Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition | |
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Developer(s) | Capcom [lower-alpha 1] |
Publisher(s) | Capcom |
Director(s) | Hideaki Itsuno |
Producer(s) | Hiroyuki Kobayashi |
Writer(s) | Bingo Morihashi |
Composer(s) |
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Series | Devil May Cry |
Engine | MT Framework |
Platform(s) | |
Release |
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Genre(s) | Action-adventure, hack and slash |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition [lower-alpha 2] is a 2015 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. A remastered version of Capcom's action-adventure game Devil May Cry 4 , it was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game features new playable characters, new cutscenes, polished gameplay, improved graphics, the option to switch between English and Japanese voice tracks, and additional costumes. [2]
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition was conceived by director Hideaki Itsuno after working on the action role-playing game Dragon's Dogma (2012) and the reboot DmC: Devil May Cry (2013). Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition received generally positive reviews; the addition of new content and new playable characters, as well as improvements in general, were praised. It was criticized for not fixing the problems of the original game and repeating the same stages when a new character is selected.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition includes the original content from Capcom's 2008 game, in which Nero, a teenager with demonic powers, is ordered by the Order of the Sword to capture a man named Dante. [3] As the story progresses, Nero learns of the dark side of his followers who aim to use him and Dante due to both of them being descendants of the legendary dark knight Sparda. [4] Nero and Dante befriend each other. [5] The original game features Nero and Dante as playable characters while the Special Edition features Vergil, Lady and Trish as bonus playable characters, each with new opening and ending movies.
The Special Edition explains how The Order of the Sword was formed prior to the third game's event. Vergil, a hooded man who is both Dante's older brother and the original owner of Yamato, was investigating the traces left by their father, Sparda. Vergil arrived at Fortuna Island, where The Order of the Sword was under construction. After eliminating the scarecrow demons surrounding him in a slum, Vergil became suspicious of The Order's true intentions on their worship of Sparda. While about to go to visit the church of The Order, Vergil passed a group of pedestrians; a woman in a scarlet dress noticed Vergil as he walked away. [6] After he finished his investigation in Fortuna, Vergil left the town wondering whether the Order is misguided for its worship but vowed it will know the true power of Sparda's son one day. [7]
The movesets of Vergil, Trish and Lady were inspired by DmC: Devil May Cry and other fighting games. Bonus costumes for Trish and Lady were included in the first-print run of the physical version and as a pre-order bonus for the downloadable versions. The game includes bonus costumes and EX-colors for Nero, Dante, Vergil, Lady and Trish. The game also includes Legendary Dark Knight mode, an additional difficulty mode featuring a vastly increased enemy count and a Turbo setting that increases game speed by twenty percent, both of these extras were previously exclusive to the PC version of the original release. The in-game economy was re-tuned for quicker acquisition of Red Orbs and Proud Souls, both of which are used for leveling up skills and purchasing items. The remaster also has uncompressed textures and improved visual effects. A new Japanese language voice track has also been added to the Special Edition. [8] [9]
Lady's gameplay is a continuation of her debut appearance in Devil May Cry 3 ; she also has a long-ranged grappling mechanic similar to that of Nero. Lady's combat-style heavily relies on firearms such as a shotgun, handguns and her signature Kalina Ann. Lady has a charging weapon mechanic known as Bullet Gauges, allowing her to quickly charge her weapons’ bullets, granting her powerful firearm attacks up to three levels. Lady can also use double jump and uses a power-up aura for her "Devil Trigger". [10] Much like her playable appearance in Devil May Cry 2 , Trish's gameplay remains similar to that of Dante. Trish also retains her flight from the second game while accessing "Devil Trigger". Trish relies on electrokinetic spells such as those in (Ultimate) Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds , and controlling Round Trip movement with the Sword of Sparda for a limited time. [11]
In Special Edition, the player plays all of the game's missions as Vergil, who retains most of his moves from the Special Edition of Devil May Cry 3 but also has elements from DmC: Devil May Cry. His moves are fully upgradable, and a feature was added for his choice of stylized fighting, which is known as the "Concentration" mechanic. The Concentration mechanic is indicated by a blue gauge in the upper left corner of the screen. It has three levels which allow him to make a more powerful attack at higher levels. To increase the gauge, Vergil can attack enemies and dodge their attacks. However, if Vergil is hit by an enemy, runs or misses an attack, the Concentration gauge depletes. [12]
After working on Dragon's Dogma , Capcom's Hideaki Itsuno wanted to work on a new Devil May Cry title, having directed all of them since Devil May Cry 2 (2003) and supervising the 2013 reboot. The idea of improving Devil May Cry 4 inspired him to do this project. The development of the title took a year and a half. Itsuno had clear ideas about improving the gameplay mechanics of that title. Vergil was added to this title and autosaves were added to make the game more accessible. Itsuno was inspired by fighting games to expand the amount of moves of the characters. Vergil's role in the reboot DmC: Devil May Cry was also an inspiration. [13] Itsuno noted some gamers were disappointed because Capcom outsourced Devil May Cry into the reboot from Ninja Theory but wanted to clarify the original series was still ongoing with this updated version of Devil May Cry 4. [14]
Originally, Lady was to be included as an alternative skin but Itsuno feared a negative response and decided to retain her original moves and make Lady a playable character. Some bosses on her campaign mode were redesigned to accommodate her inclusion. Itsuno said Capcom wanted to make Trish's gameplay unique. [15]
