[Multiplatform] Devil May Cry 4

Regarding the Enzo thing, that was from Viewtiful Joe when you played as Dante. It was a more gag, than anything. Just the original producers/creators making fun of DMC2's failure, or creating a scapegoat of sorts.

That flash was pretty cool too, I'm guessing the blue 4 is hinting at the return of Vergil.

I really wonder when this game's taking place. In the early concept arts I remember seeing images of Nelo Angelo, Lady, and Trish. So maybe between 3 and 1...



Eh, with the way this is going they really should have just named DMC3 DMC0 instead. As the numbering for the series is only going to get more out of whack if the chronology is gonna be all over the place. Heh, if only DMC2's existence could have been erased.

I can't wait till TGS! Hopefully Dante's face will be significantly reworked.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Holy crap! Sweet, we get to play as Nelo. The positive fan reaction to playing as Vergil in DMC3 SE must have really affected the decision. Haha, also the 4 in the title actually gave it a clear hint that Vergil had some role. Heh never really paid much attention to it, but if you look closely the character looks like Vergil or Nelo.

So I'm guessing Vergil and Dante will be partnering in the business, with Dante probably being playable on some level. Naturally assumed, I mean why else would they keep the title if Dante or his company isn't involved?

Quote:

Besides guns and swords you also use Nero's right arm to pull off devil actions with the "Devil Bringer", its an ability that the PS2 could not handle

Guns? That seems rather out of character for Vergil. Perhaps the guns part of it is directed more towards Dante, even though it isn't confirmed.

Story wise this should be an interesting, cause I assumed that Nelo/Vergil died after Dante's 3rd battle with him. Hmm, perhaps he's trying to find himself now... I'd imagine his mental state is unstable, as it always seemed to be the case whenever he saw the pendant/amulet that he and Dante had. And he seemed shattered at the end of the 3rd battle.

Man, the numbering for the series is all out of whack now. You can't play the games in numerical order if you intend on following the stories chronologically. Technically DMC4 really should be DMC1.5. Then again, I guess this really effects new comers more than vet's of the series, though still annoying. Heh, DMC2 really fucked it up.

Ahh, can't wait to see some footage and screens!

How ya doing, buddy?

Cool, so it does look like we get to play as Vergil/Nelo and Dante. Looks like Nelo uses a revolver magnum, pretty sweet. Though, seems rather ironic that the blue clad Nelo would use a sword called the Red Queen.

The boss/enemy in the screen looks pretty cool too, though a lot like the Balrog (from LotR).

And man those new combo/style phases are even worse this time. Do it, Come on, Big up, All that... Heh, pretty bad. But hey, a least the facial models appear to be redone, a lot better than the previous ones. Though the graphics don't really appear to be next gen to me, then again it might be the low res scans.

Also, looks like I might right about the two brothers partnering up. As it certainly doesn't look like they're facing off, with Dante looking over his shoulder.



This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Wow, they're not even indicating whether Nero/Nelo is Vergil or not. Heh, though I'm sure he is, just wouldn't be right if he wasn't.

The story sounds interesting, working for an Order that's out to release Sparda with Dante trying to put a stop to it. So I'm guessing this Sparda must be an imitator of sorts if Dante is trying to stop Nero/Nelo. I wonder when they're gonna start introducing our female supporting cast, who I'm assuming are Trish and Lady.

Quote:

-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.

Perhaps this will utilize the PS3's motion detector thingy.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Simo

They're not trying to release Sparda but the seal Sparda put in place in the city of Fortuna. Sparda at one point must of defeated all the demons and whatever big bad was there and sealed them away in hell which is why the people look upon Sparda as a "god" of sorts. The Order now wants to break the seal and unleash whatever was sealed away.

Oops, kinda misinterperated the info. Bleh, now the basic plot sounds like all the others. Stop the baddies from unleashing hell onto Earth, except this time we help unleash it and realized we were wrong. Probably end up teaming up with Dante to seal up the portal.

Originally Posted by Simo

Some of the plot reminds me of MGS2 as if Nero (Raiden) is seemingly carrying out his missions with no real knowledge of who Dante is or the Order's goals other than what he's been told or supposed to know by the Order. Dante (Solid Snake) naturally has all the answers and clues Nero in as to who he actually his and what he's trying to unleash. All you'd need is Vergil to possess Nero's right arm and we'd have Metal Gear Cry.

Heh, good point, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. The difference this time is that we're told ahead of time about the change in main character.

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Sweet! The environments look great! But I gotta say I'm underwhelmed by the graphics. They look more like current gen graphics than next-gen, like its on the GC or Xbox. I mean, I was expecting about the same quality as the prerendered Nero they have on the cover of GameInformer or from the TGS videos.

Not exactly significant, but did anyone else notice that Nero is left-handed?

Also, I know I'm nitpicking, but, ugh, Dante's sword still goes through his coat. I figured they would have fixed that by now, or made it less noticeable.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Sexninja

http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/

Anyone else having problems? and if it opens for you, please post info and images.

The site works fine for me. Some music too, new version of the choir piece from DMC3, got an opera style vocal for it.

Here are some images: Main Page, Page when you click on the lower left window thing, Nero's Page when you click on the small arrow pointing at him, Cg Image on Nero's Page, Conceptual Image on Nero's Page, Dante's Page when click on the small arrow pointing at him from the main page or "Dante >>" on Nero's page, and cg image when you click on the link on his page.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by kainlightwind

Here ya go peeps. More pics!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118243

Damn, Dante really does look older. Looks like they went through the idea of giving him an unshaven/gruffy look, as you see little facial hairs. I like it. I'm guessing Nero maybe some sort of reincarnation of Vergil, I mean the blue and the name Nero really are teases if he's in no way connected to Vergil.




