Devil May Cry 4

[Heaven]

on http://www.jeuxfrance.com

 

 

graphics do not look that good! i'll be awaiting videos and HD images though

[Dante]

 

- Yuji Shimomura is once again directing the cutscenes

- The main character is Nero

- The gameplay systems will be similar to the games before this

- Takes place between DMC1 amd DMC2

-Nero has devilish right arm. He can draw enemies toward himself and then throw them.

He starts to realise his powers in DMC4. DMC4 portraits Nero when he earns his powers and hereafter.

- They chose Nero because Dante was overused (3 games) & they wanted to put the new users and the old fans in the same starting line for DMC4.

- Nero looks like Dante because the silver hair and red coat is more like a symbol to the DMC series/

- "Dante is grim and he can't settle down. As story progresses the situation changes, how's that?" says Kobayashi meaning that Dante might be playable.

-They introduced the right arm draw-throw system because in DMC3 when you beat the enemies, combos brake. Besides expect the sword and weapons this system provides multiple choises and the fun expands, However depending on the enemy you can't draw and throw everyone of them.

- The combo system has as base the one from DMC3 & they are revising/reworking details according to the fans' comment-remarks.

-Nero's sword has a bar. The sword has somekind of a driving force in it. It's a new way/element to enjoy the sword handling.

-In TGS there will be real time footage.

[Heaven]

Nero Anglelo IS Vergil.

[Dante]

Speaking with the magazine, director Hideaki Itsuno stated that the change was made in part to put fans and newcomers on equal ground with the game. One of the worries was that if the game looks too much like a sequel, new players will have a hard time of playing.

 

The classic Devil May Cry hero will appear in the game as a "mysterious person." From Nero's perspective, Dante is an enemy who appears out of nowhere and kills his allies. Chronologically, the Dante that appears in this game comes after part 1 but before part 2 (the series chronology is 3, 1, 4, 2).

 

Kobayashi wouldn't state for sure if Dante will be playable (Famitsu shows some shots of Dante shooting his gun, but these may just be event scenes), but Nero seems to have enough tricks that you won't want to go back to the classic hero. Nero has access to a new array of attacks using his "Devil Right Hand." Nero's right hand can be used to pull distant enemies in and send enemies that are close by flying away.

 

All the classic Devil May Cry moves are also planned for the game. Nero can wield two guns and has access to a variety of swords, including the powerful Red Queen. The combo system is based on that of part 3, Itsuno revealed to the magazine, noting that Capcom has been making adjustments by listening to user feedback. There are a few mysterious new systems, including one where your sword has an element of "acceleration" about it, but details will have to wait until a certain late-September game show.

 

Devil May Cry is also about stylish drama sequences between the action, and Itsuno and crew seem to have this covered as well. Like part 3, DMC4 will have its event scenes directed by movie director Yuji Shimomura. The story volume will be greater than that of the previous games, Itsuno noted to the magazine.

 

Itsuno also shared some details on how the game is tapping the power of the PS3. The visuals attempt to deliver a satisfying feel of being in the air. Nero's right arm actions are, according to Itsuno, something that could not be done on current machines.

 

Closing off the Famitsu feature, producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi commented on Capcom's Devil May Cry 4 showing at the Tokyo Game Show. Players will be able to sample the game as Nero. In addition, Capcom will hold a Devil May Cry stage event which will include a surprise announcement.

 

IGN

[Retro_Link]

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=12908&type=wmv&pl=game

[Heaven]

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=12908&type=wmv&pl=game

 

This is really old...was first seen back in September 2005.Nero will NOT look like that.It's just an example of how the graphics/animations in DMC4 will be...

 

 

DMC4 on xbox360? I've no doubts after the huge success of Dead Rising and the hyped/upcoming Lost Planet (both exclusive titles from capcom) and now the brand new engine of Capcom designed for xbox 360...HURRAY!!!

[Babooo]

Really doesn't look that great.

[Dante]

New infomation.

