Plus Alan Wake franchise is 90% off

DmC: Devil May Cry is 40% off for Steam's weekend deal. You have until June 3 to score the game at $29.99. Plus, the same discount is applied to all three downloadable content offerings. Vergil's Downfall, the story expansion starring Dante's brother, will cost ?you $5.39. The costume pack is running $2.39?, and the weapon bundle is going for $1.19.

You have until June 3 to score the Alan Wake franchise for 90% off too. For $4, you can own Alan Wake, Alan Wake Collector's Edition Extras, and Alan Wake's American Nightmare.

The post DmC and all its DLC 40% off over on Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

A brief, familiar journey

Ninja Theory had a lot to prove with DmC: Devil May Cry. Not only did they have to appease their fans, but they had to live up to an already existing passionate fanbase, who had come to expect a level of quality worth to the Devil May Cry name.

Depending on who you talked to, they either succeed, or they failed. Personally, I felt like it was somewhere in the middle. While DmC wasn't even close t??o?? the franchise pedigree, it was still very much a serviceable action game, and Ninja Theory's best offering to date.

Which brings us to the newest downloadable content after Bloody Palace, a brand new story starring Dante's brother Vergil. Vergil's Downfall is more of the same, and your mileage will drastically vary on how much you enjoyed DmC: Devil May Cry in the first place.

DmC: Devil May Cry: Vergil's Downfall (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 [reviewed])
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Released: March 6, 2013
MSRP: $8.99 (720 MSP)

Here's the deal. For $8.99, you're buy??ing an all new six mission long campaign (sort of, more on this later), with a brand new playable character that takes place after the core story. Vergil has a completely separate main menu, doesn't interact with the original game in any way, has a limited amount of hidden items to find, his skills level up on their own, and so on.

Similar to his incarnation in Devil May Cry 3, Vergil will wield his Yamato (with the addition of angel and demon attacks), and his projectile spirit sword attacks. At first, Vergil feels extremely dull, in th??at you're mostly going to mash the attack button and utilize the one or two combos you have in total.

But once you get angel and demon abilities starting in Mission 2, things?? get more exciting, as they unlock fun moves like dash attacks, ?area of effect strikes, and more intricate combo opportunities.

Instead of using grappling hooks to get to and fro, Vergil does the same thing ??with angel or demon sword throws, playing on his emphasis on teleportation. He also has a small store to buy items in, an ability chart, and outside of combat, he functions very similarly to Dante's control scheme.

From a gameplay perspective, he's a bit like Dante but a bit trickier in nature. The big difference is when he dashes, he teleports. Remember in DmC when the game had two redundant dash buttons when one of th?em could have been used for lock-on?

Well, Vergil's two dash buttons serve a purpose, as the left dash button serves as an upwards dash in the neutral position, and the right dash button is ??a downward dash if you're in the air. It sets up some pretty neat combo opportunities, and I'm glad to see Ninja Theory actually work this previously useless button into gameplay.

He's also a bit more balanced, as he lacks broken weapons like Dante's Kablooey, and you'll have to use all of his arsenal to complete more challenging difficulties. He also has more than one Devil Trigger ability, and they're not nearly ????as boring as Dante's "win button" time stop.

There are a couple of new enemy types, but the supporting cast is mostly from DmC vanilla, which is a letdown as I expected this add-on to make a unique mark on the franc?hise. You're going to want to play Son of Sparda (Very Hard) mode to get more enemy remixes, but not everyon?e is going to do that, and it should have offered more new content up front.

All six levels are limbo based, which leaves your enjoyment entirely up to how much you enjoyed it from the main game. My issue is that every single stage feels the same, and since Mission 5 is just a boss fight, and Mission 6 is a Mission 1 re-tread, saying the?? game has "six new Missions" isn't really the whole truth.

There is a very small story, but like the core game, the a??cting and delivery is still terrible. Thankfully though, it is kept minimal, and the story is told outside of missions through animated cutscenes. I'm just glad it's not integrated heavily into each level like Dante's story, so I don't have to wait constantly for Kat to tell me something redundant before I can keep having fun.

Speaking of the story though, Vergil's Downfall could probably be summed up in two entire sentences. But at the same time, DmC's They Live rip-off got extremely grating at times, and at the end of the day, Devil May Cry is an action oriented series -- so I was fine with the reduction narrative?? wise??.

One of my principle problems with DmC is that I didn't feel like a badass with Dante, because his character is so plain and wooden. By the end of Vergil's Downfall when I obtained the doppelganger ability, the game actually recreated that feeling of old. Vergil, unlike every character ever in DmC, eventually ceases to be melancholy and annoying, and embrac??es his inner demon. To drive this point home, you unlock a new skin that&nbs??p;re-titles Vergil's old look as "weak Vergil." Yes!

It takes until the very end of the DLC to really unlock all of his goodies, but if you opt to replay through every difficulty, you'll reap the benefits of a fully powered Vergil. Personally, using this Vergil on the DLC's higher difficulties was pretty damn fu?n, I just really wish he was usable in Bloody Palace, as the omission is a huge shame (perhaps a future patch?).

Length wise, as I stated earlier there's six missions, all of which are 30 minutes or less. Overall it took me around two and a half hours, but I quickly ended up replaying it on a higher difficulty right after my first completion. Vergil's Downfall has the same number of extra difficulty levels as the core game?? (four on top of the original three), so there's a lot ?of replay value here.

In a way, Vergil's Downfall represents the game DmC might have been -- less fluff, more style. But at the same time, like many areas of DmC, it lacks substance. You'll fight very samey enemies across five areas that also bear a resemblance to stages from the core game, which at the end of the day, just isn't quite enough to justify DLC pricing for everyone.

If you loved DmC, you really can't go wrong here. But if it wasn't everything you had hoped for, Vergil's Downfall will do little than give you a glimpse into the stylish Devil May Cry of old, at least from an aesthetic perspective.

The post Review: DmC: Devil May Cry: Vergil’s Downfall appeared first on Destructoid.

A little sauce on a medium cooked steak

Capcom and Ninja Theory have recently provided a free add-on to DmC: Devil May Cry called the Bloody Palace, to help extend your replay value a bit.

For those of you who have never played a Devil May Cry game before, the Bloody Palace is an arena-like survival mode, where you face multiple levels of foes until you reach a se??t final end floor, and fight a final boss.

It's basically the Dark Realm from Onimusha franchise, and it's been in every game except for the first Devil May Cry.

The Bloody Palace isn't part of the recent title update: it's free DLC that you need to download manually. If you can't find it on the marketplace, here's the link for the 360 version, and the link for the Steam version.

You'll also find that the Samurai Pack (pre-order DLC), Golden Pack, and Bone Pack have gone live for $1 each (80 MSP per pack, o??r a "buy two get one free" bundle for 160 MSP), which grant you new weapon skins, and a few extra items -- specifically, the item finder, orb harvester, and three ex??tra upgrade points.

These items are essentially cheat codes. The Orb Harvester gran?ts you 20% more Red Orbs from enemies and objects, and the Item Finder b??eeps when you're near a key or a lost soul. Thankfully, you can turn these off if you want.

Ok, enough talk about a?ncillary add-ons, how's Bloody Pa??lace?

Fans of the franchise will recognize the floor by floor flow instantly, but the way it appears changes from game to game, ranging from 100-9999 levels. In this instanc??e, it's 100 floors, and you need to beat the game to unlock it.

Every 20 floors or so, you'll fight a boss ?from the core game, the locale will cycle to something new, and the difficulty will incr??ease. Occasionally, hazards will appear, like fire on the ground or the deadly spinning carousel from the first stage of the game.

Things don't really get difficult until level 50 or so, which I was able to coast to on my ?first try. By then, you're battling with attrition, as your health starts to slowly drop as enemies do more damage.

As is the case in Devil May Cry 4, the controversial timer is back. It's exactly how it sounds -- there's a timer running down? that can be replenished with killing enemies, and if it runs out, you close. It's not a huge deal for me, but needlessly to say it doesn't measure combat skill in any way, and is a trivial addition.