Bah, and no DT? I guess we should have caught on that sooner, as you can't really see a DT bar/characters. BTW, gotta say Nero's right hand/arm is kinda like Samanosuke's Oni gaunlet. Well from a design perspective anyway.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Ohh, looks like the marionettes are back in a new form, harboring a much more twisted look to it. The ingame graphics also appear to be much crisper/better than from what we saw in the scans. The environments are also incredible, on par with the pre-rendered stuff we've seen in previous Capcom titles (ie: Resident Evil, Onimusha).

The animation is soo fluid, and the gameplay mechs for the Nero appear similar to Dantes. Looks like he fires his revolver at the same rate as Dante does with his autos. The sword swinging (though a little slower), and combos also appear to be similar style to Dante's (in a way). The Stinger move he uses is a little different, its a dash forward jab with a horizontal slash to finish (which is proving to be very effective for combat).

The new Devil Bringer/Arm thing is a really nice touch to gameplay. Like it adds a fire element to the attacks and comboing. He does an upper cut and grabs the head, then smashes it into the ground, really cool. He can also grab in the air and toss em down. It's kinda like having the ability to combo with an Ifrit gauntlet at the touch of a button and sword with a touch of another, nifty. It's a nice change, instead of switchin' weapons you just press a different button for the sword and Devil Bringer/Arm.

Too bad there wasn't any sound in the vids, as I would have loved to have heard what the BGM and VA was like.

Haha, though, kinda sad that there's still a "Now Loading" screen for the game. I thought we'd be finished with those by this coming generation.

Also check out the diary page on the offcial site, along with the updates Zukan mentioned already, as there are some nice hidden images (well, non official/released images) in there that deal with the making of aspect for the game.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/main.html

EDIT:
Oh, and some really high res images at ruliweb.

http://ruliweb.dreamwiz.com/data/rul....htm?num=14991
http://ruliweb2.dreamwiz.com/ruliboa...e_ps04&main=ps

Also, IGN has hands-on impressions, as well as footage. One of them being the demo screen video, or TGS trailer itself. Very cool, showed Dante with blood all over his face, plus Nero (appears to be pre-Devil Bringer/Arm) and Dante dualing. Also, it looks like Nero can surf on enemies as well. Oh and I just realized that Nero's Revolver is double barrelled, meaning he actually fires two shots at once!
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/734/734174p1.html

How ya doing, buddy?

Some gameplay footage, the moving of the camera seens much more fluid. A short clip of the boss battle against that fiery boss, Balrog if you will, who can destroys homes with just a swing of his sword (noticeable slow down during the fight though). Plus the TGS trailer, which you can actually make out the sound, music and voices.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Variel, eh? Guessing it's probably a name from Dante's Inferno, or some other mythology.

BTW, from the TGS trailers, it sounds like the games theme song has operatic vocals with rock.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Just saw the official release on the game's site. Looks great, the voice acting is pretty good. Though it was kinda had to distinguish between Dante and Vergil's (I know I've heard it in there). Also, Dante sounds so out of character, maybe Vergil's impersonating him (though impossible), or is this Capcom's approach to a more mature Dante?

I miss Dante's cocky attitude and load mouth...

Oh and the music is pretty good too, though oddly reminds me of Nightwish (ew). Overall, I still think DMC1 had the best soundtrack, with the most memorable themes. I'm sure that'll still hold true even after DMC4 releases.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Simo

Here's the SWF file:
http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/flash/tgs2006.swf

Sweet, thanks Simo! I was having a hard time finding it.

Originally Posted by Kurado

I thought Dante still sounded kinda cocky, even when being a cold-blooded badass in the church.

I dunno, that slaughter in the church, something that Vergil would be more inclined to do, seemed out of character for him. The way he spoke too, just felt like something was missing... though his lines kinda sounded like something he'd say. Perhaps DMC4 will explain why Dante was so damn quiet in DMC2, haha, I wonder if they're even gonna bring in the coin that he used.

BTW, great ava and sig combo Inhert!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Apparently this is from the Game Informer issue where DMC4 was the cover story, article is an interview with Hiroyuki Kobayashi. Someone actually took the time to type it out...

Quote:

DEVIL MAY CRY 4 - A NEW HUNT BEGINS

PlayStation 3
>Style: 1-Player Action
>Publisher: Capcom
>Developer: Capcom
>Release: Winter 2007

In five short years, Devil May Cry has been through ups and downs that most series don't experience in an entire lifetime. The dauntless protagonist Dante was introduced to widespread acclaim in 2001, then fell from grace, and finally redeemed himself - all within the span of only three games. Now, as Capcom prepares to move its stylish gothic action franchise onto the PlayStation 3, the development team is using the revered third entry as a starting point for everything in Devil May Cry 4. Taking what fans loved about the gameplay and enhancing it, gamers can expect to see even crazier combos, more fluid integration of the weapons, and over-the-top cutscenes. However, amid all these things that have become synonymous with the name Devil May Cry, there is one thing you will be surprised to find missing: Dante in the staring role.

As we walk down a row of desks at Capcom's Osaka headquarters, we assume that the figure in the violet coat that adorns concept art and computer screens is just a new design for Dante. However, as soon as we pick up the controller for some exclusive hands-on time, producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi (of Resident Evil 4 fame, not to mention the original Devil May Cry) drops a bomb that will change the face of DMC in the next generation. "That's not Dante," he reveals. "There is a new main character. His name is Nero."

