Ben-DutkaThere has been a whole lot of discussion concerning the Devil May Cry reboot in development at Ninja Theory.
And with the game scheduled for a mid-January release, a playable demo has become available for all to enjoy. However, are the long-time hardcore fans pleased with what they see? Or are they disappointed in the new direction?
There's no doubt that Ninja Theory has a specific flair, one that wasn't necessarily seen in past series entries. And of course, the Dante character redesign remains a sore spot for many, although it should've become apparent in the demo that gameplay takes center-stage (as it has always done throughout the franchise). But if you consider yourself a big-time fan of Devil May Cry , do you see a reboot that is faithful to the esteemed action series? Do you see glimpses of that combat brilliance to which we've become accustomed? Is there the requisite freedom and complexity in terms of battle variety?
And what about the setting and style? Devil May Cry has always boasted a very specific artistic style, and DMC kinda shakes things up by presenting us with a more modern feel (not quite so Gothic). Personally, I think it's long past time that Ninja Theory gets their just due, as neither Heavenly Sword nor Enslaved: Odyssey to the West got enough widespread attention. That being said, I can't be sure DMC is the game that will put them over the top… What do you say?
Related Game(s): DMC
I actually enjoyed it. Picking it up for sure i want to see what Ninja Theory did with the story. I'm sure it will be great. Loving the combo system though trying to figure out some awesome combos
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I didn't know it was available, I'll go download and get back to ya.
I don't know. I haven't decided on how I feel about the demo just yet. It's a mixture of emotions from the short time I've had with it.
On one hand the stylish art direction and character designs are superb, absolutely love the boss. On the other hand the technical shortcomings of UE3 is just really apparent. It has this rough struggling chug feel of earlier PS3 games that aren't really seen anymore, except here. Maybe it's a demo thing. Ninja Theory really needed to design their own engine. It seems most BEST devs program their own engines anymore. Few of the heavy weights rely on middle-ware it would seem.
The art direction is really unique and it feels really different because of it. I think they went a little too overboard on the bright hyper saturated effects. My eyes almost felt like they were straining in that city level due to all of the crazy shifts in tone and value. Looks cool though.
As for the game play, it looks to be solid. I find myself somewhat annoyed having a dodge and grapple whip function mapped to two shoulder buttons, meaning sometimes I'm fumbling trying to get Dante to function naturally up against certain enemy types.
And then there's the 30fps thing. I didn't buy the claim when Ninja Theory stated it would FEEL like 60fps because of how they animated it. And my suspicions were confirmed. The fast nature of DMC really benefits from 60fps. The dip between past and present in fluidity is pretty apparent and I wish they'd scale back the effects for smoother play.
Aside from those feelings, I think it'll be solid enough to be a good game, just not the game I'd probably play right away.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 11/21/2012 1:40:37 PM
Hopefully it comes to the PC with options to remove the FPS cap.
I agree you can't say a 30FPS game is going to feel like a 60 FPS game, especially something as fast and frenetic as DMC.
I am downloading the demo right now and will give my own opinion on it but I feel like I will probably feel exactly as you do.
I really dig the oversaturated tones and I think they did well with the 30fps given a tight schedule and a bad engine.
Yah, Xenris, though Crapcom I believe has a bad rep when handling console to PC ports. Im pretty sure they botched some ports pretty hardcore with franchises like RE and I think even DMC games. I'm not going to get my hopes up there. But it'd be cool if it somehow delivered.
Awesome, love the combat mechanic. I can just feel how many new combos this style opens up and it's great how I can stay in the air. This one is less button-masher friendly so you better know what you're doing and that makes the heart pound.
"and that makes the heart pound" =D
Ahh-hahah! Ma man.
Played the demo, was pretty decent, though I still don't like the character design, the gameplay itself was definitely fun. Will probably end up getting when I find it used though, still don't support Capcom's change with it, but I will say Ninja Theory did what they could. I wish they'd step away from the UE3 though, what were they using for Heavenly Sword, please bring it back.
It didn't feel as technical for me as when I first played the original DMC and DMC3 afterwards. Feels like a step back on the combat mechanics, I blame the 30fps. I will also purchase used. I want to support them but not when I don't enjoy the fact that original Dante's story will not end.
Tried the demo just now…I will admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but from what time I spent on the demo it's more or less what I expected.