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is the first game in the series to include Japanese-language audio. Nero was voiced by Kaito Ishikawa, [16] while the other cast members already had a Japanese voice in the anime series and other titles. Although Ishikawa tried to follow his English-language counterpart Johnny Yong Bosch when dubbing the character to understand Nero's personality, he found it difficult because he did not understand English. Ishikawa had no previous experience with the series before working on Special Edition but he was encouraged by his friends. Ishikawa met Dante's Japanese voice actor Toshiyuki Morikawa during recording; they interacted many times and Morikawa helped Ishikawa understand the franchise. Ishikawa understood the game better as he worked because it was translated into Japanese and he appreciated the experience. [17]
On December 15, 2014, Capcom announced the game would be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. [18] Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition was released on June 18, 2015, for the PS4 and Xbox One versions, and June 24, 2015, for the PC version in Japan, and on June 23, 2015, for all announced platforms in other regions. [19] In the games and anime series, Dante is often seen eating pizza so the limited edition of Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition was packaged in a pizza box. [20]
Aggregator | Score |
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Metacritic | PC: 72/100 [21] PS4: 75/100 [22] XONE: 76/100 [23] |
Publication | Score |
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Destructoid | 9.5/10 [24] |
Game Informer | 8.5/10 [25] |
GameSpot | 6/10 [26] |
IGN | 7.5/10 [27] |
Gaming Union | 8/10 [28] |
PCMag | 4.0/5 [29] |
Gameplanet | 7.5/10 [30] |
The PS4 and Xbox One version of Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition were met with favorable reviews on Metacritic but the PC version got average reviews. [22] [23] [21] The inclusion of the three new characters prompted a positive response, which also complemented their individual fighting styles. [27] [28] [25] Gaming Union called the game a far-more complete package than the one Capcom released in 2008, while favourably comparing it to the re-released version of Devil May Cry 3. [28] Game Informer said the game's visuals and combat had aged well. [25] Some video game journalists, however, lamented that Capcom did not fix backtracking issues that were now more apparent because Trish's and Lady's stages are reruns of Dante's and Nero's. [25] [27] IGN was bothered by the use of puzzles that stopped players from enjoying the most entertaining parts of the game. [27] Gameplanet 's reviewer Syed Mahir Hussain described Vergil's inclusion in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition as one of the title's greatest strengths because of Vergil's "unique" fighting style. [30]
GamesRadar+ 's writer Tom Senior enjoyed "the way Vergil saunters casually through combat". [31] Destructoid said elements of the reboot's version of Vergil were incorporated well into the regular Vergil. Hideaki Itsuno said since the announcement of Special Edition, fans had been wanting to play as Vergil again because of his popularity for the multiple combinations gamers had performed while playing as the character. [32]
Trish's inclusion in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition has received a positive response. PCMag stated her moves seemed to be inspired by her appearances in Devil May Cry 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 , describing her as "a very accessible" but difficult-to-master character. [29] Game Informer enjoyed the way Trish can change weapons during fights, saying while she might be regarded as simple to control, mastering all of her abilities might be so challenging she may be overshadowed by Vergil. [25] IGN liked her moves because of the balance between them and Lady's techniques. [27] GameSpot offered a less-positive opinion, saying Trish might be less entertaining than Lady and Vergil. [33]
Destructoid said Lady is a unique character because she is human and does not possess any demonic powers like the rest of the cast, which makes mastering her fighting style entertaining. [24] PC Magazine expressed a similar sentiment, based on the way her skills contrast to those of the rest of the playable characters. [29] While also finding her enjoyable to play, IGN said Vergil's mechanics make him more appealing and that he overshadows both Trish and Lady. [27] Game Informer was afraid Lady would "feel too gimmicky" but liked her dynamic style. [25]
In the first week of its release in Japan, the game sold 35,872 copies. [34] In July 2015, Capcom announced the Special Edition had sold well, with the majority of units sold digitally. They noted the digital sales of the "Special Edition" were a key contributor to their overall growth for the fiscal quarter. [35] By March 31, 2024, the game had sold 2.70 million copies. [36]
Dante, also known under the alias of Tony Redgrave, is a fictional character and the protagonist of Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. Introduced as the protagonist of the 2001 game with the same name, Dante is a devil hunter dedicated to exterminating them and other supernatural foes in revenge for losing his mother Eva and having his older twin brother, Vergil, lost. He is the son of Sparda, inheriting demonic powers which he uses with a variety of weapons in the games. The character also appears in several Devil May Cry novels and manga volumes and is featured in the 2007 anime television series. Dante has also made multiple guest appearances in crossover games. Since 2005, he has been portrayed in voice acting and motion capture by Reuben Langdon.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening is a 2005 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. The game is a prequel to the original Devil May Cry, featuring a younger Dante. Set a decade before the events of the first Devil May Cry in an enchanted tower, Temen-ni-gru, the story centers on the dysfunctional relationship between Dante and his brother Vergil. The game introduces combat mechanics with an emphasis on combos and fast-paced action. The story is told primarily in cutscenes using the game's engine, with several pre-rendered full motion videos.