The first question that comes to mind is what did Dante do wrong? After all, his latest adventure is credited with salvaging the viability of the franchise after the dismal reception of Devil May Cry 2. Why would Capcom, just when Dante's star is on the rise again, exchange him for a rookie demon slayer? "The reason we switched to Nero is, when you consider how we want to open up new avenues for the core user and that we're switching hardware to the PS3, the easiest way to have these new gameplay mechanics...was to introduce a new character," Kobayashi clarifies. "If we gave Dante [Nero's abilities], in my opinion, it wouldn't be Dante at all."

Though their combat abilities will differ, it doesn't take a particularly keen eye to notice that Nero and Dante have strikingly similar appearances. Same white hair. Same long coat. Same big sword. Even so, Kobayashi insists that unlike Dante and Vergil's connection, there is no story-based reason why Nero bears a resemblance to the sons of Sparda. Instead, Nero's look is about finding a design that is different yet familiar: "Devil May Cry is about guns and swords, and we want people to be able to see that and understand that," he tells us.

This swap is especially surprising considering that the trailers for DMC 4 so far have featured Dante, not Nero. Unlike other games that have changed main characters (like Metal Gear Solid 2) these trailers were not a deliberate attempt to mislead gamers. Instead, the specifics of DMC 4 were still in flux, but as Kobayashi says, "We wanted to let people know, 'Hey, we're making DMC 4 for the PS3.'" With that knowledge out there, the team began to nail down the specifics of how it wanted to improve and expand the DMC formula, and every answer pointed toward the necessity of creating a brand new protagonist.

Normally, no demonic power or improbable manoeuvre is beyond Dante's ability, so it might be difficult to imagine something he can't pull off. In this case though, it isn't something Nero can do but rather something attached to him that makes him unique. In an event before the game's story begins, Nero's arm is possessed by an evil force - an occurrence he works hard to conceal, going so far as to wear his arm in a sling to keep it from sight. Of course, the time comes when it can no longer be hidden, and Nero discovers, along with the player, the immense combat possibilities of his demonic appendage.

At first the arm may appear to be just another weapon added to an ever-expanding arsenal, but it actually represents a shift in the way gamers will experience Devil May Cry. Like Dante, Nero will still use guns and swords to blast his way through evil, but this new tool will provide a much-needed focus on positioning in addition to dealing damage. Using the arm, players will set up enemies as desired, gaining more control over the shape of each encounter; regardless of whether you're on the ground or airborne, you can grab enemies from a distance and pull them toward you, push encroaching foes away, and even slam them into the ground.

To fans of the series who have played DMC 3: Special Edition thoroughly, this angle on the combat will not be entirely unfamiliar. As a playable character, Vergil uses a fighting style called Dark Slayer based solely on teleportation. He can basically transport himself up, down, and in front of enemies to reduce downtime between each attack. The arm takes this concept and fleshes it out, bringing the monsters to you rather than sending you to them and opening up more opportunities for follow-up attacks.

One example of how this translate into in-game fights involves a classic DMC move, the stinger. This attack, in which the character lunges forward with his sword, has always been a kind of crowd control, since it knocks enemies down as well as sends them reeling backwards. Now the stinger is a great beginning, not an end, to a killer combo; after the stinger connects, you will be able to immediately lash out with Nero's arm to pull your foe in close again, ready for another assault. In short, this means that you will be able to string multiple stingers together one after another, which should be enough to get any fan salivating.

"DMC 3 was about how to combine guns with swords," Kobayashi observes. "To me, DMC 4 is not this binary relationship. It's a triangle, combining the gun, the sword, and the arm." When deciding how to tune the combat for DMC 4, the team used DMC 3 as a starting point. Determining what made that game successful, as well as the areas it could be improved, is what gave rise to this expanded and streamlined system that relies on the interplay of all three weapons. In essence, the idea is to allow players to keep the flow of combat unbroken.

However, there was a few sacrifices made along the way to this goal. For instance, Nero does not have access to a variety of weapon-specific styles like Dante did in the last entry. Even though that mechanic provided players with a certain degree of customization, it was also limiting. It took most of one playthrough to max out a single style, which meant that certain abilities in other styles were closed off to the player. "The DMC 3 battle system is very good, but it feels kind of split up. I wish it were more cohesive as a system," confesses Kobayashi. "It's not about replacing Dante's style system. What we want to do is increase the number of ways you can go about battling. You have your sword, you have your gun, and now you have this arm." A whole category of moves for this new weapon will essentially maintain the same level of depth while opening up more avenues of combat to a single player.

This will also shine through in the kinds of enemies Nero finds himself faced with. Even though the core DMC experience necessitates plenty of enemies that are easily dispatched, Nero will also have run-ins with foes that require a different approach. As we played through the demo, all of the beasts we encountered could be handled with standard shoot and slash tactics, but Kobayashi hinted that there will be monster who won't go down so quickly. "We are definitely experimenting with enemies like the shadow cats," confirms Kobayashi. The shadow cats he is referring are possibly the most difficult foes from the original game. These beasts, in addition to being incredibly strong, were invulnerable to sword attacks until they had taken a certain amount of damage from firearms. A room full of monsters like these would not make for a fun game, but if they appeared alongside simpler foes, it could make for an intense battle.