The combat is solid, but doesn't have the same frantic speed that people are accustomed to in Devil May Cry games. I had fun, but at times it did feel a bit sluggish to me.
I will say that I absolutely love the art direction and the level design, my only gripe with that was all the bright colours began to strain on my eyes a little bit.
Easily, the lowest points for me was the music and the graphics. The PS3 really doesn't benefit well from the UE3….I'm almost tempted to say that DMC4 looks better :/
The music was decent, but overall a bit meh. Didn't get me pumped like old DMC tracks, but that is just personal preference.
I will admit, that I was one of the stubborn DMC fans. I still hate the new Dante, but the demo did cHAnge my mind a little bit 🙂
I probably will pick this up eventually…but I don't think it's pre-order material for me.
DMC4 actually does look better :. The unreal engine is horrible on the ps3. They need a better coder or engine that can work for the ps3. They should have called naughty dog for some help on coding for the ps3. I think the game would play smoother and look better but oh well, too late now.
Great demo. Love the heavenly sword weapon set up. Glad it is surviving somewhere, especially here. Great level design. Hoping the enemies become more proactive. Simmering that past dmc's did really well. I'm really happy with direction this game seems to be going in. Except the name raptor news. That was dumb
Oh, I also would rather Capcom have kept the franchise Japanese developed. This new DMC is real unique in respect to itself but I just dislike the idea of westernizing extremely Japanese games. I know DMC, like RE, has a AAA calibur reputation, hence why I think Crapcom wanted to westernize it for more western appeal but I'd rather Capcom have commissioned Ninja Theory's talents for an original title and allowed DMC to exist as it was, pure in its cultural orientation, with a budget that reflected its projected earnings. I feel like Capcom is trying to force something they don't really have control over.
It doesn't appear to have worked for RE6 and I wonder if DMC will actually sell better than DMC4. In the end no one is happy.
This is one complex but very enlightening summary.
I completely agree with the respect to extremely Japanese being turned Western. It's bizzare at best, but you never know. If the pure "intent" of the game and the game design remain, then there should be plenty a happy gamer, yeah?
It says 8+ scores
I'm thinking it'll get 9+ from a number of critics.
I finished the demo, both parts, and I think it's real solid other than the UE3 technical difficulty side of it. What I like most is how artistically realized it all is. I'm compelled to play more of it because of how bizarre and creative the world and it's characters feel. There's also real effort in production. The boss fight was long and satisfying. Not a rush job.
I still disagree with Capcom's decisions to change the franchise, but seeing that it is what it is, I think it'll put on a good show come Jan.
The graph are inferior to DMC4 :S, combat is just decent, after played Bayonetta I was not impressed with this, dunno I'm not hyped to pay 60 bucks for this.
It says to me don't buy this. Respect to Ninja Theory, but the western dante feels like a combination of nero and jpn dante except without the styles. All you have is the damn angel and demon if that can be considered style. To begin with I wasn't a huge fan of nero and didn't like how your forced to play as him for the 1st half of dmc4.
Anyways I am very forgiving of the stupid name title and the fresh westernize look, but it is just a step behind dmc4.
Now capcom, after dmc devil may cry blows over can you give us dmc5? With more styles, weapons, and playable characters than dmc3?
Last edited by Ydobon on 11/21/2012 8:43:45 PM
It plays alright. I don't think the demo has made me believe its better than the first 4 but it is a solid attempt.
The 30 FPS is what does it for me, and the engine. The only company that does good with the UE3 is Gearbox and Borderlands 2. Most other third party companies don't make very well optimized games.
I would add Batman to the list of good UE3 use.
It's rare the best of the best use UE3
naughty dog
Dice
Santa Monica
Polyphony Digital
Quantic Dream
Ubisofts AC teams
343 studios
iD Software
Crytek
Guerrilla Games
That Game Company
I'm probably missing a few but all custom tech for these teams. And many of these teams have best of class representation in gaming.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 11/21/2012 9:47:29 PM
Oh and Kojima's team sure as heck isn't using UE3 either =p
Loved it. Combat feels great, even though not so much like the previous Devil May Cry installments. Combat is still fluid and I like the mechanic of once again being able to quickly switch between weapons for longer and more stylish combos.
