William BagleyDevil May Cry 4 to pull a Raiden?
September 12th 2006 10:21
Hideo Kojima may have learned his lesson the hard way in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, but apparently, Devil May Cry 4’s director Hideaki Itsuno and producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi haven’t realized it yet.
GameSpot reported that Dante, the series’ popular protagonist, is being replaced in the upcoming installment. According GameSpot, Dante won't be the lead character in part four because he has “peaked out” in the last game, and the introduction of Nero, the new central character, “levels the playing field for veterans and new players.”
Strangely, Nero looks exactly like Dante. Kobayashi explained that this similarity makes the protagonist recognizable, and that there is a deeper meaning to the similarities.
Another Sparda offspring, perhaps?
I sincerely hope that we won’t see a string of Dante look-alikes/siblings in future DMC sequels, because no matter how you look at it, the franchise is a Capcom cash cow despite not having as many sequels as the Mega Man series.
The developers hinted that Nero may not be the only playable character in the game. Still, this news could spell trouble for the beloved franchise, because the outcome may be similar to the gaming public’s reaction towards Raiden, the much-maligned hero of Sons of Liberty.
While Nero may not come out sissy-like, and may actually behave just like Dante, rabid DMC fans (like yours truly) may not care. I’m taking a Nintendo Wii stance on this one: let’s wait and see.
What are your thoughts on Dante's replacement?
GameSpot reported that Dante, the series’ popular protagonist, is being replaced in the upcoming installment. According GameSpot, Dante won't be the lead character in part four because he has “peaked out” in the last game, and the introduction of Nero, the new central character, “levels the playing field for veterans and new players.”
Strangely, Nero looks exactly like Dante. Kobayashi explained that this similarity makes the protagonist recognizable, and that there is a deeper meaning to the similarities.
Another Sparda offspring, perhaps?
I sincerely hope that we won’t see a string of Dante look-alikes/siblings in future DMC sequels, because no matter how you look at it, the franchise is a Capcom cash cow despite not having as many sequels as the Mega Man series.
The developers hinted that Nero may not be the only playable character in the game. Still, this news could spell trouble for the beloved franchise, because the outcome may be similar to the gaming public’s reaction towards Raiden, the much-maligned hero of Sons of Liberty.
While Nero may not come out sissy-like, and may actually behave just like Dante, rabid DMC fans (like yours truly) may not care. I’m taking a Nintendo Wii stance on this one: let’s wait and see.
What are your thoughts on Dante's replacement?
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Comment by Justin
Just like using the Belmont family in the Castlevania series where he practically looks identical to the rest and seldomly is questioned until you're notified it's not the same as before - I think this is fine.
However, if you swap to someone who looks reminscent of the protagonist but changed enough to realise - then it's going to look like a bad streetfighter clone (y'know the ones) and you're going to feel ripped off.
So in my opinion, as long as he's similar but has marked attributes that differentiate Nero, cool, if exactly like Dante but merely looking different, bad.
Comment by Mike L
Besides, the shift to use other characters other than Simon Belmont has been done years ago. Konami has created so many vampire hunters other than Simon, and has committed no story in the Castlevania canon that the franchise is about Dracula and Simon alone.
DMC however, has always been stuck with Sparda and Dante. And Vergil. Why? Because of The Divine Comedy, of course.
Sure, they can start adding in new characters and expand Sparda's family tree, but IMHO, it's a bit too late for that. Dante has apparently developed a cult following of sorts (just like Solid Snake).
Just how Dante-crazy are some game fans? People dress up as Dante in cosplay contests and events, Dante has appeared in a handful of games other than DMC (and much more than Simon Belmont), and don't forget the Devil May Cry novel.
Comment by Threethumbs
Million Dollar Ideas
$1,000,000 ideas
not hvaing played devil may cry I still recognise the character, if they chage it to much i wouldnt recognize the game as devil may cry anymore.
why not just make the protaginist fall and bump his head and use him in this upcomming game, just with a bit of a differant personality.
i donno
-threethumbs
Comment by JoshZ
But bringing a new chracter into DMC? Part of me was thinking they would send Dante back in time to meet his dad or something. I realise that is heavily cliched but forgive an old man his dreams.