Line #28 YMMV/DevilMayCry4


1	* AccidentalInnuendo:
2	** Nero's theme, "The Time Has Come" (from the first half of the game's theme song, "Shall Never Surrender") can be easily misinterpreted, especially the first line, "The time has come and so have I!" It quickly gained [[MemeticMutation memetic status]].
3	** During his boss fights, Sanctus will occasionally yell "The Savior is Coming!", which can also be interpreted like an innuendo.
4	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: ''[=DMC4=]'' has a unique case in which a ''song'' was open for multiple interpretations by fans. The second half of the game's main theme, "Shall Never Surrender", features a male demonic voice and a female human voice talking to each other in a somber or solemn manner (their exchanges start from the line "My honored brethren"). While it's been agreed that these lines mostly talk about love, it's been argued that the male and female voices represent either Nero/Kyrie (the game's main romantic pairs), or Sparda/Eva (the franchise's root example of love between demon and human).
5	* AntiClimaxBoss: Sanctus is a bit of a chump both times you fight him. His attacks aren't that hard to dodge and don't really deal too much damage to Nero, and once you break through his barriers, Nero's Buster attack does a metric crap-ton of damage to him.
6	* BestBossEver: [[spoiler:Angelo Credo]] is often praised as one of the most memorable boss fights from this game. From a storytelling perspective, [[spoiler:you fight him during an impactful event while playing as Nero]], and from a gameplay perspective, he's an overall challenging boss who moves and attacks fast, can block your attacks with his shield, and is more of a boss who tests the player's dexterity than a [[ThatOneBoss boss who has cheap, lethal gimmicks]]. Nero's Buster even has several unique interactions against him. He also has a cool angelic design on top of everything else.
7	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Dante and Agnus quoting Shakespeare before they fight. It comes right out of nowhere, has nothing to do with the plot, is ridiculously over the top, and is never mentioned again.
8	-->'''Dante:''' [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} And the rest is silence.]]
9	* BraggingRightsOption:
10	** Nero's Exceed mechanic is one of the most difficult aspects to master, especially instant revving in combos. Being able to activate it on demand to create flashy and extensive combos is one of the greatest hallmarks of a good player.
11	** Using Dante to his full potential requires the player to master Style Switching and weapon swapping. This means having to juggle several mechanics at once, but pulling it off gives an impressive showcase of skill and stylish combos.
12	* BreatherBoss:
13	** Bael isn't a difficult boss fight, probably because [[HardLevelsEasyBosses he comes after a long slog through the castle collecting all the Gyro Blades]]. He telegraphs his attacks from a mile away, they're all easy enough to dodge, and he gives you tons of opportunities to damage him. He can become a pain in the highest difficulties though, especially when he enters his own [[SuperMode Devil Trigger]] phase. These also apply to Dagon because he's just a re-colored Bael.
14	** Due to not hitting too hard, being easy to kill just through whittling away with guns, and easily opening up to attacks, Echidna is one on any difficulty.
15	* BreatherLevel: Mission 5 is very short and easy. It doesn't have a boss fight, the lesser demon encounters are few, and the only objective is to find the Wing Talisman which reveals a hidden path in the castle. However, it's sandwiched between two lengthy missions that have their own tricky segments and separate boss fights.
16	* BrokenBase:
17	** The biggest point of contention in the fandom (''[=DmC=]'' notwithstanding) likely comes from the canonical status of ''Devil May Cry 4: Deadly Fortune'', a two-volume light novel written by Bingo Morihashi, the scenario writer for ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening 3]]'', ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 4]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'', and his assistant Yasui Kentarou. Bingo considers the novel to be the definitive version of ''4'''s story, but it deviates from the game's plot at multiple points and was written ''after'' he had left Creator/{{Capcom}}'s employ. Because of this, it's been questioned if the novel can be considered anything more than [[WordOfSaintPaul semi-canon at best]], and not all fans, ([[http://devils-lair.org/dmc4novel.html for example]]), are on board with certain portions of the narrative, such as [[spoiler:Nero's mother being some nameless prostitute that Vergil had a one-night stand with when he visited Fortuna less than two decades prior (to learn more about Sparda's legacy). ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 5]]'' confirms that Vergil ''did'' have a one-night stand that resulted in Nero, but never knew about Nero until Dante spells it out for him in the climax, Bingo once again as the scenario writer.]]
