Gammy79 said:Maybe I will, smart guy!
How do you like them apples?
ChaosAptom said:Devil May Cry 4
[image=http://gameinformer.com/NR/rdonlyres/77AE072D-0CA3-4816-822F-0F3945AD0008/9964/162cov.jpg]
A New Hunt Begins... - Winter 2007
(the stuff in bold is factual quotes directly from Gameinformer, the stuff not in bold are my statements/spin on the article)
The Introduction to the DMC Series
In 5 short years, Devil May Cry has been through ups and downs the most series don't experience in an entire lifetime. The dauntless protagonist Dante was introduced to widespread acclaim in 2001, then fell from grace (in DMC2), and finally redeemed himself (in DMC3) - all within a span of only 3 games.
Now, as Capcom prepares to move its stylish gothic action franchise onto the PS3, the development team is using the revered third entry as a starting point for everything in DMC4. Taking what fans loved about the game play and enhancing it, gamers can expect to see even crazier combos, more fluid integration of the weapons, and over-the-top cutscenes. However, amid all those things that have become synonymous with the name "Devil May Cry", there is one thing that will be surprised to find missing: Dante in the starring role.
It's pretty safe to assume at this point that fans of DMC3 will most likely not be disappointed with DMC4 at all.
From this point I will be paraphrasing everything or only quoting directly what is important or new. It's a huge article with quite a bit of fluff in it so I will be doing most people a favor by just getting to the juicy parts.
Also from this point on, everything that Capcom (Capgod) says is directly from Kobayashi. No one else speaks on behalf of the DMC4 development team so when I say "Capcom" or "DMC4's developers say" I am really only talking about Kobayashi. This guy does a phenomenal job of public relations, he covers all basis in this article (as much as he is allowed to without giving away massive spoilers).
*Kobayashi's reason for not putting Dante in the starring role: "The reason we switched to Nero is, when you consider how we want to open new avenues for the core user and that we're switching harware to the PS3, the easiest way to have these new game play mechanics ... was to introduce a new character," he clarifies.. "If we gave Dante [Nero's abilities], it wouldn't be Dante anymore."
*Kobayashi insists that unlike Dante and Vergil's connection, there is no story-based reason why Nero bears resemblance to the sons of Sparda. Nero's look is about finding a design that is different YET familiar. He ends with the quote: "Devil May Cry is about guns and swords, and we want people to be able to see and understand that."
I don't like this spin on why Nero is the new character over Dante though it's really part of a bigger picture that clearly Capcom doesn't want to reveal yet. DMC is also a lot about the characters, not just guns and swords...
*Note about Nero's Gun*: The Revolver is a vertically double-barreled revolver. However, reload times will NOT be an issue in game play.
That is certainly good to hear. I remember hearing earlier something about double pipes but didn't know what that was referring to. I am very glad that the lag time will NOT be an issue as is the case for most other single action revolvers.
*A New Batch of Style Accolades* Goes from Do It! to Come On! to Big Up! and so on. I personally hate this system but oh well... does not change game play one bit.
*Note about Devil Arm*: Initially the arm manuevers will only set enemies up (throw them up in the air for juggles, via single button input) but later in the game they will do damage as well (in addition to gaining other abilities mentioned later on in the article).
*With the addition of the arm mechanic, the team is putting a lot more emphasis on aerial combat. Also the enemies will be brand new, just like it was with previous games and DMC3.*
*Information regarding the Red Queen*: Kobayashi states that the Red Queen (Nero's default sword) is a "tricked out" version of a "standard-issue" sword given to the Order of Knights (meaning others will have swords of similar designs as well). Kobayashi refuses to comment on the game play aspects of the Red Queen and the whole motorcycle lever thing but bear in mind that it DOES have game play application (it's not just for decoration).
*There is an event/cutscene before the starting of the game where Nero's arm is possessed by an evil force - an occurence he works hard to conceal, going as far as to wear his arm in a sling to keep it from sight. Of course, the time comes when it can no longer be hidden and Nero discovers, along with the player, the immense combat possibilities of this demonic appendage.
Arm possession theory confirmed.
