Spring Break
Video Game review: Devil May Cry 4
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: The Edge
Devil May Cry 4" is one of the few games I have played through back-to-back, once on Devil Hunter (normal) and again on Son of Sparda (hard pwnd n00bs). Since I have a PS3, I had to sit through a "Previously on 'Devil May Cry'" slideshow while the game loaded onto my hard disk. This process took around 27 minutes. Afterward, there were very short load times, but I hated the wait since it kept me from playing the game out of the box.
Now for the meat and potatoes. "Devil May Cry 4" has beautiful presentation. Both in-game graphics and cut-scenes look amazing. The fact the game is easy to look at adds to the enjoyment factor.
There are 20 levels in this game ,and though I have logged close to 150 hours on "Devil May Cry," I am sure it can be done inside of 20 to 30 hours of play. There are also some nice extra features in the game. The Bloody Place mode is basically a time attack/survival mode hybrid that gives a time limit to lay waste to all the enemies you have faced throughout the game. There is also a character gallery and a cut-scene viewer so you can go back and ogle the scantily clad ladies you missed, you perv.
The game's controls are unchanged and largely from previous "Devil May Cry" outings. It is a button-masher from the old days and still plays like one, so break out the Mountain Dew and Advil because your fingers are about to get a workout.
On the whole, the game reminds me of "Mega Man" (another Capcom franchise). Playing as the new character Nero, who looks and acts like Dante's younger clone, you have the standard save-the-girl, save-the-world quest to finish. This is fine, as the writing in the game is not spectacular but entertaining.
The automatic combo system makes an appearance in this installment, to the joy of your thumbs. It simplifies the deep combo to its most elementary form. With it turned on, it becomes a breeze to grab yourself an SS rank in a fight. The weakness of this system is that you run the risk of being locked into a combo you can't stop, which can be bad during a boss fight. For that reason, I suggest using manual.
The biggest problem with the game is the board-game sections that appear in the later part of Nero's half of the game. It slows the game play to a halt. In these sections, you are forced to play a game of life and death during which traps on the board may trigger a battle with a random enemy (including bosses). The first time you play through it is only mildly annoying. When it appears the second time and larger, it can cause a controller malfunction of the shattered-in-frustration variety. The difficulty of switching between Dante's styles also comes to mind when I think of problems.
On the whole, "Devil May Cry 4" is a very satisfying game with tons of replay value. It is well worth its $59.99 price.
- Josh Jefferson
edge staff
Now for the meat and potatoes. "Devil May Cry 4" has beautiful presentation. Both in-game graphics and cut-scenes look amazing. The fact the game is easy to look at adds to the enjoyment factor.
There are 20 levels in this game ,and though I have logged close to 150 hours on "Devil May Cry," I am sure it can be done inside of 20 to 30 hours of play. There are also some nice extra features in the game. The Bloody Place mode is basically a time attack/survival mode hybrid that gives a time limit to lay waste to all the enemies you have faced throughout the game. There is also a character gallery and a cut-scene viewer so you can go back and ogle the scantily clad ladies you missed, you perv.
The game's controls are unchanged and largely from previous "Devil May Cry" outings. It is a button-masher from the old days and still plays like one, so break out the Mountain Dew and Advil because your fingers are about to get a workout.
On the whole, the game reminds me of "Mega Man" (another Capcom franchise). Playing as the new character Nero, who looks and acts like Dante's younger clone, you have the standard save-the-girl, save-the-world quest to finish. This is fine, as the writing in the game is not spectacular but entertaining.
The automatic combo system makes an appearance in this installment, to the joy of your thumbs. It simplifies the deep combo to its most elementary form. With it turned on, it becomes a breeze to grab yourself an SS rank in a fight. The weakness of this system is that you run the risk of being locked into a combo you can't stop, which can be bad during a boss fight. For that reason, I suggest using manual.
The biggest problem with the game is the board-game sections that appear in the later part of Nero's half of the game. It slows the game play to a halt. In these sections, you are forced to play a game of life and death during which traps on the board may trigger a battle with a random enemy (including bosses). The first time you play through it is only mildly annoying. When it appears the second time and larger, it can cause a controller malfunction of the shattered-in-frustration variety. The difficulty of switching between Dante's styles also comes to mind when I think of problems.
On the whole, "Devil May Cry 4" is a very satisfying game with tons of replay value. It is well worth its $59.99 price.
- Josh Jefferson
edge staff
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