Naturally, boss encounters will also prove to be a critical test of Nero's demon-hunting skills. We saw one of these titanic monsters named Variel, a flame-engulfed devil about the size of a small building. The team wouldn't reveal the trick to defeating him, but the creature’s blazing form did set all the nearby structures on fire, so it's probably not going to be easy getting close enough to land a solid hit.

Even by expanding the horizons of the combat, there is still one piece of the DMC puzzle missing from Nero's unique brand of fighting: the devil trigger. Going into a demon form and tearing up everything in sight is an important part of the series, and adds an element of strategy to the frantic combos. Since Nero isn't one of Sparda's progeny, he probably won't be able to undergo a full transformation, but that doesn't mean the mechanic will vanish entirely from DMC 4. Unfortunately, this is one of the game's aspects that is still undergoing development, and Kobayashi could only tease us with a clue as to where it's going: "The key word in devil trigger is 'devil,' but that's something - as far as it's relation to Nero - we're not ready to explore yet."

Apart from his possessed demonic arm, there is little concrete information about Devil May Cry's new leading man. Nero lives on the remote island of Fortuna, which serves as the setting for most of the game. He belongs to an ancient group of religious crusaders known as the Order of the Sword, who worship Sparda and fight demons in his name. Prior to the beginning of the game, Nero's life involves doing special jobs for the Order cleaning up particularly messy situations. All of that changes one day when a white-haired man in a long red coat breaks into the Order's temple and starts slaying the high clergy. "Just because Nero's in the game doesn't mean that Dante isn't. Dante does appear," Kobayashi admits.

In the ensuring cutscene, we witness a heated battle between the two demon hunters that includes all the stylish sword-swinging and acrobatic action one would hope for. Nero even appears to have the upper hand at one point after landing a dropkick right in Dante's face. From the ground below, an unidentified woman watches the conflict unfold (All we can tell you about her is that you've seen her," jokes Kobayashi), until Dante escapes with Nero in pursuit.

The exact role Dante plays in the story is still a mystery. At first, he serves as the primary antagonist that Nero chases across Fortuna. But it seems unlikely that Dante would be positioned as the ultimate evil of the adventure, which means that he and Nero will probably team up after they clear up a few misunderstandings. No one at Capcom is confirming or denying that Dante will become a playable character at this point, but we think that the screenshots on these pages that prominently feature Dante speak for themselves. Assuming that players will eventually control Dante in some capacity, it still isn't clear whether he will use a style system, if he'll have his devil trigger, or what other abilities from previous games he will retain.

Dante may be the most recognizable aspect of the Devil May Cry series, but he isn't the only element that isn't quite returning in full force. For all the great things that DMC 3 had to offer, there are a few things that gamers may not be so eager to see return, like the brutal and unforgiving difficulty. While the hardcore crowd ate up the challenge, even the "normal" setting was prohibitively hard for less dedicated (or fanatical) gamers. While the issue was addressed later with the special edition, DMC 3 is still known as the toughest in the series, and it's going to stay that way, according to Kobayashi. To illustrate, he draws a scale for us that ranks the difficulty of the games, with 2 at the bottom, 3 at the top, 1 in the middle, and DMC 3: Special Edition between the first and third entries. "When you start off, it's going to be a bit easier than 3 because we want people to be able to get in to it," he points out. "Then, we want to start bringing them up and getting them better and better so at the end, we're throwing the really hard DMC 3 stuff at them."

Thankfully, the diehard fans of who adored the series' newfound difficulty won't be left in the cold; this curve only applies to DMC 4's default setting, which is only one of several options. Like the previous games, this entry will have a variety of modes that will let you choose your desired level of challenge. In fact, the team is being particularly careful to tune each setting so that is appropriate for the type of gamer who wants to play on that level (though it's likely that Nero Must Die! mode will be as ridiculously hard as ever). This effort represents Capcom's hope that, with the move to new hardware, Devil May Cry 4 will serve as a new standing point for the series, allowing gamers to jump in without requiring them to play through previous entries.

"Even though the game says 4 on the cover, it's got a brand new character and a brand new way of playing, and we believe that will making it more accessible to gamers. I feel like I've said this before about a game called Resident Evil 4," laughs Kobayashi. To some gamers, the word "accessible" is a kiss of death, with connotations involving shallow and oversimplified gameplay, but that should not be a concern with DMC 4. Apart from Kobayashi's track record with RE 4 (which pleased fans and newcomers alike), there is still the fact that the team has no intention of forsaking the series' loyal followers. Just because extensive experience isn't necessary doesn't mean that players won't benefit from having played DMC in the past. "The fans are our most important thing," Kobayashi emphasizes. "We want to make a game where the more you know Devil May Cry 3, the more you will enjoy Devil May Cry 4, whether it is the action system or the characters. It is definitely made and aimed for the fans."

With so much thought going into how different gamers will experience DMC 4, one must wonder whether this desire to reach a wider audience extends further than even the PlayStation 3. Given the success of Caocom's Dead Rising on Xbox 360, there has been speculation that the company will be lending more support to Microsoft's gaming machine. After all, console exclusives haven't gone incredibly well for the company in the past, like the ill-fated Capcom 5 for GameCube. When asked about the possibility of the Devil May Cry franchise moving to other systems, Kobayashi simply laughs and states: "Making DMC 4 for the PS3 is going to take all of our resources, so that's what we're going to focus on for now." So, as a PS3 exclusive, the real question is how exactly DMC 4 will be using Sony's next-gen console to the fullest.

