Action games seem to be increasing in popularity, but theDevil May Cryfranchise is still the cream of the crop. Although it’s been a long six years since the series' last entry,Devil May Cry 5, Capcom’s character-action extravaganza is still beyond iconic, and it’s worth delving back into Dante and Nero’s latest adventure once again, even ifno majorDMCnewsappears to be on the horizon.
Set roughly five years after the events of 2008’sDevil May Cry 4,Devil May Cry 5is something of a course-correction fromDMC: Devil May Cry, a Dante-focused prequel that received a mixed reception. WithDMC 5, Capcom went back to the series' roots, honing in on hard-hitting, unforgettable combat above all else, and while it’s not a perfect product, one could easily make the argument that its combat sandbox is the best in franchise history. Indeed, for anyone with a penchant for high-octane action games, or games that are easy to learn and hard to master,Devil May Cry 5is well worth jumping into, even in 2025.
Why You Should Replay Devil May Cry 5, or Play It For the First Time
You Probably Haven’t Seen Everything Devil May Cry 5 Has To Offer
With three playable characters (four, including the Virgil DLC), each boasting their own unique, deep skill set, there’s plenty of mechanical meat onDevil May Cry 5’s bones. Anyone familiar withDMC 5knows that these distinct playable characters are anything but reskins of each other: they all have complex movesets, weapons, and special abilities begging to be mastered. Each character feels like they could helm an entire game on their own, so in theory,Devil May Cry 5has at least three games' worthof mechanical depth to spelunk.
ReplayingDevil May Cry 5, especially on harder difficulties, is an exercise in intense brutality and precision. During an initial playthrough, most players will probably be doing everything and anything possible to simply get to the end of each level, picking up new abilities and upgrades as they go and learning on the fly. This is fine, but it’s very different from a subsequent playthrough, one wherein a player is already familiar with most of the game’s basics, having already completed the campaign. In this scenario, players are free to experiment withDMC 5’s robust and expressive combat tools, exploring new and creative methods of dispatching enemies. Of course, one could make this argument for most action-centric games, butDMC 5specifically facilitates this sort of gameplay, allowing numerous avenues for experimentation, which is thoroughly rewarding.
This is to say nothing ofDevil May Cry’s iconic style score system, which encourages perfection in subsequent runs.
If You’ve Never Played Devil May Cry 5, Now Is the Time
While action games have always been popular, they seem to have enjoyed something of a renaissance in mainstream gaming over the past several years. Games likeStellar BladeandBlack Myth Wukong, which may have normally been relegated to cult status, achieved levels of popularity normally reserved for open-world games or competitive shooters. It’s certainly conceivable that some players have only recently been introduced to the beauty of highly technical action titles, and for this demographic,Devil May Cry 5is an ideal next step.
Capcom has beensilent aboutDevil May CrysinceDMC 5released, which is understandable: the company has a number of other popular franchises under its belt, includingResident EvilandMonster Hunter, soDMCmight be taking a backseat for now. But this isn’t so bad, sinceDevil May Cry 5has enough going on under the hood to keep both new and returning players engaged for a while yet.
Devil May Cry 5
WHERE TO PLAY
Prepare to get downright demonic with this signature blend of high-octane stylized action and otherworldly & original characters the series is known for. Director Hideaki Itsuno and the core team have returned to create the most insane, technically advanced and utterly unmissable action experience of this generation!The threat of demonic power has returned to menace the world once again inDevil May Cry 5. The invasion begins when the seeds of a “demon tree” take root in Red Grave City. As this hellish incursion starts to take over the city, a young demon hunter Nero, arrives with his partner Nico in their “Devil May Cry” motorhome. Finding himself without the use of his right arm, Nero enlists Nico, a self-professed weapons artist, to design a variety of unique mechanical Devil Breaker arms to give him extra powers to take on evil demons such as the blood sucking flying Empusa and giant colossus enemy Goliath.
