Devil May Cry 4

This has to be the first Playstation 3 game I've bought which I haven't gotten fed up of in a week or less. With decent agmes being far and few between at this current stage, Devil May Cry 4 comes along and boasts itself a success. Itself being the fourth in the series - which shouldn't be a problem for new interested gamers who haven't previously played a Devil May Cry game. The installation of the game onto the hard drive is a very long process (I mean long, it took about 20-30 minutes), but it is filled with atmospheric music, pictures and even the storyline up until now from each of the previous three games. The installation times allows you to read through this two or three times before it is finished, giving you a good chance for it to stick in your mind. Having said that, it is not completely necessary even to read it if you don't want, as the story is a new one with a new main character: Nero. Previous characters do appear, namely Dante and a few others - which is where the previous story comes in handy, as previous names get mentioned throughout the game.

The tutorial at the start of the game allows easy access to the game, and walks you through all of the moves step-by-step in detail giving you an apportunity to try it all out before you move to the next step. Again, if you would rather skip the tutorial this can also be done. The controls are wonderfuly set up, and extremely fun to play. The battle system is simple, yet effective, and a lot of fun. There are two options in regards the battle system. One being the easy mode where you string a series of attacks together using just one button using timing. The other option is a form of combining buttons to attack giving it a more challenging feel for more hardcore gamers.

The game is relatively short, from about 7-12 hours. A shame is that 2 hours or so of this will be backtracking through previous levels later on in the game when you gain control of Dante. This can be a little frustrating at times, but the level design is wonderful, and the graphics are some of the best to date (especially on High Definition format). By the playing introduction to Dante about halfway into the game, you may find it a little frustrating using him because his battle abilities are very different. The timing is all very different, and he doesn't have the all-strong devil arm that Nero controls - meaning you may find yourself tapping away on the circle button having no effect and getting hit repeatedly by the enemy. As well as being a pain, this can also be good because it's almost like starting a new part of the game, and gives the game a great little twist with more things to learn. His introduction to the game is excellently timed and provides the game with extra lifespan and longevity.

The storyline is compelling, with beautiful characters, and some very impressive cut-scenes. Some of the boss's are so wonderfully designed, it really shows off the graphic capabilities of the Playstation 3. The game really benefits from being played on a High Definition television or Projector, as it seems the game was simply designed to be played on a large scale, detailed setup.

There is plenty of replayability. You gain a rank and grade for you fighting skills and orb collecting abilities for each of the missions. The better your grade, the more orbs you get, and the better the rewards. This is also a great addition for people who want to get everything from the game, in a lot of cases you may find yourself going over missions over and over trying to top youir previous score. This is in no way tedious, because the game is so much fun, and it is incredibly addictive trying to top your high score.

I would definitely recommend this game, whether you are new to the series or returning from previous games. It shows of the true power of Playstation 3, with beautiful graphics and design, and provides endless fun which will keep you up until the early hours of the morning. The collectors edition comes with a nice steel case and sleeve as well as a full colour art book which is a nice addition, however probably not worth the extra £10 unless your a big fan of game art. A fantastic purchase, and highly recommended.

When Devil May Cry came along on the PS2, it ruined things for everyone. How could there possibly be a better game with so much off the wall action? Then Capcom did it again, three times. But where to start with DMC4? This game is everything i'd come to expect from the previous installments but in all it's HD glory.

I'll start with an issue that most people seem to moan about. The 25-30min install time. Alright, a bit annoying if you're chomping at the bit to play it (if you haven't bought it by now im guessing you're not) but it does vastly reduce load time and gives a lenghty reminder of the story in the first three games while you wait.

Considering myself reasonably adept at DMC games and having two weeks to practice on the Demo before hand, i chose to play this through in 'Devil Hunter' first time. Make no mistake, this game is hard (though not comparable to DMC3) and first time players will need to go through this on 'Human Hunter' to get to grips with the combos. It wasn't hard for the sake of being hard though, it feels like a challenge. Any other game i would have put it down long before the end.

DMC4 obviously brings in a new character Nero and you can execute some stunning combos in conjunction with his devil arm. But it felt like Nero was made as a kind of training character for people who hadn't played a DMC game in preperation for Dante, and if you've been a loyal Xbox fan you might not have. The possibilities with Dante's combos are endless where as you run out of ideas quickly with Nero. Nero feels like you can only attack one enemy at a time where as Dante will hit anything and everything. Nero is fun, but it's so plainly obvious that Dante is superior.

One little touch i did enjoy was the game telling you how anyone on your friends list is doing. you sign into the network after the game starts and a little message will tell you who is on what chapter, difficulty and any achievements they've unlocked. I'm not normaly one for the achievement malarky, but i liked this.

DMC4 also has a lot more story going on, and it's not half bad. I wont say anything about it though, spoilers and all. Dante's cheesy lines know no bounds but i, and probably many other fans wouldn't have it any other way. You'll be pleased to know Nero follows suit with cringe worthy one-liners.

On the surface of things, DMC4 is just DMC with fancy graphics. But that's all it needs to be. Ever.

Fans of the Devil May Cry series will probably know what to expect from another instalment - epic boss fights. Frantic, acrobatic swordplay and the potential to look super cool while doing it without having to put too much effort into it.
What they might not expect is a fleeting cameo by Dante and instead having to use a new player character, Nero, who is all but a carbon copy of Dante anyway. Nero mirrors Dante's abilities too, so the transition is virtually painless. Also, he has the advantage of a demon hand which he can use to grab throw enemies in the midst of battle or even swing across long distances, Spider-Man style.
The fixed perspective is still present and, sometimes, annoying but this is a fixture of the series and it wouldn't be DMC without it. There is one particular section where you are running into the camera through a moving forcefield which is rather tricky - but overall this has been kept in check and never threatens to spoil the fun. The beasties are plentiful, varied and beautifully animated. The action comes thick and fast and the location graphics are nicely realised.
It all seems very satisfactory as Nero faces off against the main boss, however...
However indeed. This is where the game surprises - it's not over, it's just begun. Player control switches to Dante, allaying all fears that he had been traded in for a younger model, and the game just goes on and on. More boss fights, more power ups and some of the craziest new weapons are thrown into the mix.
There are twenty plus big stages to this game, plus a plethora of hidden challenges and this gives the game genuine re-play value. The storyline is ridiculous, but entertaining, as you might expect from the series with the entwined fates of Dante and Nero leading to a epic tag team battle against a massive multi-stage boss that nods to God of War 2.
This is a awesome title, brimming with action and consistently upping the ante. The developers have thrown the kitchen sink at this one and it really pays off.
If you are an old hand to DMC, then this will certainly be more than you bargained for.
If you are new to the series, then lucky you. Capcom are spoiling you.