The in-game visuals display the obvious graphical enhancements, including high definition and self-shadowing, plus the expected gorgeous water and particle effects. As far as the PS3 technology is concerned, the much-discussed notion sensor is being considered, though the team wants to make sure that it fits with the gameplay before promising anything. The most tantalizing possibility, however, is that DMC 4 may use the PS3's online capabilities. "Right now we're experimenting with network play and what we can do with it," Kobayashi reveals. "As far as DMC 4 as a game goes, it's so graphically intensive that to have everybody fighting on-screen while keeping up the quality of the visuals and the quality of the gameplay would be really difficult, if not impossible." Though sceptical, these comments refer specifically to having a large number of people playing at once, which at least leaves the doors open for two-player online co-op. In fact, there was one fight in DMC 3 where, when an extra controller was plugged in, a second play could take control of Vergil alongside Dante and the two brothers could fight independently. Since one of the goals of DMC 4 is to build on the third game, it isn't unthinkable that these kinds of cooperative efforts could find their way into the final version.

With more than a year left in its development, there are still features and details about Devil May Cry 4 that have yet to be revealed. From the time we spent playing the game in its current state, it feels like there is a healthy injection of the new ideas without any attempt to drastically reinvent what we have come to expect from the franchise; the last thing anyone wants is a repeat of the DMC 2 debacle. Gamers can rest assured that Capcom and its development team are taking the necessary time to ensure that all the new elements exceed expectations, despite pressure from what many perceive as a shortage of must-buy titles for the early life of the PS3. "The Japanese branch of Sony has asked us to release it as close to launch as possible," divulges Kobayashi. "While I understand that users would like it as quickly as possible, and Sony would like it as quickly as possible, it says 'Devil May Cry 4.' Because it says that, we can't just make something and put it out. It has to live up to the Devil May Cry name."

All Hail the Queen

Nero may be a new character, but he has the same affection for customized weaponry as Dante. Nero's blade, the Red Queen, is a tricked out version of the standard-issue weapon for the members of his order. "Nero is a bit of a tuner," explains Kobayashi. "Just like people will take off rev limiters on their bikes, he's played around a bit with his sword." This motorcycle analogy actually extends into the sword's in-game design, as it has what it appears to be a brake lever coming down from the cross guard. When asked whether this device is just for decoration, Kobayashi evasively responds: "There is something to do with the grip on his sword which we can't reveal yet." We're guessing it doesn't just make him decelerate.

The Other Son of Sparda

With the presence of Dante and newcomer Nero, one must also wonder about the whereabouts of the other white-haired hero/villain, Vergil. Devil May Cry 3 and its special edition cemented Dante's brother as an integral part of the series, and though he appeared to die (as Nelo Angelo) in the first game, he apparently still has a place in DMC 4. "We're not ready to say what role Vergil himself plays in the story," Kobayashi tells us. "But the existence of Vergil as a character is something very important to the story of the games. That's something that I don't think is going to end."

The Flow of Time

The timeline of the Devil May Cry series can be difficult to keep track of since the four games don't exactly occur one after another. To set the record straight, the chronological progression goes like this: DMC 3 is the earliest, followed by DMC 1, then 4, and finally 2. It should be noted that despite rampant Internet rumors, the events of DMC 2 are not being entirely removed from the series' canon: "They occur very far after the events of 4," clarifies Kobayashi.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Just saw the video, gameplay looks pretty fun, though more or less the same (just using your Arm/Grab for O instead of a Style). The visuals for some of the moves look fantastic, like anytime you use the Devil Bringer or the new Stinger move. Not too fond of the battle music though, hopefully it'll improve as you progess. However, IMO they need to back bring Masami Ueda for the OST, he gave the series (well first game, anywya) some of most memorable themes (eg: Devil Sunday (Sparda's Theme), Ret-Hot Juice (Phantom's Battle Theme), Ultra Violet (Nelo Angelo Battle Theme), etc.). The style ranks for this installment are kinda "meh" this time as well. Though, it was rather clever of them to try and get the number of S's in the name to reflect style rank.

Do it!
Come on!
Big up!
All that!
Slammin' Beat!
SmaSh Hit!!
StyliSh Showtime!!!


Some new info, as well as character art (well to me anyway), was up on the page too. The new girl's name is Kyrie, some info about her there but no idea what it says. Also Nero's dual barrel revolver is called Blue Rose.









FELIPE NO

The date is apparently this autumn.

Quote:

"...we've got a full portfolio of products, everything from PSP to PS2 to DS, culminating in Devil May Cry which is coming out later in the year, probably in the autumn, which will be our next real triple-A push. And then as we roll into 2008 we'll have new versions of existing franchises and new titles that are original IP. We're really starting to ramps things up and become that much more significant in the marketplace."

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3157266

Also, the official site is in english now!
http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/eng/main.html

STORY






RED QUEEN


BLUE ROSE


What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Haha, wow, this actually surprised me. Also just heard of AC6 being a 360 exclusive, makes me wonder how long it'll be before Konami announces MGS4 for 360 as well.

Can't be a good thing, Sony losing it's console selling games to multiplatforming.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Dark Nation

One thing I'm curious about: Where in the game's chronology will DMC 4 take place?

Earliest to Latest:

DMC3 -> DMC -> DMC2.

It's between DMC and DMC2 (mentioned in Famitsu if I remembered correctly). So:

DMC3 -> DMC -> DMC4 -> DMC2

Heh, the chronology is all messed up compared the series numbering. They really should have just called DMC3 DMC0 instead.

