DmC: Devil May Cry - Honest Opinions

[V1rax]

I like the game. I think it's better than the originals and i'm having a blast playing as the new Dante. The only complaint I can muster is it's not as difficult as the other games but I mean there are 6 different difficulty modes so that shouldn't really effect anyone.

I think the issue people have with anything like this is the fact no one likes change; yet we complain and complain about things that don't. The fact Capcom was willing to give change a chance already sold me on the purchase.To many developers follow the COD and Halo way of thinking: To much change will scare away the customers.

Everyone who has played the Demo and doesn't like the game thats fine that is your opinion. There is a lot more to this new Dante than what the demo portrays though... The demo consists of early parts of the game where we don't really learn to much about the characters revolving around the world.

My final thoughts so far (I haven't beaten it) is that this game is Ninjas theory take on a established franchise that was lacking innovation and creativity. They choose to do something different with it instead of just cashing in and trying to make something that followed the originals (ex. Halo 3 to Halo 4). Capcom as a publisher took a risk on the project and it worked in my opinion. Everyone who is complaining about the storytelling, the gameplay, or the mechanics are just unwilling to accept change and are the reasons we will always have COD, Halo, and constant sequels that never evolve over the period of there existence.

 

[AVATAR_RAGE]

Can't really say much past my experience with the demo, which is not too positive considering both levels broke on me.

 

[deanospimoni]

I think the issue people have with anything like this is the fact no one likes change; yet we complain and complain about things that don't. The fact Capcom was willing to give change a chance already sold me on the purchase.To many developers follow the COD and Halo way of thinking: To much change will scare away the customers.

^This

After seeing several reviews of this game on various sites, one thing strikes me. Critics like this game because it is different, established fans of the franchise hate it for the exact same reason. Now change can either be a positive or a negative thing, but here's a question, "Does this game negate the enjoyment you had in the previous installments?" All of those games people have played don't cease to exist because one they didn't like was released. Just because one is a fan of something does not mean it somehow belongs to them. So, the simple solution here is to just not buy the game. If the sales figures suck for it, Capcom will take notice.

 

[Vidiot]

Sorry in advance for the wall of text

Honestly, I don't know how you can all be so upset. DMC1 was a looooong time ago. Go back and play it again, then tell me with a straight face that the story was great, the characters were endearing and the dialogue was believable.

From what I've played so far, DMC5 has a better story all-around(more believable characters, far fewer plot-holes, better premise)and has fixed multiple problems with the antiquated control scheme. The combat is as tight and responsive as ever once you adapt to the new button layout. I found myself smiling at all the little inside jokes and references to the older games of the series while keeping a coherent story that actually makes sense within the context of the world.

Let's look at this in a long-view for a moment, we'll break it down one game at a time.

DMC 1ante is introduced as a mysterious badass who accepts a job without question from a woman who stabs him in the chest, then throws a motorcycle at him before explaining anything. The dialogue started the trend of laying on the cheese thicker than a drunk roommate making nachos.

The combat was great, laying in the groundwork for the awesomeness that would come after.

The environments were precisely what was "cool" at the time, a decrepit Gothic-inspired castle where the antagonist thwarts you indirectly at every turn like a D&D Dungeon Master with a grudge.

DMC 2:Just... crap... The story was nonsense, the gameplay was lazy and the environments were a muddled brown smear.

DMC 3:A great return-to-form for Dante, and as they couldn't risk reminding anyone of DMC2, they had to go back in the story line to find something worthwhile, and decided to make a prequel about Dante discovering his Devil Trigger ability. The secondary characters were either flat or irritating, but the dialogue struck just the right balance between gravitas and cheese.

The gameplay tightened the bolts on the combat, while adding the style system to allow for many more moves and better replay value.

The environments were pretty unremarkable for the most part. It did a decent job of transitioning between the modern world and the Tower of Infinitely Contrived MacGuffins. I won't even get into the lazy design behind the chess piece enemies.

