Devil May Cry 5

[h1]Devil May Cry 5[/h1] Devil May Cry 5 is one of those games that feels intimidating at first, but becomes much more enjoyable once you understand its mechanics. As someone who isn't a long-time Devil May Cry player, I was pleasantly surprised by how approachable the game actually is. [h2]What I liked[/h2] [list] [*][b]The gameplay is surprisingly beginner-friendly.[/b] While the game has a high skill ceiling, it doesn't demand mastery right away. The Void training mode is an excellent place to practice moves and experiment with combos without any pressure. I played on Demon Hunter difficulty, and I got either an S or A rank on most missions, so I didn't find the actual gameplay particularly difficult. [*][b]Three distinct playable characters.[/b] Nero, Dante and V all have different playstyles, which keeps the campaign fresh. Personally V was my favorite because his combat style feels very different from the traditional hack-and-slash approach. Once you learn how to coordinate V and his familiars, combat almost feels like performing stylish team combos. Successfully chaining their attacks together is incredibly satisfying. [*][b]Fun progression system.[/b] Unlocking new abilities and experimenting with different skills gives a satisfying sense of progression throughout the game. [*][b]Excellent boss fights.[/b] Most boss battles are memorable, visually impressive and require you to learn their attack patterns rather than simply button-mashing your way through them. [*][b]Beautiful visuals and great performance.[/b] The graphics still look fantastic. The game runs smoothly even on older hardware. [*][b]Fantastic soundtrack.[/b] The music perfectly matches the fast-paced combat and makes many encounters even more enjoyable. [/list] [h2]Things I didn't like[/h2] [list] [*]There are some areas where enemies are inside coffins, or might not spawn at all while you're stuck inside the barrier. You would think that these issues have been fixed, but they still exist. If you're unlucky and get stuck, there's no other option but to restart from the last checkpoint. [*][b]The camera can be frustrating.[/b] In tighter environments the camera sometimes swings into awkward angles or focuses away from the action, making it harder to see what's happening during combat. [*][b]Some optional content isn't very enjoyable.[/b] Certain secret missions rely on jumping around (e.g. platforming) in awkward environments and collecting blood orbs, which felt considerably weaker than the game's combat. [*][b]Combo timing can be unforgiving.[/b] Many advanced attacks require very precise timing. Press a button slightly too early or too late and the move simply won't come out. While this rewards mastery, it can also feel frustrating for newer players. [*][b]Controls can occasionally be uncomfortable to use.[/b] Some of the attacks depend on movement inputs combined with attack buttons. In hectic fights this can sometimes cause you to perform a different move than you intended. For example, when you play as V, trying to move backward while attacking may trigger Shadow's spinning charge attack (Guillotine) instead of the attack you were aiming for. It's something you can learn to manage, but it occasionally made the controls feel less precise than those of Nero or Dante. [*][b]Devil Breakers can occasionally cause a nasty visual glitch.[/b] If you use a Devil Breaker at the wrong moment when a boss reaches one of its scripted health thresholds, the game may try to transition into a cutscene while the Devil Breaker effect is still playing. Instead of smoothly transitioning, the screen can start filling with graphical artifacts and remain like that for quite a while before eventually returning to the boss fight. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you can't see ♥♥♥♥ and have no idea what's going on. [/list] [h2]Neutral observations[/h2] [list] [*][b]Keyboard and mouse controls work well overall.[/b] I completed the game without major issues, although there were moments where an input didn't seem to register. I'm not entirely sure whether this was caused by the game's input timing, animation priorities or my own timing. V's finisher at least fails to register sometimes when V is located higher than the enemy. [*][b]Getting a high rank is not always about simply playing efficiently.[/b] You might think that quickly clearing a mission, using Devil Breakers effectively and generally cruising through the encounters would result in a better rating, but the ranking system can actually seem to work against this. Taking your time, switching weapons and playing in a more stylish way can apparently be more beneficial than simply rushing through the mission. In some fights enemies can teleport around and give you very little warning before attacking, which can make it a real pain to clear out enemies while trying to maintain a high rank. Since I was already getting S or A ranks on most missions without specifically optimizing for them, I didn't feel much need to chase higher ranks. [/list] [h2]Summary[/h2] Devil May Cry 5 offers excellent combat, memorable boss fights, beautiful visuals and an outstanding soundtrack. The camera, occasional glitches and some optional sections occasionally get in the way, but the core gameplay is strong enough that these issues never overshadow the experience. It's a good game, but it doesn't intrigue me enough to continue playing immediately after finishing the main story. I will probably give the campaign another go after some time has passed, though, as I enjoyed the gameplay enough that I'd like to return to it eventually. [b]Final score: 8/10[/b]

A very, very solid contender for the best game in the series, but like always with DMC entries, I have a very hard time picking favorites. Combat rivals DMC 3 in terms of raw, unfiltered satisfaction. Some of the best gameplay I've ever experienced in anything. All weapons and characters have plenty of room to get creative and show off, and I can't think of a single move on any of them that doesn't have a use. The enemy roster is decently varied (though maybe not visually) and has plenty of interesting behaviors to be exploited or at the very least appreciated. The shift from fixed camera angles to full 3D control was thankfully done well, though it does mean sacrificing some more striking visuals, and makes moving through the world a bit less involved. Much like the previous games and their soundtracks, combat tracks and character themes are fantastic. Subhuman treads the line a little bit, but I'll still give it a pass. Most other parts of the soundtrack, however, usually fade into the background. Inoffensive, passable, suitable for their respective placement. The story is decent as always. A lot happens, characters change or grow in ways unexpected or uplifting like usual. The game is quite self-referential, relying a decent bit on the fact that, at the time, this was DMC's grand return. As such, a bit of the impact is lost on me, but that doesn't mean anything here has aged poorly. A bit of the older extended media is canonized and mentioned, which given the location, was expected. Still, it's appreciated to see. I have no problem with the story overall, but I feel that a lot of the "meat" is spaced out, and that leaves everything in between feeling just a little "samey." Though, in actuality, "samey" can describe the majority of the game when referring to the setting and level design. There are two major areas the player spends the game in: Red Grave City, and different layers of the Qliphoth. And while I was interested in seeing both, especially the former, the visually repetitive nature of the latter makes a lot of levels blend together in my head. The creators must have realized this, because you do thankfully bounce between these locations frequently until the final-ish act. Still, unfortunately, neither of them can match the time I had on Mallet Island, in the Temen-ni-gru, or around the landmarks of Fortuna. It's now been a while since DMC 5 came out, and while I've had a great time with it, the demand for another game has me wondering what else Capcom can do with Devil May Cry at this point. I had suspected that the new animated show was meant to quell the fanbase's hunger, but seeing as it is really, really, really bad, I don't know what they'll do now. Best Enemy: Proto Angelo Best Boss: Dante Worst Enemy: Hell Judecca Worst Boss: Elder Geryon Knight