The Capcom sequel machine is revving up this year and one of the first titles out is Devil May Cry 4. Unleashed from its Sony shackles, the Devil May Cry series has enjoyed success on the PS2, and this multi-format “Next-Gen” release brings some changes, mostly for the better.

You play as cocky teenager “Nero”, who has a right hand possessed by evil; like Dante from the previous games, you sport white hair, a long jacket and are armed to the teeth with a deadly arsenal of crap one-liners. The game begins with Nero racing to his girlfriend’s concert only for Dante to crash the party. He sets Nero up with a quest to close various demon portals threatening the land and rescue his girlfriend, who has been captured and becomes instrumental in Nero’s plans. The story is told through impress­ive in-game cutscenes, set amid Gothic European architecture, and the action doesn’t let up.

There’s a wider spectrum of moves on offer than in the previous titles, but this instalment still delivers the strategic boss fights and combo techniques of the first game. While Devil May Cry 4 is a hack-and-slash combo affair, much like God Of War or Ninja Gaiden, the battles are spaced out with simple puzzles and a combat system that rewards the player for using varied styles and acrobatically dispatching foes. This could be made easier if the camera wasn’t so insistent on switching angles as you run or fight, at times confusing this player’s sense of direction.

As Nero, you battle through the first half until Dante becomes playable. However, the story makes Dante backtrack through Nero’s previous levels even going as far as to fight the same bosses again! Dante clearing up after Nero? Or a cheap way to double the length of the game?

The visuals are sharp, sexy and smooth. All textures are detailed and character models rendered beautifully. In the great tradition of Japanese action games, hairstyles are fabulous and the female characters will make you feel very naughty. So, this is a good-looking game with fast action and no slow-down. Though that’s probably because of the sparse environments, which change frequently yet never feel like anything more than empty micro arenas that populate between bosses. Compare it to God of War II, displaying armies fighting undead in the background of the colossal ruckus that you’re leading, and it makes Nero look like he’s merely been inconvenienced while taking a stroll.

The audio is appropriate enough, with plenty of arcadey Capcom effects, and the voice acting is better than previous titles; however, the industrial-metal combat music can be grating at times, as can the characters’ diabolical one-liners.

Devil May Cry 4 has taken the best features of the previous three games and dropped in some new characters to compliment them. While fans of Dante may be a little upset that the main story isn’t focused on him, new kid on the block Nero lets Capcom tell a classic “Mario” love story while still allowing Dante to return and mop up later. If it wasn’t for the backtracking, camera issues and my feeling of a lack of immersion in a game, then maybe I would rate it higher. Let’s not forget, this is a combat game and it certainly packs a fierce punch. The fights are fun, the moves look cool and the boss battles require you to employ strategy in your combat. So should you sacrifice your money and summon the game from the fiery belly of your hexxbox, be prepared to fight with style – even if this game has some demons that even Dante can’t vanquish.