Devil May Cry 4 Review (XB360)

Writing a review for Devil May Cry 4 was trickier than expected. Upon receiving the review copy in the office, we also received specific instructions from Capcom not to "spoil" certain aspects of the game, such as when Dante appears as a playable character or story angles that could otherwise ruin the experience. So forgive us if the review's a bit more vague than we'd like it to be. We will talk about what works however – and for Devil May Cry 4, that's pretty much everything.

The story revolves around a new character named Nero, a fellow gun slinger who has a battle style similar to Dante's. He packs a powerful pistol known as the Blue Rose, capable of shooting enemies from a distance. For up-close-and-personal attacks, he utilizes a glowing sword called the Red Queen, which tears through rock, ice and fleshy enemies with ease. Where the two characters really differ is the Devil Bringer, Nero's right arm. A huge glowing beast hand with spiritual capabilities, the Bringer allows you to grab enemies, either on the ground or in mid-air, and fling them around like Frisbees. Flinging them to the ground and slashing away at them with the Red Queen, for example – really ramps up the battle techniques. In addition, the Bringer is a great grappling tool, hanging onto spiritual icons and zipping Nero up to new heights. He can also summon Devil abilities to power-up his attacks, taunt foes with a certain cockiness ("What'd you say?") and use an Exceed meter to put together quicker, more efficient combos. It really works surprisingly well.

Of course, it's no surprise than Dante becomes a playable character later in the game. The real surprise, though, is how much of a difference he makes. You'll have a blast going through the game the first time around with Nero, but going through it numerous times after with Dante is surprisingly worthwhile. Once again, you can choose from four fighting techniques -- Trickster, Royal Guard, Gunslinger and Sword Master -- with a simple press of the D-pad. You'll also use a couple of new tricks to the trade, but we'll let you discover their awesomeness for yourself. It's not a huge leap forward from Devil May Cry 3, but it's just as sharp and responsive as ever.

Boss encounters don't just take the cake in Devil May Cry 4 – they devour the whole bakery. Right from the start, you partake in a classic battle with Dante before moving on to bigger and badder foes. The she-devil serpent is a lush, eye-popping creature, ripping apart walkways and charging at you like the ferocious force of nature she is. Berial, a huge four-legged fire demon with a sword as big as a house, comes at you with everything he's got, but also leaves himself open for slamming attacks that are genuinely awe-inspiring.

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