Vergil is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series created by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. He was introduced in the first Devil May Cry game as a boss called Nelo Angelo. Vergil is one of two devil-human hybrid sons of one of the devil lords called Sparda, and possesses demonic powers. He has appeared in three video games opposing his younger twin brother, Dante, and in a novel and a manga based on the series. He is the secondary antagonist of Devil May Cry 3 (2005), and the overarching antagonist of Devil May Cry 5 (2019), though he becomes an anti-hero at its conclusion. A re-booted portrayal of Vergil also appears in the 2013 video game DmC: Devil May Cry as the leader of a group of rogue vigilantes bent on stopping the demon king, Mundus. In the main continuity, Vergil is portrayed in voice acting and motion capture by Daniel Southworth.
Lady, born Mary, is a character in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series created by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. She was introduced in the 2005 title Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, as a demon hunter on a mission to avenge her mother's death at the hands of her father, Arkham. She is also present as a playable character in the sequel Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (2015). Since her introduction, Lady has appeared in the series' various anime and manga releases, supporting the protagonist Dante, to whom she often provides support and employment.
Devil May Cry 2 is a 2003 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It was released from January to March, originally for the PlayStation 2. In terms of chronological order, the game's events are set after Devil May Cry and prior to Devil May Cry 4.
Devil May Cry 4 is a 2008 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows platforms. It is the fourth installment in the Devil May Cry series and is written by Bingo Morihashi and directed by Hideaki Itsuno. The story follows Nero, a young man possessing demonic powers who is on a mission to stop the series' main character, Dante, after he assassinates the leader of the Order of the Sword. The player assumes the role of both Nero and Dante as they fight enemies using their demonic powers and a variety of weapons.
Trish is a character in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash shoot em up video game series by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. She debuted in the first installment of the series, released in 2001. A demon taking a female human form, the mother of Dante, Eva, Trish seeks the aid of protagonist Dante in eliminating her creator, Mundus. Besides being a supporting character in subsequent games, she also appears in the other titles created by Capcom.
Devil May Cry 3 is a manga series based on the best selling video game Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening was released in Japan and later an English translation was released in 2005. The manga is divided into three parts, Code 1: Dante, Code 2: Vergil, and the (never) to-be released Code 3: Lady. The plot of the manga centers on the events that happened one year before Devil May Cry 3, it explains how the conflict between Dante and his brother Vergil started and how the game's characters were introduced to each other. Code 1: Dante explores the storyline from Dante's point of view, it introduces the main characters. It explains how Vergil and Arkham meet and how they formed an alliance. Dante is first introduced as a mercenary willing to take any job that offers a good reward, eventually revealing that the reason behind this is a desire to avenge the death of his mother by slaying those that killed her. Code 2: Vergil introduces the Temen-ni-gru a structure that holds the door to the demonic realm and it follows Vergil and Arkham on their quest to unseal the door to it. It illustrates the moment when Dante's demonic powers began awakening.
Rival Schools: United by Fate, known in Japan as Shiritsu Justice Gakuen: Legion of Heroes, is a fighting game produced by Capcom originally released as an arcade game in 1997 and ported to the PlayStation in 1998. A sequel, Project Justice, was released in 2000.
Sengoku Basara (戦国BASARA) is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including three anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, and numerous drama CDs, light novels, manga, and stage plays. Its story is loosely based on real events of the titular Sengoku period in the history of feudal Japan. Sengoku Basara was popular in Japan when the games released as they won multiple awards, became a cultural phenomenon and a commonly cited example of games as art, and gained a passionate fanbase.
