Devil May Cry 4 has never looked better.
A third person acting fighting game set on the PC and controlled with the keyboard? There is no way in hell that it would work, well, Devil May Cry 4 not only proves a fighting game can work on the PC, it shows that when time and effort are put into the title the end product can be on the better PC games of the year.
Devil May Cry 4 is a gorgeous game, with a plethora of in-game options to customize the graphics to run at an acceptable frame rate on your computer. From Cathedrals to Castles the imagery is truly stunning, water effects are brilliant and show that the Pc is truly the graphics powerhouse in today's console generation. Having played both the Xbox 360 and Pc version I can definitively say the Pc not only looks better but plays better, throughout the entire game my frame rate never fell below 60 FPS which is an astounding accomplishment. DMC4 allows the player to choose between playing with Direct X 9 or 10 graphics depending on the operating system.
What truly makes a game great though is the actual game play and DMC4 is no slouch in this regard. Players control the new hero, Nero in his quest to apprehend Dante who must answers for his crimes. Nero is a complete badass, I mean first off he carries a huge sword and every guy wants the main character to have a huge sword and the sword isn't the best part. His right arm is called the "Devil Bringer" and can be used to attack or grab enemies and then thoroughly punish them. The combat is deeply satisfying and brutal. While the pace is slower than that of Ninja Gaiden 2, it is fast enough to keep you entertained and the enemies give a strategic challenge where you cannot spam a single attack and hope to come out on top.
Capcom took its time with this Pc port and spent plenty of time trying to figure out a control scheme that not only worked but was simple as well. Character movement is controlled with WASD keys and different attacks are controlled with IJKL keys. The space key is used to target an enemy and by combining the WASD with IJKL combos can easily be pulled off. While I wasn't able to play it with the help of a 360 controller like many people have suggested, my experience of the game wasn't diminished in any regard and in fact I felt like I was in more control of the combat using the keyboard. The single complaint I have for the control scheme is you cannot use the mouse in any way to handle the camera. At times the camera will be looking at your face while running towards the camera which prevents the player from seeing what lies ahead. While this doesn't detract heavily from the overall experience it is a minor nuisance that may annoy some players.
Devil May Cry 4 isn't a typical Pc port, it is its own version complete with new features excluded from the console versions. While it may not reach the same level of publicity as the console version it may very well carve out its own niche audience who are very happy with the latest version. Pc gamers should definitely give Devil May Cry 4 a shot as it is one of the best Pc titles this year.