 

- Nero is a knight within the Order of the Demon Blade, a religious order which protects the secrets and powers of demons from the world.

- There's no indication that he is the Vergil that we know from DMC3 and DMC1.

- The game is set in a huge city known as Fortuna.

- The people here believe that Sparda is a god, and the Order that Nero works for wants to undo Sparda's seal.

- It is for this purpose that Nero ends up in this city, but here his entire unit is slaughtered by the demon hunter Dante.

[Zero]

Nero Anglelo IS Vergil.

It's Nelo Angelo.

[Dante]

All the magazine infomation

- Yuji Shimomura is once again directing the cutscenes

- The main character is Nero

- The gameplay systems will be similar to the games before this

- Takes place between DMC1 amd DMC2

-Nero has devilish right arm. He can draw enemies toward himself and then throw them.

He starts to realise his powers in DMC4. DMC4 portraits Nero when he earns his powers and hereafter.

- They chose Nero because Dante was overused (3 games) & they wanted to put the new users and the old fans in the same starting line for DMC4.

- Nero looks like Dante because the silver hair and red coat is more like a symbol to the DMC series/

- "Dante is grim and he can't settle down. As story progresses the situation changes, how's that?" says Kobayashi meaning that Dante might be playable.

-They introduced the right arm draw-throw system because in DMC3 when you beat the enemies, combos brake. Besides expect the sword and weapons this system provides multiple choises and the fun expands, However depending on the enemy you can't draw and throw everyone of them.

- The combo system has as base the one from DMC3 & they are revising/reworking details according to the fans' comment-remarks.

-Nero's sword has a bar. The sword has somekind of a driving force in it. It's a new way/element to enjoy the sword handling.

-In TGS there will be real time footage.

- Nero is a knight within the Order of the Demon Blade, a religious order which protects the secrets and powers of demons from the world.

-Dante is a mystery characer to Nero, so Nero doesn't know who he is

-Dante is his enemy and appears out of nowhere to kill his allies

-Kobayashi wouldn't state for sure if Dante will be playable

-There are a few mysterious new systems, including one where your sword has an element of "acceleration" about it

-Itsuno says "The story volume will be greater than that of the previous games".

- There's no indication that he is the Vergil that we know from DMC3 and DMC1.

- The game is set in a huge city known as Fortuna.

- The people here believe that Sparda is a god, and the Order that Nero works for wants to undo Sparda's seal.

- It is for this purpose that Nero ends up in this city, but here his entire unit is slaughtered by the demon hunter Dante.

[Ryan]

I enjoyed Devil May Cy on PS2, hope they make part 4 for 360 because I would buy it without hesitation..

[Dante]

more screens.

[Hellfire]

I wonder if we can burn Rome?

I'm getting tired of sequels being pumped up too fast.

[Carlos]

More old screens:

[Dante]

People on another boards say Nero is not Nelo/Vergil.

 

hmm old artwork from TGS 05.

[Solidus]

Nero is not Vergil.

[Dante]

Capcom DMC4 screenshots.

[Dante]

Gamesradar DMC4 Feature

 

Kobayashi's Interview

 

GamesRadar: So we just spoke to the producer, Kobyashi. You're the director. Could you speak about what a game's director does?

 

Hideaki Itsuno: The producer is more like the foreign ambassador, in that he doesn't deal with the internal workings of the game so much as he shows it to people outside the company and people higher [up, inside the company]. It's more a top-level position. The director takes care of the particulars inside the game - storyline, quality, things like that. More of an internal position.

 

GR: So we were speaking with Kobayashi about bringing together the different elements of the game: the cinematics, graphics, gameplay and other stuff. Please discuss how it works to bring together these different elements into a cohesive game.

 

HI: That's a difficult question. First, I take a lot of time to just explain my vision of what the game should be to the team. Then I make all subsequent decisions based on how I want to feel when I buy the game, and what impressions I want to have of it. I then go about implementing the little points that will lead up to that finished product.