18	** Creator/{{Capcom}}'s idea to release ''[[UpdatedRerelease Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition]]'' physically only in Japan and Asia. Some people were fine for as long as they got the game and encouraged others to import, while others demanded the physical release, especially considering ''[[VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry DmC: Definitive Edition]]'' was given one. Capcom's official statement that the game was [[http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/devil-may-cry-4-special-edition-too-complicated-to-get-a-physical-disc-release/ "too complicated" to get a physical release]] didn't help matters.
19	** The Proud Soul System, which works as another currency system, and the only way to purchase new skills. Some argue it that works due to allowing customizability (and allows Dante to hit the ground running with a variety of upgrades as soon as his section of the campaign starts, since he is sharing his total Proud Soul count with Nero, but not sharing the unspent total). On the other hand, some say that it's frustrating due to only getting them at the end of every mission.
20	* CatharsisFactor:
21	** When playing as Nero, being able to execute a Buster (or especially, a Devil Buster) is so satisfying to watch, thanks to the move's brutal animations. That enemy or boss who's giving you trouble becomes momentarily helpless while you take out a significant chunk of their health bar.
22	** In the final mission, seeing Nero gut Sanctus without fear when the [[DirtyCoward latter tries to hold Kyrie hostage]] [[SoreLoser a second time upon defeat]] is so satisfying.
23	* CharacterPerceptionEvolution: Nero's debut doomed him to the status of ReplacementScrappy due to being the game's lead rather than previous series protagonist Dante, who filled the role of {{Deuteragonist}}. While Nero's gameplay gained him some fans, it was the controversial reboot ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry'' that caused most fans to feel the hatred of Nero was ill-placed, accepting that he was at least an original character rather than Dante in the reboot, whose appearance and personality was very different from the original Dante. With Nero's personality and character arc in the fifth game managing to make him a much more beloved character, the differences between how fans viewed the character are like night and day.
24	* ComplacentGamingSyndrome:
25	** When playing as Nero, players would mostly save up the DT gauge so that he can use a [[SuperMode Devil Buster]] instead of a normal Buster because the former deals more damage on top of having more brutal animations. This is mostly evident during boss fights. In addition to this strategy, players also have a habit of mashing the shoot button to pierce the enemy with Summoned Swords during the lengthy Devil Buster animations. After all, you can't go wrong with some additional damage.
26	** You can deflect the energy ball fired by the Alto and Bianco Angelos with virtually any attack in order to deal massive damage to them and quickly earn an SSS Stylish Rank for that fight, but the most recommended strategy is to shoot the ball because it's the fastest and safest method.
27	* CommonKnowledge: The ranged [[SwissArmyWeapon Devil Arm that transforms into different weapons]] is officially named "Pandora", yet many players still think that it's named [[PublicDomainArtifact "Pandora's Box"]]. The weapon's default briefcase form is pointed out as the source of confusion.
28	* CompleteMonster: [[SinisterMinister Sanctus]], while [[VillainWithGoodPublicity appearing to be the benevolent head]] of the [[CorruptChurch Order of the Sword]], is in fact a vicious monster. Sanctus covets the powers of Sparda and Vergil and plans on using their swords to control the power of a giant godlike golem, The Savior. To do this he feeds Nero and Kyrie to it, and had Dante not intervened they would have both been digested alive; he also murders his own loyal servant Credo for daring to defend his sister Kyrie, even mocking Credo for his love while impaling him on Yamato, claiming that the only thing that matters "is absolute power." The demons that have been killing people throughout the game have been released on Sanctus's orders. When Nero fights Sanctus, Sanctus uses Kyrie as a HumanShield. Despite his [[LightIsNotGood holy trappings and grandfatherly appearance]], Sanctus was an evil monster and one of the worst villains the series had to offer.
29	* ContestedSequel: Perhaps the most divisive game in the series, in part due to the results of the game's TroubledProduction, ''4'' is held in a split between fans who consider it among the series' best alongside ''3'' and ''5'' and those who consider it one of the weakest titles alongside ''2''. Detractors don't like the title mainly due to Nero being a ReplacementScrappy for Dante at the time (before the former came into his own in ''5'') and due to the high amounts of {{Backtracking}} and {{Recurring Boss}}es. Fans, especially more advanced players, hold ''4'' in high regard thanks to the gameplay tech that's only found in this game due to the depth that mechanics such as Nero's Exceed and Dante's Style Switch and Weapon Swap provide.
30	* ContinuityLockOut:
31	** Fans who are sticking with only the games' lore might be confused on why Lady and Trish are already well-acquainted with each other in this game even though they never met in the past three games. This characterization is actually a [[ContinuityNod reference]] to the 2007 [[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries anime adaptation]] that depicts how Lady and Trish first met.