Despite basically being exactly what was advertised, there are a few missed opportunities. For one, there's no new achievements, trophies, or anything of note to unlock by beating it -- those are coming later with Vergil's Downfall. Additionally, the boss of the final floor is just the final boss of DmC -- nothing more, nothing less, which doesn't really make your completion f??eel that special.

They missed out on a really cool opportunity to add a classic boss like Nelo Angelo, for instance, or make a new mark on the Bloody Palace, and make the package that much sweeter with a new skin or character unloc??k.

The Bloody Palace update also comes with a few fixes and a patch of its own, most of which serve to make the game a bit more challenging. For one, the SS and SSS rankings now properly deteriorate, making the SSS rank harder (but really, not that much harder) to reach.

The infinite glide glitch was also fixed, as were general damage value??s for weak enemie??s, and damage rates on Nephilim and Son of Sparda modes.

Although it's a bit hard to complain about free DLC, this really should have been part of the original package from the get-go, for Capcom and Ninja Theory's sake. At this point, many people have all but traded in their copies of DmC, or bought into some of the negative fallout from the game's release, and won't care abo??ut this add-on.

Although this iteration of the Bloody Palace isn't a game chan?ger by any means, it's still a nice free addition to the game, and helps augment the original release quite nicely. If you have the game, skip the skin? packs and give this DLC a try.

Here's some tips if you need them:

• Conserve your Devil Trigger for when you need health, or when you tangle with a particularly tough enemy. Additionally, don't be afraid to use your Devil Trigger to heal when your meter is full, as you won't get any items while playing the Bloody Palace, and very few enemies drop health.

• Find out what enemies drop health (most of the flying ones), and use them strategically. If the game had a lock-on system, it would be easier to pick out non-flying enemies and save them for last, so just be aware that the game automatically favors flying targets and adjust accordingly.

• Be aggressive against bosses. You don't want to waste a lot of time on them, and waiting too long will slowly depreciate your health.

• Whenever possible, buy and use Roulette -- while in the air, Y, Y, hesitate, Y, Y (Triangle). It's a cheap move that allows you to get some breathing room in the sky without getting swarmed on later levels.

• Use Aquila's B/Circle attack to stun enemies in the arena whenever possible, to avoid getting swarmed. In fact, just use Aquila a lot for groups or otherwise, as it's fairly overpowered. Same goes for a fully upgraded Kablooey.

The post DmC: Devil May Cry’s Bloody Palace tips and impressions appeared first on Destructoid.

Watch this 18 minute video while you can

If Capcom's short teasers aren't satisfying you while you wait for DmC: Devil May Cry's upcoming DLC, Vergil's Downfall, a few users in Europe have redeemed their codes before the March 5th release da?te, and have uploaded some lengthy playthroughs.

This one in particular is a whopping 18 minute long video showing off the new Vergil specific menus, the animated intro, and some game?play. Capco?m has already taken a few other videos off YouTube, so check this one out while you can!

The post Gameplay videos for DmC’s Vergil DLC are surfacing appeared first on Destructoid.

Also, a free Bloody Palace update releases today

[Update: the official trailer has been added]

Last we heard, the Vergil DLC for DmC: Devil May Cry was supposed to come out at some point in February, but Capcom j?ust let us know today that the final release date is Marc??h 5th.

This new mini-campaign pack, said to last between three to five hours, will feature four difficulty levels, additional weapons, and new locales for $8.99 (720 Microsoft Points). Hopefully it can brighten the? experience a bit for all of the people who were disappointed by the core game.

Also, the Bloody Palace, a classic arena-like staple of the Devil May Cry series, will be hitting the Xbox 360 toda??y as a free update (it dropped last night on the PlayStation Network).

Expect ?some thoughts coming? soon in the form of a mini write-up to see if its worth your time, as well as a full rundown of the Vergil DLC at launch.

The post DmC: Devil May Cry’s Vergil DLC launches in March appeared first on Destructoid.

Vergil's Downfall

The upcoming downloadable story content for DmC picks up right where the game finishes, so needless to say this will be one spoiler filled preview.     

At the end of DmC, Dante plunges his sword into Vergil and nearly kills the misguided brother. Vergil is spared, but he's left battered, bruised, and lost in a new ?realm that's closer?? to that of a hell-like dimension compared to the limbo areas that players went through as Dante.

Not only is Vergil badly hurt and lost in an unkno?wn dimension, but he's also lost the amulet he was given by his parents,?? thus losing a good portion of his powers.

DmC: Devil May Cry: Vergil's Downfall (PC, PlayStation 3 [previewed], Xbox 360)
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Release: February 2013
MSRP: $8.99

I went hands-on with just the first level of the new downloadable content, and it begins with Vergil being transported to the house he grew up ?in as a child. Don't worry though, you'll be exploring new environments and you quickly discover this isn't just a repeat level from the main story.

In fact, a??reas in general have a more abstract feel to them, similar to the secret areas and challenge rooms as Ninja Theory wanted to do a slight shift in tone with this content. Plus cutscenes are all more like a m?otion comic crossed with an anime now, as opposed to in-game animations like before.

Combat wise, at its core V?ergil has the same basic trai??ts as Dante. He has his main sword attack, a projectile sword attack, plus his Angel and Demon sword attacks. All of this will be upgradable the same way as Dante, just not as deep and with less weaponry.

He won't have access to his Angel and Demon attacks at first, but he is able to use their pull moves and that's where you'll see the biggest difference between to two brothers. Vergil will teleport for his dodges, and his pull moves. It's quite jarring at first, especially after you got so used to the way Dante did it. With Vergil, he's able to teleport enemies to himself, or he can teleport right to them. The sa?me goes for when you're using Angel or Demon pulls on platforms.

As for the story, you're playing as a very disheveled Vergil. Downfall aims to wrap up the story between the brothers as Vergil tries to make sense of what went wrong. Vergil doesn't th??ink he'??s a bad guy, he was trying to do what was best for humanity.

Dante will be making appearances in Vergil's Downfall, but it doesn't look like it's actually the savoir of humanity. This hell-like dimension appears to be screwing with Vergil, and after a little challenging fight with a new enemy type, Vergil is stabbed once again by what I'm guessing to be a Dante imposter. Or maybe it's all in Vergil's head? We'll know for sure when? the new content is released later this month.

The post DmC’s Vergil DLC about 3 to 5 hours of new content appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming later this month

Initially, we just had a nebulous "after launch" release date for DmC: Devil May Cry's free Bloody Palace arena mode, but now it seems as if one is set in stone?? -- February 19 for the ??PlayStation 3, and February 20 for the Xbox 360.

For those who aren't familiar with th??e franchise, Bloody Palace is basically an arena-like mode that offers up a lengthy post-game chal??lenge, as well as a training ground to hone your skills, combos, cancels, and timing.

Expect my impressions of both the Bloody Palace mode and the Vergil DLC close to their release. Although I wasn't very impressed by Ninja Theory's latest take on one of my favorite franchises of all time, I have a feeling some extra content may placate my disappointment, if only a little.

Bloody Palace [Capcom Unity]

For those who are interested, here are the patch not??es for the Bloody Pala??ce content update:

• Poison AI issue addressed (she no longer enters non-interactive state)
• Lessened damage and style boost from Demon Evade
• Arbiter "Drop" now causes damage and style gain even if jump-canceled
• Non-damaging moves no longer provide style points
• Damage done by weakest enemies increased
• Damage done by all enemies increased on Nephilim and Son of Sparda modes
• Adjusted attack (parry) windows for Rage spin move
• SS and SSS will now decay back down to S if you stop gaining style
• No more eternal angel glide (where Dante flies around)

The post New Patch for DmC and Bloody Palace mode dated appeared first on Destructoid.

Savage! Sadistic! Sensational!

DmC: Devil May Cry was a blast to play, and one of my favorite things to pull in the game were all the crazy attacks and combos you can string together. Capcom-Unity pulled to?gether a few videos fans have made stringing together some of the better combs you can do at higher levels.