 

GR: Could you talk a little bit about your work history and the other games you've worked on prior to Devil May Cry 4?

 

HI: Devil May Cry 2, 3 and 3: Special Edition. Before that, Capcom vs. SNK - basically all of them. Power Stone, Rival Schools, Street Fighter Alpha.

 

GR: So you started in fighting games, which aren't as big now as they once were. Do you bring anything from that fighting action to Devil May Cry - is it an evolution of that style?

 

HI: Of course. I like fighting so I'm bringing that element into the game. I'm bringing everything I liked about the action of fighting games into this.

 

GR: Now that you mention it, when you pop the guy up into the air and then you punch him in the face, it's kind of like Marvel vs. Capcom.

 

HI: Yes, that's true. We weren't able to do that in DMC2, but because of the new technology we're able to do that and I'm really excited.

 

GR: That brings us to a good point. What have you been able to do with Devil May Cry 4 that you couldn't do before with the series?

 

HI: The Devil Bringer. It's a lot of fun! Enemies you can't shoot, or can't slice... a third element, a third way to beat an enemy has been introduced. When you can't shoot 'em and kill 'em and you can't slice 'em and kill 'em, you can slam 'em to the ground, and that's an exciting element.

 

GR: The impression we're left with is that there's a lot about the Devil Bringer we haven't seen yet, even in this demo. Can you talk about this a bit?

 

HI: Dante doesn't have Devil Bringer, but as far as Nero is concerned, there's really a lot you can do with the Devil Bringer. [itsuno begins to demonstrate techniques in the boss fight versus Berial. Check out our latest movie to get a taste of that fight.] See, you can stop the enemy's attack. You can not only throw enemies down, you can stop their attacks. There's all sorts of throws, too - depending on when and where you implement the throw, it'll show a different kind of throw. There's a lot of things that the Devil Bringer can do, that you'll find out in the game. In a nutshell, there's a lot you can do with the Devil Bringer.

 

GR: So would you say that the Devil Bringer is the most important element of the game?

 

HI: Yes. There's so much that you can do - you can draw enemies to you, kinda like "come here!" You'll be able to use it move you, bring enemies to you, throw enemies down - there's a lot of possibilities with the Devil Bringer.

 

GR: Obviously you've moved to the new platform, PS3. Please discuss what sort of challenges, and what sort of new opportunities, that brings to you as a developer.

 

HI: So not just the PS3, any new hardware, but all of the previous consoles that came out when they were new, they were new and challenging, but at the same time, they were fun. When you get a new screen that wasn't possible on previous hardware, you think "woah!" It's also challenging to think of ways to utilize the new technology.

 

GR: So what kind of ideas, based on the fact that you moved to PS3, made it into the game?

 

HI: There's not a whole lot, in terms of inspiration, that we got from the hardware. We dream big. We have a lot of things we want to do, and then we get the hardware and there are still things that we find "oh, we can't do this" or "we can't do this." So our dreams, our vision of the perfect game, and the hardware are not always compatible. Our expectations have to come down. So, though the PS3 is a new and good machine, it's still not what my expectations are.

 

More than any fault with the hardware, it's the time element. There are things we need to get done in a certain amount of time, and so, based on that, we maybe have to cut this down a little bit, or massage this, so that it fits inside the time frame. If we had more time, we could make more into the hardware. But it's not the hardware's fault that anything is missing.

 

GR: As the next generation of consoles has begun, we find that gameplay changes. How does Devil May Cry move into the new generation?

 

HI: I don't think gameplay will change that much.

 

GR: Specifically with DMC, or just generally with any game in the new generation?

 

HI: Inside the world of Devil May Cry, we're not changing gameplay very much. We're making it more beautiful, more action-packed and giving you a few more features, but the gameplay itself is the pretty much the same.

 

GR: We asked Kobayashi this question: the series has gone through some ups and downs. As you've moved through the series, what have you learned and brought forward into the latest entry?