Nero is a character in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. He is the nephew of original Devil May Cry protagonist Dante, and the son of recurring series antagonist Vergil. He first appeared in Devil May Cry 4 as the primary protagonist. Nero, a teenager who works for the Order of the Sword, uses demonic powers inherited from Sparda to hunt demons. Nero returns as the primary protagonist in Devil May Cry 5 to fight the demon king Urizen, a new threat. He has also appeared in printed media related to these two games. He is portrayed in voice acting and motion capture by Johnny Yong Bosch.
Devil May Cry is a series of video games set in the present, created by Hideki Kamiya, a video-game designer and developed by his employer Capcom and Clover Studio. The series' success has led to comic books, novelizations, two anime series, guides, collectibles and a variety of action figures. The first game focuses on devil hunter Dante's mission to avenge the death of his mother, Eva, by exterminating demons. In the process he encounters his long-lost twin brother, Vergil, with whom he has a dysfunctional relationship. As the story progresses, Dante encounter his father's nemesis, a demon emperor, Mundus, who is found to be responsible for the murder of Dante's mother.
Devil May Cry is an urban fantasy action-adventure game franchise created by Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom. The series centers on the demon hunter Dante and his efforts to thwart various demon invasions of Earth. Its gameplay consists of combat scenarios in which the player must attempt to extend long chains of attacks, avoiding damage and exhibiting stylized combat by varying their attacks; this combat, along with time and the number of items collected and used, are considered in grading the player's performance.
Devil May Cry: The Animated Series is a Japanese anime series based on the video game series by Capcom. It is set sometime between Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2. The show is produced by the anime studio Madhouse and directed by Shin Itagaki. It debuted on the WOWOW TV network in Japan on June 14, 2007, and ran 12 episodes.
Capcom developed two light novels in the Devil May Cry series, written by Shinya Goikeda, illustrated by Shiro Miwa and published by Kadokawa Shoten. Originally released alongside Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2 the novels act as preludes, with the epilogue of the novel leading into the opening scene of the game. In 2006, Tokyopop released English language editions of the novels, translated by Paul Cheng and Gemma Collinge and adapted into English by Ethan Russell.
Devil May Cry is a 2001 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. Released from August to December, originally for the PlayStation 2, it is the first installment in the Devil May Cry series. Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island, the story centers on Dante, a demon hunter who uses his business to carry out a lifelong vendetta against all demons. He meets a woman named Trish who takes him on a journey to defeat the demon lord Mundus, who is responsible for the deaths of Dante's brother and mother. The story is told primarily through a mixture of cutscenes, which use the game engine and several pre-rendered full motion videos. The game is very loosely based on the Italian poem Divine Comedy by the use of allusions, including the game's protagonist Dante and other characters like Trish and Vergil (Virgil).
Devil May Cry 5 is a 2019 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. The game is the sixth installment overall and the fifth mainline installment in the Devil May Cry series. It takes place five years after Devil May Cry 4 and follows a trio of warriors with demonic powers, the returning Dante, Nero, and a new protagonist named V, as they attempt to stop the Demon King Urizen from destroying the human world. Across their journey in Red Grave City, the player can use these characters in different missions. Each of them has their own way of fighting and becoming stronger. As this happens, the mystery behind V is revealed, along with his connection with Urizen.
DmC: Devil May Cry is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Capcom. Released in January for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows, it is a reboot of the Devil May Cry series and set in a parallel universe to the mainline series.
Hideaki Itsuno is a Japanese video game director and designer. He was born in Osaka Japan, and took a job working at Capcom. He has been a director and producer for several series at Capcom, including Rival Schools, Power Stone, Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma.
Bingo Morihashi is a Japanese novelist. He also contributed to writing the video game franchise Devil May Cry, its television anime series, as well as two light novels based on it.
Nero: Guy just came from Hell, he's gotta hit up a couple tourist sites. / Credo: You jest so lightly in a time of crisis? You must capture him. / Nero: Trust me, I'll get it done.
Sanctus: Held back by love. Such a shame. Still, I must salute a man who carries the blood of Sparda. While not in Dante's league, you still presented a harder fight than I had anticipated. / Nero: Dante...? / Sanctus: I had originally intended to absorb him into our Savior, but circumstances presenting, I'd rather choose the option at hand.
Nero: Wait. You forgot this. / Dante: Keep it. / Nero: What...? I thought this meant a lot to you...? / Dante: That's the only kind of gift worth giving. I want to entrust it to you, and so I am. What you do from here is your call. / Nero: Hey, Dante! Will we meet again?
Vergil: The Order of the Sword, huh. / Vergil: They worship a demon as a god? / (Vergil fights a group of Scarecrows) / Vergil: Just what are your true intentions?
Vergil: Well, I can't exactly call them misguided. But soon they shall know this devil's power. A power greater than they ever imagined. The power of a son of Sparda.