'm glad we actually agree on the lower score (of course I have only played the demo, but wasn't really "blown away")....so again I'm sorry for my mistake.....

[CardJoe]

Originally Posted by devdevil85

Joe, what system did you play the game on?

Xbox 360. I have no time for install sequences and Capcom didn't offer me the choice.