 

HI: We learn our lessons along the way. If we make a mistake, we find out what the mistake was, where we went wrong, and fix it, but... with this game we intended to make this game be a standard of this genre for the new platform.

 

Since DMC3, especially the Special Edition, we thought it as a very good game - so ever since that version came out we've been pleased with it and haven't had much to be disappointed about at all, so we're just going to the next level with this one. So, I guess what we weren't able to put into DMC3:SE, as far as enemies, we really focused on and tried hard to get right as far as this game. The artificial intelligence for the enemies and the way they respond to you. Making the way the enemies actually respond to your movements better - instead of just making them independent of you, they actually work with you and against you. So as you do something, they do something.

 

GR: That's becoming a big thing with games. Halo had a very high emphasis on enemy AI. What does making the enemies smarter bring to the gameplay of DMC4?

 

HI: Making the AI better in a video game is not like making the AI better in, say, a chess game. Making it better in terms of acting ability - we're basically improving its acting, so that the user can have more fun. So if the [enemies] did something in reaction to what you do, it feels like you're more involved in the actions.

 

GR: You're bringing in a new main character, Nero. He's not completely dissimilar to Dante, but he's not completely the same. Could you talk about Nero, and why he came into the game?

 

HI: There's a lot of reasons we've made them similar, or dissimilar in certain places. The reasons for that remain to be seen, because there's a story behind it.

 

Instead of bringing the Dante from DMC3, which is really powered up and really hard to play, we needed a character that would basically be playable by everyone. There weren't a whole lot of ways to do that. Sure, we could have made Dante have a memory lapse and lose his abilities and then try to regain them, but we didn't think that was a good option.

 

So we introduced Nero, who has little ability to start off with and then gradually grows stronger, and eventually, as the story progresses, you will be able to use Dante anyway. So we thought that was a good way to bring it along. Of course we considered that, because this is new hardware, there would be a lot of people buying it who would be new to gaming, so we wanted to make it accessible to everyone - beginners, as well as people who are really good at games.

 

GR: One of the most famous examples of a game series coming up with a new character nobody expected is Metal Gear Solid 2. Obviously that was a big controversy. You've been very up front about your new main character so it won't create the same sort of problem, but do you find it's a challenge to work against the expectations of fans of the series?

 

HI: To our pleasant surprise, we really haven't gotten any negative feedback as far as the new character is concerned. If anything it's really positive, so we're really happy about that.

 

GR: It must be really challenging to make a character that's similar enough to be familiar to players, but not so similar that people go "what was the point of having the new character?"

 

HI: Actually, it was a gamble for us to even introduce a new character, because Dante was such a great character in the last game. So we did our best to make Nero every bit as good as Dante, if not better, by giving him extra abilities - with the throttle type control for powering up his weapons, the Devil Bringer, and such. Yes, it was a gamble but we did our best to make it better than Dante. But we were willing to take that risk so as not to lose the fans that we have, and the new fans that will buy the new hardware, and grow with them. But we hope that, throiugh Nero, people will build up to being able to use Dante and have fun playing with Dante, so it's not a lost character.

 

GR: If you're looking at this game, what's your number one goal you're trying to accomplish with Devil May Cry 4?

 

HI: There are a lot of games out there these days, that you either know how to play it or don't, or if you spend enough time pounding away at it you're going to beat it eventually. But we like the idea that you can learn something from zero, and learn how to do it all the way. It's this feeling of satisfaction, of bringing your skill level from zero to a level that you can actually play well.

 

Next: Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi...

 

GamesRadar: Can you explain a bit more about Dante and Nero's relationship to one another?

 

Hiroyuki Kobayashi: At this point all we've told the fans is that Dante is an enemy of Nero as he comes in and fights, but Nero doesn't know that Dante is actually a devil hunter. So we find out more about that later.

 

GR: What we saw with Dante yesterday was not final. He wasn't in the levels he will be in the final game. Can you talk about where Dante might be and how much we might see him?

