Dante is Back and he is Sexy. DMC: Definitive Edition Review
Fresh out of Limbo and back in to our consoles, Dante's arrival to current gen could not have been any better. With the early release of DMC: Definitive Edition (DMC) on Playstation 4 and Xbox One, we are fortunate enough to be playing this right now.
Yes this game is a reboot of the original Devil May Cry series and is somewhat detached from the original story line but DMC remains faithful to the law of the Devil May Cry world. The addition of 60fps is in my opinion almost a good enough stand alone reason to repurchase if your a fan of the series. For new comers to the franchise nothing is lost story wise by missing out on the originals and you are presented with this stunning current gen masterpiece.
Story:
For those unknowing, Dante is the second son of the demon Sparda and the human Eva, and the younger twin brother of Vergil. DMC takes place in Limbo City, a buzzing metropolis. The population of Limbo City is being secretly controlled by demons, who are using human comforts upon which to manipulate and easily manage them. We are firstly introduced to Dante, who is living on the outskirts of this brainwashed society, when a medium, who we come to know as Kat, warns him that he is being hunted by a Hunter Demon.After the encounter between the Hunter Demon and Dante, it begins a domino like effect, where Dante is a major target and his only real option is to, as he always does, rebel. Thankfully for us the only way Dante knows how to rebel is by inflicting massive amounts of gore filled hack and slash pain. With his trusty side(arms)kicks Ebony, Ivory and his sword Rebellion.
Kat's abilities as a medium allow her to use rifts and assist Dante to move between the parallel plains of reality and limbo. It is here in limbo where Dante can truly shine and go to work on all of hell's minions and bosses. So in a nutshell Dante's best defense is a fluid kick arse method of offence. Along the journey Dante begins to discover the actual scope of his power, with this adding to his arsenal of weaponry and abilities, to overthrow the proposed dictatorship of Mundas.
Game play:
The game play mechanics will be quite obvious to veteran demon hunters but in the same breath accommodating to newcomers. In all fairness it will take a little time to wrap your head around it but once learnt and comfortable with your own style of play it will feel quite natural. The combat is quite fluid in this and the combo counter keeps you striving for combos with a higher "style" rating. Throw in the modifier buttons (L1 and R1 on Playstation 4) and the spectacle that is the DMC combat system really sparkles. With the addition of platforming and puzzle sections DMC very rarely feels old, stale or monotonous.
With various aerial maneuvers and abilities at your disposal, reaching previously unreachable collectibles and valuable red orbs becomes possible. Speaking of aerial movement, taking the fight to the air has never been this pleasing in any earlier titles. Overall this adds to the complexity that the combat system boasts. Don't get me wrong complex does not mean difficult just multifaceted.
Audio and Visuals:
Boasting a perfect 60 fps and 1080p resolution, Ninja Theory makes this a truly current gen experience. The direct contradiction of reality and limbo are captured beautifully with ambient background coloring. Upon entering limbo the feel of hell is very real, with everyday items such as vending machines and rubbish bins being constricted by bloody red barbwire. The often quite apparent removal of whole buildings and disintegrating landscape really hits home that everything is not alright. Entering limbo is not always as straight forwards as it seems, often with the game throwing the odd curve ball like being upside down or inverting the controls.
The camera is quite manageable with the right stick, though the option for a slightly increased sensitivity would be very welcomed. All in all it's not a downside, at least the camera angles are not fixed. With a very balanced amount of claret and gore you really feel the damage you are inflicting. Also the addition of slow motion finishers at the end of a battle sequence will really help you appreciate the efforts you put in to win the battle.
The speed and finesse of the game has been very successfully complimented with it's soundtrack. With offerings of pop style dance music while navigating each level to spine tingling metal numbers during battle. To say that the soundtrack compliments the game would be a severe understatement, this has been hit out of the park. As far as the audio is concerned the soundtrack is where it absolutely pops but that is not to take away from the awesome performances from the voice actors. This coupled with the spot on sound effects of battle makes this a pleasure to consume through ones ear's.
Overall:
In my honest opinion the 60 fps warrants a repurchase to those who have previously committed to it in the past and a definite must have to everyone who has never played any games in the series. With the hack and slash genre of late, pickings have been quite slim but this will surly fill the gaping void with class.
The overall ranking system and leader-board function definitely lends itself to the overall replayablility. Not to mention the overwhelming amount of game modes that will progressively unlock throughout each various play-through.
Dante is one hell of a video game protagonist that we all wish we could relate to in some form or another. Because as a society we are groomed to believe nothing is quite perfect, I am giving this a 9.5 for overall execution of a current gen title.
In order to see my thoughts on the expansions and extra modes available to us in this definitive remaster be sure to stop by our Facebook page and give it a like, while your at it you should also subscribe to our YouTube channel and browse our collection of gaming videos. From everyone here at Aussie Gamers Express I thank you for taking this time to read my thoughts on DMC: Definitive Edition.
Cheers Red