There's a few more videos below, with the first one containing some major DmC plot spoilers. If you've a?lready cleared the game though, definitely watch it as the player is able to take down some of the big heavy set enemies down at lightning speeds.

These are our latest favorite DmC combo videos [Capcom-Unity]

The post These DmC combo videos are SSSENSATIONAL appeared first on Destructoid.

Bunch of minor things get fixed

An update has hit the PC version of DmC: Devil May Cry on Steam this week. The updates address a minor bugs, and tweaks some things affecting gameplay. Game balancing wise, demon evade provides less damage and style boost, and evades in general have a shorte??r invulnerability window now.

Additionally, green orbs will only spawn when Dante?'s? health is less than half of his HP, SSS and SS ranks will fall down to S rank with inactivity, weakest enemies do more damage, and you can no longer climb infinitely using Fireworks.

But wait, there's more!

Controls have been been tweaked so when you enter Angel or Demon mode in the same frame as pressing an attack button it will now apply that mode to the attack. The refresh rate now correctly displays current value, and the a sound bug affecting? the Kicker move at 75+ FPS has be?en fixed.

Lastly, Vergil's health reset bug has been fi?xed in Mission 20, and quitting out of a Secret Mission in the middle of a falling attack no? longer breaks the camera.

 DmC PC patch details [Capcom-Unity]

The post DmC: Devil May Cry PC patch update gets detailed appeared first on Destructoid.

Dominic Matthews explains DmC's themes

Rock, Paper, Shotgun had the opportunity to sit down with Ninja Theory and learn a bit more about some of the motivations behind the design of DmC: Devil May Cry, specifically from a narrative perspective. Ninja Theory’s Dominic Matthews states that rebellion, the name of Dante's sword, encapsulates the theme of DmC. Dante is not just fighting a Demon God in Mundus, he's battling corporate America. Parallels to also drawn to obvious references like They Live, and less obv?ious references like British satire.

He goes on to say: "It seems that games are perceived to be for kids and should never tackle themes a Saturday morning cartoon wouldn’t. It would be pretty depressing and limiting if all ?developers accepted that as the status quo. Our games are being played by intelligent adults, so there is no reason why we can’t treat them as such."

Matthews reiterates that Capcom instructed them to take Dante in a new "fresh direction" from a "contemporary western movie." Well, mission accomplished, because Dante felt like a fairly wooden protagonist in a typical "hero's journey" Michael Bay film. As I've said before, I enjoyed the new Devil May Cry from a gameplay perspective even if it didn't measure up to the bar the past entries ha??ve set. I'm still playin??g it, and currently I'm working on the Dante Must Die difficulty.

If you're itching to play more, the costume DLC just dropped today. You can look forward to our coverage of the Bloody Palace title update and a full impressions post on the Vergil DLC as well! In the meantime, you can read the interview for a full look at what Ninja T?heory tried to accomplish.

Reimagining Evil: Ninja Theory On DmC’s Cultural Sa?tire [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

The post Ninja Theory explains DmC: Devil May Cry’s satire appeared first on Destructoid.

There's two soundtracks!

Did you know DmC: Devil May Cry features two full blown soundtracks? Noisia released their 36 track album earlier this month, and consists of mostly of dubstep, electronic and ambient style of music for the game. It's available on iTunes, or you can listen to most of the soundtrack on Noisia's Soundcloud page.

The other soundtrack is by the band Combichrist, and their 13 track album was just released on January 25. The band composed No Redemption entirely for DmC, and y?ou can expect a heaping dose of aggrotech style music fe??aturing heavy metal and loud screaming.

I loved the music in DmC while I played the game, but not really digging either album by themselves. It's weird. Goes perfect as you're going S-SADISTIC, but not really feeling it as I type up e??mails this morning. Go figure.

The post Combichrist’s DmC: Devil May Cry soundtrack available now appeared first on Destructoid.

60 frames-per-second put a Christmas in your eyes

DmC: Devil May Cry has been out for a while, and I think everybody's said what they need to say about it. Whether you're a supporter of the game, a hater of the game, or you were busy making up stories about human babies being shot in the game to h?ave an opinion, it's out now, and everybody's had their say. 

As is so often the case, the PC version of the game has not received quite so much press, despite being, in several ways, the version most worth checking out. Fortunately, we gave this forgotten, r??ecently released alternative a try, and can confirm it's definitely got a?? few things over on its more widely marketed console brethren. 

DmC: Devil May Cry (PC)
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Released: January 25, 2013
MSRP: $59.99
Rig: Intel i7-2600k @3.40 GHz, with 8GB of RAM, GeForce GTX 580 GPU (SLI)

DmC: Devil May Cry initially suffers from the same thing so many major PC releases seem to suffer from these days -- a visually repugnant opening cutscene. Cutscenes are poorly compressed and afflicted with an offputing overabundance of screen tearing, as seems to be the way with most big PC titles (Note: Enabling VSync also applies to ??cutscenes and will stop the screen tearing -- thanks readers!). I really wish they'd sort that out, e?specially given the PC's reputation as the home of superior visual quality. It's always a terrible first impression for any game to give off. 

Fortunately, the cutscenes are anomalous to the overall package, which looks absolutely stellar and s?its comfortably above the console releases in terms of raw graphical splendor. The PC version boasts a greater draw distance and high definition shadows to craft a world that's far easier to get absorbed into. With enhanced textures thrown into the mix, this?? game is an eye-popping revelation to anybody who's just got done playing through the console alternative. 

Of course, the most significant attraction is the framerate. While the 30 frames-per-second found on Xbox 360 and PS3 were a huge sticking point in the minds of concerned Devil May Cry fans, such a problem is non-e?xistent on this 60fps option. Those lamenting the lost of half the framera?te will get exactly what they want here -- a game with silky fluidity and a greater level of precision. 

These factors combine give us a game that just feels much more tangible. I've played a fair few PC versions of games after originally taking them for a spin on consoles, and DmC is defi??nitely at the higher end of the noticeable improvement scale. The game really "pops" off the screen in a way the Xbox 360 version simply can't. Of course, if you're a PC gamer, you knew that already and are just here looking for validation -- consider it done!

The biggest caveat has to be that you're likely going to want an actual controller, as opposed to mouse-and-keyboard. I'm not a fan of third-person action titles with traditional PC controls at the best of times, but DmC's reliance on multiple button presses during the heat of combat makes it almost unplayable in my experience. When you're holding down multiple keys to switch Dante's weapons, hitting Shift to dodge, and trying to keep?? Dante pointed in the right direction, all with one hand, it's an exercise in total frustration. Not to mention, an analog stick is always going to be better than keys for nailin?g direction-based combos. 

One other complaint, also linked to mouse-and-keyboard, is the menu system, which is not at all optimized for PC controls. You can't use your mouse in menus??, which isn't a problem if you take my advice and use a controller, but is an annoyance for anybody forging ahead with the usual input method. The game has most certainly been designed with controllers in mind, and the PC version is not prepared to make allowances for anything else. 

In my humble opinion, the game's still a great time no matter what system you acquire it for, but if you want the best visuals and a framerate worthy of the franchise, DmC on PC is the way to go. Its cutscenes are as bad as can be expected, and keyboard input is a dog's mess of an experience, but if you've got a controller and an eye that demands the best visuals possible, this is the DmC you need. 

The post Not-review: DmC: Devil May Cry on PC appeared first on Destructoid.

The Chronicles of Vergil

If you're itching to get more out of the world of DmC: Devil May Cry, today is your lucky day. Titan Comics has just announced that a tie-in comic series is now available on ComiXology.com, and will be coming to print soon.

The first issue will be a prequel to the events of DmC, and detail the relationship between Vergil and Kat. The Vergil DLC which is coming soon, will take place after DmC -- so basically, you're going to get the whole picture ??with the DLC and the comics.

If you're ?looking for a physical copy, of Issue #1, it'll be available on May 15t??h -- Issue #2 will be ready on June 19th.