 

HK: You can't use Dante at first, but you will be able to use him in some places. So as the story progresses and there's a need for you to use Dante, you will be able to use him and it's pretty much well interlaced into the progression, the switch, between Nero and Dante. So you will be able to use Dante. That's all we can say about it at this time.

 

GR: Capcom US told us that part of the reason you made the switch to Nero, a new character, is that Dante is so powerful at the end of Devil May Cry 3 that it would be weird to have him start off with nothing in the sequel. Can you talk about the philosophy behind that?

 

HK: The person you talked to is pretty accurate in saying that. The character Dante has been built up to such a powerful person that, if we just put him on PlayStation 3 and said "here, play with Dante" that he'd be such a difficult character to control that we changed gears on him and put a new character in that you'll have to build up. But in the end, like you said in the last question, you will be able to build up to use Dante.

 

So, also this being a new platform, I wanted to introduce this game, Devil May Cry, to a new audience. So it's a way to bring everybody into the picture. People who know Dante will recognize him and look forward to playing him. People who don't know the game at all will be able to start with a new guy and have fun with it too.

 

GR: One thing that hasn't been revealed yet - well, obviously Nero's arm has demonic qualities, and in earlier games, Dante could change completely into a demon. Could you talk a bit about how that might come into this game?

 

HK: At this point, Nero doesn't even know that he's got that demon element in him. He just thinks that there's something funny going on with his arm. He's embarrassed about his arm, so he keeps it hidden most of the time - except for when he's fighting demons, when he uses the power that it has. He will learn more about his arm, but that's to be seen.

 

The actions you saw in the demo [we showed you] yesterday are just a couple of things he'll be able to do with his arm. Of course, those abilities will increase as the game progresses. And to answer your question about whether Nero will become a demon or not, that's to be seen, but look forward to it.

 

GR: The Devil May Cry series meant a lot to the PS2; it helped to define the PS2, in fact. What do you think Devil May Cry 4 will mean to PS3?

 

HK: DMC4 will be at the top of the charts for a long time - at least two years, we expect. There won't be a game in two years to come along and be better than this game. So we think it will be a defining game for the platform.

 

Because of the new hardware, obviously, we'll have more abilities - there's a lot more we can do with the hardware. For example, the devil arm is just one more aspect we can expand on.

 

GR: That's actually kind of leads into a good question - what is it, besides the obvious graphical increase in quality - that the PS3 allows you to do with Devil May Cry that you couldn't do before, technically or gameplay-wise?

 

HK: Of course, we had to keep the still graphics looking beautiful. But it's also supposed to look beautiful at a full 60 frames per second, and you can do all these actions and not have it blur or anything like that. Of course, that takes full advantage of the hardware.

 

GR: Essentially, though, it's a pretty version of Devil May Cry, that's true to the series roots. Is there anything about the PS3's hardware that's allowing for new developments in the gameplay style?

 

HK: Just because of the memory capacity, you can have the guns, you can have the swordplay - things that just weren't possible because of the hardware of the PS2. Just being able to do those things simultaneously is one way to take advantage of the new hardware.

 

GR: And speaking of using the PS3, is it exciting to use the new platform? Is it inspirational?

 

HK: Of course, we were happy to work on the PS2 because the PS2 is a good machine. But because we're using a cutting-edge, next-generation machine with a lot of graphic capabilities, it's very exciting.

 

GR: Can you talk about the strengths of the PS3 as a platform for game development?

 

HK: There's a lot to be learned, still, about the machine itself. We're learning as we develop. I think that there are possibilities still in the machine that haven't been explored yet.

 

Personally I like the look of the PS3 over the Xbox 360 - the external look and the sleekness of it - but that's just my personal preference. I'm really concentrated on using the internal hard drive to its fullest; that wasn't something that you just had on the PS2.

 

GR: If you're going to talk about the core of the Devil May Cry series is, like what it stands for - what would you say that is?

 

HK: It's a game that feels good to play. It's something that you can just let it rip - basically I just wanted something that you can destroy things with. The smoothness of it, the gracefulness of it, just the beauty of the fighting.

