How do you feel about console games on the PC? I kinda like them: variety is the spice of life, and I think the PC needs arcade games to keep things fresh and interesting. I'd also rather sit in front of my monitor rather than my crap TV. I also kinda dislike them: they're never well ported, if they're ported at all. I'm also elitist and find it slightly degrading to play something so shallow on my PC.

So it's with mixed feelings that I sit down to the demo of the latest cross-platform pretty-boy, Devil May Cry 4. Actually I'll be honest with you, I approach it with high hopes - Devil May Cry 2 is one of my fave console games and I really fancy a spot of gothic slashery on the PC.

First impressions are encouraging - it's clearly been ported with the PC in mind - it has graphics settings, redefinable controls, and a dx10 option. In other news: Hell has frozen over. The actual graphics themselves are also not disgraced on the PC - they're absolutely excellent. In fact, it almost has the air of a game that was designed for the PC first and then ported across to the toys. Hang on a mo, I'm going to reinforce one of those points - the graphics. They really are awesome - fantastic architecture, smooth animation and very good character models. Full of colour and great textures. Do you see, Gears of War? You don't have to be grey and flat.

The gameplay itself though is straight up console. Mash the buttons like hell until the screen is drained of enemies, during which time the display will flash and fill with words and colours whilst a cacophony of sound effects give you a migraine. This is not a game for a neuralgic epileptic. Although it would be HILARIOUS watching one play it. And it's fun. It really is. It doesn't try to be something it's not, and it does what it does really well indeed. If it could speak it would say "Look, all I want to be is a console game in PC finery", and it's Mum would be proud as it's looking like it'll achieve this with ease.

I think the PC needs more games like this - a cat amongst the pigeons, something to stir up the serious brigade. It also needs Devil May Cry 4 to show the World that PC's can do fast, flashy games if you ask it nicely enough and treat it how it wants to be treated. So I welcome the upcoming DMC4 with my open PC arms. It's not going to set the World alight, and it probably isn't going to be worth full price, so shallow are it's charms, but I sincerely hope this is the start of things to come. More importantly, I can't wait to see the look on Gears of War's face when it sees what a proper console game on the PC looks like.

N4G