Zero Punctuation: DMC: Devil May Cry

[shrekfan246]

So is this going to be the next big gaming controversy now?

The harder difficulties are still difficult, it plays like a Devil May Cry game (in fact, I'd say it plays better than all of them with a possible slight exception for Devil May Cry 4), the writing and story are just as good as any of previous games and better than at least two of them, and while the level design may not be as convoluted and intricate as DMC3, it's at least better than other games in the same genre like God of War III and the art direction completely blows it out of the water.

And really, anyone who says the first Devil May Cry was better than this hasn't played that game in a long time. It's got the worst camera angles of the entire franchise, practically a non-existent story, and slow, tedious combat that yeah, bears some resemblance to the rest of the franchise, but was quite obviously the first implementation of the system.

Playing through with the Classic Dante skin is a laugh and a half in itself, though.

 

[GAunderrated]

This sounds like the perfect game for me once it goes on sale for about 7.50 or less on steam.

 

[LightOfDarkness]

There really is a scene where a mop falls on his head, giving him the old look, and then tosses it away? I guess the devs didn't take well to the fans/fanboys complaining about the new look. Rather than just making their new game and see if people appriciate it, they open up by saying "Fuck everyone who prefered the old look, we think it looks stupid and we're making the game, not you, neiner-neiner". Can't deny that it's a funnier response, but I don't think it's a good buisness practice. Plus, seeing Dante's new look on the screenshots, I can't say I find it looking any less stupid.

well, it's not a mop. It's a wig.

 

[Rad Party God]

So, I can be perfectly fine by sticking to Devil May Cry 4. I can live with that, it's actually lots of fun and by the looks of the videos I've watched about DmC, Devil May Cry 4 actually looks a lot much better.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I wasn't expecting a recommendation on this one from you Yahtzee. Guess you got impressed by this title as much as I was.

Loved this one, carry on my good sir.

 

[Xman490]

Nice visuals? Fast-paced gameplay? Easy-to-S-rank levels? Pathetically easy, yet epic bosses? Looking back at the main character's past and wildly different personality at the time?

That sounds like Sonic Generations, and I loved Sonic Generations, and I coincidentally beat Sonic Generations a few days ago! To follow through with that tangent, I like how the levels are easy enough to S-rank on the second go. It didn't waste my time, except in the last level, but that main stage was 5 minutes long on average between the gameplay styles.

You see, my most aggravating factor in games is when they make me restart levels or level sections. My time is valuable to me, and when I play games, I want that time to be consistently fun.

 

[karloss01]

you see, I like this game but I can't compare it to previous devil may cry instalments because it feels and plays like Heavenly Sword. Heavenly Sword itself was a bit of a half baked idea, and I see DmC as second attempt of the same game play concept, both games have the heavy and light trigger holds for their weapons and both run on the same engine and have the same problem of enemies not doing anything when they are not on screen.

I feel this game would have done a lot better if it was Heavenly Sword 2 and not a game that plays like Heavenly Sword but is wearing the flesh of another game franchise.

and for my personal preference i would like to see the old Dante return, but this rendition can continue as well; do the whole Modern Warfare/Black ops run then both parties are happy.

EDIT: as for the difficulty my first play through had me attaining on average SS on nephilim difficulty (I attained a single A on mission 16 because i was careless) and a SSS rank on the final boss.

 

[eltonborges]

Taste is a funny and really surprising thing. An example? I kind of enjoyed Devil May Cry 2, both with Dante and Lucia, and even with Trish, but I did not finish the game with her.
Second, I've finished DMC 4, in Devil Hunter, first time I've played it and them started and finished DmC in Nephilim. And yeah, it was much harder to get to the SSS level in DMC 4, I think I've only managed to get to it three times during all the game. It was easier with DmC, but, one thing people don't seem to see, we are experienced players, who played the older games, and they were not easy at all. So, is DmC easy, or is it easy for us, the most experienced girls and guys?
Second, NT remembered to add one of the defining traits from the old DMC series: Indestructible cloths: How many times did Dante got his chest trespassed by Rebellion? It happened in DMC 1,3 and 4! This new Dante is also pretty good at absorbing damage, and get his clothes intact.
In the end, the things this new DmC lacks: The medieval castles from Resident Evil, really, every DMC could happen in Raccoon City, Rockfort Island or any Spencer Mansion. This could had been solved if the mansion level were bigger, or a bit more explored. The soundtrack had some sweet battle songs, some better than the older ones, but the eerie songs, the ones used during the exploration, or the menus, those songs are not present in DmC, and that is a shame.
I also wanted the menus represented more of the story, a bit like what we see in racing games like DiRT, or Max Payne 3, but this wasn't present in the old ones too.
And the last thing, for me, that was forgotten, and I'm proud of them for that: Cleavage! After I've finished DMC 4 and saw the cutscenes with Mary, Trish and Gloria I was full of WTF's in my mind. That was weird. That was absurd and wasn't funny.
In the other hand, people love to talk about characters in game, so, we must talk about Kat. She is human, she is smart, dependable, resilient, had a good presence during all of the game and looked like a normal girl, not a glorified doll! That is a plus.
In the end, It's funny to see people talk as if the older Runs of DMC were perfect games: They are linear, they are completely composed of, enter room, it gets locked, fight monsters, wins, open door to next room, repeat. And it's the same for Ninja Gaiden, the same for Bayonetta, God of War, and so on. If the game had another name, it would be a solid enter in the "get locked inside room full of monsters weaker than you" genre we love so much. But been a "reboot", I wonder how long until the reboot of the reboot, so it will look like the old again.