The post DmC: Devil May Cry gets a prequel comic appeared first on Destructoid.

Original Dante!

After I beat DmC: Devil May Cry the other day, I unlocked the white-haired Dante costume. Essentially, it's the new Dante in his same "new" style, with his old hair color.

It was small concession for fans who really cared what he looked like, but now we're getting three more costumes that should placate a few more fans.

They'll be available for purchase (lol) on January 30th, and you can view them all in our lovely gallery. It k?ind of ruins the joke they played about his old style, but hey, it works for me.

As I said in my 100% Retrospective, I enjoyed the new DmC, despite the fact that it h??ad a number of shortcomings that held it back from greatness.

I'm hoping with the upcoming Vergil DLC and the free Bloody Palace update, they can augment the game even ??further (not? to mention possible old school DLC down the line).

All I know is that ?I'm playing the game wholly as the costume in the header from now on (??the other two costumes I outright don't like), and I'm pretty damn excited.

Are you?

The post New DmC: Devil May Cry costumes revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

Carter's Quest

[Read on for a description of every Devil May Cry game ever released in the US, and my completion of them all in 2013.]

2013 is going to be an exciting year. Now that I know you guys enjoy reading my Quests, I'm going to make an effort to do even more of t?he?m from here on out.

I hope that you have learned a bit about the franchises I've covered so far, as my plan is to inspire others to share their thoughts and feelings with the series?? of their choice as well (which many of you have done!).

In addition to Metroid, Mega Man Classic, the Mega Man spinoffs, Mega Man X, and Splinter Cell, I also have another one ready to go for 2013: Devil May Cry.

Why Devil May Cry?

All things considered, Devil May Cry is probably my favorite action franchise ever. The series is particularly close to my heart, as I?? remember when each game came out??, and it's one of the only franchises where I rushed to buy every single game day one.

I vividly remember the first time I played the original game, the first time I played the standard version of Devil May Cry 3 and struggled on the first boss (because normal mode was secretly hard mode in the original), and the many times I watched the same clip of Devil May Cry 4's first gameplay video.

The DMC series does action right, simply put. It's the perfect technical action series, that essentially functions as a fighting game in an action-adventure's body. There's cancelling, split-second timing considerations, a heavy emphasis on combos, and a strong sense of urgency with the game's c??hallenging difficulty levels.

It has memorable boss figh?ts, amazingly cool weapons, sick cheesy '90s action cutscenes, tons of unlockables, and ??solid anime-style voice acting.

People are quick to note that the new DmC is more welcoming to newer players. I heavily agree with that, but the secret is, Devil May Cry was always welcoming.

In fac?t, it was one of the only action games ever to put in an "Easy Automatic" mode that allowed you to turn it down a notch if you died too many times. It was a perfect compromise, as it allowed you to execute advanced moves with the press of a button. It's a s?hame so many people have been turned away by a promise of an "impossible" barrier of entry.

I figured with the recent release of DmC: Devil May Cry, it would be a great time to dive into the series again, and see how the new game stacks up directly. For those of you who aren't aware, the series is widely popular, spawning a?? few novels, manga, an anime series, a US comic series, and a potential feature film.

Dante himself as appeared in many other games, including the Viewtiful Joe series, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 (with Vergil), and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.

If you haven't joined me on my Quests before, the way they work is pretty simple. It's kind of like a retrospective, but rather tha?n just ?give you an overview of a franchise, I'll generally let you know what I thought of the game when it was released, and what I think of it now.

If I didn't provide a complete vision of what the game is like before I replay it, I'll provide an "extended thoughts" section below each applicable entry. I'll update my progress in real time through my blog, and after I finish the entire Quest, I'll share it with ??you guys on the front page.

For this particular Quest, I actually finished everything in rapid succession over the course of a few days, so I skipped the c-bl?og portion and got right into it.

Let's go!

Devil May Cry - PlayStation 2 [Owned], PlayStation 3 (HD Collection), Xbox 360 (HD Collection) [Owned]

COMPLETED

At the time, the first Devil May Cry game was extremely fresh and unique. The simple premise of a cocky Devil Hunter engaging in demon hunting was a match made in anime heaven, and it worked. Although the game has started out as Resident Evil 4, it was eventually turned into something else entirely after the fixed camera from previous Resident Evil games was dropped for a more dynamic view.

After the development team traveled across Europe in an attempt to inject some gothic influence into the game, the project was changed entirely: the outcome was Devil May Cry.

I vividly remember seeing the first screenshots for the game, and getting extremely excited at nearly every picture. I loved the deep reds and purple color schemes of Dante and the Marionette enemies, and the ability to juggle enemies with your twin pistols was pretty unreal. Funnily enough, the concept of air juggling was inspired by a glitch in another Capcom game, Onimusha.

Devil May Cry was unique in that it was one of the only games ever to feature a "style" (scoring) system that made you self aware of your gameplay, and always challenged?? you to play better. But that wasn't the only challenge of mixing attacks up and not getting hit -- it was difficult in general to boot!

Starting the series tradition of unlockable difficulties and costumes, Devil May Cry was also one of the first gam?es to offer an "extreme" difficulty mode, in this cas??e, titled "Dante Must Die." 

It wa??s very challenging, and naturally, very rewarding to complete -- and unlike many retro games that featured a "fake difficulty" (throug??h bad design or software limitations), this challenge was legitimate, which made it all the more reason to power through it.

So how was my replay of ??the game? Well, the PS2 origi??nal is pretty choppy by today's standards, but the HD version feels just fine. While a lot of the elements found in the first game have been eclipsed (either copied, or bested by later games in its own series), it's still an enjoyable action game even to this day.

Devil May Cry 2 - PlayStation 2 [Owned], PlayStation 3 (HD Collection), Xbox 360 (HD Collection) [Owned]

COMPLETED

A common joke I like to make in Devil May Cry posts is "Yes, of course, Devil May Cry 4, the oddly named third Devil May Cry game" -- in reference to the fact that the black sheep of the franchise, 2, is generally shunned?? by fans into a no??n-existent state.

While I've beaten the other games at least ten times each (DMC 3 a lot more than that), I've only beaten DMC 2 a scant few times. So imagine my excitement going into it, seeing if it was ?truly as bad as I remembered.

And...it basically is. So many changes were made that weren't really necessary. For one, a side character named Lucia is introduced, and...she's not very compelling. Unlike Kat from the new DmC though, she ?isn't just an ancillary addition -- oh no -- she's basically forced into every?? facet of the game as a playable character.

On top of that, Dante changes into a less interesting, darker version of his previous happy-go-lucky self, and it isn't really fun to watch. The difficulty (a staple of the seri?es) was also lowered, and weapons weren't as nuanced. Everything seemed to sort of blend together -- whether it was the very samey weapon collection or the similar-looking levels (there's far too much open space and not enough memorable environments).

The point is, it didn't stand out, which is generally what the Devil May Cry series makes its money on. Boss battles are extremely dull and? forgett??able.

If you're going to brave this, try it on the HD collection. ?Don't bother hunting it down and paying money for it individually. Besides, the first and t?hird games are worth the price of entry alone for the package.

Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening - PlayStation 2 [Owned], PlayStation 2 (Special Edition) [Owned], PC, PlayStation 3 (HD Collection), Xbox 360 (HD Collection) [Owned]

COMPLETED

Devil May Cry 3 is an interesting and storied release. The very first iteratio??n (the standard edition) featured the Hard difficulty as a standard. Meaning, Hard was actually Very Hard. As a result, I remember dying a number of times on the first sub-boss of the game (which i?s like five minutes in). That's a challenge, my friends, and one of the many reasons why I was immediately enamored by this game.

Some time later, a "Special Edition" was released, with new encounters, tweaked difficulty levels (it shifted every mode down one peg to understandably make it more accessible), and added the ability to play as Vergil. Yep, one of the biggest badasses in all of gaming was finally playable, and it was glorious. In fact, a playable Vergil is so appealing that Capcom opted to include a playable Vergil campaign as DLC in the new DmC.