 

GR: This is the fourth iteration and the series has gone through some ups and downs. What have you learned in the process of building the series and how does that apply to the new game?

 

HK: Actually, the only game I've worked on besides this one is the first one - the successful one. I've got to see the progress of the other two, but basically my role in this game is to build and reinforce the story of Dante. Because he's a character that has been loved by the fans up until this point. That's what I'm doing in this game: keeping the original Dante character alive.

 

It's important that we build a character and have him easily recognizable to the fans. When we make the character too complex or difficult for fans to understand, of course popularity drops and things like that, so I feel my role in this is to really define the character of Dante.

 

And, coupled with keeping the character is making the gameplay really feel good type fighting, keeping the graphics nice. These are points we'll be graded on, so we really want to keep the quality high in those areas.

 

Something we learned from DMC3 is that it's important to present the story nicely, kind of in a cinematic way, so we used the same director who directed DMC3, he's a cinematic director. So you can almost play it as if you're watching a movie. So we've taken that element from DMC3 and implemented it in this game.

 

To answer your question once again, the things that we've learned over the course of these four games, is keeping the character consistent and easy to understand, focus on the action and gameplay, and the way the story is presented in a cinematic way.

 

GR: When the first one came out, it was like, "Wow! Really impressive!" It was a new thing. But since it's come out, a lot of games copied its style. What are you working on to keep the series fresh, a step ahead?

 

HK: I guess the freshness lies in the scenery and the graphics, and also the gameplay - adding new elements like the Devil Bringer (the right arm of the devil). One of the issues facing us now is how can we convey the goodness of this game in print and through magazines. It's kind of a hard challenge for us - we'd rather you just play it.

 

GR: You said that you've worked on the original DMC, but this is the first time you've returned to the series. Can you tell me what other games you've worked on?

 

HK: Resident Evil 1-4. The Resident Evil series is the one I've spent the most time on. There's also a series called Dino Crisis. I've worked on 1-3. There's also a series that's only really out in Japan called Sengoku Basara. [Note: the first game was released outside Japan under the title Devil Kings.]

 

GR: It's interesting that you mentioned Resident Evil 4 - because the series went through a massive change in gameplay. Whereas DMC4 seems rather similar to the previous versions. Can you talk about the philosophy there?

 

HK: The Resident Evil series was basically made to be an action game that differs in each version of it. So we keep the same element of action while changing the characters and changing the setting. Whereas Devil May Cry was built on one character and basically one world, and we try to keep that throughout the series. Think of DMC as an ongoing series and think of the RE series as being compartmentalized per game.

 

It's basically the story of Dante and fighting demons. If we follow those elements, we'll be able to keep the Devil May Cry series consistent. In RE, there's just an outbreak of a virus in a given locale, and those people involved in that locale become the characters, so it's more random.

 

GR: The level designer, Makoto Tanaka, went on a trip to Italy and Turkey to scout locations. Were you impressed with the kind of stuff that he brought back? What do you think about going on a trip like that? Does it help the development process?

 

HK: Of course, even in the first Devil May Cry game, we went to Europe and Spain and took pictures of castles and things like that. When you're building a reality-based game it's important to have samples to build upon, so I think it's a good idea. I think it's just good for building our games and making them as real as possible.

 

GR: When he heard that we were going to see Devil May Cry 4, a friend mentioned that he's always been interested in the series but he finds the gameplay quite difficult. What's your reaction to that?

 

HK: [Laughs] I think it's difficult, myself. So with the first game, we set out to make a game that was "stylish hard action" - basically something that would let you fight and use difficult moves. And that was back in 2001. So back then, even if there was a high level of difficulty, people were willing to sit down and learn the moves and play hard. Since 2001, games have gotten easier and the number of game players has increased, but Devil May Cry hasn't gotten easier or been dumbed down to match the players. I've got a lot of comments that it's been difficult to play.