DMC 4:Now suddenly we're in a weird hybrid between modern and feudal times. The survival-horror influence of the original Resident Evil team that worked on the first one is pretty much gone, but they've done a beautiful job with the (now bright and happy) environments.

Story-wise, Dante has finished his character arc, and is pushed to the back for the sake of introducing Nero. Nero is a whining pubescent little ***** despite his ridiculous power and skill. He pines after his adopted sister, who has even less of a personality than Nero.

The combat was improved in two simultaneous directions, forcing the split and forcing the writers whip up a new protagonist who is equal to Dante in power. Dante kept an improved version of the style system from DMC3, now able to switch styles on the fly. Nero got the arm thing on the other side of the coin, and demonstrated just how much more fluid the combat could be if you could grab enemies and pull them into your combo, rather than chasing them all over the room as you bat them about.

DMC 5: The combat is a natural evolution of fusing both characters from DMC4. Dante kept the most useful moves of both characters, and added a few of his own. It's fast, fluid, and skillful, allowing for both pursuit and pull tactics when dealing with enemies.

The story attempts an update on the theme by allowing the world to exist in parallel with Dante's antics. Instead of forcing the story to take place in some far away island or tower, it's right here in our world, just on the other side of the veil. I couldn't help but smile at the thick parody of American consumerist culture, and our horribly broken banking system.

The reboot was necessary because DMC4 wrote itself into a corner with Dante passing the torch to Nero, who nobody likes.

Anyway, that's my rant/rundown. I played every Devil May Cry to date, and beat each one (yes, even 2) more times than I could possibly count or prove, and I feel that this is the best possible direction in the series. You are all, of course, encouraged to form your own opinions, I only ask that you make them as educated opinions as possible. You don't have to agree with my views, but please take the time to consider what other roads were open to the dev/writing teams before you scream about them taking a wrong turn. We might have ended up with a new trilogy about Sparda's grandchildren, or an entire series surrounding Nero. In the end, the writers painted themselves into a corner, and laying down new floors left the fewest footprints.

 

[anthony87]

Haven't played the game yet but I really enjoyed the demo so I'll be picking it up soon enough. As much as I'd like to see a legit DMC5, fact is the "story" was going nowhere fast and they screwed the pooch entirely in that regard with DMC4 so it'll be interesting to see what the future of the series is after this.

 

[Artemis923]

I don't know what's worse: how awful this game is, or how fans' opinions are trashed about because "derp yer a fanboy".

 

[Tohuvabohu]

The story they came up with is the kind of juvenile power fantasy that you would expect out of a middle-school student, with boring and trite dialogue and some of the worst one-liners you're ever going to hear in a game. Worse still is the cast of characters, one of whom is effectively a cardboard cutout, another who is cartoonishly inconsistent in his actions throughout the run of the game, and a protagonist who seems to go out of his way to Poochy is up, only to result in the most unintentionally loathsome player character in recent gaming history.

If you take it all as a farce then you may be able to get some enjoyment out of the story in this game, but that's a defense mechanism. This is, far and away, Ninja Theory's worst game from a storytelling prospective, and I continue to be shocked and appalled that such a formerly outstanding studio would release a product of such low quality.

From what I understand, the stories of their previous games were not entirely written by Ninja Theory staff. They brought in writers, to basically 'fix' the stories they had written.

I remember when they brought in Alex Garland, the writer for Enslaved, he claimed what NT currently had was pretty bad. Namely in regards to Monkey, who in NT's original draft, was a callous loathsome dick.