But enough about Vergil; the game itself, even the non-special edition, is my favorite action game ever. The crux is due to two things: swappable weapons, and styles. While the new DmC has the ability to switch weapons mid-combat, it isn't instantaneous -- Devil May Cry 3's system was. Two weapons each were assigned to slots on the left and right, which would be switched using L2 and R2, respectively. As a result, you could utilize combos with *four* weapons in them at once. The kicker? All of the weapons were fine tuned, and fun to use.

Styles were an??other thing entirely that allowed you to play the game the way you wanted to play it. If y?ou preferred a more defensive play-style, Royal Guard was your huckleberry. It allowed you to use split second timing and guard attacks in a traditional manner, in addition to the standard dodge mechanic.

There are suitable styles for melee weapons and ranged as well, but my absolute favorite is the Trickster style, which improves your speed, maneu??verability, and jum?ping abilities. All of these styles level up, RPG style, and can be brought across difficulty levels, allowing you to replay the game as many times as you want to max everything out. It was a ton of fun, and there were a few nights where I'd beat the game twice in a row -- it was that enjoyable.

Of course, it ?also contained some of the best boss fights in all of gaming. Which brings us to the final battle -- Dante's epic showdown with V??ergil. I mean, what can I say about this fight that hasn't been said a million times over? It truly is worthy of the term "epic." On higher difficulty levels, it's one of the most intense, and mesmerizing fights in all of action games (it might even be my number-one choice).

If you haven't experienced Devil May Cry 3 yet, you need to. If I had to summarize the third game into one word, it would be "gunchucks."

Devil May Cry 4 - PlayStation 3, PC, iOS [Owned], Xbox 360 [Owned]

COMPLETED

The fourth Devil May Cry game had one of the best core action engines of all time -- but you wouldn't know it, because the actual campaign had a heap of problems. B??acktracking, pacing issues, and an all around lack of a compelling narrative hurt this game.

The chief complaint for m?e was backtracking, so much in that it ba?sically expected you to beat the same game twice (and even fight many of the same exact bosses) with two different characters.

Like Devil May Cry 2, DMC 4 featured two characters. This time around I actually liked the newcomer (Nero), and enjoyed his?? different play-style, but the fact remains that the campaign itself is very u??ninteresting at points. It's a shame, because it's one of the best-looking games on the PS3/360.

Despite those issues though, Devil May Cry 4 shines brightes?t when you're playing as Dante, and switching between all four styles at will in the game's Bloody Palace mode. It's combat bli??ss, despite its fleeting nature.

Don't let anyone tell you Devil May Cry 4 is a bad game. It's not. It also?? sold very well, which makes the decision to go with a completely new studio all the more puzzling for fans.

DmC: Devil May Cry - PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360 [Owned]

COMPLETED

So we've come full circle now. We're pa?st the fully ?Capcom developed titles and we're onto Ninja Theory.

As everyone knows, I'm not the biggest NT fan. Back when they were known as Just Add Monsters, they made a game called Kung Fu Chaos, which was basically an uninspired (and very racially charged) Smash Bros. clone for the Xbox.

Surprisingly, I found out four years later that they developed Heavenly Sword for the PS3, and went to check it out. While it had the machinations of a cool-looking game, I thought it was a pretty basic and uninspired God of War tech demo.

But still, Ninja Theory trucked on, and released Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, which was probabl??y their most successful game to date from a critical standpoint. Even then, I still wasn't impressed.

Although Enslaved contains ?some of the best imagery I've ever seen in a videogame, the combat system was probably one of the worst I've ever experienced, and platforming basically consisted of "hold forward, press a button occasionally."

So naturally, I was a little skeptical of DmC: Devil May Cry. But even as Ninja Theory had hundreds of insults thrown their way, I remained steadfast, and always said I would give it a shot, because at the end of the day, I'll give anything a chance. I'm glad I did. As Jim stated in his review, the game has many redeeming qualities.

Although it isn't as innovative as the first game was for the time, and isn't up to snuff combat-wise like 3 and 4 were, I enjoyed DmC for what it was. The platforming was actually pretty good (and probably t?he best in the entire series), and the premise transcended a '90s action movie to the point where it would be (somewhat) universally appe??aling.

Despite the fact that I really didn't like the new characters for the most part, including Dante (no, not because of his hair -- I just felt like he was almost painfully generic), the world was something I could get into. Plus t?he combat wasn't bad at all, and is Ninja Theory's best effort to date in terms of straight gameplay mechanics.

In terms of difficulty, DmC was a bit of a letdown (like 2), and you really need to play it on the game's Son of Sparda mode (Very Hard) to get a true Devil May Cry exper??ience -- you?? just have to beat the game once to unlock it.

While I wouldn't recommend the game to absolutely everyone, I w?ould recommend it to most action fans. You might not be as wowed by it as some people, but you'll most likely enjoy it more than the average action-adventure.

Collection Photo:

Final thoughts:

Devil May Cry is a pretty weird series. It starts off with a bang, regresses, peaks, regresses a bit again, an??d reinvents itself over five short games. Honestly, not a lot of series have that storied a history with this kind of reputation.

Although the?? collection of games is far from what I'd call a "troubled" past (every game but the second has universal acclaim from fans of the genre), it is an interesting one, and one I enjoyed reliving on this Quest.

Devil May Cry 3's brilliance was no surprise discovery here, but rediscovering why Devil May Cry 4 was such a shame was a bit jarring, and disappointing. I was expecting the first game to not hold up well, but if you play the HD collection, it's just fine. DmC impressed me more than I thought it would, but there's a lot of issues that hold it back from greatness -- kind of like Devil May Cry 4.

As for recommendations, I'd probably tell newcomers to give the HD Collection a try and test out easy automatic if Normal is too ?troubling, a?nd the new game, with a price cut.

So now we??'re in an odd spot. Capcom has a franchise that upped its ??presentation, but regressed a bit gameplay-wise. It's a give and take for fans, and something not all fans were willing to give.

The good news is, Capcom hasn't closed the door on an internally developed Devil May Cry 5. I mean, these two ?sub-franchises can coexist, right?

Right?

The post 100% Series Retrospective: Devil May Cry appeared first on Destructoid.

DmC: Devil May Cry

In the first level of DmC: Devil May Cry, Dante gets a little surprise while taking on the game's first boss. Th?e video is below the fold as the thumbnail is a a bit spoileri??sh. 

[Thanks, Zak!]

The post See what new Dante thinks of t?he whole white hair issue appeared first on Destructoid.

Dante's Winferno

DmC: Devil May Cry is an insult. It insults the fans, who have loyally supported Capcom through thick and thin, and it insults the legacy of a most respected action series. Ninja Theory has spat upon one of the last pure names in gaming, though for Capcom, it's just another twist of a long-rusted knife. Also, Mega Man Legends 3. 

The above paragraph was for people who are reading this review specifically to be told something like that. Now they're satiated, let's have ourselves? a review.

DmC: Devil May Cry (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 [reviewed], PC)
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Released: January 15, 2013 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) / January 25, 2013
MSRP: $59.99

Let's not beat around the bush. Those looking for hardcore action in the same vein of the previous four titles will be disappointed. DmC: Devil May Cry is easier. It's simpler. Chaining combos and gaining S ranks are not challenging at all, at least on the normal difficulty setting. It doesn't run at 60 frames-per-second on consoles. For some, the alteration of these elements will have killed the very essence of Devil May Cry, and to those people, I can only sympathize, because this game s??imply is not fo?r them. 

This is not to say, however, that every fan of prior installments shall walk away empty handed. Those who came to the series predominantly for its commitment to ridiculousness, its audacious sense of style, and a combat system that leaves them feeling highly amused, have everything they need for a fantastic time, and may find themselves favoring Ninja Theory's effort more than ?any other game in the series. 

