Devil May Cry 4 is the first AAA title of 2008, and one of most anticipated titles of the past year. Dante makes his return, although it’s overshadowed by the introduction of Nero, another knight from the Order of the Sword. The recently released demo got everyone excited, but does the full game live up the expectation? Here is a breakdown of some of the facets of Devil May Cry 4 for the PS3:
Presentation and Graphics: Devil May Cry 4 is flat out beautiful. The environments are extremely detailed throughout the game, with both interior and exterior environments looking terrific. Character models are amazing, especially with the huge bosses in the game. The first time you see Berial engulfed in flames, you’ll be amazed. 9 of 10
Sound and Music: Sound effects in Devil May Cry 4 are done very well. The weapons all have intricately detailed sound effects depending on what type of enemy or surface they strike. The background music, however, leaves a bit to be desired. The game’s soundtrack features some B-list metal that plays every time you enter combat. Unfortunately, the gets annoying after a while. A bit more variety would suit the game well here. 8 of 10
Gameplay: Hack and slash is the bread and butter of Devil May Cry games, and this is no exception. At the start of the game, you take control of Nero as Dante comes and kills the leader of the Order of the Sword, followed by a tutorial level where you fight Dante as you learn your skills in the game. The first half of the game is spent playing as Nero fighting your way through hordes of demons. A little past the halfway point of the game, you get to take control of Dante, something that fans of the series will appreciate. Each character has his own set of moves that can be leveled up as you progress through the game.
One of the biggest features in Devil May Cry 4 is the ability to switch fighting styles with Dante on the fly. In previous games, you had to make the switch at statues where you upgrade your abilities. With on-the-fly switching, you can customize your style mid fight. 8.5 of 10
Lasting Appeal: With a variety of missions to play as both Nero and Dante, plus the Secret Missions, you’ll be spending a good deal of time with Devil May Cry 4, with the game taking you anywhere from 12-15 hours to complete. Add to that the desire to get a better grade for each mission, and the replay factor remains high for this title. 9 of 10
Final Word: Devil May Cry 4 does live up the hype. The game features some great hack and slash gameplay mixed with a bit of gunplay. Whether you’ve played past Devil May Cry games or not, this is definitely a must buy. The one caveat to the PS3 version of the game is the mandatory 22 minute install when you first load the game.
Overall: 8.75 of 10