For example, I think the first serious discussion we had about narrative was on the very first day that I, Tameem and the level designers all sat down together. We got to a section where Monkey was walking down a walkway, and he sees an escaping slave trying to pull himself up to the walkway. And instead of helping the guy up, Monkey kicked him in the face and sent him to his death. They thought this projected the idea that Monkey was a badass. Whereas, to me, it projected the idea that Monkey was a bit of a ****.

http://www.edge-online.com/features/interview-alex-garland-part-two

Here's what Rhianna Pratchett had to say about her involvement in Heavenly Sword

My job was to brainstorm the story, characters, relationship, themes, etc. with Tameem Antoniades (creative director) and Andy Serkis (dramatic director) and then write up profiles, revise story documents, and completely rewrite the script (without changing the basic spine of the story too much) with those ideas in mind. From that the cutscenes were drawn and visually scoped out.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/09/rhianna-pratchett-talks-heavenly-sword-sony-and-andy-serkis/

It seems like DmC is what happens when Ninja Theory is left to their own devices. As evidenced by the previous iteration of Monkey, they have a very bad impression of what a "badass" is supposed to be.

 

[Beryl77]

I don't really like it and before some ignorant just shouts that I don't like it because of the hair change, then shut up. It has nothing to do with the hair.

My problem is that they took the things out of a dmc game that made dmc games good in the first place. It's not a bad game but it's not a good dmc game. It took a step back from the other games in the gameplay department.

The games were always really fast paced. Quick combos, switching weapons, continue combos, switch powers, etc. All that went really fast and if you wanted a high style score in the hardest difficulty setting, that's what you had to do. That feeling of speed is gone a bit here.
Weapon changing is too sluggish for example. They also don't encourage to use different combos. Just pick one and keep using that. What makes that even worse is that some enemies can't even be hurt by certain weapons and you can't use whatever weapon and combos you want against the enemies, you're forced to use a certain weapon. That takes the creative freedom out that previews games offered.
The game is also too easy. I managed way too quickly and easily an SSS rating on the highest difficulty. It's now based on damage done. I've mentioned this above, you can just keep using the same attack and get a high rating. Switching weapons and styles isn't necessary anymore. Once you're in the air, most enemies can't do anything anymore to you and it's easy to stay in the air for a long time.

One more thing. Dante and a 1200 old worm just saying fuck you and other childish insults you to each other a couple times? I know that the dialog never was a strong point of dmc games but that's just stupid. It sounds like they hired a middle schooler to write the dialog (and the story sometimes).

 

[Mister K]

I will not say anything about actual gameplay, because I have not played the game or demo.
But I am currently watching a playthrough of it, so here is what I think about other aspects:

Graphics: looks nice, but playing vidiagamez for graphic is like watching porn for a story.

Aestetics: also nice, but too many acid colours, which hurt my eyes.

Music: not really liking it. While in previous instalments music had suiting rhythm, this one does not, which hurts the flow.

Presentation: Clusterf*$k. Opening sequence did it to me. You may make main character a womanizer or an innocent sheep, gentle lover or lust hungry beast, but you do NOT start any game, movie, whatever, with shots of female reproductive organs and two females making out. Class people. Class!

Main character: I can't say that I REALLY dislike him, he may be as rebellious as devs want, it is their right (too much swearings, though). But what I DO find revolting is NT's treatment of heritage. Example: during one of the cutscenes, a white wig lands on Dantes head. He looks in the mirror and says: "Not in the million years". That is just a big Screw You aimed at fans of the series. No matter how much potential client, potential buyer annoys you, you always treat him/her with respect if you want your stuff to be bought. Also, why couldn't they simply change his name to, for example, Caesar? The whole controversy would have been avoided. Imagine, that if you like, for example Stree Fighter series, it gets rebooted and suddenly Ryu is a brash, cocky street punk, who learned his skills from his father. Now it doesn't sound to horrible, but imagine if it really happened. But change his name to, for example, Shiro, and negative reaction is soothed.

Minor: I like how guns shoot, I dislike that gaining SSS rank is a lot easier.

OK, here is something to lighten up the mood:

 

[ex275w]

-snip-

Great post, though I would disagree on some points.