Most amazing jew boots

New scans from the latest Famitsu!

Some of Nero's moves are named/listed such as Snatch, Charge Shot, Exceed, and Hellbound. Oh and it looks like the Frost mosters from DMC1 is back for DMC4.

Dante is playable (should be no surprise, but a relief to hear)! Plus it looks like there's real time Style switching now too! Also a look at the snowy castle local. Oh and little note, looks like they've changed the "Do it!" on the style meter to "Deadly." Which is a relief, as the other one was stupid.



http://www.playsyde.com/news_4126_en.html

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

There was a Q&A session with Reuben Langdon (Dante), Dan Southworth (Vergil), and Johnny Yong Bosch (Nero) at ToA (Tales of Anime, it's a convention). Link to the footage of the 31 question session below.

http://www.livevideo.com/DivineDescendant

Heh, it's pretty entertaining (Southworth is a real goofball, heh), some of the stories they have were great. Plus incite on their experiences on making the games. Oh and Bosch revealed that his character, Nero, is actually in love with Kyrie (the heroine), which was something he might not have been supposed to have revealed given Southworth and Langdon's reactions.


Also here's a bit of transcript of another session they held, with more info on the making of DMC3. Interesting to note is that, contrary to popular belief, Stephanie Cheeva did not voice Lady whom she motion captured for. Though, the writer said they forgot who Langdon/Southworth said it was.

Quote:

1. Reuben explained that due to restrictions on the PS2's technological capabilities, there could only be as many as three enemies (the Abyss) showing on screen at once in Vergil's prologue.

2. It was Dan who suggested that Vergil sheathes his katana behind his back in the same prologue. Also, he said that Capcom wanted him to come up with innovative ways to sheathe Vergil's sword, so it was a good thing that Vergil was immortal since it would have been dangerous.

3. Dan said that he almost forgot his line at the end of the prologue where Vergil says "It begins" and that is why there is a little pause before Vergil says it. (However, due to Dan's joking nature, it is hard to tell if he meant it)

4. Reuben mentioned that except for the taunts, all in-game animation (during gameplay) required no motion capture.

5. It took Reuben approximately 20 times to get it right for the scene where Dante shouts along the alleyway at the end of mission 2, creating the echoic effect. Reuben said that he had to do it in a little "box" (I'm guessing a small booth) and it was really hard to get the right effect.

6. The Bruce Lee-like taunt that Dante gave Cerberus before their battle was supposed to be a real taunt that you can use in-game.

7. Arkham's name was originally Hyne (pronounced Hai-neh), which Reuben thought wouldn't work in English hence convinced Capcom to change it.


8. Jester's original name was Joker.

9. Reuben commented that Dan is good with the nunchakus and that he also motioned captured his version of the scene where Dante shows off his skills with Cerberus.

10. Stephanie Cheeva, the lady who motion captured Lady (no pun intended), is the Bulgarian Tae Kwon Do champion.


11. Reuben said that Lady's school girl design was for the purpose of 'moe'. Moe is a Japanese term which in this case basically refers to 'sex appeal', or an effect that brings about 'excitement' in that sense.

12. Reuben mentioned that Adam D. Clark, Arkham's voice and motion actor, voiced and motioned all 16 bosses from the Xbox 360 game Dead Rising.

13. Reuben explained that there was a bit of language barrier problem in DMC3 but they are trying to fix that in DMC4. The problem involves conflicts/misunderstanding of ideas on what works best and or is cool in the Japanese/English culture.

14. There was no facial motion capture in DMC3 but there is in DMC4 thanks to the improved capabilities of the PS3 console.

15. At one point, Dan said, "What we did in DMC4 was…" (couldn't hear the rest) Read it again: "What we did in DMC4 was…" I hope you get the hint. =P

16. Both Reuben and Dan loved the stab scenes in mission 7. To shoot the second stab scene, Dan aimed the sword to the side of Reuben's neck.

17. After the loud scream at the end of mission 7 where Dante first devil triggered, Reuben had to call it a day.

18. Near the end of mission 7's last cutscene where Vergil and Arkham jumped off the tower, Dan and Adam had to pretend that they were jumping 20 feet off the edge when they really just walked 5 feet out of the camera's scope and acted like they jumped.

19. A quote about Leviathan by Dan – "Blue whale. They're not aggressive. They're near extinct animals!"

20. Reuben said that Stephanie acted out these cutscenes for the audition: Father & Daughter (M6), Limited Partnership (M9), and Bloody Words (M11).


21. The cutscene Bloody Words (M11) was Stephanie's deciding act. Reuben said that she literally had tears in her eyes.

22. In the cutscene Limited Partnership (M9), the animators had to remodel/re-skin Dante just for it due to getting soaked in blood.

23. Dan jokingly said that he was jealous of Reuben for being able to capture the fun stuff (referring to Nevan's cutscenes) while he just stood there holding his sword.

24. Stephanie motion captured Nevan while Mary Elizabeth (voice actress of Makoto Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell) voiced for her.

25. In the cutscene Rebellion (M10) where Arkham and Vergil opened the last gate, Dan and Adam had to imagine the gate in front of them, which was actually the director making silly noises and pretending that the gate was opening.

26. Contrary to popular belief, Stephanie Cheeva did not voice for Lady because of her European accent. She only did her motion capture. Lady's voice was done by someone else whose name I forgot… >_>

27. Dan thought that Stephanie's thick Eastern European accent was sexy.

28. Adam was the one who suggested that Arkham carries a book around. During his shooting, Adam carried a Star Wars book around. Apparently he is a huge fan.

