 Review By: David Pulgar |
Developer: | Capcom |
| Publisher: | Capcom | |
| Genre: | Action | |
| ESRB: | Mature | |
| # Of Players: | 1 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | HDTV 1080p, Dolby 5.1 Surround |
Slight spoiler alert…If you don’t want it, then skip this paragraph. Really, don’t read it if you don’t want to know that Dante is a playable character. (I’m sure it’s no secret, but you never know.) Gamers will be able to access Dante a little more than halfway through the game. He’s the same smart-ass you’ll remember from previous DMC titles. Immediately, players will have access to Dante’s sword, Rebellion, and guns, Ebony and Ivory as well as Coyote, a shotgun. With Dante, players also get four fighting styles to choose from: Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Trickster and Royal Guard. Essentially, each style changes the usage of the “B” button. Swordmaster, for example, executes a signature sword attack when “B” is pressed while Gunslinger unleashes a fast-firing barrage of lead that can target multiple enemies. Each weapon and style can be upgraded too. On top of the base weapons, Dante gets additional ones while backtracking to destroy the Hell Gates. This task, while repetitious because you essentially replay the same Nero levels again, is worthwhile simply because the weapons available, like Pandora’s Box, are so, so cool.
All weapons and abilities can be upgraded in DMC4. Whether it’s the Red Queen, Rebellion, Yamato or the Gunslinger Style, any one of those, and more, can be upgraded using Proud Souls. Proud Souls are DMC4’s currency for upgrades. By expending X number of Proud Souls in the Power Up menu new attacks and more powerful versions of old attacks can be unlocked. Players earn Proud Souls based on their performance during missions. An A rank will earn players more Proud Souls than a C rank. This final level score is based on the score of three sub-levels: time, style and percent of orbs collected. If you don’t like the particular way you’ve spent Proud Souls it’s also possible to refund them and spend them elsewhere. In this way, players can change their character to perform in a way that suits them. It’s highly unlikely anyone can unlock every move on one or even two play throughs because the cost to upgrade moves increases with the number of moves purchased. Some players might need three or four play throughs before everything’s unlocked.
The story found in DMC4 isn’t five-star, but it’s entertaining. Part love story, part beat the resurrected cult leader bent on destroying the world, this cliché of old never fails. And the dialog, while incredibly cheesy at times, is still good, Dante's especially. His quirky one-liners never cease to amuse me. Oh, and the voice acting for DMC4 is superb, as is the audio in general. Background music is energetic and highly motivational too. Combine that with DMC4’s beautiful in-game engine and you’ve got a feast for your eyes and ears.
My quarrels with DMC4 are minimal in comparison to my praises. One: camera angle stinks. In some areas, the camera is player-controlled, in others it’s a fixed view, which makes taking out the bad guys an irritating task if they happen into your blind spot. Equally irritating are the dice games you must complete in order to advance through certain rooms. And let's not forget the game is way too easy, at first, both Human and Devil Hunter modes aren’t very challenging. It isn’t until you unlock the Son of Sparda or Dante Must Die modes that things get interesting. One final quip is level diversity. You’re essentially playing the game twice each time you play it. Once you play through with Nero, you have to backtrack with character #2, not very fun.
Bottom Line:
Whether you’re a noob or a veteran DMC-fan, DMC4 is an excellent addition to any collection. From its beautiful graphics to its polished audio effects and music, DMC4 is a work of art. Sure, it’s not perfect, but even when you’re playing through the same levels again, using a different character does change the experience. Character #2 plays nothing like Nero and, with the weapons you pick up along the way, there’s defiantly a lot of chances for variance. Players don’t have to always use a gun or sword to off their enemies. In the end, I’m playing this game over and over with a smile on my face. And that’s the way it should be.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 8.0 |
Posted: 2008-05-05 18:06:32 PST