32	** Beating the game unlocks a PreviouslyOn video that summarizes the stories of the previous three games. Not only are the summaries condensed enough, the games are also previewed by release order and there's only a short passage that mentions ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' as a prequel game. These can throw series newcomers out of the loop because the first four ''Devil May Cry'' games actually have an AnachronicOrder.
33	* DemonicSpiders:
34	** Blitz. They're more like Demonic Beetles, really, but most players can agree they'd rather fight an actual boss than one of these. They're fast, can teleport, deal a considerable amount of damage that can stun you, and before you can melee a Blitz, you need to take out its lightning barrier by using your firearms. Unfortunately, they're far from the only examples.
35	** Chimera Assaults are especially annoying. To put it simply, on higher difficulties, simply trying to get near them is '''potential suicide'''. Mission 14 puts them in the same room as Faults for extra frustration.
36	** Alto Angelo. Its lesser brethren, Bianco Angelo, can't fight back if backstabbed, but an Alto can and will teleport in retaliation. It's impossible to land a Buster on an Alto unless its shield is down, and like Bianco, it cannot be [[YouWillNotEvadeMe snatched]]. [[note]]At least trying to use the Snatch on them doesn't hurt you or anything; the game just treats them like a grapple target from the platforming sections.[[/note]]
37	* DesignatedHero: Trish, for [[spoiler:giving the most powerful weapon in the game to the Order, allowing them to wreak havoc much faster than they would have originally. The only thing possibly keeping Trish a hero in this game is that she's sided with Dante and posed as TheMole under the guise of Gloria.]]
38	* DifficultySpike: Secret Missions are set on "Son of Sparda" difficulty even if you're playing them on the easier "Human" or "Devil Hunter" difficulties. The spike isn't noticeable at first and won't matter in some puzzle-related missions, but it can be surprising in combat-based missions.
39	* DisappointingLastLevel: Dante's share of missions feature ''excessive'' {{backtracking}} and recycled bosses, and when you switch back to Nero for Mission 19, you're treated to a return of [[ScrappyMechanic the dice game]] from [[ThatOneLevel Mission 6]] combined with a BossRush. The second half of the game, though not without its enjoyable moments, is generally agreed to be much weaker than the first because of the lack of originality. Later interviews confirmed that the second half re-used the previous levels because ''[=DMC4=]'' was underfunded and rushed to follow a schedule.
40	* EventObscuringCamera:
41	** The FixedCamera angles can be confusing depending on where they are placed, but usually, the camera faces the door where you just came from, so you have to walk several steps further when you enter a room before knowing what you're about to deal with.
42	** The AdvancingWallOfDoom section with Echidna has the camera facing the thing that's chasing you from behind, which makes it a bit hard to anticipate the path ahead.
43	* FanNickname: [[FanNickname/DevilMayCry See here]].
44	* {{Fanon}}:
45	** Vergil's prologue cutscene in the ''Special Edition'' shows him walking between a crowd in Fortuna. Despite his face partly being [[InTheHood concealed by his robe]], a woman dressed in red stops in her tracks and takes a short while to glance at Vergil. It has then been speculated that this "woman in red" is [[spoiler:Nero's mom]].
46	** The all-black PaletteSwap MirrorBoss of Dante fought on the 101st floor of Bloody Palace is believed to be a ContinuityCameo appearance of [[LivingShadow Doppelganger the Deathvoid]] from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening''.
47	* FranchiseOriginalSin: This game is mostly criticized for its excessive use of {{backtracking}}, even though ''[=DMC1=]'' and ''[=DMC3=]'' have a lot of backtracked segments as well. At least they were more tolerable in the previous games because their backtracked segments mostly change the previously-visited environment and open up new areas. But in ''[=DMC4=]'', the backtracking is exacerbated because it's also combined with the LevelInReverse trope. Even if Dante's levels feature some changes in the environment, they generally consist of going through Nero's levels in reverse order, with the only new segment being [[spoiler:the aerial boss fight against the Savior]]. As revealed in later interviews, the levels were reused because the game went through a TroubledProduction.
48	* GameBreaker:
49	** "Distortion" is a technique that allows you to deal massive damage by properly timing your Devil Trigger transformation during melee attacks. For instance, carefully using Vergil's Concentration Gauge coupled with Devil Trigger and Beowulf empties the entire health bar of The Savior within [[https://youtu.be/4SqHQXL4-6U?t=78 2 seconds]] as soon as Vergil's straight punch hits the boss's [[AttackItsWeakPoint most vulnerable spot]]. This can also be performed during some of Dante's moves, with "Distorted Real Impact" being the most popular choice in the ''[=DMC4=]'' fanbase.