Retelling the story of the Son of Sparda, DmC seems to take most of its narrative cues from the classic Roddy Piper movie, They Live. Humanity is being kept docile and unwittingly enslaved, Earth's "reality" little more than a mask for a Hellish alternative world full of subliminal messages and twitching? abominations. Dante is one of only a few capable o??f seeing the world as it really is and entering the twisted mirror world of Limbo, where messages like "OBEY" hide behind advertising posters, and consumer products are revealed for the monstrous intoxicants they really are.

DmC lays the satire on thick -- perhaps a little too thick -- skewering the finance industry, FOX News, and consumer culture with little mercy and less subtlety. At the heart of this is Dante -- an angrier, more aggressive, less camp take on the iconic protagonist we've come to know who, over time, becomes no less affable for all his differences. The story is as silly as a Devil May Cry story's always been, but thanks to some solid voice acting and terrific ??motion capture animations, it remains believable and suffers from no deficit of enthusiasm. 

While DmC retains much of the aesthetic charm of the series, there are many differences under the hood. DmC is a quicker game overall -- its combat is less methodical and precise, though not as deep as a r??esult. Progression through a chapter is likewise lacking in obstacles and puzzles, but instead emphasizes swift traversal and platforming. As much time is spent navigating ever-twisting corridors and chasms, grappling and gliding through the air, as it is hacking demons to pieces. Again, this will disappoint some gamers, but others -- myself included -- shall appreciate a title that feels overall less ponderous and more fluid. 

The foundation of Dante's adventure is the ability to embrace both his demonic and his angelic qualities. By simply holding the left or right shoulder buttons, Dante is able to access angel and demon weapons respectively. In his normal form, Dante wields his traditional sword and twin pistols. His angel form eventually utilizes a scythe and whirling blades designed for crowds of enemies, while his demon form can access a brutal axe and a pair of molten fists that deal huge damage at a cost to speed. Dante can also grapple enemies, a'la Nero from Devil May Cry 4, and again his two form??s utilize this ability differently, with the angel?? grapple pulling our hero toward opponents, and the demon grapple pulling enemies towards him.

As the game progresses, Dante's on-the-fly form changes are increasingly emphasized both within combat and without. Aside from recurring enemies displaying immunity to certain weapon types, there exist floors that deal damage to Dante if he's not in the right form, and various grapple points that must be dragged or clung to, with the player often required to change form and grab obstacles multiple times in mid-air. These requirements give platforming sections a more thrilling edge than they'd otherwise have, though I feel Ninja Theory could have made them even more demanding than they are. They look and feel great, but I was always waiting for something incredibly complex from the environments, and never quite got them.

That said, optional secret missions can be unlocked to explore the concept further. These timed missions demand certain ac??tivities be completed utilizing specific forms, or really expand the platforming into something more taxing. Players are rewarded with health boosts after completing every four secret missions, though finding the keys and the doors required to discover them is a challenge in and of itself. 

With access to so many instantaneous weapons, switching combat styles to rack up bonus points has never been easier, and even a moderately skilled player will be casually grabbing "SSS" rankings provided they keep it varied. Again, if one's joy came from feeling accomplished in these rankings, this will be a cause for consternation. For those who want a lot of weapons with which to beat the stuffing out of hordes of enemies, DmC has them supplied to an ample degree. It's a solid combat system, one that definitely fails to reach the levels of depth found elsewhere in this particular series but, in all honestly, stands he?ad and shoulders above the majority of most action games. 

What Ninja Theory may have lost in the streamlining of the combat, it more than makes up for in terms of atmosphere and level design. Limbo, inspired as it may be by eighties sci-fi films starring Scottish wrestlers, is as twisted and oppressive as it is colorful and varied. While Dante fights through each chapter, the world contorts around him, hateful messages popping up on walls and floors, encouraging Dante to fight back by yanking debris and pulling himself toward higher ground. The way in which the environment serves as both a narrative device and dynamic obstacle course yields elegant results, making DmC's? twenty levels some of the most intriguing and original I've seen in quite some time. 

Nowhere is this more evident than with the bosses. From a foul-mouthed vomiting succubus to the cackling digital head of a demonic Bill O'Reilly substitute, each boss battle is bombastic, memorable, and gloriously stupid. Many of them provide environmental puzzles as well as combat challenges, blending the two gameplay elements remarkably well as Dante swings from platform to platform before seizing an opening in the foe's attacks and closing in. Like elsewhere in the game, many of these huge fights focus on Dante pulling objects or pulling himself, a focus that brings some delicious imagery during one particularly motherly battle. 

The artistic stylings of Ninja Theory, previously showcased in Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Journey to the West, are surprisingly well adapted to the Devil May Cry universe. While the clashing colors and animation styles bear Ninja Theory's unmistakable signature, the vario??us demonic entities all retain a classic flavor, treading the line between "cool" and "unsettling" while boasting no shortage of visual intimidation. The aforementioned environments really run with this ?style, and areas such as a glitzy, near-psychedelic demon nightclub and a section taking place within a Raptor News logo are difficult not to fall in love with. 

The game's soundtrack evokes memories of Devil May Cry 3, providing some shameless background combat tunes, most notably from growling makeup aficionados Combichrist. Like any good DMC soundtrack, the mu??sic does a terrif??ic job of getting one in the right mood, expertly punctuating the decadent scenes of violence with equally indulgent rock. 

There is an argument to be made that, when judged alongside the rest of the series, DmC is a bad Devil May Cry game. The suggestion may be debatable, but there's a potential case to be made. It's more streamlined, it's not as challenging, and ultimately it has stripped away what a significant portion of the fanbase love most of the series. However, even if one sides with the argument that this is a bad Devil May Cry game, that does not preclude it from being deemed a terrific videogame on its own merits, and in my estimation, that's exactly what DmC: Devil May Cry is. 

You can argue DmC's merits as a Devil May Cry entry all the live long day. You can bicker over whether or not it deserves the share a name with the series' frankly spotty past. This, however, is not an argument I choose to indulge, because the bottom line is that DmC: Devil May Cry is a beautiful, bold, and supr??emely enjoyable videogame in its own right?. It deserves to be praised.

Action g??ames may come deeper and harder than this, but few are as pleasurable.

_{[Check out our complete coverage of Devil May Cry, including the controversial design overhaul. -staff ed]}

The post Review: DmC: Devil May Cry appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't go beating the main campaign too quickly now

For better or worse, with the direction DmC: Devil May Cry has taken, I would have figured the series' popular Bloody Palace mode would be an obviou??s inclusion; something familiar for long-time fans to fall back to once everything was said an??d done. The silence has been broken: the gauntlet will be making it to the game, but not until after launch.

Capcom announced today that Bloody Palace mode and its 100-some levels of demons is scheduled to arrive as a free update for all users "shortly after launch." DmC is out on January 15, 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and January 25 for the PC. As expected, players will need to clear the main game to access this mode. Thank goodness they didn't t??ry to charge for this.

The post DmC will get Bloody Palace mode for free af??ter launc??h appeared first on Destructoid.

Watch Dante walk a lot

If you like walking, you're in for a treat. With a trailer that rivals even the Lord of the Rings franchise on "most steps taken?? per running time," you'll get to see Dante walk around as the world turns to Limbo City around him.

He steps on a few cars, saves a girl from drinking a possessed can of soda, and before you know it, he's fighting dudes. Overall it's kind of a generic trailer, but it gets the job done i??n terms of showing you what the dynamic setting is going to be like.

You guys already know what I thought of the demo, so the only thing left to do is wait less than ??two weeks for Jim's ??full review!

The post A new DmC: Devil May Cry trailer appears appeared first on Destructoid.

'dat jacket

In case you didn't know, Vergil will be featured in the upcoming DmC: Devil May Cry by way of downloadable content shortly after the game's release. Now, you can see him in ??a?ction in the above video, busting out his stylish attacks.

Veteran Devil May Cry 3 fans will no doubt see a few familiar abilities from the Special Edi?tion version of the game, which also featured a playable Vergil.

If you're curious, you ca??n view another new video below that showcases some random attacks and features. The jury is still out on the full game, but you better believe you'll be hearing about how?? it went from Jim Sterling and I when it drops next month.