29. Adam was also the one who suggested that Jester carries a scepter.


30. A quote about Lady's line during Arkham's 'death' scene where she said "Vergil?" by Dan – "Come get some, baby."

31. Dan mentioned that he liked watching Larry Leong voice act. (Larry is the voice actor for practically all the male enemies/demon bosses in DMC3) Dan thought that Larry was hilarious because one would think that someone with a monstrous voice would be huge and tall but Larry is in fact a tiny man.

32. While watching the cutscene where Dante defeated Beowulf, Dan laughed and said that he had no idea what Beowulf said.

33. During the shooting of the first cutscene in mission 12, Reuben held an ice ball pretending it was the Haywire Neo Generator.

34. A quote about Vergil's Lunar Phase against Beowulf by Reuben and Dan:
Reuben: "Nice axe kick from Dan."
Dan: "Why thank you, Reuben."
Dan: "Do elaborate."
Reuben: "Maybe over lunch."

35. It was Dan who suggested that Jester slams Lady's head against the ground in the cutscene in mission 13.

36. Apparently, the battle scene between Dante, Vergil, and Lady in mission 13 was choreographed to be a lot longer with Lady fighting against the two brothers. Unfortunately, it had to be altered and cut short due to the logic that Lady, a mere human, has no possibility of lasting so long alone against two half-demons.

37. The animators did practically all of the motion in the mission 14 cutscene where Dante drives up the tower on a bike. The only thing Reuben had to do was to pose holding a stick.

38. Reuben mentioned that Adam spiced up a lot of his original lines.

39. Adam was excited that he had to learn a sword for the Force Edge scene in mission 18 even though he was not a stunt actor.

40. A quote about Arkham's demon form in mission 19 by Dan – "This is Dante and Vergil versus the giant hemorrhoid."

41. Two quotes on the end of mission 19's cutscene by Dan:
– "Jump into the giant anus."
– "...the bowels of hell."

42. Reuben and Dan had to re-do the end of mission 19's cutscene about 17-18 times.

43. For the final showdown (the last slash) between Dante and Vergil, they insisted that Reuben hit Dan for real with the sword for the reality of the impact but Reuben refused, so instead of that, they ended up placing a huge mat in between so that Reuben could hit it as hard as he could as Dan ran past him.

More info on the event and the trio at the event in the source below.

http://devils-lair.org/toa.php

How ya doing, buddy?

Updates to the game's site!

- Dante Special Report: talks about features exclusive to Dante
- Devils page: info about Berial and the returning Frost devils + images (screens & concepts) of both
- Gameplay footage for both Dante and Nero: showing Nero face off Berial and the Frost devils, as well as footage of Dante in action. Sounds like Dante will be getting the classic DMC1 soundtrack, or rather a remix of it (a little hard to tell, though I'm thinking it's the latter). Oh and in Nero's footage we're treated with a new vocal battle track, sounds like the same vocalist from DMC3.

Anyone else liking the new style ranking bar? Smokin' Atomic Brutal Carnage Deadly. The one word styles work much better IMO.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/eng/main.html

Here's hoping a downloadable demo is available in the next months.

EDIT:

Also something interesting to point out (as hinted in the Dante Special Report) is that if you look at the letters to the left of Dante's health bar you'll notice a T S R G. No doubt that the letters represent Trickter, Swordmaster, Royal Guard, and Gunsingler, giving us a clear indication of the styles that'll be available/returning to Dante for DMC4.

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Hiroyuki Kobayashi speaks on why they went multiplatform. It was basically so everyone could enjoy the game and that the series was a big name overseas (in NA) so they couldn't just ignore 360 owners. Oh and interestingly, they only started development on the 360 version after the announcement, so hopefully that won't delay the game's release since both versions are supposed to be simulatenously released. They also mentioned that content wise the game will be the same, so it makes little difference on which version you buy (therefore there is no better version).

Quote:

Devil May Cry 4 producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi has at last spoken out following Capcom's decision to make its big PS3 exclusive multiplatform. Fittingly, Famitsu's all Xbox 360 publication, Famitsu Xbox 360, was the recipient of Kobayashi's most recent comments on the game.

Kobayashi was first asked to comment on how DMC4 became a multiplatform title. "Devil May Cry is an extremely strong name overseas," explained the producer, "so there was of course the business decision that we couldn't exclude the Xbox 360. We're using an engine called Framework for development, and it's extremely easy to have a multiplatform strategy including the PC. You can say that Devil May Cry 4 is the first such offering. With the increase in platforms, we have the chance of more people being able to play the game, so we're also happy as developers."

You might think that having to make DMC4 for three platforms instead of just one would trouble Kobayashi, but that doesn't seem to be the case. On moving the PS3-targeted game to the Xbox 360, he said, "The game engine is shared, so compared to previous hardware, I believe it's easy. However, we've just started with the Xbox 360 version following the announcement, so there's still a ways to go."

Xbox 360 and PS3 owners alike can look forward to the same experience. "The content will be exactly the same," said Kobayashi. "Regardless of which one you buy, you will be able to get the same enjoyment. What's different is perhaps the shape of the controller and graphic peculiarities for each hardware. We wanted to avoid arguments about which one is better."

Moving away from multiplatform differences, the magazine asked Kobayashi if the game is progressing well following last year's playable debut at the Tokyo Game Show. "I believe progress is on the positive side of things, but this is the team's first time with next generation hardware development, so we are faced with a variety of problems and concerns. Clearing those is difficult." With a laugh, he noted that they'd have probably finished the game by now if it were on the PS2.

