In the past few years, Capcom has really been on a roll. With games such as Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Monster Hunter World, Mega Man 11 and Resident Evil 2—gamers have a lot to be happy about. And, I am happy to say that their latest release, Devil May Cry 5, is another feather in Capcom’s hat.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 11 years since Devil May Cry 4 was released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. And, 6 years since the 2013 reboot, DmC: Devil May Cry. Teased since 2016 and finally shown for the first time publicly at the E3 2018 Xbox press conference, Devil May Cry 5 is finally here and is exactly what fans have been asking for.
Devil May Cry 5 Details
Platform: Xbox One, PlayStation 4Â
Reviewed on:Â Xbox One X
Developer:Â Capcom
Publisher:Â Capcom
Genre:Â Action-adventure, hack and slash
Modes:Â Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating:Â M (Mature 17+)
A threat from the underworld
Devil May Cry 5 is a story driven direct sequel to 2008’s Devil May Cry 4. And, for the first time ever, the series introduces three playable characters, each with their own unique playstyles and stories that are interwoven with one another.
Realizing that it’s been quite some time since the last game and also the first game in the series, Capcom has included an option to fill gamers in on the back story of the 4 previous games. While I don’t want to give too much away to spoil the story, I’ll share with you an overview of the story.
The events of Devil May Cry 5 take place 5 years after Devil May Cry 4. Nero has setup his own demon hunting agency and is called, you guessed it, Devil May Cry. The demonic King known as Urizen has launched an attack against the world beginning in Red Grave City and is using a demon tree called the Qliphoth to kill people and suck their blood out.
A mysterious man, who calls himself V, shows up in Nero’s office to hire him with the sole intent of teaming up to hunt down and kill the demonic King. When the duo finally encounters Urizen in Red Grave City, the realize that they may have bitten off more than they can chew. Dante appears and commands V to take Nero to safety as he battles the demonic King.
I enjoyed the game’s story as it is full of twists and turns, drama and several surprises that you don’t see coming. I really enjoyed how Dante, Nero and V’s story intertwine with one another throughout the game and then all come together at the end.
Interesting and uniquely different protagonists
As I mentioned above, Devil May Cry 5 introduces a third protagonist into the mix for the first time ever in series history. Each character, Nero, Dante and V offer different gameplay and fighting styles that separate themselves from each other to give you fresh new experiences each time you play as them.
After having his Devil Bringer Arm ripped from his limb, Nero is now equipped with mechanical Devil Breaker Arms engineered by his mechanic sidekick Nico. The ability of arms ranges from pulling enemies closer to you, to firing shockwaves from your fingers, to healing your wounds. There is even a Mega Buster, straight out of Mega Man, that you can equip and dish out devastating long-range attacks.
My personal favourite Dante, the legendary demon hunter, is equipped with his iconic dual pistols, Ebony & Ivory along with the Rebellion sword. And, has four different combat styles: Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, and Royalguard, which you can easily switch between with a press of the button. Stringing combos together using your guns and weapons that you acquire is easy and makes for quite a show on screen.
Finally, and certainly no least, there is V. He is quite possibly the most interesting of all three characters. We really don’t know much about him and he doesn’t attack his enemies directly per say. Instead, he commands a crow for ranged combat, a black panther for close range combat, and can summon a golem that causes some serious damage. The only caveat is that V must deal the final blow to his enemies to kill them.
Stylish high-octane gameplay
Devil May Cry 5‘s gameplay isn’t just about mashing buttons to destroy your enemies. You are given a Stylish Rank depending how “Stylish” or fancy your moves are. Rankings range from Dismal all the way up to “Smokin’ Sexy Style!!”. Naturally, the more attacks that you string together combined with taunts, the higher your Stylish Rank will be.
As a result, a higher Stylish Rank will get you more Red Orbs at the end of a mission. In turn, you can use these orbs to upgrade your moves and purchase items from Nico.
Some of this generation’s best visuals
Devil May Cry 5 uses the RE Engine, which was used in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil 2 to produce some stunning visuals. The action stays near a constant 60fps and provides silky smooth animations to match the gorgeous on-screen visuals no matter what system you play it on. It’s clear Capcom has put a lot of hard work in to the RE Engine. It uses every bit of power out of both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 family of systems.
In addition, Devil May Cry 5‘s soundtrack is one of the best in recent memory. The “heavy metal” score really gets your blood pumping when you are taking out the evil demons. And, as you build your Stylish Rank, the game’s music will change. The intensity increases with the addition of guitar riffs, more drum beats and eventually lyrics.
The Cameo System
Another series first, Devil May Cry 5 has a multiplayer mode. However, it’s not the traditional multiplayer that you might be hoping for. Instead, while playing, you can make guest appearances in other people’s games. You can’t select to join a friend’s game, instead you are randomly added to another user’s game.
There are only certain missions that support this. Sometimes it will be real-time, while other times it will be ghost data. At the end of the mission, you have the option to rate the guest players fighting style. If you get a stylish rating from another player, you’ll get rewarded.
It’s a bit puzzling why Capcom added this asynchronous online co-op system to the game. To be honest, it really doesn’t add much to the game.
Devil May Cry 5 is everything fans have been looking for in a sequel
Devil May Cry 5 is a love letter to fans of the series. It includes everything that fans have been waiting for and more. Each of the game’s three main protagonists offer distinctly different types of gameplay that help keep the action fresh. The story is filled with twists and turns and an exciting conclusion.
The game’s visual presentation is nothing short of astounding and the heavy metal themed soundtrack is a perfect compliment. I can easily say that Devil May Cry 5 is a must buy for fans of the series. If this is your first game in the series, there is no better time then now to jump in. With an option to get the back story from the previous mainline games in the series, you will have no worries at all understanding the story.
+ Three interesting and uniquely different protagonists
+ exhilarating fast-paced gameplay that never gets old
+ Wide variety of enemies
+ Breathtaking visuals complemented by a fitting soundtrack
– No true traditional multiplayer mode
– Some may get overwhelmed by the amount of skills you can learn
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF DEVIL MAY CRY 5
Gameplay:Â 4.5/5
Graphics:Â 4.75/5
Sound:Â 4.75/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability:Â 4/5
Overall Rating 4.5/5 (90%)
Get Devil May Cry 5 for Xbox One or PlayStation 4
Buy Devil May Cry 5 Digital Download for Xbox One
Purchase Devil May Cry 5 Deluxe Edition Digital Download for Xbox One
Click here to see the full line of video game software available at Bestbuy.ca
Click here to see digital video game downloads offered at BestBuy.ca
Devil May Cry 5 certainly does look interesting. I’m perplexed by how they have chosen to include multiplayer but the game intrigues me. Great review!
Comments are closed.