I don't Nero is really hated for whining, it's more the fact that he's a carbon copy of Dante, who while he makes the same insane stunts, he's not really enjoying them, making the player angry, kind of Max Payne in the 3rd game. He's a serious guy in a cheesy story, which breaks immersion.

Devil May Cry 4 also has problems with how limited Nero seems to Dante, all solutions to the problems Nero has is, use your arm to become Zangief. It should've been a weapon with it's own combos and the grappling, maybe the grapples as a finishing move only.

My problem with DmC is the dialogue and the fact that most of the world doesn't care about satire about America since I don't live there. I don't care about the Glenn Beck/Bill O' Reilly/Skrillex guy since I really don't know who they are.

Also what I've seen of the game play makes me just want to play god of war, but I can't comment on it.

Still 1 and 3 had a easy and cheesy plot and awesome action choreography (OK maybe 3) using moves you can pull in the game. They should've made DMC with Dante again as the protagonist and Nero as the new Vergil, make him possessed or something.

I haven't played 2, since I've heard it's horrendous.

EDIT: I love how the defenders and haters of the game are equally fervent and childish in their insults. I'm siding with the haters since they usually have more constructive things to say than: "You don't like ti cause of the black hair."

 

[Burst6]

I think the issue people have with anything like this is the fact no one likes change; yet we complain and complain about things that don't.

No, that's not it at all. No one likes change if it changes something well established. Most people don't want too much change in individual IP's, they want change in what new IP's are created.

My final thoughts so far (I haven't beaten it) is that this game is Ninjas theory take on a established franchise that was lacking innovation and creativity. They choose to do something different with it instead of just cashing in and trying to make something that followed the originals (ex. Halo 3 to Halo 4). Capcom as a publisher took a risk on the project and it worked in my opinion.

I could bend this another way. Perhaps they didn't take a risk by changing it. Perhaps ninja theory wanted to make something new but Capcom didn't want to take the risk so they gave them the DMC name to coast on. That's just as bad as making minimal changes to a series.

Everyone who is complaining about the storytelling, the gameplay, or the mechanics are just unwilling to accept change and are the reasons we will always have COD, Halo, and constant sequels that never evolve over the period of there existence.

Really? So people can't have legitimate criticism for the game, they're just being stubborn. That's not really something to say if you want a legitimate discussion.

 

[Vidiot]

-snip-

Great post, though I would disagree on some points.

I don't Nero is really hated for whining, it's more the fact that he's a carbon copy of Dante, who while he makes the same insane stunts, he's not really enjoying them, making the player angry, kind of Max Payne in the 3rd game. He's a serious guy in a cheesy story, which breaks immersion.

Devil May Cry 4 also has problems with how limited Nero seems to Dante, all solutions to the problems Nero has is, use your arm to become Zangief. It should've been a weapon with it's own combos and the grappling, maybe the grapples as a finishing move only.

My problem with DmC is the dialogue and the fact that most of the world doesn't care about satire about America since I don't live there. I don't care about the Glenn Beck/Bill O' Reilly/Skrillex guy since I really don't know who they are.

Still 1 and 3 had a easy and cheesy plot and awesome action choreography (OK maybe 3) using moves you can pull in the game.

I haven't played 2, since I've heard it's horrendous.

First off, I completely agree with your first paragraph, (especially with the Max Payne 3 comparison)you hit the nail square on the head with that one. I also think that DMC4 could've been a much better game without Nero, and giving his Devil Arm to Dante as a... well... (I see what you did there, Capcom)Devil Arm.

