The fifth entry into Capcom’s beloved Devil May Cry franchise is finally here. Once again taking the role of Nero from DMC4 fame, players are introduced to a new “Devil Breaker” mechanic which has Nero using multiple variations of a mechanical arm to rid the world of demons after his own Devil Bringer arm was cut off by a hooded assailant.

Devil May Cry 5 is a 2019 action-adventure, hack and slash game. It is developed and published by Capcom, it is currently available on PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One.

Editor’s Note: Near complete to complete spoilers for Devil May Cry 5 may be present within this review.

It’s time to rank up your Stylish points again in Devil May Cry 5.

It’s been eleven long years since we last saw a brand spanking new Devil May Cry game…well as far as the original series goes anyways. And even if you count that it’s been an almost as harrowing six years since our last experience with Dante and co. This is from top to bottom the Devil May Cry you’ve been waiting for and so much more. New gameplay mechanics as well as some slight redesigning to the classic core gameplay of old, DMCV ends the “Son of Sparta” arc with a bang.

From bullet time to whips, the new Devil Breaker mechanic gives Nero a large combination of ways to dispel of his foes.

THE GOOD: Devil May Cry 5 is the ending of a video game tale nearly 20 years old. Well not really the end of the franchise, but more so the close to the story of the original characters involved. DMC5 uses nearly every ounce of Devil May Cry media from the novels, anime, and game to bring everything together in a neatly tucked package. There’s a ton of callbacks and references to the franchise’s overall branching story and those who’ve never ventured the series outside of the games could even be lost by it all. Morrigan, Polly, and the fact that Nero is Dante & Virgil’s nephew and son respectively all have a place within the story of Devil May Cry 5, especially the latter.

The blood runs red in Devil May Cry 5.

The new Devil Breaker mechanic acts as an assortment tool for Nero whose Devil Bringer was recently removed from him. Nico who’s Nero’s mechanic and new partner (as well as the daughter of Agnus from DMC4) uses body parts lifted from powerful demons to fit Nero’s severed arm with new & unique Devil Breakers to help him in battle. Eventually you’ll get to play as Dante and V; the latter of whom is a new character who’s connected to Dante & Nero’s current enemy, the self-proclaimed Demon King Urizen. If you’ve played the previous entries then Dante’s gameplay mechanics are pretty much the same only it’s much easier to switch between his weaponry for more devastating combos. As for V his gameplay mechanics are more aimed towards casuals who may be new to the series with a mix of ranged and close-combat attacks performed by his three demonic familiars; a bird, a panther, and a golem. In my previews for Devil May Cry 5 I noted that the demos often felt too easy, but I’m glad to say that Capcom increased the difficulty quite a bit for the final product. I found myself using Gold Orbs which revive you upon death more than a handful of times throughout my playthrough with the game.

Newcomer V aides casual players much more than Nero or Dante would.

The story of Devil May Cry 5 begins a month ahead of it’s present day with the city being over run by demons & demonic roots which have dug their way underground from the underworld onto Earth. Dante, Nero, and V take on enormous demons most of which under Urizen’s control in efforts to take back the city. As Urizen grows in power, V becomes much weaker and begins to deteriorate at an ever increasing rate. It is discovered that following Dante’s initial defeat at the hands of Urizen, Trish and Lady were used as nutrients for two powerful demons but are eventually freed by Nero and Dante. Dante’s previous battle left him in a coma for over a month and he learns that Urizen and V are two split wholes of Virgil; his twin brother. Desperate for power to defeat Dante, Virgil took back the Yamato from Nero, which turned out to be the Devil Bringer arm all along & used it to sever his human and demon halves apart. Near death, V ultimately decides to reunite with Urizen to revive Virgil now completely healed of his previous injuries. Dante & Virgil face off in one final fight to the death, but are interrupted by Nero after Dante informs him of his true relation to him and Virgil. Nero at this point has also revived his original human arm and unlocked a new Devil Trigger which he uses to face his father in hopes of putting an end to his and Dante’s endless rivalry.

With three different styles of play both og and newcomer DMC fans are sure to find a favorite to control between Dante, V, and Nero.

Just as Nero is about to defeat Virgil, the demonic roots begins to destroy the planet, forcing the fight to end early & Dante & Virgil to head to the underworld to cut the roots from the source. This of course leaves them without a way to exit the underworld (for the time being). Saddened by his uncle and father’s sacrifices Nero leaves the city with Nico while cleaning up the remaining demons on their way back home. Meanwhile, Trish & Lady get a job offer from Morrigan (who was given the deed to Devil May Cry in Dante’s will).

In an industry currently experiencing a wave of negativity from poor consumer practices Devil May Cry 5 is one of the purest gaming experiences you’ll ever have.

THE BAD: Monetization for red orbs feels a bit pointless, but it thankfully has no effect on overall progress of the game. Red orbs were given quite generously and it’s entirely possible to unlock all of Dante, Nero, and V’s skillset by the end game with minimal grind. Side content is lacking which is disappointing being limited to some side missions spread throughout the game. I believe this is the first entry in the series to not launch with the fan favorite Bloody Palace (though it is out now as of this writing for free).

Capcom’s trend of respecting it’s players with quality releases continues in Devil May Cry 5.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: It’s taken a damn long time to get here, but the wait for the latest in the Devil May Cry franchise was well worth it. If you just want to sink your teeth into wholesome fun and a very consumer thoughtful experience focused on quantity of player enjoyment then there’s plenty to love about Devil May Cry 5.