50	** Because Dante wasn't tested in-depth due to the game being rushed, [[GoodBadBugs he has several gameplay exploits]] that turn him, [[DifficultButAwesome a character who already has a high execution barrier]], into something that can only be likened to a death machine. One of the cornerstones of his inhuman mobility and combo potential revolves around [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOLRLcRQj_0 a mechanic]] referred to as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urn_z0bzgs0 "Inertia"]], wherein [[LagCancel jump-canceling]] specific moves with horizontal momentum (e.g. Sky Star, Killer Bee, Full House) in a certain way will cause Dante to [[JumpPhysics drift through the air in various directions]]. From there, you get to techniques like "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K_fABSqeAI Guard]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhMxmOk8Srg Flying]]" (a.k.a. "Flying Guard"/"Sky Running"), where canceling inertia-generated movement with his Guard will cause Dante to zip around the air at the player's whim. A similar but distinct trick is "[[https://sites.google.com/site/darkwavestyle/games-research/devil-may-cry-4/dmc4---dante/action-loops-starraves-etc Star Rave]]", which involves canceling the first hit of Swordmaster's Aerial Rave with Trickster's Sky Star, then switching back to Swordmaster and jump-canceling into another Aerial Rave--all in one fluid motion--for a potentially endless loop. [[SomeDexterityRequired Needless to say, your index fingers and thumbs will require A LOT of training.]]
51	** Vergil in ''4:SE'' has several powerful tools that can make a quick work of certain scenarios:
52	*** From a platforming standpoint, Vergil now has the ability to collect orbs at a distance by hitting them with his Summoned Swords. This renders the challenge of retrieving most hard-to-reach orbs scattered throughout the game completely moot due to the sheer range at which the Summoned Swords can travel.
53	*** [[FlashStep Air Trick]], Lunar Phase, and Rapid Slash can turn any fight against the Alto Angelo, Bianco Angelo, and even Credo Angelo into a joke; Air Trick allows him to quickly close the distance of enemies that zip around the battlefield, his Lunar Phase can decimate anyone who's blocking with a shield when it is spammed (as this attack doesn't stagger him that much, and it has a very fast recovery animation when it's blocked), and his Rapid Slash makes him attack through enemies even if they're blocking.
54	*** His Spiral Swords ability is strong enough to shred the cloaks of the Mephistos and Fausts in just a few seconds.
55	** Lady is designed to fight at a distance in a game where most enemies are designed around playable characters who fight at close-range. Her inherent flaws are supposedly her lack of a [[SuperMode Devil Trigger]] and no accompanying [[RegeneratingHealth health regeneration]] making her significantly squishier than her demonic allies; and her very limited close-range options. Those might sound like good trade-offs for her gun combat, but almost nothing in the game can deal with the fact that she just sits across the room and mows everything down, and even up close, her [[ChargedAttack fully-charged]] shotgun blasts deal ludicrous damage.
56	** Because of its wide AreaOfEffect and extremely fast attack speed per hit, Trish's Round Trip with the Sparda is the best way to quickly farm the Red Orb Crystal Chunks. Just a single execution of the move can net you more than 20,000 Red Orbs in less than 10 seconds if you use it as the starting attack, and you can earn more if you supplement the Round Trip with Trish's lightning-powered melee attacks.
57	* GoddamnedBats:
58	** The Chimera Seeds. [[BuffySpeak Blady Planty thingies]] that just love to attach to other monsters so they can hit you by surprise and interrupt your combo. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, since on higher difficulties, pretty much every {{mook}} is attached with one of these.
59	** Faults appear beneath you in order to swallow and teleport you to a confined space where you must defeat other demons before you can return. A single Fault is easy to kill (usually with just one Gilgamesh combo), but several of them on the same area is just annoying, especially if you are also fighting other enemy types. When you do manage to avoid one Fault's grasp by jumping, another Fault will likely swallow you when you land.