The post A new gameplay video surfaces for DmC’s Vergil appeared first on Destructoid.

Or you can get just DmC for $49.99

DmC: Devil May Cry is available for pre-purchase on Steam right now for the surprising price of $49.99. And as a added bonus, you'll be given the costume pack downloadable content for free with your purchas??e.

Or you can take things one step further by picking up the DmC Complete Pack for $59.99. This includes Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, Devil May Cry 4, and of course DmC. Not a ba?d deal at all, as you save $29.98 over buying each game individu??ally.

I was all set on the console version of DmC, but will be getting the PC version now after seeing all the added features like 60 frames per second. Check out the specs to see if your rig can handle DmC here.

The post Get ??DmC, plus Devil May Cry 3 and 4 for $60 on Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Here are the system requirements

Capcom has dated DmC Devil May Cry for PC; the digital download will be available on January? 25, 2013. This is how you can enjoy the game at 60 fps or even highe?r.

Developed by QLOC S.A., DmC features full AMD support, ?including multi-display support. It will support both mouse/keyboard and Xox 360 controller support. Capcom confirms that there is no maximun limit on?? frames per second.

As for other goodies, DmC supports Steam saves, achievements, leaderboards and friends s?upport.

Below you'll find the minimum and recommended PC system specs for th??is game. It's all in AMD speak, mind you.

The recommended and minimum specs for DmC Devil May Cry on PC are as follows: 

Minimum System Requirements:

OS: Windows Vista®/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
Processor: AMD Athlon™ X2 2.8 GHz or better, Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.4 Ghz or better
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 8 GB free hard drive space
Video Card: ATI Radeon™ HD 3850 or better, NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800GTS or better
DirectX®: 9.0c or greater
Sound: Standard audio device

Recommended System Requirements:
OS: Windows Vista®/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
Processor: AMD Phenom™ II X4 3 GHz or better, Intel® Core™2 Quad 2.7 Ghz or better
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 9 GB free hard drive space
Video Card: AMD Radeon™ HD 6950 or better
DirectX®: 9.0c or greater
Sound: Standard audio device

The post 60 fp??s+ D?mC Devil May Cry hits Windows PC Jan. 25, 2013 appeared first on Destructoid.

Something good, something bad

It's been about a week since Ninja Theory and Capcom made the DmC: Devil May Cry demo available for public consumption, and I've had quite a bit of time to reflect on it, as well as replay the classic games that made Devil May Cry a household name for a direct comparison.

A lot of people asked me what I think of the game, since I'm one of the most vocal DmC fans on Destructoid. I own every game (even redundant platforms), I bought every game at launch, and I've beaten all of them on every difficulty. It's safe to say I love DmC.

Going in, I was extremely skeptical of Ninja Theory. No, not becaus?e Dante's hair is a different shade of grey -- because Ninja Theory, in my opinion, has never developed a solid action g??a?me in the history of their company.

With that in mind, h?ere's what I think of the demo.

In case you're interested:

The demo is available right now on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

It involves two missions: Under Watch (a standard level that teaches you how to play), and Secret?? Ingred??ient (a short boss battle).

The Good:

• The combat system is Ninja Theory's best yet. After the appallingly bad combat system in Enslaved, I was expecting a lot less from DmC.

  Thankfully, it seems like Capcom's co-development has rubbed off, which gives me hope for their future games, even if they aren't brought back for a potential DmC 2. Gameplay wise, this is not a repeat of 2003's Devil May Cry 2? -- even solely based on the demo, it'?s heaps better.

  Visually, it's also a lot more interesting than Devil May Cry 2; for better or for worse. So don't worry: barring some disaster, this isn't in danger of being the worst Devil May Cry game Capcom put out.

• Combat flow works, for the most part, in reference to the framerate. I was really worried that the Unreal Engine would throw a wrench in the mix and make advanced combat unplayable, but I really wasn't too worried here after playing it for a few hours. Capcom's "tricks" seem to work really well, and most of you have nothing to worry about.

  The vast majority of people who play the game shouldn't have issues with the 30 FPS limit -- but for the rest of us who are looking for more depth, I'll get to that later.

• DmC looks like how Devil May Cry 4 should have looked, so consider me impressed. The colors really pop, and the art team did a bang-up job. Very rarely do I just stop and look around in a game, but I love the bright shades of green/blue/red juxtaposed to grey.

  The new enemy designs dared to be different, and I like how Ninja Theory was able to inject their own personal vision into the game without "stealing" previous assets on a constant basis, like the Marionettes.

• The story has promise, and allows for a larger group of people to enjoy the franchise. In previous Devil May Cry games, you were pretty much screwed if you weren't a fan of classic over-the-top action films.

  Here, Ninja Theory has lowered the bars of entry to allow pretty much anyone to come in. Yes, it may be a bit hokey (V for Vendetta versus Fox News), it seems to have a bit more depth than your average over-the-top action flick.

The Bad:

• I was completely taken aback at how appallingly bad the writing was. The one-liners weren't particularly clever like they were in past games, and the excessive use of cursing (which I'm normally always down for) in the boss battle portion of the demo was a real turn-off.

  As community member SephirothX found out in his community blog on the same subject, this is the first in-house writing project by Ninja Theory -- which might explain why it's a little rough around the edges. Dante has already been irreverent once (he was "Young Dante" in Devil May Cry 3) -- it worked then, and I don't see it working here.

• The demo may only be a glimpse at what is yet to come, but I did not like any of the game's characters. Dante isn't offensively bad (he's kinda meh, really), but Vergil felt pretty flat, and Kat felt way too "damsel in distress-ey."

  I really hope that there's a bit more depth here in the final version. I long for strong females like Lady, and wacky characters like Jester. Hopefully they show up at some point.

• So how about that frame rate? As I mentioned above, 30 FPS isn't really that much to worry about if you're a casual fan. But on higher difficulties, it may prove problematic. For example, in Devil May Cry 3 there's a style called Royal Guard. In exchange for greater firepower, swordplay, and movement, Royal Guard would allow you to block attacks with pinpoint framerate accuracy. I'm talking like half-second or less windows.

  It was a fan-favorite amongst gamers who played on higher difficulties, and it worked at a picture-perfect 60 FPS rate. In DmC, I'm worried about difficulties like "Hell and Hell", where Dante dies in one hit (but his enemies don't). Will the game really work as intended (Let's just say I'm glad Bayonetta was 60 FPS) when you're surrounded by a large number of enemies? I guess that's a question for 2013.

• Limbo, the spirit world of DmC, and its constant shape-shifting gets old very fast. Alright, we get it -- the world morphs and it's not what it seems.

  What would have been a really cool gimmick for a small portion of the game ends up seemingly becoming the setup for the entire game. It got old in the demo, and I hope the final version doesn't overuse it. Enslaved didn't need gimmicks to create an amazing, living, breathing world that you wanted to be a part of.

• The game is a bit too easy. Before you say anything, realize that Devil May Cry has always been a franchise built for everyone -- Ninja Theory is not doing anything special making the series more "accessible." Since the very beginning, Devil May Cry has offered something called an "Easy Automatic" mode, that acclimated new action fans to the mechanics, and helped them along their way.

  On the flipside, the series has also tra??ditionally offered a difficulty called "D?ante Must Die," which basically translates to "Very Hard" in other games. Some games even go beyond this, and offer crazier difficulty options.

  DmC looks to continue this tradition, but sadly, even the Son of Sparda difficulty (unlocked after beating the demo on Hard) doesn't present a real challenge. Most enemy attacks are widely choreographed (some with a ridiculous gleam of light), and you do way too much damage in the boss fight for it to really be considered a challenge. The lack of a hard lock-on system is another issue that may bother some people on higher difficulties, and hinder progress.

• The controls are needlessly complicated. "Wait! But I thought you just said the game was too easy!" Well, when I say "complicated," I don't mean the controls are too hard -- I just mean that they weren't designed very well.

