Devil May Cry 4

 Xbox 360
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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 61 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 360 Ratings

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  • Summary: Fear resonates in the underworld as a new protagonist crosses paths with a familiar hero who seemingly inexplicably slaughters countless people. Long ago the Dark Knight Sparda awoke to justice and rebelled against the dark emperor, to wage a one-man war to save humanity. Thousands of yearsFear resonates in the underworld as a new protagonist crosses paths with a familiar hero who seemingly inexplicably slaughters countless people. Long ago the Dark Knight Sparda awoke to justice and rebelled against the dark emperor, to wage a one-man war to save humanity. Thousands of years later, a religious organization worships this renowned savior and has taken it upon themselves to rid the world of all demons. Residing in Fortuna, a castle city on the coast, this "Order of the Sword" has an elite group of "Holy Knights" dedicated to carrying out this very creed. Rising among the ranks, a young cynical warrior named Nero witnesses Sparda's legendary son Dante slaughter countless "knights". Has the renowned devil hunter turned his back on mankind? What does this encounter mean for these two individuals and why has destiny brought them together? In Devil May Cry 4, players control the formidable Nero who comes to grips with his newly found power as his beliefs and allegiance are tested. Continuing the legacy of fast paced action synonymous with the series, Devil May Cry 4 pushes the envelope of excellence even further with the inclusion of a new combat system that incorporates Nero's "Devil Bringer". This new feature has players delivering overwhelming damage to enemies with non-stop combos, while gaining new power for Nero's right arm. [Capcom]… Expand
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Devil May Cry 4 Gameplay Movie 1

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. Gaming Age
    100
    It also marks a great jumping on point for newcomers with a more balanced difficulty level and a decent checkpoint/continue system, but offers plenty of harder modes for the die-hard fans. Easily one of the best action games in recent years.
  2. GamerNode
    90
    Devil May Cry 4 has set the bar for how a combat system should be made. I can't stress enough how fun it is to beat the hell out of every enemy encountered. Fans of the action hack and slash genre have a new champion.
  3. Game Informer
    90
    I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and this entry surprised me by giving me new features and options I didn’t even know I wanted. They form a tight, precise combat system that action aficionados will adore, but newcomers can still utilize. Devil May Cry 4 delivers polished, fiendish thrills that eclipse other games in the series, and almost all contemporaries in the genre.
  4. 1UP
    85
    Its gorgeous trappings, addictive combat, and well-balanced difficulty make it the most satisfying DMC in years, and Dante's such a killer character that you'll actually want to tackle the game on a tougher difficulty in order to fully explore his amazing arsenal.
  5. GameShark
    83
    Even with its repetitiveness and awkward camera angles, Devil May Cry 4 provides a solid addition to the series and even towards the end, with its descent into a puddle of annoyance, the game features some exceptional gameplay and cinematics.
  6. VideoGamer
    80
    With a little more effort, DMC4 could have been a genuine contender for 2008 game of the year. As it is it's a brilliant, addictive, just plain cool hack and slash action game which goes some way to bringing the series back to its initial lustre.
  7. Game Revolution
    58
    Devil May Cry 4 is riddled with too many flaws to really enjoy completely. It’s disheartening – there’s a kernel of a good game beneath all the terrible writing and poor design decisions.

See all 61 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 67
  3. Negative: 10 out of 67
  1. JamessQ
    Jun 13, 2008
    10
    This is the first title of the series that i have ever played and i was simply amazed at the fact that i hadn't discovered this game This is the first title of the series that i have ever played and i was simply amazed at the fact that i hadn't discovered this game until now. The graphics are AMAZING the gameplay differs and remains exciting in order for the great long hours of gameplay it produces! the ONLY fault i found was SOMETIMES the camera angles bothered me but this game was simply too good to pass up for any less than a 10.… Expand
  2. Ben
    Feb 6, 2008
    10
    Awesome game, may be a bit repetitive but thats always been its style, you other love it or hate it. The bosses are amazing and so are the Awesome game, may be a bit repetitive but thats always been its style, you other love it or hate it. The bosses are amazing and so are the environments. Its not a deep, revitilisation of the genre like resident evil 4 was for survival horrors, but if you were a fan of DMC 3 you will like this.… Expand
  4. BartK.
    Jan 27, 2008
    10
    It's just again one hell of a game! The gameplay still rocks and they passed the jump to the next-gen consoles without a scratch!
  5. BlakDak666
    Jul 23, 2017
    8
    With Devil May Cry 3 making a comeback for the series while also being seen by some as the best DMC game so far, the sequel and team are facedWith Devil May Cry 3 making a comeback for the series while also being seen by some as the best DMC game so far, the sequel and team are faced with a similar ordeal that DMC1 had that some even thought could come back to happen. Fortunately, DMC4 is not a bad game like 2, but it isn't as good as 1 or 3 as a result. Is it still worth recommending? Yes.

