18.3 hours played
Written 10 days ago
Wow, this game is fantastic! I have been playing DMC since the first one came out in 2001 on PS2, but for some reason DMC4 just wasn't holding my interest and I didn't finish it (I think I just don't like Nero, lol). When this one came out, I passed it up, and was mainly focused on Resident Evil 2 remake (also incredible). I just ordered it on sale last week, here in 2025, and have to say that even at full price this would have been worth it. I ended up beating the game over the weekend, as I couldn't put it down. While I have only played and beat it on "human" difficulty so far, and haven't mastered all of the moves or weapons, I figured I'd go ahead and review it while the initial experience was fresh on my mind.
I'm going to start off with the cons, which are minor nitpicks, but I feel are worth mentioning...and end on a high note with the pros.
CONS:
1. I found the environments to be super repetitive. You're pretty much just in a destroyed city, and then in an odd rocky/fleshy organic environment going into a sort of demon world. For such a stylish, and artistic game, I was disappointed in the lack of variety in this department. What IS there looks great though, just don't expect super interesting environments, or for your surroundings to change much.
2. I'm not sure if this is even a valid nitpick, as DMC games are normally this short, or shorter...but the game really doesn't feel all that long. I think this could just be due to how much fun it is! I do think it would have been great if it were even a couple of hours longer, combined with more variety in the environments.
3. Another small nitpick, but I wish I had the ability to play as any of the characters for the full game. This is an option with the Vergil DLC, but I'd love to, for example, play the entire game with V or Dante, as I didn't really care about playing as Nero as much as the other two.
4. On the Steam store this game is listed as having a multiplayer co-op mode...where? I see no options for this.
5. Nero. Maybe it's just me, but I find him sooo angsty, and did not find him as fun to play as, as V and Dante. He just felt like a very generic, try hard, kind of a character. Dante is just cool without trying, V is cool without trying, Virgil is cool without trying...then you have whiny boy Nero, lol.
PROS:
1. Incredibly fun! The fighting mechanics are fantastic, and so so satisfying. I haven't felt this level of glee kicking a$$ since playing the first DMC so many years ago! They really went all out with all of the moves you can pull off! I played through the entire game, and have barely scratched the surface on the combos you can do.
2. The music is fantastic (for the most part). Personally I'm not a fan of Dante's battle theme in this, as the screaming death metal vocals are not really my thing (I do love SOME metal, but this was grating to me). Thankfully, there's DLC to change the "battle track", so I simply gave Dante his old "Public Enemy" battle song back. My favorite DMC5 track is probably V's battle tune "Crimson Cloud". I also enjoyed the ambient tracks when you're exploring/traveling between fights. Excellent atmosphere.
3. THE GAME ISN'T WOKE!! For context, I'm a straight woman, and have nothing against those who are not, and have friends in just about every race, but I'm tired of social/political stuff infesting games. I was really afraid this would be wokeified like so many modern games, but it isn't! The female characters are cool, and sexy, and the male characters are cool, and sexy. They don't try to make Dante a wimp or make fun of him, nor do they try to take away the female character's feminine wiles. The game doesn't preach social issues at you, or do any gender or race swapping nonsense. It just Devil May Cries like a Devil May Cry game should! This is so refreshing! It also doesn't f bomb constantly like they did with RE2 remake (my only gripe about that game, as I just can't picture Claire and Leon dropping F bombs every other minute).
4. V ! I really enjoyed this character, and his ..err.."pets"? They are actually enemies you fight against in the original game! I found it extremely entertaining summoning these creatures, and the animation with how V's hair turns white when you call down Nightmare to kick some a$$. There's just something so cool about playing as a character who calmly walks along while his monster familiars decimate your enemies, and the way Griffon picks you up to move you out of harms way when you hit the jump button twice. You can even ride atop Nightmare as you use him to Hulk smash your enemies. It was just really neat to see a DMC game try something so different, that works so well. I also don't normally like super gothy/emo characters, but they really did a great job with this character I felt. You don't fully trust him, you see vulnerability in his character without him coming across as mopey...then there's just the right amount of sass and confidence to make the character really cool.
5. Dante! As a veteran of this series, playing as Dante and watching the cut scenes with him, felt like visiting an old friend! I am SO GLAD they DIDN'T DEI his butt! He's nice and masculine, cocky, and fun, just as he should be! They gave him some great moments that really did the character justice, and his weapons are extremely fun (a motorcycle as a weapon?!! YES!).
Final thoughts! This game is incredible, and I wish it was longer. Capcom did a wonderful job, and I hope we get a 6th game that remains unblemished by the plague that is DEI. I've been going through a rough patch this year, and this game made me laugh, smirk, and smile for hours. If you're on the fence, get off the fence and buy this. Especially if you're a fan of the older games! I'd need to revisit the original, as it's been a long time..but this may be my favorite in the series, which is saying a lot. It made me feel the same level of excitement I felt when I fired up the original so many years ago.