Devil May Cry 4 (PC)

Every bit as good as its console brethren, if not better.
9/23/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 3

If you've read Scott Jones' deliciously entertaining reviews of Devil May Cry 4 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, then you already know that Capcom has delivered some serious Gothic Goodness (though I'm less forgiving than Jones, perhaps, of the PS3's 22-minute initial load time).

Now Devil May Cry 4 is available for the PC, and it holds up very, very well -- if your system can handle it, that is. In fact, the PC port also offers a few bells and whistles not found in its console counterparts. But before diving into platform-specific advantages and shortcomings, let's first cover the core gameplay.

Capcom's latest Devil May Cry tale introduces a mysterious new demon-killing machine, Nero, who not only has a number of weapons of mass destruction at his disposal -- including guns and enormous swords -- but also sports a glowing Devil Bringer arm to grab enemies from a distance and knock 'em into next week. Nero's modified appendage means he can snag a nearby enemy, toss it high into the air above him, and either jump up to hack and slash a half-dozen times with a sword or fill it with plenty of lead before it falls to the ground in a slump. In fact, you can master a number of these types of combos, based on your preferred attack moves (see below).

While at the beginning of the game you'll play Nero -- who also sports a Red Queen sword, which can be revved up like a motorcycle -- you'll eventually unlock the ability to play as Dante, another white-haired, half-human half-demon who we met in past Devil May Cry games. Dante, doesn't have a Devil Bringer arm or Red Queen sword, but he does bring to the table his own weapons, like long knives that come out of his forearms and a throwing blade that spins like crazy. As Dante, you can also select from different fighting styles on the fly, including Trickster (more acrobatic moves), Swordmaster (better melee attacks), Gunslinger (for those who prefer gunplay) and Royal Guard (a defensive strategy that counters an enemy's attacks). Oddly enough, pretty boys Nero and Dante look almost freakin' identical (which I thought might be part of the story -- long-lost half-brother? -- but evidently it's not).

Though the Gothic story doesn't always make sense (which tends to be the case with Japanese-to-English translations in games), a small coastal town becomes inhabited by followers of some badass dark knight named Sparda. The opening CGI cinematic shows a church-like ceremony, where Nero sees Dante, Sparda's son, crash through the cathedral ceiling and assassinate the cleric and other members of the congregation. As with previous Devil May Cry games, you can expect many high-quality cut scenes, which tend to borrow effects from old Hong Kong fighting movies and sci-fi flicks like "The Matrix."

But you'll also find slick camera angles during the gameplay. The third-person perspective game follows Nero (and then Dante) in a number of huge indoor and outdoor locations that include snowy mountaintops, towering castles, town squares and expansive forests. Don't be fooled -- you can't go wherever you want in this game because of "invisible walls" -- but at least there are many areas to explore, including hidden crevices that reveal secret side-missions. Being kept on a tight leash, though, might frustrate players tempted to explore these epic environments (myself included).