60	* GoddamnedBoss: There's a terrible boss in the form of the first fight against Agnus (or rather, the glass window blocking him from you). Waves of Gladius fly out, and [[PuzzleBoss you're supposed to grab them and use them to break the glass]]. On lower difficulties, it's not too bad, but on higher ones, it's a nightmare. In theory, you're supposed to grab a Gladius before it attacks you — or just shoot it and then grab another — whilst dodging the ones you can't. In practice, your lock-on controls won't know which Gladius you want, they attack fast enough that you can only dodge so much, the floor constantly charges with electricity so you're limited by your dodging space, and it's entirely possible to be stun-locked and lose half of your health in one go.
61	%%* GoodBadBugs: There are a ton of exploits in the game that are considered advanced tech, and raise the game's skill ceiling massively while making high level play incredibly spectacular. There's a reason why this game is considered by some to be the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Melee'' of the franchise, in that sense.
62	* HarsherInHindsight:
63	** Just before Nero acquired his spectral Devil Trigger in Mission 6, it was mostly assumed that he was merely "unconscious" after [[spoiler:Agnus stabbed him]], due to the game framing it like he was simply closing his eyes before waking up soon enough when he hears Kyrie's voice in his head. More than a decade later, the [[PreviouslyOn "History of DMC"]] video in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' reveals Nero was actually [[spoiler:"killed" during that time, before he was revived by the Yamato itself]].
64	** Nero starts out resenting his [[RedRightHand Devil Bringer]], but comes to appreciate it as it proves instrumental in defeating the villains. In ''5'', [[spoiler:the Devil Bringer is torn off by Vergil who also takes back the Yamato sword which Dante gave to Nero as a gift.]]
65	* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Midway through the story, Dante fights Nero for the rightful possession of the Yamato, saying that it has to "stay in the family" (the weapon belongs to his twin brother Vergil). At that point, Dante witnesses Nero summoning the Yamato and his spectral Devil Trigger for the first time. By the end of the game, Dante lets Nero keep it permanently instead as a [[ItWasAGift gift]]. Later installments such as ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' would outright confirm that [[spoiler:Nero is Vergil's son]], while Dante already had his suspicions about it when they first met, but was more certain when he saw how the Yamato reacted. This retroactively means that Dante allowed Nero to keep the Yamato in the end because he already realized that [[spoiler:Nero is his nephew]] during their second battle.
66	* HilariousInHindsight:
67	** In the ''Special Edition'', Trish has an attack called "V Divider". It's quite an interesting attack name at first, but in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'', the new playable character V and the new BigBad Urizen are both revealed to be a [[spoiler:LiteralSplitPersonality of Vergil]]. In other words, they are [[spoiler:Vergil divided in two]].
68	** Nero's hair is thick enough to almost cover his left eye. Dante's appearance in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'' also had some bangs that almost covered his right eye. That's quite a bit of a mirrored [[StrongFamilyResemblance resemblance]] considering the fact that this game mentions Nero as a [[spoiler:descendant of Sparda]]. Then in ''[=DMC5=]'', V, the new character who has a thick hair with bangs, is actually [[spoiler:Vergil's human half, while that game finally confirmed Nero as Vergil's son]]. This caused fans to [[https://www.reddit.com/r/DevilMayCry/comments/q7dam3/emotional/ retroactively compare]] V and ''[=DMC4=]'' Nero's hairstyles then realize that [[spoiler:the son looked like the father]] in a very specific way.
69	* HoYay: In a Mission 1 cutscene, Dante and Nero wrap their legs around each other in mid-air. It's primarily a RuleOfCool moment that allows them to minimize the openings of their attempted point-blank shots. However, some players saw these motions with an erotic subtext. This is [[https://youtu.be/VTpLXhE_WY8?t=287 best summarized]] by the reactions of WebVideo/{{Unskippable}}.
70	-->'''Unskippable:''' Uh.. Woah! Wow, that's a little.. Uh.. Woah... kind of erotic. I kinda feel like we shouldn't be watching this. / You know guys, the sexual tension is not doing anyone any good. We should really just get it over with.
71	* JustHereForGodzilla:
72	** Series newcomers were interested in knowing Gloria and her role in this game, especially when [[spoiler:''[=DMC5=]'' added a PaletteSwap of Trish as a nod to her time disguised as Gloria]].
73	** Some ''DMC'' fans play the ''[[UpdatedReRelease Special Edition]]'' of this game because it's the first time where Lady becomes [[PromotedToPlayable playable]]. Trish and Vergil were playable in older ''DMC'' games, but fans are also interested to see their updated movesets here.
74	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/DevilMayCry See here]].
