The PC version also happens to be the best.
Smashing demons with flashy, extended combo chains has been Devil May Cry's draw since the original came out on Sony's PlayStation 2 back in 2001. For any PC gamers out there, you probably haven't been following along since then. Devil May Cry 3 did come to the PC in 2006, but the game didn't exactly make a smooth transition to the platform. With Devil May Cry 4, which came out on PlayStaion 3 and Xbox 360 this past February, Capcom has done a much better job bringing the franchise's blistering action gameplay to PC with smooth graphical performance, a new difficulty setting, and a turbo mode to speed things up even more.
If you're totally unfamiliar with the series, here's how it works. The game's overall structure isn't all that complicated. You walk into a room, the exits are blocked, and enemies spawn in. Your job is to use all available offensive options to deplete their health bars and snag the orbs that drop once they're vanquished. The higher the difficulty setting, the more damage they can absorb. Stringing together combos without taking damage, completing levels quickly, and snagging as many orbs as possible increases your score at the end of a level, giving you more points with which to buy additional moves and combos.
To break up the standard grunt slaying is the occasional boss fight and some light platforming and puzzle sequences, and not all of these work as well as the standard DMC monster killing action. While the boss encounters are entertaining and can vary depending on difficulty setting, with a few you wind up fighting the same creature three times, and considering they're all behaving according to pre-set patterns, the experience loses its appeal rather quickly.
Those issues take a backseat to the gameplay, though, which works well whether you're playing as series staple Dante or newcomer Nero. Dante retains some of his fighting styles from DMC3, now able to swap between Trickster, Swordmaster, Royal Guard, and Gunslinger on the fly. He's a highly versatile character in this respect, capable of instantly adjusting to whatever types of enemies happen to be assaulting him, giving him better dodging, blocking, sword-swinging, or gun-related abilities. With a few new weapons, like Pandora that transforms into rocket launchers and flying missile platforms depending on when it's used, Dante's gameplay is never boring.
Nero plays quite a bit differently. Like Dante he brings swords and guns to battle, but his most unique feature is Devil Bringer, his glowing blue arm. With this thing he can snatch enemies from afar and perform powerful grab moves which differ depending on the enemy type. Standard scarecrow enemies are simply body-slammed but some, like the game's ice demons, are flung around and smashed into the ground several times, damaging others in the area and acting as a sort of impromptu shield.
Instead of Dante, Nero's the star of the show this time around. He's wrapped up with the mysterious Order of the Sword, a religious group with suspect intentions, chases after his love, Kyrie, and battles demons for around the first half of the game. Then things transition over to Dante which, given how differently they play, is a little jarring. Once you're no longer able to access the Devil Bringer's reach ability, you're going to have to readjust your combat tactics pretty significantly. To be forced into it right in the middle of the game is a little odd.
What's even stranger is the level design, which basically forces you to retrace your steps in the second half of the game, bringing you back to the beginning. You fight through the exact same arenas twice, which is, in addition to a painful dice game sequence near the end, what accounts for all the repeated boss encounters. Devil May Cry 4's story doesn't feel much like a quest at all in this respect; it's more like a tumultuous shopping trip.
It's also unfortunate that Nero is the focus here, as he's nowhere close to as strong a character as Dante. Whereas Dante's ego dwarfs even the most gargantuan of the demon bosses he so regularly faces, Nero seems just as likely to whine as to jeer at enemies. By the end he comes off more like a kid chasing a stolen juice box than a fearless hero in pursuit of his girlfriend. When Dante steps into the action, he's so endearingly arrogant that he even manages to soothe some of your concern regarding the challenge ahead.
While the story isn't all that thrilling (A furtive order of religious zealots has malicious intentions? No way!), it does have its moments. During one particular sequence where, after being defeated, a mad scientist boss is madly scribbling notes on a clipboard frantically asking Dante for combat tips, I couldn't help thinking of how he's mirroring players who run to game guides for advice. Yet in this case, the scientist is addressing Dante, who is, in essence, you. The game is asking the player for advice on how to better challenge you, and since it can't exactly turn to a guide itself as it's governed by the rules of its AI programming, you can't help but take pity on it, even though it's trying to kill you. Though these kinds of moments aren't common, it's an enjoyable kind of self-awareness you don't always see in action games like this.
PC gamers can also use the turbo toggle to speed up the action and, once unlocked, can play on Legendary Dark Knight mode, which turns out to be pretty difficult. I'm by no means the best DMC player out there; in fact I'm nowhere close, but the sheer number of enemies spawned in this mode ensures that only the best, most dedicated players will be able to make it through. Still, it's nice to know it's there even if you're a more casual player and happen to get sucked in.
DMC4's visual presentation is also fantastic, in higher resolution on the PC and in DX9 or DX10 modes. Even on my home system, which isn't exactly a powerhouse, the game still ran wonderfully smooth with most of the graphics options turned all the way up and in 1920 x 1200 resolution. In addition to the action, you're also treated to some fantastically directed in-game cut-scenes that flesh out the story and show off slick, stylish action sequences.
For sound, you'll mostly hear grunts, item pick-up effects, gun shots and sword clangs during gameplay. Character voice-overs are generally well done, but why oh why does the battle music have to be so awful? With every fight you're assaulted with trashy electro-rock that really just needs to go away.
Closing Comments
So are you going to enjoy Devil May Cry 4? Hardcore actions junkies aren't going to care as much about the wrap-around level progression and repetitive encounters as they'll likely be busy replaying stages for the highest ratings. They're going to love the punishing Legendary Dark Knight mode on Turbo and power through the wonky platforming and puzzle sections. If you're one of those who are just looking for a one-shot action experience, though, you'll probably be more affected by these kinds of flaws.
Regardless of how much weight you put on each category, the action gameplay is accessible and possesses quite a bit of depth if you're willing to put in the time. The higher-resolution graphics on the PC shine and flow smoothly, and the fact that a gamepad is the best way to go shouldn't turn you off. This type of game couldn't really work any other way. So while it's not without flaws, it's still one of the better pure action experiences on the platform.
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