Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition – More than a remaster

Nadine Pacis

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Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition – More than a remaster
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is not the typical remaster. Its new additions can make the trip down demon-infested memory lane worth it



Genre: Hack-and-slash

Available platforms: Xbox One, Playstation 4, PC
Suggested for: Hack-and-slash fans, Devil May Cry and DmC fans

The stylish devil in red is back. Dante returns to PC and next-gen consoles via Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (DMC4:SE).

Fans of the series will be pleased to find that DMC4:SE is not your typical remaster. In fact, its new additions can make the trip down demon-infested memory lane worth it.

A brief history lesson

Before I dive in to the review, I want to iron out a few things to avoid confusion. Read this first if you are new to Devil May Cry. This section covers a bit of the series’ history. If you are familiar to the series, feel free to move to the next part of the article.

Devil May Cry is one of the games that popularized the hack-and-slash genre. The games usually take place in gothic settings infested with demons. It stars devil-hunter Dante, who ironically is a half-demon himself. All the games in the series are linear and straight-forward both gameplay-wise and narrative-wise.

Aside from its primary goal of defeating all bosses, what also makes Devil May Cry appealing is its combat points system. You rack up “style” points by linking your combos and varying the moves you use. The more times you repeat a certain ability in battle, the less points you score. It’s a game that forces you to get creative in your battles.

The games usually do not take themselves too seriously. They present an array of cheesy action scenes between its more sober and significant ones. The fourth sequel of Devil May Cry is notably the cheesiest of all. Consider yourself warned.

The game was recently rebooted which is why we see two distinct Devil May Cry games available. The reboot, titled “DmC,”garnered a lot of mixed reviews. While the game sported a darker and more serious tone, the drastic changes to Dante outraged fans. In DmC, a serious and rebellious “black-haired” Dante replaces the wittier and playful “white-haired”one. Despite the dramatic transformation, the game was still popular enough for Capcom to give the reboot a “Definitive Edition.” Thus, the reason why we have two Devil May Cry versions and remasters.

In this review, I will refer to the old version of the game as Devil May Cry, and the reboot to DmC. This review will also focus on the new features introduced in DMC4:SE.

Blast from the past in full HD

As with most remasters, DMC4:SE gets an HD face-lift to suit next-gen console graphics. Fans of the old Devil May Cry will be able to relive Dante’s “Smokin’ Sick Style” combos in glorious 1080p resolution at a smooth, and non-stuttering 60 frames per second. Curious fans of the reboot will get to appreciate DmC’s roots in full HD.

Note that the game is not a remake, thus, its age clearly shows. The original Devil May Cry 4 launched in 2008 and this special edition remains faithful to its old look. While it is crisper and smoother than previous Devil May Cry games, the textures are visibly outdated, and the awkward and forced camera angles are not forgotten.

New playable characters increase replayability factor

What makes this remaster compelling are the plethora of additions to the game. For fans of Devil May Cry, the greatest allure of the game are the three new playable characters.

Players will get to experience killing off demon hordes of Devil May Cry 4 as Lady, Trish, and Vergil. For those who have only played the reboot, Lady and Trish are Dante’s female devil-hunter comrades.

Lady and Trish share the main campaign similar to how Nero and Dante shared missions on the original game. Lady is playable on Nero’s missions while Trish is playable on Dante’s. Vergil, on the other hand, can be played throughout all the missions in the campaign.

I was pleased to find that the playable characters are not mere re-skins. All three characters have unique attributes and playstyles. Their movesets and use of weapons also vary from each other making replays of the game more appealing.

LADY. Screen shot from the game.

Playable characters retain combat depth

Devil May Cry is mostly known for its depth in combat. Dante’s moveset constantly evolves as you progress. It takes skill and practice to master the flow and combo of his actions. The same treatment is apparently given to Lady, Trish, and Vergil’s abilities.

Players who are familiar with their pasts will find that their movesets are influenced by their backstories. And if you control them according to their assigned playstyle, you are better rewarded in the game.

Lady

Let’s get into the details. Lady’s attributes are clearly based on her being the only human in the game.

She does not double-jump like the rest of the characters. Instead, she uses the kickback of her Kalina Ann – a very practical rocket launcher named after her deceased mother – to jump higher and deal damage to demons in the process. Her health does not regenerate. She does not have Devil Trigger – a mode that taps into the demonic abilities of a character.

Due to her “fragile” human body, she also has to rely more on her arsenal of firearms than her melee weapon. For the likes of Dante, firearms are the weaker weapon of choice. In the hands of Lady though, firearms are the bigger damage dealers.