 

GR: Is there anything you're doing in development to address that, or is it too important to the series?

 

HK: What we've done to address the difficulty issue, is built in quite a learning curve. Not a steep learning curve, but a progressive learning curve. Even a novice player who buys the game won't get frustrated and throw the controller down because "I can't play it!" Instead, they'll learn how to do more difficult moves as the game goes on and eventually they'll be able to do the hard gameplay. What used to be really steep levels, we've built steps in between so it's easier to climb the levels. The level of difficulty will probably match that in DMC3 at the top, but it won't be so hard to get there because you'll get there in such small steps.

 

GR: Since this series originally came out, one series that's come out and gotten a lot of popularity is the God of War series. Have you played it? Do you have any thoughts on the series?

 

HK: Yes, I've played it and I think it's a very interesting game. I've even met the director, David Jaffe. He seems to be a fan of Capcom games. He likes Devil May Cry and Onimusha.

 

GR: That's kind of interesting, because if you look at western games and Japanese games, there's a different philosophy in development, but if you look that game in many ways it's closer to Japanese games. Have you tried to incorporate these different elements in your game development? Look at Dead Rising, which was very successful in America - which was influenced by the GTA-style sandbox action game. Do you think that any type of western elements could come into DMC?

 

HK: There's not really a drawing of both ways to make a game - there are just some things you can't implement into DMC. Though I appreciate them and like them - for example, the gameplay of Heavenly Sword. That's a separate genre.

 

GR: What's your favorite game, period - that you've ever played?

 

HK: My favorite, favorite game is Super Mario Bros. If I have to say a recent title, then maybe Metal Gear Solid. I'm playing Portable Ops on the PSP.

 

GR: Capcom has more westerners working at the company than other Japanese developers - some even making games. Does that help you make games that appeal to western audiences?

 

HK: I think it's beneficial to have western points of view when making a game marketed towards the west - like what level of violence we can include in the game, which will differ from Japan, and language issues. So of course having foreigners in a Japanese company is beneficial.

 

GR: Do you find that things outside of gaming influence you, in terms of maybe music or films or anything that help influence the direction you take your games?

 

HK: I'm a fan of Hollywood movies and blockbusters - especially action movies, so I'd say that has some influence. Japanese animation, of course, I draw from that too. When DMC first game out, that was also the same time that movies like The Matrix and Blade came out, so we drew a lot of our inspiration from those types of movies.

 

GR: Certainly it seems that Capcom does have a reputation for creating Hollywood style presentation in games - can you talk about the challenges in that, especially using talent from a different country? How has that worked?

 

HK: So we try to make a game that is better than a movie. We're always looking for the next form of entertainment. You have games and you have movies, and then you have something better. We're always looking for something that's leveled up. I actually went to a filming location where they film movies and one of the staff, who actually does movies, gave me a great compliment - [he] said that he loves the games. To hear that from someone in the movie business is a great compliment because we're making something that's even more.

 

GR: Do you think that games are influencing the way movies are made now? The opening scene of Casino Royale is reminiscent of games - he's hopping from platform to platform. Do you think that games are giving back to movies now that they've reached that cinematic level?

 

HK: I feel like it's reciprocal - always going back and forth. Movies influence games and in turn, movies influence games again. It's just a cycle.

 

GR: What's noticeable, particularly with Devil May Cry 4 is the widescreen framing - if you look at it right now [as Kobayashi demonstrates the game] the shots seem almost framed, as if a cinematographer picked it. Is it important to make the game cinematic, like it's been shot like a film, as you play it?

 

HK: The difficult point of making games is that, unlike a movie where you just have to focus on how things look from one angle, you have to focus on how things look from all around in 360 degrees. So we are putting a lot of effort into how things look from all vantage points.

 

Even in the poses, it has to look good from all around. So when we're deciding on which pose to use - unlike in the movie where you have to look good from one angle - it has to look good all the way around. So we are considering those factors. We have a lot of talented staff who are constantly thinking about these details.

