The arrival of a Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition on Playstation 4 and Xbox One is welcome, though somewhat perplexing.
Sure, Capcom’s slick hack-n-slasher was favourably received when it first arrived on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2008. This is a much-loved franchise, characterised by its frenetic, stylised gameplay, which is both satisfying to play and exciting to watch – not least because lead protagonist Dante remains one of gaming’s most suave and compelling characters. This enhanced edition of the fourth title in the series keeps the excellent combo-based and enthrallingly deep gameplay intact whilst updating the visuals to make it truly the best version of any of the original games.
On the other hand, however, the franchise has already been successfully rebooted for modern players via Ninja Theory’s 2013 brawler DmC: Devil May Cry, which itself has been re-released with a Definitive Edition earlier this year on current-gen platforms. Compared to that sharp, highly focused thrill ride, Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition can seem a little bloated and overwhelming.
The story follows the exploits of Nero, a knight who serves in the mysterious Order of the Sword whose leader is murdered by the protagonist of the previous three games, Dante. To further complicate matters the Order of the Sword worship Sparda, Dante’s father. Nero is forced to question his beliefs as the game progresses, with a series of events that see you take control of Dante part way through the adventure.
It’s at this point that the flaws become apparent. In a game that is built around the concept of repetition in order to test player skill and allow the attainment of higher combo scores, variation in environments and enemy types are crucial components to avoid stagnation. But as Dante, you’re forced to retrace the steps of Nero and visit previously explored locations with a character that only has a slight variation in combat mechanics. Add to this a frankly rather dull puzzle section towards the end of the game and you’re left with an experience that looked slightly dated seven years ago and now seems positively prehistoric.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition does, however, provide a fair amount of content that makes revisiting the game worthwhile for fans of the series or for those who enjoy a good, masochistic challenge. The ultra-hard Legendary Dark Knight mode is, for example, seemingly designed only for those who felt that the likes of Dark Souls 2 and Boodborne were going easy on them.
Yet surprisingly the biggest draw here is the inclusion of three new characters: Trish, Lady and Virgil. Where Nero and Dante feel somewhat similar to play, the three newcomers are refreshingly differentiated. These aren’t mere reskins – they represent very different ways to play the game and are perhaps the single best reason to purchase this edition. The fluid freedom of motion that embodies Trish’s style juxtaposes perfectly with the slower but powerful moves of Lady , while Virgil’s more calculated yet vicious attacks sit somewhere between the two. The ability to readjust the moveset of each character at any given time, a feature introduced in DmC: Devil May Cry, is also very welcome addition.
For the uninitiated, the inclusion of these characters probably won’t have enormous significance. There is little reference to the fact that Virgil is Dante’s brother and that the third game revolved entirely around their conflict. While some effort has been made to incorporate the three new ensemble additions into the plot, their presence often feels shoehorned in and it can be quite jarring at times.
Typically, remasters of this sort are great for those coming fresh to a series but don’t tend to offer enough for fans who have already seen them through to conclusion. Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is the opposite, providing very credible reasons to play through two, three or even four times for those who have real affection for the franchise.
In many ways, the excellent reboot offers the better initiation into the business of hyper-stylised demon slaying. However, this special edition costs just twenty pounds and offers the sort of traditional brawler mechanics we just don’t see anymore. Indeed, players able to look past the flaws will find one of the most pure, visceral action games available on current machines.
Capcom; PS4 (version tested)/Xbox One/PC via Steam; £19.99; Pegi rating: 16+