    DMC4 changes protagonists from Dante to Nero. Unlike Lucia, Nero is far more cocky and emotional (where some fans have seen him as the typical punky emo kid) but also feels satisfying to play as despite even having less options as her. His Red Queen, Blue Rose, Devil Bringer and Devil Trigger w/Yamato are his only weapons against enemies. In order to avoid an utter disaster that would seem to happen that DMC 3 nailed perfectly, the mixture of all these options craft Nero more individually as a character. His Red Queen can be revved up to deal more stylish and awesome looking damage and movesets, his Blue Rose deals massive damage when charged up, his Devil Bringer can perform very satisfying and badass moves instantly even though it can detract from the control you had in the previous games (essentially a God of War style if you will) and his Devil Trigger mixed with Yamato has truly powerful moves. It would be great to see his weapon and style expand but what works is still very good.

    The story is perhaps the strongest of the 4 games and actually has some interest in dwelling in (despite it still cliched and basic in its overall execution). The characters are more of a "anime" vibe this time around, but seeing Dante return and have his talks with Nero is cool. The music is wonderful much like DMC3, so it was good to see it work well in here (for the most part). The graphics are also very well done and seeing the animations look far more clear and clean is taken for granted in the day and age of modern gaming, but for the transition from 3 to 4 is nothing short of wonderful.

    Dante returns too and actually is apart of the plot unlike Vergil in DMC3 SE where he was a bonus character to play. This is good and bad. The good is playing as Dante is still great as he has a bit more weight to his skills that acts as a balancing act with 1 to 3, but still feels great to play as him. He can also change his styles on the fly, which was a big issue 3 had that I'm grateful they fixed in the sequel. He also has new weapons and abilities that further make him a blast. The bad side though is he is not even in half the game in terms of playable missions. The tone down of weapons available to him is also a bit jarring as 3 had 5 to 4's 3, which can make creativity far less than 3 as a result. This isn't to say that there is no style (as he can use all three at any time unlike 3's 2 weapon limit) but having more weapons and guns more available like his style system would be a fantastic leap forward from 3.

    The enemy variety is a mixture of old and new enemies from 1 and 3 and I am fine with it. They fit the standard mold that series has set up, although the Seven Sins of 3 really allow different setups that the Scarecrows lack much until the introduction of the Mega versions. Blitz, Assaults and Frosts are quite formidable opponents and I like taking them on as much as possible. The boss variety is lacking and also highlights a major problem the game commits to: backtracking. As Nero, you go through fighting bosses that mostly run away and never ones you defeat. As you play as Dante, you play as clean up crew and back track through all of the game's areas to kill all the bosses. It's incredibly lazy and jarring why the devs thought this was okay. In DMC 1, you fought bosses in Nightmare's insides to damage it, so it was merely a test of your skills without overstaying it's welcome. DMC3 has one mission where you have to rematch against bosses in order to progress but it was still acceptable because it was harder versions with new movesets on top of on lower difficulties. DMC4 doesn't do this and makes backtracking a complete slog and wasted potential for the game to through.

    The Bloody Palace Mode is condense down to 100 levels from the 9999 levels in DMC3 and has preset enemy layouts instead of random encounters from 3. I saw both and played both and I like them equally even though in terms of challenge and structure 4 beats 3's. The lack of Turbo mode and multiple costumes is also lacking, giving little reason for players to complete harder modes. The harder modes dont change too much: you still have your easy, normal, hard, Dante Must Die, and Heaven or Hell. Hell and Hell is hard mode with a one hit kill that is an absolute mad man's design for players, so be prepared for a challenge.

    Devil May Cry 4 is a very good game to play and I think it's worth looking into if you want a challenge. While it doesn't stay in leagues with 1 and 3, it still manages to play with satisfaction and grace that the series is known for.    … Expand
  6. WyattTheAwesome
    May 29, 2013
    8
    Enjoyed the game a lot. This is my personal favorite DMC of the series. Very good hack and slash action and changes the pace by playing asEnjoyed the game a lot. This is my personal favorite DMC of the series. Very good hack and slash action and changes the pace by playing as different characters. Very good for what it is. Only complaint is it's a bit too easy.… Expand
  7. CloudStrife05
    Aug 21, 2021
    6
    This game was just not for me. I was find with a new character in the series but, let's just say that got Nero done correctly in DMC5.
  8. EugenioM.
    Feb 11, 2008
    0
    This game was horrible, graphics are not bad. Too many cinematic and the enemies were too easy except for the boss's. The game is very This game was horrible, graphics are not bad. Too many cinematic and the enemies were too easy except for the boss's. The game is very repetitive especially in "the gauntlet". I cannot comprehend how anybody could give it a good score.… Expand

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Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
26
#26 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
82
#82 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008