REVIEW - Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition
DEVELOPED AND RELEASED BY - Capcom
Devil May Cry 4 was, of course, the last Capcom DMC before Ninja Theory got their paws on it and as much as the newest addition to the franchise was not only worthy, but in some cases better than what had come before, the original bunch of games had a certain cyberpunk vibe about them, which was lacking in the last release.
That being said, the 4th in the series was not exactly the strongest. Only the really patchy second game saves it from being on the bottom of the pile. The problems weren’t exactly major, but they took away from the fluidity of what the series had been so renowned for. There was loads of tracking back to revisit locations, graphics which looked great in some instances and just plain ordinary in others, as well as a story and level design that was more patchy than a knitted quilt.
The Special Edition of DMC 4 is full of extras, trying hard to eradicate those issues with more content. The Knights of the Dark mode allows for more enemies on screen than in the normal iteration, but this is really to keep the purists happy. You know, the ones who like to have three figured combos and have the ability to do it kind of purist. I, however, am NOT one of those people. For me, the normal, more matured games player, it is more a case of enjoying some smooth fighting, mixing it up a bit, and just having a hoot with the craziness that Devil May Cry brings.
Character wise we also get the addition of Lady, who manages to decimate everything with her mahoosive (slang) rocket launcher and mixing it with some grenade action. On the aforementioned Knights of the Dark mode this is an essential, as you more or less pummel entire screens of enemies in an instant with an almost nuclear power contained in your arsenal.
The action stays nice and fluid as well, thanks to the other major addition, which is a constant 60fps frame rate, allowing for some beautifully smooth combos, resulting in a happier game experience. Normally these things alone can elevate a good game into something greater, but the problem with Devil May Cry 4 is that, as I’ve already said, the original game was not without fault.
The issue is that the game itself has not really been altered in any way other than the things already said. The level design is still a bit bland, no matter how many flame covered demonic bosses you throw at us. The puzzle elements are always welcome, seeing as how someone stole them from every Resident Evil since 3, but the fact the control system has also not been radically altered results in some rather tedious problem solving.
The bad controls also make their way over to the combat. In a world of gaming that now seems to pride itself on easy layouts and the ability to perform intricate movement and battle moves without needing a university degree, Devil May Cry 4 seems to just think that we can all drop back into it like an old pair of shoes. I never remember the PS2 having this level of complication in it. Locking on is done by HOLDING the RB button, rather than touching it, like Dark Souls and so on. Controls have moved on since then, but in the case of this remaster, no one told Capcom.
It never looked bad to start with and it still holds its own reasonably well here, bearing in mind it was an Xbox 360 release within the first two years of the console’s life. It isn’t perfect all the time, but all things considered, it is nice on the eyes for the most part. The story, cheesy and predictable though it is, is also harmless enough, with Nero fighting his way past loads of nasty demons to rescue his fair maiden (or Ghosts ‘n Goblins with guns to everyone else). It is a really obvious tale, but then that is like saying you watch reality TV for the intellectual conversations.
The thing is, the game has a lower price point than most Xbox One games out there and it wasn’t exactly the worst thing to bring back to a new audience, but in an age of consoles where everything and it’s mother are being ported onto the next gen, was this really a game we would have wanted to see appear on Xbox One as a Special Edition? I wouldn’t miss it if it hadn’t have turned up, if truth be told, but I cannot say it is the worst choice. The other major problem that it has is that it once again gets shown up by what Ninja Theory did to its OWN FRANCHISE. The DMC Definitive Edition wipes the floor with this in almost every aspect, keeps the combat intact and delivers a nice frame rate to get your teeth into. Don’t get me wrong, DMC4 doesn’t skip a beat, no matter what is thrown at it, but it just feels like a series really showing its age and that never looks good, particularly through the eyes of a generation that played it the first time round.
What we have here is a game that was average when it first came out and, regardless of what sheen or polish it has thrust upon it, is still in that average bracket. It isn’t something to totally avoid, and if you pine for more arcade hack and slash then it is worth a few hours of your time, especially at a price point that will not break the bank. When you have something like the newer DMC out there though at a now similar price, due to the time it has been out for, you would have to go for that over this, but if you wanna head down Nostalgia Lane, killing off some outrageous enemies and sucking back a storyline more cheesy than an 80’s US soap, it will certainly keep you going for a while. Dodgy level design, poor story and the constant drudge of going back and forward don’t help, but if you rise above that, it will do the job well enough.
Let’s just say “rental” was made for this game.
Thank you to the Xbox Community for letting us review this game.