 

GR: So this kind of brings us to a question - talking about the cinematic style, and talking about the core gameplay. Which is the most important, which is harder to create? Or are they inseparable?

 

HK: We focus equally on both. They're not separable.

 

GR: It does come together, but we would imagine it's very difficult to balance that in development. Could you talk about that?

 

HK: We do get balanced by dividing out parts of the game into like a point system - where one element we might say it has to be 70 points out of 100, but another element that has to be 80 points out of 100. But in the end, if it combines to a total score... basically, overall we put certain priorities on certain things. But if the total score is to our liking, then we go with it.

 

 

 

How to play

 

 

If you've played one of the Devil May Cry games before, you're already aware of how Dante controls: gun in one hand, sword in the other. But newcomer Nero is something different: with his demonic right arm, he can use the incredible power of the Devil Bringer, which allows him to devastatingly throw his enemies - up to and including multi-story-tall bosses.

 

For a look at how Nero controls, page your way through this article. We've been to Japan and got our hands on Nero - and now we'll fill you in on all the juicy details.

 

 

Two of Nero's basic special attacks are great for taking on the hordes of enemies that surround you. Streak is a spin attack which is great for throwing back enemies when they close in on you. High Roller, on the other hand, lets you hit an enemy up into the air. Now you can jump up yourself for a hand-to-hand air combo, shoot it up as it comes back down or use the Devil Bringer to inflict even more damage

 

 

The EX-Gauge, to the left of Nero's life bar, tracks the power charged up in his sword. You rev the L2 button like a motorcycle's throttle to charge up power, and then unleash it in a devastating attack on an enemy. You can't charge while you fight, but it's great to power it up as you travel from location to location and then bust it out.

 

 

Hell Bound lets Nero travel to places Dante could never reach - just locate a glowing blue sphere and target it. Pushing the button combination allows you to soar across long distances instantly, using the power of the the Devil Bringer. You can also snatch hidden items from unreachable areas by using this power.

 

The Snatch move allows you to grab enemies from afar and reel 'em in for major punishment - really handy if your foes are far away. Combined with the ability to chuck 'em around with the Devil Bringer, it's a lot of fun. It's also a good idea to bring them to you and then pop 'em up into the air with High Roller, and then finish it with an air combo. Nice.

 

 

Of course, if you have your enemy in the air, you can always crash it to the ground using Buster. The Devil Bringer has a distinct and punishing physical nature - something missing from even some of the sword fighting in previous Devil May Cry games.

 

The developers at Capcom promised us that this is just the tip of the iceberg for Nero's repertoire of special moves in Devil May Cry 4. We hope so... because so far, the combat is already brutally entertaining.

 

This is hardly the end of GamesRadar's week of exclusive Devil May Cry 4 coverage. To check out even more - from screens to movies to interviews - head back to our DMC4 landing page by clicking here.

 

Devil May Cry 4 Trial Gameplay

[Dante]

"]

 

[Dante]

"]

 

[Dante]

New Devil May Cry 4 Screens

 

 

New scans

[Dante]

DMC4 TGS Trailer.

 

DMC4 TGS Long Trailer.

 

 

 

Artwork

 

New Screens

[Shorty]

Watching the latest videos, I don't feel that the graphics are as great as could be. Certainly not a big step up from DMC3, although that looked amazing in its day.

 

Does anyone actually use the charge sword projectile attacks in DMC, I hate them. Stinger etc.

[Dante]

Watching the latest videos, I don't feel that the graphics are as great as could be. Certainly not a big step up from DMC3, although that looked amazing in its day.

 

Does anyone actually use the charge sword projectile attacks in DMC, I hate them. Stinger etc.

 

DMC3

[Shorty]

Yeah, actually, that's what I'm talking about. You can't compare that low rez in game shot with the HR renders above obviously they're miles apart. But the in game video footage doesn't seem that far removed.

 

I'm sure it will be a fantastic game, it's on my to-definitely-own-unless-they-fuck-it-up list.