Devil May Cry 4 - Hands On Preview

Armed with his trusty twin shooters 'Ebony & Ivory' and the sword of Sparda, Devil May Cry's Dante has always cut a formidable figure, with an added arrogance to boot that just encapsulates his demon hunting credentials. Having last made an appearance in the early 2005 Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, a prequel to the 2001 original, 2008 marks the character's return in Devil May Cry 4.

Currently in development at franchise creators Capcom Production Studio 4 (minus producer Shinji Mikami) for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, the latest instalment not only includes a more rugged Dante, but also a series debut for another Demon Hunter, Nero. Looking like a younger version of the franchise's protagonist, this fresh-faced upstart has his own demonic power in the form of the 'Devil Bringer', a possessed arm that wouldn't be out of place in another Capcom title (2007's God Hand). Armed with our very own blades of steel, TVG set off to join the demon hunting duo in a battle through a couple of DMC4's missions...

For Tony Redgrave, By.45 Art Warks...

Following what can only be described as an explosive introductory sequence - which for the sake of avoiding being cut into small pieces and getting fed to the mutated fishes in the local lake by Capcom's kingpin we can't reveal here - Devil May Cry 4 starts with a showdown between Nero and Dante. Fighting tooth and nail, bullet for bullet, and blade for blade in the game's breathless opening encounter that also acts as a basic tutorial to Nero's combat moves and all-powerful Devil Bringer, there's certainly no plodding build up to the fourth instalment.

The origins of the Devil Bringer itself and how it came to possess Nero remains a secret for now, but it's been known for sometime that the character was taken in by the Order of the Sword (part of the Sparda worshipers) as a young orphan for some time. Whether he was subject to a demon attack similar to the one experienced by Dante and his brother Virgil is unclear, and with it, an explanation for why Nero looks so much like the twins. Clouds of mystery and intrigue aplenty to be uncovered during the game then...

As an attribute in the game, the Devil Bringer works in a number of different ways, gaining access to new powers as the story progresses. At first a simple (if not supernaturally powerful) limb that can grab and power-slam opponents into the ground regardless of their size, the Devil Bringer later improves to allow Nero to rappel across large gaps and areas in the map. There have also been additional promises made by Capcom that the skills will be used in the some of the series' trademark teeth-grindingly challenging puzzles...including one involving gaps and incredibly pointy (and indeed, sharp) spikes. Ouch. It's also a pretty useful tool to pluck opponents into the air, setting them up for numerous attacks and slashes with Nero's sword or a few hits of hot lead with his double-barrelled revolver, Blue Rose. The end result is the same high-velocity wire-fu with guns mid-air combat that fans of the series are used to, along with some pretty high-level combo points. Attacks with the Devil Bringer are also contextual, changing according to the enemies Nero faces, and mixing up the variety on offer to players. Not that accusations of stale gameplay has ever been applicable to the franchise to date; the action is so fast and frantic at times that it's nearly impossible to think actively, relying instead on instinct with combo after combo of attacks and defence.

It takes all the running you can do...

As widely reported, Nero's sword - Red Queen - has a motorcycle throttle built into the handle, enabling players to 'rev' up the power of the blade to give more power behind an attack. Using a trigger on the controller which adds some grunt to the sword (there are three levels of power that can be scored), Nero can unleash devastating combo-racking attacks against the baying hordes such that get thrown at him throughout his demon-hunting romp.

It's no earth-shattering shock that the bulk of gameplay follows Nero (something that has been widely known for months), though later levels will see players take control of Dante too, using four of the different stances originally included in Devil May Cry 3: Gunslinger, Trickster, Swordmaster, and Royal Guard. Quick-switching between the stances with the d-pad, together with fast weapon changes from the sword of Sparda to exploding darts of Lucifer and more, the battle-worn veteran fighter that Dante has become in contrast to both Nero and his previous appearance in DMC3 is an even more competent warrior this time around. Again endowed with the sort of arrogance he's become renowned for as a protagonist, Dante also seems blasé in the face of his opposition, including boss battles with the dragon-lady herself, Echidna - his taunts of course remain intact here.

The series has always been renowned for its challenging gameplay, despite the blip that was Devil May Cry 2, with Dante's Awakening addressing it with a heavy curve of difficulty late on in the game. Devil May Cry 4 so far seems to be more than following in its immediate predecessor's footsteps, though Capcom is working hard to make it accessible too - perhaps a nod to the more streamlined controls of Nero, who doesn't have Dante's stances to contend with. Multiple difficulty settings remain on offer too, but just be sure that you're ready to take on the more vicious opponents of the 'Demon Hunter' mode...

The mish-mash of modern and pseudo-gothic styles of the franchise make a return in Devil May Cry 4, with the added processing power of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 allowing Production Studio 4 to throw in retina-burning levels of HDR lighting. Pouring in through windows like a biblical flood, the use of light (and conversely, shadow) in the game gave the environments that we fought through a higher level of atmosphere than Devil May Cry 3, which itself managed to dole out huge doses of 'gothic' two years ago.