75	* NarmCharm: Dante's costume in this game, which includes ass-less and crotch-less chaps, though given how stylishly "American" Dante's design is perceived by fans (despite being pretty anime-influenced for a guy who seemingly lives in the States, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools though that's not necessarily a strike against him]]) and [[RuleOfCool how over the top his antics are in this game]], it works as a whole, though perhaps not ''as'' well as his other outfits (the first and third games in particular). His "cowboy" outfit also features slight Italian touches, which happen to match how Fortuna's Gothic architecture draws inspiration from UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance.
76	* OlderThanTheyThink:
77	** Nero's stylish reloading trick with the Blue Rose is remembered as the series' "first" instance of the UnorthodoxReload trope. While it's easily memorable (likely due to it happening in Mission 1), Lady performed an UnorthodoxReload in ''[=DMC3=]'' as well, using [[https://youtu.be/QgDcaKjz9ks?t=3137 several guns and magazine clips falling from mid-air]].
78	** Dante's "What the hell is this?" scene from ''Devil May Cry 4'' became a popular [[MemeticMutation meme template]], though this wasn't actually the first time he said that exact same line. He also asked it as a reaction to Lady inviting him to deal with a biker gang's situation in Episode 2 of ''Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries''. Viewers who watched the anime [[HilariousInHindsight after being familiar with this game or the meme]] have also found out that Creator/ReubenLangdon's delivery of the line is almost the same in these two scenes!
79	** In the ''Special Edition'', Vergil's expanded moveset and mechanics actually [[MythologyGag take some cues]] from his ''[=DmC=]'' counterpart, such as his [[FlashStep "Trick"]] techniques [[TeleportationWithDrawbacks now requiring]] the target to be impaled with a Summoned Sword beforehand, and his [[SignatureMove "Judgement Cut"]] now having a stronger [[JustFrameBonus "just frame"]] variant. However, not everyone realizes this tidbit and thus assumes the "Perfect Judgement Cut" originated from ''[=4:SE=]'', for instance. This is pointed out in a [[https://youtu.be/a8HgEJAQSmU?t=1712 retrospective analysis video]] of ''[=DMC4=]''; it's not an easily-known fact likely because it's from ''[=DmC=]'', a controversial entry in the franchise.
80	* {{Padding}}: A major criticism is directed against the boss fights, or specifically, the amount of times you have to fight the same bosses. Berial, Bael/Dagon, Echidna, and Angelo Agnus are each fought three times in a single playthrough, but without any significant variations to spice up their succeeding fights (Dagon is just a [[PaletteSwap recolored]] Bael, but he fights exactly like his blue-colored counterpart). The last instances of these fights also take place on the BossRush section of Mission 19, a stage that's already considered a DisappointingLastLevel. Fighting them again on NewGamePlus playthroughs, in the other character campaigns, and in Bloody Palace can become so tiring. This criticism sometimes extends to another boss; when playing as Dante in the Bloody Palace, the final boss... is [[PaletteSwap Shadow Dante]]. There's no A.I.-controlled boss version of the other playable characters, just another Dante fight.
81	* PolishedPort: The original PC version, which not only runs very smoothly on a wide array of systems and has some adjustable graphics options, but puts higher-end systems to the test with the "[[IdiosyncraticDifficultyLevels Legendary Dark Knight]]" mode which [[ZergRush fills the screen with enemies]]. Unlike the PC port of ''[=DMC3=]'' which was a PortingDisaster as a result of Capcom outsourcing the porting job to another developer, this is quite the breath of fresh air for PC ''Devil May Cry'' gamers when it comes to port performance.
82	* ReplacementScrappy: Many fans saw Nero as one [[TaintedByThePreview before this game finally came out]], fearing that he would completely replace Dante as the main protagonist. But after the release of ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry'', most agree that the hate was ill-placed, and that [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap Nero has come into his own]] in later games such as ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5''.
83	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: As soon as people learned that Nero was going to replace Dante as the lead for ''[=DMC4=]'', they hated the new character, but grew a soft spot for him when seeing him in action. ''[=DMC5=]'' has helped Nero come into his own more than ever, with his fresh new haircut, fashion sense, and robotic arm widening the gap between him and Dante even further; this Nero's hardly the same character as before. Nero was also accidentally rescued from the heap when ''[=DmC=]'' was released. For example, the Gaming Brit [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0a_QlurNZU#t=15s took back every negative comment he said about Nero]] when seeing Dante's characterization in the reboot.