Cons for me were – story: sons of an Angel and a Demon? Really…? I don't like the fact that the stylish bar stays on the same level for a long time, but that's probably to do with the whole 30 FPS thin (don't know).
Bring back the taunt!
I heard people complain about the controls. If it helps I switch the shoot button to circle, normal to square and special to triangle. After I did that the game became more enjoyable and was able to pull S rank combos.
While I did enjoy the combat, it didn't really feel like Devil May Cry. It was flashy over the top action like I'd expect but it just seemed a bit mashier. It was fun, though I still prefer Nero's Devil Bringer to that scythe thing.
The game is super linear. I wonder if this should be expected throughout the finished product, if so, it's not really a deal breaker for me. I'm not one to get riled up over linearity though, and the other DMC's were pretty linear but not to this extent. Not that big of an issue but really corridor like in that demo.
Other than that, the trailer in the beginning kinda started it off on the wrong foot. The new Dante thing did get on my nerves a bit but after seeing Virgil I really wasn't pleased then they put me in the game and I had some fun. All in all, my reaction was very mixed.
exactly what i was expecting.
allot slower than what you would expect from the series, and also allot more forgiving in the repetition mark as well.
previous DMC games punished you hard for button mashing and using the same combos over and over again, this though not as much.
unless you pump up the difficulty but thats not a solution, thats just making a problem go away because you have lower health and enemies are tougher.
not because the problem is fixed.
cant wait till this is over, hopefully it flops hard and crapcom will stop tossing their beloved franchises to developers who dont understand them!
that way we can get a true DMC, im still waiting for the worthy successor to 3.
and NT can go back to giving the fans what they really want, enslaved 2!
Right. I agree with the whole "top of the spot" for Ninja Theory because of this game. Only reason being – it's been long since the DMC was in peoples face. Unless a lotta gamers felt the sense of longing with Bayonetta. I sure as shit did.
The style. Personally – phenomenal adaptation of a true sense of, deprivation you know? Stuff that's suspicious and eerie.
Like remember in the training level, one of the billboards has an ad for home lettings. Now when you look at it from a different direction it says "homeless for you" that just brings me back to the film "they live(we sleep)" by Stephen Spielberg.
That is so very appealing. It's like the fantasy Hell and reality Hell collide. And of course the intense experimentation with bass music as a score choice, DEFINITELY does not ail the concept.
Dante himself? – TOO GANGSTA!!!!! Fuck the blond guy and his sword, son! People who had a problem with the "black hair" Dante from the get-go baffled me.
How stubborn must one be to not at least be open to the Very First Trailer that was posted by the dev to show off the design. You know, the one where Dante had the Doll in a headlock, putting out a cigarette on it's head? – Wonderful!!!!
Day, god damn, one! Purchase for me. *sigh* *sigh* Damn. That demo kinda said "remember what a Game is?" and I just felt myself answering with a Keanu Reeves voice – "yeah"…
SMILEY FACE!!!
I can't believe I forgot to mention the whole westernization thing. What I've loved about Japanese games is their seemingly anything goes imagination that they put into their work. What their weakness seems to be is severe lack of focus in their stories as well as in many of their games' architectures (yes I am being overly general in that statement, but I think it has been true enough in the recent past especially for me to be), which I think have been major strengths in western games, and I have always hoped for a solid union of the two.
In my opinion Silent Hill 5 was a pretty successful amalgamation of the two countries' development styles (though the ending and use of pyramid head were a little weak in my opinion).
I should elaborate more, but I don't want to take the time, so there's my two cents in the matter.
So what I am trying to say in all of this, is that this game seems to be a very successful union of Japanese imagination and style and overall western stability at its best.
Last edited by trumpetmon65 on 11/22/2012 2:06:43 PM
te demo says to me…. I hope the story and dialogue get better because this is horrible especially for a NT game (all the unnecessary f bombs during that boss fight), the gameplay however is fun but this game doesnt look like it will surpass or even equally match DMC3
Man, I gotta say the whole F bombin you spoke of, only exuded more of an enjoyable experience.
The way the already careless Dante and presumably an Ancient demon just goes at each other with lay-man's insults instead of exchanging poems n such…It just reinforced the whole design of the game.
Damn I'm seriously looking forward to this piece!
It was pretty bad, even if it was it's own game rather than just selling on a name. Everything is wrong with it…