I still disagree with you about the dialogue, as I think that the (admittedly spotty) dialogue in DMC5 is still an improvement.
As for the whole Fox News satire not hitting home with anyone not living in the US, I have to wonder if consumerist consumption culture isn't quit as bad/out of hand elsewhere, despite news outlets telling us that it's the same everywhere in the 1st world. (BTW, doesn't Rupert Murdoch own just as much of England, France, and Germany's media outlets as he does here?)
Also, if the thing about the banking system went right past you as an American problem, then you're probably not paying much attention to global economic trends over the past 15 years.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

To me personally, I've already played this reboot. it was wonderful and nobody got pissed. Dante underwent a sex change. She was controversial, but made with enough tastefulness and empowerment that fans couldn't get upset. She, and the game, had soul. You can save a lot of frustration by looking for "team little devils" instead of the letters "DMC". Know where the heart of the series is, a name isn't enough to go on.

 

[ex275w]

-snip-

Great post, though I would disagree on some points.

I don't Nero is really hated for whining, it's more the fact that he's a carbon copy of Dante, who while he makes the same insane stunts, he's not really enjoying them, making the player angry, kind of Max Payne in the 3rd game. He's a serious guy in a cheesy story, which breaks immersion.

Devil May Cry 4 also has problems with how limited Nero seems to Dante, all solutions to the problems Nero has is, use your arm to become Zangief. It should've been a weapon with it's own combos and the grappling, maybe the grapples as a finishing move only.

My problem with DmC is the dialogue and the fact that most of the world doesn't care about satire about America since I don't live there. I don't care about the Glenn Beck/Bill O' Reilly/Skrillex guy since I really don't know who they are.

Still 1 and 3 had a easy and cheesy plot and awesome action choreography (OK maybe 3) using moves you can pull in the game.

I haven't played 2, since I've heard it's horrendous.

First off, I completely agree with your first paragraph, (especially with the Max Payne 3 comparison)you hit the nail square on the head with that one. I also think that DMC4 could've been a much better game without Nero, and giving his Devil Arm to Dante as a... well... (I see what you did there, Capcom)Devil Arm.

I still disagree with you about the dialogue, as I think that the (admittedly spotty) dialogue in DMC5 is still an improvement.
As for the whole Fox News satire not hitting home with anyone not living in the US, I have to wonder if consumerist consumption culture isn't quit as bad/out of hand elsewhere, despite news outlets telling us that it's the same everywhere in the 1st world. (BTW, doesn't Rupert Murdoch own just as much of England, France, and Germany's media outlets as he does here?)
Also, if the thing about the banking system went right past you as an American problem, then you're probably not paying much attention to global economic trends over the past 15 years.

Well I'm mexican, so I don't know who Rupert Murodch really is. (Gonna investigate him though)
Consumerist culture and banking problems, while still problems in other countries, aren't really focuses of countries like Mexico, since we kind of have other, you might say, important problems related to drug cartels. They are mostly looked as "stupid things gringos do", kind of like a wacky neighbor in a sitcom, that still end affecting us.

 

[Lt._nefarious]

Well, not played it yet. I bought the DmC HD C late last year and I wasn't blown away by it but the new DmC demo... I freaking loved it! And I prefer new Dante, he's funnier and... Well let's just say I'm going to get it pretty damn soon...

 

[Vidiot]

Rupert Murdoch (spelling?) is the owner of all things related to the Fox Network in the US. I have to agree that the cartels are a much more immediate problem for Mexico. Though you may want to keep in mind that attempting to control the global economy through strategic use of debt and at-interest loans to world governments is one of those "stupid things gringos do" and should any one faction succeed in "owning everything worth owning" it will create problems that would be far harder to deal with than the Mexican cartels in the long term.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

So how long do you think we'll have to wait for Ninja Theory to release a DLC pack with classic Dante outfit with the hair and everything? Because we all know it's gonna happen. And they will want us to pay for it

 

[TehCookie]

So how long do you think we'll have to wait for Ninja Theory to release a DLC pack with classic Dante outfit with the hair and everything? Because we all know it's gonna happen. And they will want us to pay for it

They already have one, I posted some of the costumes on the front page and the mystery one is a DMC3 skin. Still looks terrible since Donte looks like a hobo that desperately needs a shower and a laundrymat.