From concept to completion, there are hundreds of games that are drastically changed to alter gameplay elements, characters, plot, and more in its finished product. It is not unheard of for a game to undergo several design changes before settling in with the development team. Seeing a game in its original form can be eye opening and even displeasing, whether you can fantasize about the way a game would have turned out taking the initial design path, or by being unable to imagine how awful you believe the game would have turned out.
Skulking around on YouTube yesterday, I was reminded of a game that I have a very strong “love/hate” relationship with. When Devil May Cry 4 released in February 2008, I was very excited and eager to get my hands on the game. Upon beginning the game, Capcom had already delivered what was going to be one of the most “SSStylish” and “Smokin’!” games I would have played that year. The first stage acted as a tutorial level, which forced my feet into the boots of Nero. Nero is a young, brash Dante lookalike who was ready to go toe-to-toe with the man of Devil May Cry himself. I was in for a sick ride, and this was only the tutorial level!
From the talk that reaches my ears, Nero seems to garner a lot of hate and controversy. Die hard Devil May Cry fans would despise and and spit on Nero for taking the place of Dante. I, for one, love Nero. He plays completely different from Dante, and although I love Dante, I grew to love Nero, and the chemistry that was created between the two protagonists. However, in my eyes Devil May Cry 4 also had its fair deal of faults. More faults than triumphs, such as the recycled levels and bosses. You played through most of the levels twice, once as Nero, and once as Dante. Then, you fought almost every boss in the game three times — once as Nero, once as Dante, and then again as Nero, acting as filler before the final boss. I felt like this was a poor and lazy job on the design team’s part, but I digress. I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the game the first time through.
Of course, this is the Devil May Cry 4 that all of us have grown to accept. This is the game Capcom developed and published. I only pose this question: do you remember what Devil May Cry 4 looked like before it underwent such a radical change? Before Nero was the main character, and Dante looked the way he did? What I found today was only a short announcement trailer for the game, back when it was labelled a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Even though no real dialogue is spoken, the trailer says so much to me. Most people forget subtle things like this trailer, and I would love to know what you think this game could have been like having seen this trailer once again (or for the first time if you had not seen it six years ago).
Drop us your comments below and share your take on the situation this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy1uc_CVjh4