Capcom responds to 20 min DMC install

277w ago - Capcom US has responded to CVG's report yesterday that PS3 Devil May Cry 4 forces gamers to sit through a mandatory 21 minute install time - with little improvement to load times there after.

Just to be sure, we timed the 5GB install process (which you can't opt-out of) on our PS3 retail version and it clocked in at 21 minutes, 41 seconds.

After installation, we timed DMC4's load times to be only one or two seconds shy of those in the 360 counterpart. Hardly worth sitting through 21 minutes of concept art, then.

Capcom community man Chris Kramer disagrees: "It's true: the first time you drop your DMC4 Blu-ray disc into your PS3 tray, you're going to be treated to an exciting 22 - 25 minute load process as the disc spins a few gigs of data onto your hard drive," he admits.

"If you don't want to watch the 'Previously, on Devil May Cry...' portion of the install process, go make a sandwich and grab a soda, then come on back," Kramer joked. "You're going to be spending some serious time with this game, and we don't want you going hungry. Low blood sugar will make you dizzy and you'll need to be focused like an Alan Parsons Project to defeat the enemies in this game.

"Wah! Have you ever played a PC game? At least we aren't making you shuffle multiple discs into a ROM drive, or continuously click 'Yes!' on a series of endless Windows dialog boxes," the Capcom man continues, possibly shuffling the install-less yet basically identical 360 version out of view.

"Installing on a console may seem like a weird idea, but there's a real benefit," says Kramer.

"Once installed," he claims, "the PS3 version of the game has near-Super Nintendo speed load times. You'll be amazed how fast levels load, the virtually instantaneous transition from cut scenes to action and that you're continuously playing the game."

We're a good few hours into both versions and the load times on the PS3 version are a few seconds shorter than the 360 cousin at best. They're definitely no way near "Super Nintendo speed".

DMC4 is out on Friday. And it'll cost you an extra £10 on PS3. Check online stores for the best deal. Either way, it's still a great game - look out for the review tomorrow.