Originally released in 2013, DmC: Devil May Cry was struck by a backlash of angry gamers questioning the need for a reboot of the franchise and the direction developer Ninja Theory had decided to take its classic franchise. Prior to release, I was one of those people that jumped on the bandwagon of hate, but post-launch it quickly became my favorite entry in the franchise, which is reflected in PSU’s DmC: Devil May Cry review.
Fast forward another two years, and Capcom re-releases DmC: Devil May Cry on the PlayStation 4 under the guise of the Definitive Edition and, just like the two-year old hack ‘n slash action game, the Definitive Edition does not disappoint. This review will focus more on the improvements and additions made by Ninja Theory in the Definitive Edition. For a more comprehensive review check out our original DmC review and our review of Vergil’s Downfall DLC.
The story of DmC sees the return of Dante and his brother Vergil in a more modern day realistic setting on a quest to kill the demon Mundus who murdered their mother and imprisoned their father Sparda. Mundus controls everything in the city, from the media to our favorite energy drinks, and even the President. Ninja Theory did a great job in implementing real life theories of government controlled media, private companies controlling the President, and even our society’s addiction to energy drinks, but also added an extra dose of menace in the form of demons.
The Definitive Edition adds some great technical improvements to the last-gen title. Those who played the original release will quickly notice that the frame rate drops during some cutscenes has be resolved. Texture, characters, and cinematics have all been uprezzed, giving them a cleaner, crisper look making it look more like a new-gen title then a last-gen game. Indeed, DmC now runs at 1080p resolution and 60 fps, and looks suitably polished.
Although Ninja Theory has come out and said that the game is not locked at 60 fps, the chance of you even noticing the dip is almost impossible.
Ninja Theory has also rebalanced the game. Bosses have been retooled to remove any exploits players may have found, while the damage they receive and dish out have also been balanced. Those pesky red and blue enemies that appear now, for example, take damage from all weapon types, but also see an increase in damage when the appropriate weapon type is used. The style system has been rebalanced making it very difficult to reach that SSS rating and sustaining it forces players to mix up their combat moves often; only the most crafty will be able to reach the rating and, more importantly, sustain it.
Ninja Theory has even gone and added all the games DLC: three Dante skins, three Dante weapon skins, and the item finder. This includes all the DLC that was available exclusively at select retailers, and two exclusive ones to the Definitive Edition. The biggest inclusion is Vergil’s Downfall campaign which follows Vergil after the events of the original game, as well as the newly included Vergil’s Bloody Palace. Much like Dante’s Bloody Palace, Vergil’s runs almost identically. While Dante must battle through 101 floors, Vergil only has 60 to get through. Vergil’s Palace can only be unlocked after completing Vergil’s Downfall. The best part of all this DLC is it’s all available right from the start of the game so those not happy with Dante’s redesign can change their costume to look more like the DMC 3 Dante.
Outside of the included DLC, Ninja Theory has gone even further and included new game difficulties and ways to play. One inclusion is the Turbo Mode which has the game running twenty percent faster; after trying the Turbo Mode I couldn’t go back to the original game mode as I felt the game ran much smoother. The other mode is Hardcore Mode, which runs mostly like past Devil May Cry games. The Devil Trigger no longer launches enemies into the air like it normally would and enemy spawn patterns change. The final mode is Gods Must Die Difficulty Mode. This mode takes the Dante Must Die mode and adds some extra punishment. Enemies spawn in Devil Trigger and players are not allowed to use any of their items, leading to the ultimate challenge. Outside of the game itself, the trophies have seen a slight change, and if you want to unlock the platinum you will have to get through Vergil’s Downfall, as the DLC’s trophies are now part of the main trophy list.
DmC: Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition is the definitive Devil May Cry title. If you missed it the first time around you shouldn’t miss it this time. Ninja Theory has crafted not only a great Devil May Cry but a great action title. With so many additions and improvements this Definitive Edition is one of the best re-releases to date.