"Listen to new gen / calling you out of darkness..."
Of all the games receiving a current-gen resurrection, Devil May Cry 4 seems the unlikeliest. Some fans really do prefer its action to that of the DmC reboot, which itself has already received a modern redux to great effect. But fact is, it's happening, I've played it and it's bringing loads of tweaks and new features to the table.
You can now play as five different characters (three new), with Dante and Nero joined by Trish, Lady and Vergil. Trish is no longer the reskinned Dante she was in DMC2, instead sporting a much more distinct moveset. Bizarrely, she has to stand still to build up weapon power, but her gun-based combat is at least a change from all the usual slashing.
The game is said to runs at 60fps in 1080p but, having played it, that hasn't equated to a great-looking game. It's smooth, certainly, but a lot of the background textures currently look low-res and washed out (check out the screens on the following slides) and there are jagged lines around the edges of everything bar the on-screen text. It's still only preview stage so the Devil may Change (aha!), but right now the game looks old. But then, Bloodborne has done that to a lot of games.
Despite the changes, this still feels like DMC4, with precise, chunky movement and that trademark combo ranking system that encourages you to play with style. Vergil is based on his DMC3 appearance, and and can use his summon swords at any time, impaling unfortunate enemies from afar.
With Devil Triggers, launchers, a concentration gauge and alternate 'True Demon' forms (for everyone aside from Lady, who is human), there's a lot here for advanced players to master. They'll also enjoy the Legendary Dark Knight Mode, previously only seen in the PC version of DMC4, which offers loads of enemies and a sharply elevated difficulty curve.
The package is decent, but when the game wasn't that impressive when it came out 7 years ago, it's difficult to muster excitement for it now. Especially when even Bayonetta 2 on Wii U looks better than the code I'm playing here. Still, let's wait and see when it's finished.
Click on through for more details and screenshots.
At least Dante's got his proper hair on. Right, folks?
Here's Lady in action. Notice how basic the background looks
The HD character models clash with the low-res textures
That said, the shadows fall beautifully over the characters
That'll be a SSS combo rank then. Wooot!
This boss used to look amazing. Now it feels tiny. I blame Bloodborne
Here's Trish in action. Her foot is on fire
Trish loves her guns, but can also fight bare-handed if you choose
Vergil has really cut loose since leaving Thunderbirds
The soundtrack still stands out as particularly good
New cosumes are in and compatible with all cut-scenes