I was wondering the other day what is better - completing a game that you love, or doing the tutorial of a game you thought you may never play? The very small part of my brain that is sensible tells me that this is an easy question, and without any doubt completing a game that you love is the ultimate reward… but the rest of me isn’t so sure.

I recently completed Devil May Cry 4. Although I have had my doubts about many parts of the game (I hate running through lasers and I feel I have fought some bosses more than I have eaten hot dinners) I did enjoy the ending. Seeing Nero looking so young and happy, having come to terms with his new body - and of course getting the girl - made me want to play more. I want to see what else he has in store for the future. Sure, it sounds a like a story of a pre pubescent kid finally growing some chest hair, but I thought it was touching! It had some wonderful scenes, the bosses were nice (even if I did get a little tired of them), and I liked the ability to play Dante for half the game. I didn’t even mind all the board games at the end and Dante’s fight against Savior was really stunning. I feel I have achieved something by seeing the whole game and am ready to battle it out on a different difficulty setting.

Aside from this blitz of Devil May Cry gaming, I took a small break to play Dark Messiah: Might and Magic Elements. This is certainly an action game with first person fighting and a combat system that is in no way turned based, but it still feels very RPG to me. I was scared of the fact that I had to choose my character type. I am sure this is second nature to most of you, but the only reason I can imagine wanting to do this is if I had cracked open a box set of Hero Quest. I don’t really understand the RPG world. How much difference does it actually make if I am a warrior or a mage? Surely it is possible to complete the game as both, so does it even matter? Is it just a question of personal preference? I just don’t get it.

I went with a Warrior to embrace the fighting, and it seemed to work fine. I didn’t find myself disadvantaged in any way. Starting the game is a treat - the cut scenes look beautiful and I really liked the little puzzles through the first level. I was even quite pleased with myself for retrieving a crystal. However, I got my five gamerpoints and went back to my comfort zone of gaming. But I did feel good about this endeavour. I am still scared that if I continue with the game it will expect me to make choices, gain skills and upgrade certain abilities without the possibility of going back if I get it wrong, but I would like to know what happens and will pick this back up on a rainy day.

So which was better? I knew I would complete DMC4, and that I will continue to complete it on different difficulties. I knew I would like it, and I knew I would struggle on no matter how frustrating it got. So have I really achieved anything by doing the predictable? Or am I more enriched from trying something a little off my radar, and actually quite liking it? I suppose the true answer to this dilemma lies in trying a game that you thought you never would and then losing sleep over it as I did with Shin Megami Tensei: Lucifer’s Call. But then maybe I just kept playing that for the few delightful moments with Dante and really I will never be a truly adaptable gamer, just a silly little DMC fan girl.