 

[TecnoMonkey]

Thinking about buying DMC, I've never played a Devil May Cry game before, come to think of it I've never played a hack n' slash game before so I think this is a good entry point for me to the genre.

Also (don't kill me for this) I like new Dante better than old Dante, in a purely aesthetic sense.

 

[dragongit]

How did Yatzee know about my OKcupid profile picture?... I mean wat?

Still doesn't give me any desire to get it. The message about corperate consumerism really is too ham fisted to enjoy the story, and the combat seems entertaining, but not enough to warrent 60 bucks.

[small] I wish I was joking about the profile picture, but I'm kinda not...>.>[/small]

 

[Polite Sage]

Exactly. All the complaints that were brought up pre-game release aren't really that valid anymore. I can actually say that the younger Dante is kinda believable as a younger version of a cocky cock from the later games. Granted, he's still a cocky cock, but slightly more restrained.

Also, the people complaining that the easiness of the game ruins it, hear this from a hardcore Demon's/Dark Souls player: It's a game, not a final exam for college-level Calculus. Besides, no one is forcing you to play it on easy. The difficulty option can still be bumped up.

Which of the complaints "aren't valid anymore"? The middle school level, profanity filled dialogue? The hamfisted and not subtle in the slightest "corporations are evil and anarchy makes sense" values and the developers calling it "deep and artistic"? Removing perfectly fine game mechanics, such as hard lock-on, essentially disallowing all directional input related moves and favoring less moves scattered over more buttons and then plastering Heavenly Sword combat on top of it? The combat developer admitting that he had no idea about how juggling in the previous games worked?

"Not all games need to be hard" is no valid argument. What if they nerfed the upcoming Dark Souls 2 in favor of "wider audiences"? Would you be saying the same thing then? The old DMC games also had lower difficulties for possible struggling players but the new DmC is a piss easy button smasher (the game rewards you for spamming high damaging moves and doesn't care for variety) more akin to God of War, even on the "hard" difficulty levels.

If this is how you "ruin" things, Ninja Theory, do you think you could "ruin" some other franchises?

It's quite funny how all reviewers and DmC defenders compare the new title to the old and dated game instead of it's vastly more challenging and fast-paced sequels (namely 3 and 4, 2 is absolute dogshit) and feel like they can weigh in on the subject.

 

[Diegolomac]

I find it amazing how Yahtzee, the most picky critic with higher standarts that I know of, said that he recommends the game, and even then the fanboys put their fingers in their ears and go "La la la he said that it sucks, it's a crap game and Ninja Theory should shut down cause they ruined Devil May Cry FOREVAAAAAAAAAAHRRR".

Seriously, it's pretty good. If you guys find it annoying that MovieBob keeps whining about Amazing Spider-Man even though most people thought it was pretty good, then you shouldn't be doing the same thing.

 

[Flaery]

It's not as though Devil May Cry was that great of a series to begin with. Problems that can be attributed to this can mostly also be attributed to the other games in the series.

 

[ResonanceSD]

I loved the picture for "Gravity" being a grumpy old man! XD one of the funniest parts of the video.

 

[BX3]

"Not in a million years"

Yeah, I remember that white wig scene. Sent me in to a gigantic gigglefit it did.
----------------------------------------------------

So this review was basically what my friend, who is an avid Devil May Cry fan, has been saying for weeks now. Gameplay's fine if lacking a bit of the freedom of the previous games, bosses are disappointing and piss easy, worlds are gorgeous, etc.

The only difference between he and Yahtzee's opinions on the game is that he liked the story and character dynamic, whereas Yahtzee didn't even touch it for some odd reason.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

I understand the way Yahtzee recommended this. I said the same thing, yeah...it's pretty and the combat is satisfying in a "calm down and mash buttons" kind of way, so it's worth it if you thought the previous ones were too difficult/slow paced. I'd honestly put it above 2 but below 1,3, and 4. But that's thinking of it as a legitimate entry in the series, when it almost feels like a last-minute DMC re-skin. I've recently gone for a second playthrough on SoS and it really magnifies the issues with the game. The engine just doesn't allow enough enemies on screen at once, and it sucks that they just stand there if they aren't on screen. It really is the prettiest UE3 game I've played on my PC, though.

 

[AgentLampshade]

I was hoping for a bit more than a few sparks, really.