Devil May Cry 4 – Forever Generation

Shall Never Surrender – Devil May Cry 4 OST ( +fav)

A Next Stylized Generation:

Last generation, Capcom’s Devil May Cry helped to redefine modern action-adventure gaming with its lush 3D environments, stylish slash-n-shoot combat, and lovably cocksure antihero, Dante. With its roots firmly planted in the old-school finesse-driven gameplay tradition for which Capcom is known (Strider, Bionic Commando) and glossy, Resident Evil-inspired presentation, DMC created a rock-solid template that inspired countless imitators. Unfortunately, that stunning debut begat two mishandled sequels — DMC2 felt like a lifeless, repetitive retread (albeit one with designer-jeans product placement) while DMC3′s absurd difficulty curve made it impenetrably tough for most gamers. An apologetic “Special Edition” of DMC3 corrected its problems, but the series’ history of missteps left fans wondering whether this fourth installment would arrive fully formed. The good news? In many crucial ways, Devil May Cry 4 feels like the return to form that fans so desperately desire. But at the same time, an obnoxious design choice keeps it from being an unqualified success.

From the outset, DMC4 pulls some surprising punches — benching well-liked, wisecrackin’ Dante in favor of decidedly emo, hoodie-clad newcomer Nero may seem like a dumb move, but the gamble actually pays off. Nero’s truly the star of this quest, and you control him through nearly two-thirds of the game as he attempts to rescue his lovely lass from a corrupt theocracy. It’s a far more serious, earnest, and mature adventure than you’d expect, even if the game’s female characters sport ridiculously massive mammaries and the “angels” you’re fighting look more like Gundam mechs.

DMC4 unfolds in a strictly linear fashion, with a diverse mix of combat, puzzle solving, and platforming in each of its 20 stages. Even though it’s divided up into chunks, the game world stands as one interconnected, realistic realm packed with dense jungles, abandoned mines, and mammoth castles. But unlike the past games, this one takes an overly frugal approach to level design: Once you’ve battled through the holy empire as Nero, you get to trudge back through it all over again (including the bosses) as Dante. Sure, this crimson-clad badass controls like a dream — his godlike strength, agility, and special attacks erupt with a fury that Nero simply can’t match

That said, you’ll definitely want to play through DMC4 more than once. Burying fan-favorite Dante so deep in the game practically guarantees that you’ll want to tackle the quest a second time on a tougher difficulty, if only to explore his incredibly over-the-top arsenal. Compared to the more defensive ebb and flow of Nero’s gameplay, Dante’s hyperkinetic tempo invites players to simultaneously experiment with a multitude of weapons and combat styles — mastering how to switch up his attacks on the fly isn’t easy, but the results are visceral and rewarding. New toys such as Lucifer (an evil backpack that lets Dante toss out an infinite number of glowing blades) and the unfathomably cool Pandora (a suitcase that transforms into everything from a spinning saw to a gyroscopic missile array depending on your controller input) bristle with creativity.

Devil May Cry 4 still remains a must-play title for action-adventure gamers. Its gorgeous trappings, addictive combat, and well-balanced difficulty make it the most satisfying DMC in years, and Dante’s such a killer character that you’ll actually want to tackle the game on a tougher difficulty in order to fully explore his amazing arsenal.