Kotaku
At the Capcom Spring Gamers Day, the press were treated to an updated demo of Devil May Cry 4. After series producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi presented us with a quick update on the PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and PC bound sequel, we were let loose on the game.
Fortunately, Kobayashi had also given us a video primer on Devil May Cry 4, showing an expert-level Capcom staffer summarily kicking hellspawn tail while taking little to no damage. Kobayashi dared the gamers on hand to try and make it through the demo in one piece.
I managed to plow through the PS3 press event version in a little over ten minutes but didn't quite perform as spectacularly as the anonymous Capcom developer. As predicted, end-of-level boss Berial managed to pound Nero's ass into the ground under my control.
Bah, I was never that good at Devil May Cry, so I considered myself lucky to make it that far. So what's new about the fourth Devil May Cry to make it worth your while? Lots.
As anyone paying attention to the game is likely aware, series regular Dante is not the main focus this time around, with newbie lookalike Nero taking his place. The signature gun- and sword-play hasn't gone anywhere, but where Dante's Ebony and Ivory leave off, Nero's Blue Rose revolver and Red Queen sword take over.
Nero has a few unique moves up his sleeve, however, including his Charge Shot, a powerful gun attack, and the Exceed System, a revved up sword move that uses the L2 button to "throttle" up the Red Queen. Did I mention that his sword bears a grip that looks exactly like a motorcycle throttle? Yeah. It's a little bit bad-ass with just a dash of cheesy. In other words, its par for the course with Devil May Cry 4.
One other feature unique to Nero is his anatomy, specifically his right arm, the Devil Bringer. He can use it to launch enemies upward for setting up combos with the Buster uppercut and, after securing the right power-up, reach out and grab distant platforms with the Grim Grip. Yes, everything in the game has a name like that. The Grim Grip (aka Snatch) can be used in battle, too, pulling in enemies just out of sword range. As Team Ninja's Yousuke Hayashi said, Devil May Cry is a combo-centric game, with the Buster arm adding a new dimension to the game's insane button slamming gameplay.
The demo runs through a series of environments, including the town courtyard shown in many of the game's early screenshots, as well as a snow and ice covered mountain setting. You may remember it being teased in the E3 2005 trailer shown at the PLAYSTATION 3 debut. While that level doesn't look quite as detailed and cinematic in play as it did in CG form, it still impresses. That said, the frosty level was graphically less satisfying than the demo's other environments.
What does impress in the visuals department was the demo's boss, Berial. A mashup of the Lord of the Rings' Balrog and an angry centaur, Berial sets the new standard for Devil May Cry boss fights... and in-game fire effects. Sporting a magma-hot sword and deadly tail, the fiery demon requires some decent thrashing before his flames peter out, giving Nero a chance to utilize his Grim Grip for a head-slamming show of strength; he lifts the giant demon off his clawed feet and whips his face into the ground for (sorry) massive damage.
The Berial fight shows just how good Devil May Cry 4 can look. It's an impressive visual treat, sporting solid 60-frames per second smoothness and some decent lighting effects. The game is built on the same Internal Framework that powers both Dead Rising and Lost Planet, so expect it look on par or better with those games throughout.
What can I say? I'm pretty much sold on Capcom's fourth DMC. It looks great (maybe not Ninja Gaiden Sigma great) and plays well. With Dante also appearing, multiple fighting styles intact, there should be plenty of variety to keep DMC vets interested.