*The arm is not just another weapon added to the DMC arsenal, it completely changes the way DMC is played. It's about positioning as well as damaging enemies, crowd controlling and crowd destroying. The way that the new Arm game play is managed is sort of the anti-thesis of Vergil's Dark Slayer. After leveling it up, you are able to manuever it a variety of ways, including pulling enemies towards you, throwing them away, bringing down enemies from the sky and smacking them, or tossing them up in the air for juggles. Instead of you going towards/away from the enemy or you manipulating yourself, you are manipulating the enemy and moving them towards/away from you.
An example of how the arm works in practical application a Stinger example was used for the fans (this more or less confirms that Nero has a Stinger type move for Red Queen). The quickness of the Devil Arm allows the player to completely negate the Stinger knockback, meaning as soon as you pull off Stinger, you can pull out the Devil Arm to bring the enemy back to you! Stinger is now changed from a combo finisher to a combo starter! Gameinformer flourishes over the idea of chaining multiple Stingers together for some really fancy combos with the Devil Arm.
Capcom states that Devil May Cry has mostly been about the binary relationship between guns and swords, but DMC4 takes it one step forward by forming a triangular relationship among the Devil arms + Abilities, the guns and the swords.
****INTERMISSION****
(MORE TO COME)
The Other Son of Sparda
Capcom and Gameinformer sort of touch upon the unavailability of Vergil in DMC4. Gameinformer states that Vergil is an integral part of the DMC's franchise, as proven by DMC3SE, and they believe that Vergil still has a part to play in DMC4. Capcom has this to say, "We are not ready to say what role Vergil himself plays in the story, but the existence of Vergil as a character is something very important to the story of the DMC games. That's something that I don't think is going to end!"
Vergil confirmed to be in DMC4 and Devil May Cry 5-37!!!!
*Random Fact: The targetting system will be most like DMC3's, and NOT AT ALL like DMC2's.*
*About the whole DMC3 Style system and the new Devil Arm, Capcom has this to say, "The DMC3 battle system is very good but it feels split up, I wish there was a more cohesive system. [The Devil Arm] is not about replacing the Style system. What we want to do is increase the number of ways you can go about battling. You have your sword, your gun and now you have the arm." A whole category of moves for this new weapon(?) will essentially maintain the same level of depth (as in DMC3) while opening up new avenues of combat.
(There is a very nice new picture of the Devil Arm in action, it's like the "enemy point of view" and you can see a clawed shape demonic arm coming at you!)
Regarding the enemies of DMC4, Kobayashi stated that while they are easy to start off, they will get generally more aggressive/stronger when you get more into the game. The demo features enemies that could be dispatched by standard DMC shoot/slash tactics + combos. Kobayashi then makes a remarkable statement about a VERY FAMILIAR enemy, "We are definitely experimenting with enemies like the Shadow Cats." Gameinformer then goes about giving the history/mechanics of the Shadow enemies from DMC1.
Shadow enemies confirmed for DMC4...
New fire demon boss is named Variel. The boss is about the size of a small building. Apparently Gameinformer was baffled as to how to beat the boss, and Capcom would not tell them the trick to beating it. Gameinformer also comments that it might be hazardous to get near the boss as it sets nearby buildings ablaze.
*Capcom comments about the Devil Trigger or lack there of for Nero, "Since Nero isn't of Sparda progeny, he probably won't be able to undergo a full tranformation, but that doesn't mean the mechanic will vanish completely from DMC4." Unfortunately this is the aspect of DMC4 that is still under work, and Kobayashi only teases with, "The key word on Devil Trigger is 'Devil' - but that's something - as far as its relationship to Nero - we're not ready to explore just yet..."
*Story Stuff: Nero lives in a remote island city called Fortuna (the setting of most of DMC4). He belongs to an ancient group of religious crusaders known as the Order of the Sword who worship Sparda and fight demons in his name. Prior to the beginning of the game, Nero's life involves doing special jobs for the Order, cleaning up "messy" situations. All of that changes one day when a white-haired man in a long red coat starts slaying the clergyman at the Order. Kobayashi ends that with, "Just because Nero's in the game doesn't mean that Dante disappears from the game completely."
Interesting tid bit about the Order of the Sword. They don't worship demons, in fact they kill them in Sparda's name. An interesting twist we have here now... this explains why Nero tries to hide his demon arm possession in the beginning of the game.