84	* ScrappyMechanic: The Dice Game is a mini-game that you are required to play in two missions, but it becomes tedious because of the RandomNumberGod nature in rolling the dice and the length of the mini-game itself. Even if the player knows how to [[EasyLevelTrick manipulate the dice using Nero's Buster]] and force a specific number to come out, the length of the mini-game (which takes in factors such as the animations and the board size) is still a concern because the overall completion time is counted in your mission ranking. It's telling that when Creator/HidekiKamiya (the director of ''Devil May Cry 1'') used ''[=DMC4=]'' as a [[InspirationForTheWork research material]] for ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'', he Tweeted that the [[https://twitter.com/pg_kamiya/status/922081504053805056 "Dice thing is SHIT."]]
85	* SequelDifficultyDrop: ''[=DMC4=]'' is considered to be easier than ''[=DMC3=]''. From the playable characters alone, Nero has a powerful {{grapple move}}, Buster, that can quickly take a significant chunk of the enemies' health. For Dante, he can now access all of his weapons and styles in real-time, and they are much easier to manage and upgrade compared to the previous game locking him to one style at a time. The Western release of ''3'' being [[DifficultyByRegion infamously difficult]] also contributes to this in retrospect.
86	* SignatureScene: Dante suddenly appearing in the Mitis Forest and quoting "What the hell is this?". It's the most memorable part of the game even after several years, partly because it's another ''Devil May Cry'' [[MemeticMutation meme reaction clip]] that spread to other fandoms. The meme saw a resurgence in 2020 when it was used to express bafflement over certain characters appearing in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' before Dante. And when the [[UpdatedRerelease Special Edition]] of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' arrived on the same year, this scene is also referenced as a game clear art for the latter, with Dante doing a nearly-identical pose like what he did in ''4'' while Nero and [[spoiler:Vergil]] are casually taking in the scenery.
87	* SpiritualAdaptation: The original PC version (and later the ''4:SE'' version on both consoles and PC) on Legendary Dark Knight is considered as Capcom's attempt at a ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' game.
88	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong:
89	** Nero's battle theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLBAFJWbd30 "The Time Has Come"]], sounds rather similar to Music/RobZombie's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPuHCzSqR6U "Reload"]], which appeared on the soundtrack to ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded''. Fitting, as both franchises and the artist came into prominence in the early [=2000s=].
90	** [[https://youtu.be/OGZ3Mip48mA?t=59 "Frozen Frog"]] uses a synth wail that is also used in [[https://youtu.be/SzGvwF2z1Gs?t=16 "Drop Out"]] from ''[[VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution DDR Extreme]]'', and [[https://youtu.be/lQ6o4CDExzk?t=29 Chaotic Inferno Zone Act 3]] from ''[[VideoGame/SonicRivals Sonic Rivals 2]]''. It was also sampled in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' for the cries of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MgccNbRE2k Dialga]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Z1AN-L_hw Heatran]], and the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNwJ6clJxXs Garchomp]] evolution line.
91	** The latter half of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIIYt5lcq3A "Shall Never Surrender"]] uses a drum beat that was also sampled in ''[[VideoGame/{{Bionicle}} Bionicle Heroes]]'' for the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw8FGiXT6ro Matoran Enclave]].
92	* TaintedByThePreview: Nero's mere existence as a love-struck, foul-mouthed replacement for Dante got many people up in arms. And even though [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap most fans warmed up to him over time]], that negative first impression still remains for some.
93	* ThatOneBoss: Quite logically, Dante will kill an inexperienced player countless times. Using cheap moves, incredible combos, and with few openings to attack him, he will brutalize the player all too often. It's partly because his A.I. has [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard computerized accuracy]]; he can react to and counter your attacks as soon as you input them.
94	* ThatOneLevel: Mission 10 will make you ''hate'' [[LaserHallway lasers]] because they can be difficult to dodge. And that's just before fighting [[ThatOneBoss Dante]], who fights [[PerfectPlayAI like an experienced player]] would.
95	* ThatOneSidequest: Secret Mission 8 requires you to perform [[JustFrameBonus Royal Block]] 5 times consecutively. It can throw off a first-timer by surprise because the objective text is actually [[GuideDangIt misleading]] as it doesn't tell you about the "consecutively" part. This means that getting hit or mistiming Royal Block will reset your objective counter to zero. The enemy type in this mission can make things harder as well; you're faced off against Mephistos in Son of Sparda difficulty, you have to learn the perfect timing in at least three different attack variations, and the pace can become a waiting game because the Mephisto can be idle for a few seconds. Overall, this secret mission is a pure test of skill, but it's necessary if you want to obtain the "Nothing Left Unsaid" achievement and collect all of the Blue Orbs to fully upgrade your vitality.