  In DmC, the developers thoug?ht it would be a good idea to make the left trigger (L2) launch angel weapons, and the right trigger (R2) launch demon weapons. Fair enoug?h, on paper.

  But when using an angel boost (a mission critical move previously called a Trickster style "Sky Star" air dash in DmC 3 and 4), you have to hold down the left trigger and press A.

  This continues into another rather large gaming c??oncept. To?? use your hookshot in order to pull out ledges or platforms, you use RT+X. To climb/swing to them, you use LT+X. Simply put, why do these ancillary movement functions need to be mapped to two different buttons?

  Why can't ledge pulling and grabbing be the same button? It feels pretty off-putting to have to juggle controls to do things like swing on ledges during a boss battle when the boss is completely open. It's not challenging or taxing -- it's just not fun.

Overall:

Honestly, despite my reservations, I expect DmC to do modestly? well at a bare minimum. I think most fa??ns aren't going to care about the changes, and most gamers won't notice the lack of technical nuance in the combat system.

The Devil May Cry series has also never been bulletproof. Many people are quick to point out that the first game hasn't aged well, the second game was fairly mediocre and lacking in heart, and the fourth game had major design issues. Plus, no one ever expected it to be on the same level as Devil May Cry 3 ?(which I consider the greatest action game of al??l time).

Given the fact that the game doesn't have to b??e revolutionary and adding in a checkered past, this could easily be Ninja Theory's big break -- a collection of lessons they learned from making sub-par action games for many years.

At the same time: we all know how Capcom rolls. If it doesn't sell like gangbusters, they'll find some excuse to either put the franchise on the shelf, or retire it. The near-launch DLC announcement already has me worried.

So for the sake of one of my fa??vorite franchises, I hope Ninja Theory?? does right by it in the end.

The post Impressions: DmC: Devil May Cry demo appeared first on Destructoid.

OMG THEY CHANGED DANTE!!

The DmC: Devil May Cry demo is now available in the US, Europe, and Japan on both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. The demo consists of one area where you have to get through a level, and another that sees you fighting this gross boss.

DmC has been getting a ton of hate for a variety of reasons, from the way the new Dante looks to the wub wub soundtrack. Basically, a ton of silly reasons from Devil May Cry purists who haven't even played the game. Well now the demo is out, and I want to know what you really think of the game after you've actually played it.

Personally, I love the new DmC. I'm loving the art direction on everything, I dig the new Dante, and found the combat to be enjoyable. Dtoid user Genki-JAM, on the other hand, didn't care so much for the demo. He raised some valid complaints, you know, after he played it!

The post What did you think of the DmC: De?vil May Cry demo? appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't blink or you might miss five cuts

Capcom has released a new behind-the-scenes interview video featuring the actors playing Kat and Vergil in the upcoming DmC: Devil May Cry. Sage Mears and Davi??d Del Lautour seem like earnest professiona??ls talking about their roles, but the editing gimmicks employed throughout the video are the real stars of this show.

I kid. DmC is going to be a lot of fun, I'm betting. Every time I've seen it or seen it played by someone, a good time has been had. ??I really hope people who have reacted negative??ly to the changes in characters and story don't pass it over just on that account because I think they're going to miss out on something neat.

The post Kat and Vergil detailed in DmC ‘making-of’ vid appeared first on Destructoid.

November 20th in the US and EU

It seems as if a demo is finally at hand for the extremely controversial Ninja Theory-developed DmC: Devil May Cry. You'll be able to download a trial version on?? November 20th in Europe and North America (for 360; PS3 is a day later), and the 21st in J??apan.

All of the supporters will be able to see if they were right, and all of the naysayers will be able to confirm or deny their suspicions, on what I henceforth will refer to as "DmC D Day". The suspense is killing me!

The demo will allegedly feature the 2012 TGS build, if you've been following the game closely. The game actually drops on January 15th, 2013. Also, don't forget that reserving it at GameStop nets ?you the Vergil (on-disc? Dun dun dun!) DLC for free.

DmC Devil May Cry demo [Gematsu]

The post DmC: Devil May Cry demo coming ??thi?s month worldwide appeared first on Destructoid.

DLC free for GameStop pre-orders

A post-launch DLC pack for DmC: Devil May Cry has Dante's lovable twin br??other jumping in as a playable character. Capcom says that Vergil's downfall will be available after launch for $8.99/720 MSP, and that pre-order customers at GameStop will get the content for FREE.

"Shorty after launch," they say. Launch ??happens on J??anuary 15.

Expect new ??wea??pons, combos, and enemies with this DLC. Blades everywhere!

This new trailer lets you see just?? how Vergil cut?s stuff up. 

The post Vergil confirmed for DmC: Devil May Cry as DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Style over substance?

Having previously spoken with Capcom about DmC: Devil May Cry ?running at 30 frames per second as opposed to th?e series' traditional 60 fps, we heard that "it still feels really good" from Capcom Japan producer Motohide Eshiro.

Eurogamer talked to director Hideaki Itsuno, who elaborated on the topic. "During the course of the development of Dragon's Dogma we did a lot of experimentation and happened upon some techniques for working with Unreal Engine, some fairly elaborate techni??ques, that allow for a controller responsiveness that gives the play??er the feel of 60 frames per second," he noted.

"So even though you h??ave it running at 30 frames per second," he continued, "you create the motions and the poses in such a way that the brain will naturally fill in what would have been the extra frames. Also, on the players' side, we made some adjustments to the button response and when?? it's reflected on screen."

I can't speak from personal experience, but they are certainly setting themselves up for scrutiny here. "We still feel like as soon as you stop playing DmC and play other games they feel very slow in comparison and a bit sluggish,"? explained Itsuno. "At least that's for me. We're quite ple?ased with how responsive and how fluid it feels."

Dragon's Dogma taught Capcom?? new tricks that give Devil May Cry the feel of 60 frames per second, publisher claims [Eurogamer]

The post DmC uses Unreal techniques to feel faster than? 30 fps appeared first on Destructoid.

Things available for money

The ever-wise All Games Beta has discovered an image of the limited edition for DmC: Devil May Cry, kn?own more impressively ?as the Son of Sparda Edition. 

As well as flashy packaging, the special edition featu??res the Samurai Pack, a piece of in-game content that turns Dante's weaponry into "Samurai Devastators." You also get an upgrade points boost to gain an early edge in the game. 

If yo?u're a fan of physical tat, the offerings a bit less lavish than other special editions. You may have a replica of Dante's neckla?ce. I hope you like necklaces. 

So far, the Son of Sparda edition has only been revealed for Europe. It's going to be a GameStop exclusive in the United Kingdom, where it'll retail for £59.99.

The post DmC: Devil May Cry Son of Sparda Edition revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

Heaven or Hell mode returns!

One of my favorite parts of getting a fresh new Devil May Cry game is working my way up to Dante Must Die mode (read: Very Hard) and beyond. There's something about the Devil May Cry series and its harder difficulty modes that always spoke to me -- much more than say, God of War's God Mode or other many action games at least.

Understandably, it was always a concern of mine in regards to how Ninja Theory would handle the franchise's legacy of difficulty settings, and now we have a little more information that should ease your mind a bit. After Easy, Normal, and Hard, the following four modes will b??e unlocked:

Son of Sparda - Remixed enemy layouts, tougher enemies and enemy behavior? throughout.

Dante Must Die - As above, but contains the strongest enemies an??d insane attack waves.

Heaven or Hell - Another remixed mode, but everyone and everything, including Dante, die?s after one hit. Supremely satis??fying!

Hell and Hell - The sa??me as above, but only Dante dies after one hit. For serious contenders.

Even if DmC: Devil May Cry doesn't live up to the series' pedigree of difficulty by default, Hell or Hell will most likely scratch that itch for me at the very least. It'll still take a lot to top the standard, non-special edition of DMC 3, which started off on? hard mode as a default,? but I'm still excited nonetheless.

The post DmC: Devil May Cry will feature four extr??a difficulties appeared first on Destructoid.