*Gameinformer talks about the following cutscene, which is essentially the "epic" confrontation between Dante and Nero we have all been waiting for. Action packed, sword slashing, gunslinging and martial arts choreography is guaranteed in this cutscene. Interestingly enough, Nero is able to pit against the legendary demon slayer quite well in fact there is one segment in the scene where Nero seemed to have an upper hand when he "drop kicked" Dante in the face!
*Random Fact*: During the aforementioned cutcene, a mysterious female observes the action from the ground blow. Kobayashi confirms that this female is indeed a character you have seen before in the DMC universe.
Confirmation of AT LEAST one of Lady or Trish being in DMC4...
*Gameinformer comments on the staple hard difficulty of the series and how it might be tweaked according to Capcom. Kobayashi pulls out a difficulty scale which goes something like this: DMC3 (hardest) > DMC3SE > DMC1 > DMC2 (easiest). Kobayashi states that when you first start out, the game is easier than DMC3(SE) but when you progress in the game, it gets as hard as DMC3 (original). The difficulty is linearly increasing not in weird steps like in previous games. Everyone should be able to get into DMC4 but not everyone might be able to beat the game that easily... Also Capcom refuses to confirm or deny a playable Dante in DMC4 but Gameinformer seems to think otherwise by giving support of images such as these...
*Random Fact*: Gameinformer states that there is enough space under the HUD for a Devil Trigger guage or another similar guage.
*Random Fact*: DMC's timeline is as follows: DMC3 > DMC1 > DMC4. Kobayashi confirms DMC2 to be non-canon/crap.
[hl=black]
Actually, Kobayashi states that DMC2 takes place VERY far after DMC4 and it does hold SOME relation to the series. [/hl]
*Random Fact*: Red orbs confirmed to be the currency in DMC4 to buy new moves. Sort of a no brainer but there are some pics of the red orbs in the magazine.
*Random Fact*: The real enemy of DMC4 is as of yet unknown to Nero.
*Random Fact*: DMC4 Dante will be more mature/grim and less party crazy, but still retain his wise-cracking, unflappable personality.
DMC2 Dante not happening...
Kobayashi states that he feels like as if when he promotes the new stuff in DMC4, it sounds very reminescent of the ways he promoted RE4. He then gave out a loud laugh and then said that stuff like "dumbing down" DMC4 will NOT be an issue at all. Kobayashi states that the team/staff has NO INTENTION of forsaking the series' loyal followers. Just because extensive experience isn't necessary doesn't mean that players won't benefit from playing DMC in the past. "We want to make a game where the more you know DMC3, the more you will enjoy DMC4, whether its the action system or the characters. It is definitely made and aimed for the fans."
FACT: DMC4 confirmed not to be Onimusha 4/Resident Evil 4. Fanboys AT EASE!
*Random Fact*: DMC4 still confirmed PS3 exclusive.
*Random Fact*: It's unconfirmed whether DMC4 will use the same weapon acquiring system as DMC3 where you got weapons from bosses.
*DMC4 features some very nifty next-gen effects, including self-shading, high definition resolutions, gorgeous water effects and of course particle effects. Capcom also touches upon the possibility of maximizing the PS3's hardware by taking advantage of the Tilt feature with the new controller. However the team wants to make sure the Tilt fits well with the game play before promising anything (smart move).
*Finally, Gameinformer touches the great possibility of DMC4 using the PS3's online capabilities. Capcom states that they are experimenting with what they can do with the PS3 network play. Capcom also stated that putting in A LARGE number of combatants/players in one area will be very difficult, giving the graphical construct of the game and how much it would push the hardware. Capcom however DID NOT rule out the possibility of online co-op play and Gameinformer sort of ran with it. Then the example of Vergil/Dante Arkham fight in DMC3 was used to better support the existence of such co-op play.
*Gameinformer confirms that there is more than a year until the release of DMC4 so there are a lot of details that need to be revealed. Capcom has stated that all the necessary precautions are taken to avoid another debacle like DMC2. Capcom also stated that Sony is pushing them to release DMC4 closer to the release date as well as the fans, just because of the name "Devil May Cry". Kobayashi had this to say about that, "While I understand that users would would like it as quickly as possible and Sony would like it as quickly as possible, the name of the game is Devil May Cry 4. Since it bears the name of DMC, we can't just make something and put it out, it has to live up to the Devil May Cry name."
Wow! Dante doesn't look like Christian Bale anymore!