96	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: For [=PC=] players who are heavily used to Vanilla ''4'', the mass plethora of technical changes in ''Special Edition'' (including, but not limited to, the bloated file size, messed up gamma values, requiring a fan patch to fix that and to disable motion blur, as well as the forced upgrade from DX 9 to DX 11, which drastically reduced optimization across all Windows systems) were not well received, and not even the rebalanced gameplay and added characters was enough to salvage this release. This only got worse when Capcom removed the ability to purchase the original version of ''Devil May Cry 4'' from Steam, leaving players with ''Special Edition'' or nothing [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes unless they were willing to go to questionable means to download the original release]].
97	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
98	** As mentioned by Sanctus, Nero is eventually revealed to [[spoiler:have inherited the power and blood of Sparda.]] What's the reaction of the cast? '''Nobody cares.''' Dante mostly ignores it, Kyrie never learns it, and Nero doesn't react too much on it, especially when he and Kyrie were [[spoiler:being absorbed into The Savior when Sanctus revealed it]]. All anyone gets out of this plot point is Nero acquiring Yamato and accessing his [[SuperMode Devil Trigger]] in Mission 6, and having the right to inherit Yamato in the finale. Outside of [[{{foreshadowing}} subtle hints]], the game itself never explained how exactly is Nero [[spoiler:a descendant of Sparda]], though it took some supplementary materials and a [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 sequel]] for the answer to be revealed.
99	** Vergil's inclusion in ''4:SE'' was likely an attempt to rectify Vergil Mode in ''3:SE'', itself being an example of TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot in a different way, namely giving players a look at what Vergil was up to in Fortuna prior to the events of ''3''. Unfortunately, it's just as [[ExcusePlot woefully brief]] as the new story material added in ''3:SE''; all that we get are a brief shot of a suspicious woman who looks at Vergil in the prologue, and Vergil's monologue in the ending cutscene summarizing his experience as he leaves Fortuna.
100	--->'''Vergil:''' Well, I can't exactly call them misguided. But soon, they shall know this devil's power. A power greater than they ever imagined, the power of a son of Sparda.
101	* UnderusedGameMechanic: The Chrono Slicers' time-slowing effects are mostly used in the laser hallway puzzles; there are only few rooms where you could activate a Chrono Slicer to slow down the nearby enemies and freely beat them up while the effect lasts. It doesn't help that Chrono Slicers are stationary objects found only inside the Order of the Sword HQ, and that there are [[GuideDangIt no tutorials mentioning how]] the enemies are also slowed down when a Chrono Slicer is activated. These limitations are often contrasted to the Gyro Blades - mobile structures found in the Fortuna Castle and Mitis Forest, and have segments clearly demonstrating their offensive nature against the enemies.
102	* UnnecessaryMakeover: Lady was changed from an appropriately moody teenager with a ''slight'' tomboyish Catholic Schoolgirl-esque moe look (due to purple spandex shorts and her 'skirt' being made of ammo for her guns) in the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening third game]] to... just another busty woman with a NavelDeepNeckline and flawless skin, having her dress less modestly than ''Trish and her Gloria disguise''. Her minimal role in the game's story didn't help either, so fans were surprised at her ''[=DMC4=]'' role focusing more on {{Fanservice}} appeal. Fortunately, this is rectified in ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry5 DMC5]]'' where her proportions and clothing style return to what they originally were in the third game.
103	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: ''4'' was released near the beginning of [[MediaNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames the seventh gen]] but still looks really damn good, on top of running at 60 FPS in an age where people would rather ignore playability and performance for the visuals.
104	* WatchItForTheMeme: Dante's "What the hell is this?" quote became a meme in other related fandoms as a disapproval reaction to a surprising news. It was used a lot in the 2020s as a reaction to some ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' character announcements such as Byleth, so naturally, some ''DMC'' newcomers' first exposure to the franchise was a meme template from a decade old game. This led to them trying out the game in order to understand the context on why Dante is being surprised at a rainforest's view.
105	* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: The [[spoiler:[[CorruptChurch Order of the Sword]]]] seems like an obvious TakeThat against UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}}, but the game's director, Hideaki Itsuno, denies the connection.
106	* WTHCostumingDepartment: For this game, Dante upgrades his wardrobe to include [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dante_4_4550.jpg cowboy boots and chaps]]. The guy's one step away from becoming the new Wrestling/ShawnMichaels.

Context YMMV / DevilMayCry4