Devil May Cry 4 -- an inclusive hands-on preview
Well, we feel included by hearing about an exclusive hands-on of Devil May Cry 4. After the week long stint of DMC4 news, what else could be discussed other than some hands-on impressions? Well, they've got a lot to say, but we'll keep it as short as possible just because we know you've got a lot to do on a Sunday.
The gameplay has gotten so finely tuned and sharp that it was instantly gripping while remaining challenging.
Some things don't feel next-gen about the game (at least, this early demo): the whole "kill all the enemies in the room to magically unlock the seal on the door" is a little worn-out.
The most important aspect of the game, at least with Nero, is the Devil Bringer. It completely changes the shoot/slice formula... being extremely responsive and refined doesn't hurt. And charging up your sword by throttling it like a motorcycle is neat, too.
The artificial intelligence is supposed to be top-notch, but not in the demo they played, apparently. Although it was more of a tutorial level, making the enemies dumb, they didn't exhibit much advanced AI.
Boss battles? Still intense and difficult. Failing only makes you want to defeat the monster more!
Crossing levels swiftly via the Hell Bound teleport move may portend a more engrossing exploration element in the final build.
Dante is ready to fight -- he's got his skills from Devil May Cry 3 as well as instant weapon-swapping. But only the developers got to show him off.
But what makes the game fresh? "This is a game made by a man who cut his teeth on fighting games, and combat is the number one priority here. Throwing an enemy up into the air, slashing it with a sword, following that with a few quick shots and yanking and slamming it back into the ground is extremely addictive. The Devil Bringer is fully integrated - essential - to the combat, and is the key to what makes DMC4 feel fresh. The graphics, of course, are packed with detail and flash"
That's it for the week of Devil May Cry 4. We stretched it out a little longer, but whatever. Now, we'd love to hear about the trophies they have planned for Home. Who wouldn't want a life-sized statue of Dante for beating the game with all S-ranks? I'd take that over some worthless line of text telling me I "achieved" something anyday.
