I can just imagine the design team:
Ok we need a new idea for DmC...
Should we .... bring back Virgil by some kinda spell and make him and Dante fight? Nah
Should we.... do a Nero only storyline, then 2nd playthrough you get dante?
Nah
Why dont we just make dante some faggot emo kid that sounds/looks like a crackhead? YES!!!
I agree, they may have differences but the new DmC has a really nice touch to it ( mainly limbo and its shenanigans) that makes it good in its own way.
Removing taunts ******* ruined everything. I don't care about Dante's new look or anything, he's cool in his own way and I enjoyed the story blah blah blah, and the combat is pretty great too. But NO ******* TAUNTS?! Spirit of DMC right there, gone.
I miss landing ********* combos, tearing up an entire screen of enemies without a scratch before landing and taunting the next wave like it ain't no thing. It was all about style. Nope, now I gotta be a try-hard and all serious and **** . **** Ninja Theory.
Taunts proved how skilled you were, reinforced by the fact that they massively boost your style meter when you pull them off. If you could kick the **** out of everything on Dante Must Die or Hell and Hell while having time left over to taunt, you were top tier. It's a characteristic thing - naturally making the games more light-hearted and arcade-y. Now it's like any other decent combat game, but nothing special and with no "flavour".
I played um all, and on this one I played every difficulty level and both bloody palaces. I played them because I loved them, and the story.
Currently playing the new DMC... mixed feelings. I weep at the weapon system.
My skill is pretty up there, definitely one of those amazing players, but I'll be honest:
I can't use royal guard for crap.
My favorite moment in DMC4 was when I had SSS ranking was in devil trigger with Dante in bloody palace on that infinite knight level and he just started laughing really hard. Never seen that before, it was great.
i never got past the 2 fat headless guys, still pretty awesome when you get numbchucks(idk how to spell it right) although to this day i wonder why was cerberus made of ice