The game will run at 60 frames per second, Kobayashi reconfirmed. In fact, he considers the framerate a hurdle that the development team has set up for itself, and one that is taking up a good deal of its time.

Kobayashi wouldn't set himself to a release date (although a recent Capcom financial report pretty much confirmed a fiscal 2007 release). He did promise an advanced version at the Tokyo Game Show this September. We'll of course be in attendance, and will let you know how things have changed since last year, hopefully on both the PS3 and Xbox 360.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/793/793662p1.html

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Found some vids on GameVideos

Berial battle: http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/11152
Ice Stage: http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/11151
Stage 1: http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/11150

Some new info from Game Informer.

Quote:

Game Informer Magazine broke the first news on Devil May Cry 4 almost a year ago, and fans of the series are clamoring for any new information about the game. Unfortunately, even with E3 approaching, Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and the DMC team are remaining tight-lipped. However, we’re quite impatient, so we’ve managed to get a number of tidbits that you may not know about the game from Capcom and Kobayashi-san himself.

1. Dante is not just an unlockable character.
While Kobayashi-san has stated that Dante will be a playable character in Devil May Cry 4, Dante won’t be just an unlockable character after beating the game. “As the story unfolds, Dante will also be made available to play. He is not an unlockable bonus character, but is playable as part of the game’s storyline.”

2. Dante won’t be the only returning Devil May Cry character.
When we asked Kobayashi-san whether or not characters such as Trish or Lady will make appearances, he made it clear that there will be returning cast members. “I can’t reveal who, but there will be characters from the series appearing in the game.” Could that include Vergil, too? “That’s something you’ll have to play the game to find out!” says Kobayashi. It looks like fans interested in Vergil’s involvement (if any) won’t know anything for sure until DMC 4’s release.

3. Nero won’t be getting new weapons
Dante received new weaponry when defeating bosses in DMC3, but the same won’t hold true for Nero. “The focus on Nero won’t be on getting new weapons from bosses, but on powering up the Devil Bringer over the course of the game,” Kobayashi reveals. “The Devil Bringer will have many different abilities that can be used to attack enemies as well as to move around.”

4. The Devil Trigger could return
Although we haven’t seen Nero display any kind of Devil Trigger aptitude, the team hasn’t specifically stated that this feature won’t be in the game. A similar mechanic exists in Nero’s ability to rev up his sword, but Kobayashi tells us that “revving up the Red Queen is more like powering up attacks than a replacement for the Devil Trigger.”

5. DMC4 will be universally the same difficulty
It’s well known that Devil May Cry 3’s North American version was more difficult than its Japanese counterpart, but that won’t be the case with DMC 4. “Although I wasn’t directly involved with DMC3, from what I know, they made the game more difficult to respond to North American demand for a difficult game,” Kobayashi says. “With DMC4, we plan to keep all of the versions consistent around the world.”

6. Devil May Cry 4 will be identical on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
Kobayashi explains that “there won’t be any differences between the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions.” This is interesting, since Devil May Cry 4’s development was originally focused on the PlayStation 3. Though identical in terms of gameplay, the two iterations will probably differ in the form of online rewards like 360 Achievements and PS3 Trophies.

7. Sixaxis Am Cry
“There are currently no plans to support the Sixaxis controller” Kobayashi states.

8. No online multiplayer
Kobayashi admits that “We don’t currently have any plans for online multiplayer options in DMC 4.” Online, eh? Does that mean local multiplayer is still a possibility? After all, there was a brief boss battle in DMC 3 when the two sons of Sparda could team up, with a second player controlling Vergil.

9. No New Devil May Cry Demo At E3
With the team focusing on releasing Devil May Cry 4, there won’t be a new Devil May Cry 4 demo at E3. However, don’t count out something new for the Tokyo Game Show. The same demo we played at the Capcom Gamers Day will make another appearance. Maybe now we'll be able to beat that pesky boss.

Point number 2 is interesting, hinting that Vergil may possibly return. Wouldn't doubt the return of Trish or Lady either, since they were in the original concept art. Not too fond of point number 3 though, since doing combat with the same moveset could get dull real fast (eg. DMC2 and it's three swords with the same combo set). Hopefully gaining the new Devil Bringer skills as you progress redeems this aspect.

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Ahh, finally something new. Why couldn't they have just made a new trailer featuring the new characters, especially the hot chick (Gloria), for E3? I'm guessing all three of the characters are in league with each other, perhaps members of the Order of the Sword. Still hoping Lady and Trish make some sort of an appearance in the game. And wow, this is the first time DMC has ever had this many human-looking characters ever.





http://www.capcom.co.jp/devil4/main.html


No doubt the person holding the weapon in the pic below is Gloria.

=

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Looks like they run through three scenes from the game. It appears that Dante is the first boss, which shouldn't come as a big shock. I wonder if it'll be a must win or else game over battle, or if it's a win or lose story continues battle. Hmmm, actually from the screens looks like you have to knock at Dante's hp till there's one notch left, then the story continues.

Originally Posted by Sexninja

I heard that game is delayed till feb 08, it makes me sad, really capcom is taking too much time for both DMC4 and resi5(2009).

According to the article expected to release in Japan before the years end. Maybe that Feb 08 delay is in respect to the NA release. If that is indeed the case, I'll be importing my copy (region free PS3 games, score!).

Jam it back in, in the dark.