Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition in a way is a partial remaster of the 2008 release with some added content mixed in. The visuals are very noticeable and the remaster makes DMC 4 look even better than it did back in 2008. The 1080p/60fps visuals really do the game justice. If you’ve never played Devil May Cry 4 before but have played previous instalments or looking for an interesting Japanese inspired title then look no further.
The games story is easy to follow and revolves around Nero, a demon slayer, the hero against the evils from hell. Alongside this you are trying to stop a corrupt organisation that gains too much power and influence, they will stop at nothing to fuel their thirst for power and are becoming ever more tainted as they try to destroy anyone that gets in their way.
The nice upgraded textures and models are a nice touch, but I’m afraid to say this isn’t a reason to pick up the title if you have played it previously. I honestly could go back to the 2008 release and get the same enjoyment out of it now, just as much as this remaster. This isn’t to say the remaster is a bad, I am just stating if you’ve played it previously back in 2008 there’s not much point in picking this edition up, unless you’re a achievement/trophy hunter. The game still suffers at times with being a tad dull on the colour pallet with a lot of wide-open spaces with nothing to really explore, which soon becomes repetitive and tedious to venture through.
The cut-scenes look fantastic however and really do show the upgraded features off. Devil May Cry 4 does suffer from repetitive levels and design; this is also something I didn’t realise until playing it again since my last visit back in 2008. There is a lot of back-tracking involved across the 12 stages you play as Nero, before you switch to fan favourite Dante for 6 levels and then back to Nero. Oh and Capcom have continued to use the fixed-camera angles in the remaster, which can still remain frustrating.
If you’ve never played a Devil May Cry title before, then I don’t think this is the best place to start. Capcom haven’t thrown an option in the remaster to look back over the lore of the franchise, which would have been a great addition would appeal to people who haven’t played the title or any of the titles before. However, if it’s a history lesson within the series that you’re after, you can always pick up the Devil May Cry HD Collection. This remaster is clearly for existing fans only. The gameplay still remains to be very polished and the combat in it is the reason why I love the DMC franchise. It does however feel a tad dated and sluggish now compared to recent titles in the similar genre and perhaps more so with the recent DmC reboot.
As I mentioned above, Devil May Cry 4 – Special Edition includes some additional content. This content gives players the ability to play as certain characters for the very first time in the series. All of these characters are playable from the get-go before you start the campaign. These characters include Virgil, Trish and Lady. Selecting each of these characters, does not mean you get to play new campaigns however, as they will take over Nero and Dante’s slot in the campaign. Trish takes role in Nero’s stages and Lady takes part in Dante’s stages. A nice touch for fans.
DMC 4: Special Edition also suffers from a lot of loading screens, something that was very bad in the 2008 release. They have improved it dramatically however, but there are still a lot of loading screens to go through. The remaster is clearly for those that loved the original Devil May Cry 4. I was a huge fan of the title when I had it back on my 360 and loved the game a lot more back in 2008 than I do now. The remaster has some nice touches, but I think the gameplay has become a bit dated in comparison to the most recent Devil May Cry title; the DMC: Definitive Edition. This is still worth picking up if you have played it before as it’s nice to experience the game in full 1080p and 60fps with the additional content thrown in too.
The price has been marketed correctly for what it is offering at £19.99 via the PSN Store and Xbox One Marketplace. However you could essentially pick it up on PS3/360 for a lot cheaper and experience the same game and decent graphics. This remaster just touches up on something that was already good back in 2008. If you miss Nero and Dante this will be perfect for you.