Devil May Cry 4

 Review

Common Sense Media says

A hack-'n-slash gothic game for mature players.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that both protagonists use weapons, such as swords and shotguns, to destroy enemies, which are primarily netherworld creatures. This is a game about killing demons, so players will see plenty of blood, especially on end-level boss fights. Visually speaking, the combat is over-the-top in its graphic presentation as you fight to save the world from demons. You can shoot dozens of bullets into a hellish creature or swing a sword until the beast drops to the ground and disappears. In order to advance the story, you must kill creatures, but you won't see any gory dismemberment, as has been seen in titles like Manhunt 2.

  • Violence is the only way to solve problems in the game, but then again, your adversaries are demon spawn from Hell.
  • As with past Devil May Cry games, this fourth title is violent and bloody as Nero and Dante hack and slash with swords and use guns to shoot baddies. The enemies, however, are creatures big and small, therefore some parents might have less of an issue compared to shooting people, but the core game-play component is combat. The over-the-top fighting includes jumping in the air and shooting a few dozen bullets into a hellish creature or swinging a sword until the beast drops to the ground and disappears.
  • There are two cutscenes in particular that feature a scantily-clad woman.

What's it about?

Played from a cinematic third-person perspective, DEVIL MAY CRY 4 is a hack-and-slash action thriller which introduces you to Nero, a mysterious new demon-killing machine. Nero not only has a number of weapons of mass destruction at his disposal -- including guns and enormous swords -- but he also sports a glowing "Devil Bringer" arm to knock creatures into next week.

With this powerful right arm, Nero can yank a nearby creature toward him, hurl it into the air with superhuman strength and then plug two dozen bullets into its body before it falls to the ground. A variety of attacks and combo moves can be mastered throughout this 20-chapter game while playing as Nero as well as his nemesis, Dante, the white-haired, half-human half-demon who starred in past Devil May Cry games.


Is it any good?

 

If Devil May Cry 4 was rated on first impressions alone, it would not fare well, as the Sony PlayStation 3 game took more than 22 minutes to load before playing for the first time. Fortunately for fans of this Gothic action series, it just keeps getting better after this disappointing start, and this problem isn't found in the Microsoft Xbox 360 and PC versions. If PS3 owners can get past the excruciatingly long load time when first playing Devil May Cry 4, you'll find a deep, immersive, and stylized action thriller worth playing to its climactic conclusion. Capcom deserves kudos for this entertaining sequel with high production values, but it's too bad we must wait so long before playing.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about whether waiting more than 20 minutes for a game to load (for the PS3 version) can ruin the experience before it even starts. Or are players forgiving of this wait as the game will load faster in between levels? Do you like the ability to play as two different characters?


This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Adult
December 27, 2008
 
What the hell?
What are people talking about? Blood? There's no blood! The only blood is in the opening sequence and there's hardly any there. The only blood from there on out is supposedly actually a demonic liquid that takes over creatures. End level boss fights aren't bloody at all, most enemies in the game don't even bleed. When you git them, your sword flashes. That's it! The Scarecrow enemies excrete the aforementioned demonic liquid when they die, but that's all. Sigh...this game is getting trashed for stuff it doesn't even have in it. Aside from that... It's an amazing game, absolutely breathtaking graphics, and the over the top action is just perfect for the games style. I'd say 14+.

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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
great game 14+

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Adult
January 5, 2011
 
Great game for teens.
YES THIS GAME IS FINE FOR TEENAGERS! Geez, this site is more uptight than my great grandmother! This game is loads of fun. I have the PC version...its a fighting 3rd person action game where you have to puzzle and fight your way through obstacles to reach the demons. You are a demon fighter, fighting to protect people and particularly, the girl you love. All of the characters have wonderfully puffed up heads, a lot of ego, and arrogance that makes the dialogue adorably unrealistic but fun. It is set it a beautifully constructed gothic world and there is little blood involved at all, the only thing you kill is demons, and the demons are basically stitched together monsters that attack you. The only problem perhaps is the sexual undertones of one minor character, who is a woman warrior that dresses promiscuously and dates a main character, Dante. But the main girl who Nero, the main character, is trying to save, is a very unusual woman love interest. She is a member of the church within the game (not the same religion as christianity, but supposed to appear similar) dresses very modestly, doesn't have large breasts or butt, is actually not particularly gorgeous but just pretty, like most young women you might meet. She keeps her hair tied back in an uptight, modest way as well, and is very quiet, sheltered, and kind. Honestly, I applaud this game for her; this is the first game I've ever played that was obviously designed with a lot of testosterone that had a female character as modest as her for a love interest. And Nero loves her very sweetly and innocently, in a way that is almost funny in contrast to the rest of the games swagger and hilariously male bravado. It isn't meant to be taken dead seriously, and I didn't. The characters are lovable because of their arrogance and yet good sense of humor and heroism. A great game.

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Kid, 12 years old
September 30, 2010
 
Really Good Game There Is a Little non-explict sex but that's nothing to worry about. It's Fine to play. Just make sure they have played 1 2 & 3.

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Teen, 18 years old
October 21, 2010
 
Its fine, good themes, maybe a little scaddily clad but not overmuch
Not as bloody as others say. Great storyline love and honor are good strong themes throughout. The action is over the top and the only problem I might have is the female characters being a little to...stripperishly clothed but thats not so much of a problem, unless you're the person when you're at the beach you cover your kids eyes when a girl walks by in a swimsuit (swimsuit not bikini, I'm making the distinction here)

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Adult
August 22, 2010
 
For teens
One of the best games ever made

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Teen, 14 years old
August 22, 2010
 
awesome game
i love this game and nero is a good role model and there is no drugs and the voilence isn't bad and language is just words Let your kids play this game people

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Adult
July 1, 2009
 
Awesome game, graphics, and gameplay
From the opening Cutscene of this movie to the ending it just blew me away. play it

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Teen, 18 years old
February 7, 2009
 
One of the best games ever!!!
Like the person below me said. Not much blood in it. The most blood I remember was in the begining scene. I love how capcom did this game it is a wonderful adventure and is the best of the devil may cry series! My rating would have to be 15+

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Teen, 16 years old
March 7, 2010
 
Very Violent But Very Cool.
The opening scene is extremely violent. A sword goes through a mans heart and he is pulling it out with blood flying everywhere. You see it all. The gameplay really is PG-13 in my opinion. Its the cut scenes that make it very violent, And as its very high tech graphics. It looks very very real. You can shoot, Stab,Slash and Throw all enemies. Much like Assassins Creed, You can stick swords right through people, To pop out the other side. 16 rating in my country, And i agree with it. But language is minimal and sex is also minimal.

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This review was written by Marc Saltzman
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:Capcom
Release date:February 5, 2008
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:M for Blood, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

This review was written by Marc Saltzman

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
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