TRISH. Screen shot from the game.

Trish

Trish on the other hand has the element of electricity on her side. Because of her nature, her attacks are faster than Lady’s. Trish uses her electric-charged bare-knuckle abilities and her Sparda sword to control the battlefield. She has specific abilities that can paralyze and hold her enemies in place.

Though some of her attacks are weaker, it’s easier for players to rack up style points as they can potentially lengthen her combos.

Trish does have a slight flaw in her abilities that will be glaringly obvious to those who have played as Dante and Nero first. In her half of the campaign, Trish has acquired Pandora early. Pandora is a long-range firearm that will only be acquired mid-way through Dante’s part of the campaign. Trish, who fills in Dante’s position, acquires it immediately.

Personally, Trish feels like the easiest character to control in the game owing to the fact that her abilities are quite similar to Dante’s and Vergil’s. Her paralyzing abilities, and easily acquired long-range weapon also adds to that.

VERGIL. Screen shot from the game.

Vergil

Last, but not the least, is Vergil, Dante’s more calm and serious twin brother. Those who have played DmC and Devil May Cry will easily recognize Dante’s darker and more power-hungry brother.

Unlike Dante, Vergil embraces his demon side and utilizes his darker powers every chance that he could get. For these reasons, Vergil has a unique mechanic called “Concentration.”

Whenever Vergil is close to the enemy, dodges enemy attacks, and deals damage effectively, his “Concentration” meter increases. The more focused he is, the more powerful he becomes. If a player reaches the third level of Concentration, Vergil not only deals more powerful attacks, but also increases the range of his abilities.

Because Vergil believes that guns do not represent true power, he does not carry any firearms. Instead, he pierces his enemies with projectile swords. Vergil proves to be the toughest character to control as his playstyle requires a lot of patience and combat efficiency. However, the great power that is tapped once players confer to his style is definitely rewarding.

As a bonus for DmC fans, Capcom incorporated some of Vergil’s moves from the reboot in DMC4:SE.

There’s a catch

Despite being able to play all three characters, they do not get their own storylines. For the sake of preserving the original plot, the characters only get an opening and closing cutscene.

Thus, playing with them on the main campaign feels limited. While we get to enjoy their devilish moves, we do not get to see the full extent of how far their characters have progressed from their first appearances.

For example, those who have played Devil May Cry 3, will find that Lady has changed quite a lot since her first appearance. In Devil May Cry 3, Lady is less playful and cares more about dealing with demons because of her own principles, and not because of money. As a Lady fan myself, I find her personality change to be a little awkward and was disappointed by the fact that there was no explanation for it in the special edition.

There are little hints of their own stories subtly thrown into the cutscenes. This is especially true for Vergil’s case. Without spoiling the plot, Vergil’s connection to the original story is hinted and we are also given a glimpse of his next move at the end of his campaign.

P.S.: Dark Knight Mode for consoles

Finally, let’s talk about the inclusion of Dark Knight Mode. In the first version of Devil May Cry 4, consoles did not have access to Dark Knight Mode, a difficulty setting for the gaming masochist in you. Dark Knight Mode features a larger horde of tougher demons waiting to get a piece of you. If you want to make it more challenging for yourself, run your first playthrough in this mode. That way, you start without new items and downgraded abilities.

I tried the mode for myself on Lady and Vergil. While it was satisfying to finally end a few levels on both characters (I never got to reach Trish’s part of the campaign in Dark Knight Mode), it was clear that to be productive in this game mode you need to master their abilities first.

VERGIL FIGHTING. Screen shot from YouTube.

But as with all standard Devil May Cry games, a higher difficulty level is unlocked after each playthrough. While Dark Knight Mode is not the toughest mode in the game, making it immediately available for console players will make it easier for them to unlock Dante Must Die mode.

Dante Must Die mode is a level that I firmly believe surpasses the likes of Dark Souls as a single hit from a demon can instantly kill Dante.

Is it worth revisiting?

With all its inclusions, is Devil May Cry 4 worth revisiting in its Special Edition?

The straight answer is, yes. Devil May Cry fans will certainly love the nostalgia brought about by this remaster, especially since it brings three of the most beloved characters in the original series. I absolutely enjoyed playing as Lady, Trish, and Vergil, who all have their own styles. 

Fans of DmC’s action may also find that DMC4:SE is worth picking up. Because despite the hammy acts and over-the-top musings of “white-haired” Dante, Devil May Cry’s richer combat shines through, and proves that it can stand the test of time… and unexpected reboots. – Rappler.com

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