| Devil May Cry 5 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Capcom |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Director(s) | Hideaki Itsuno |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) | Yoichiro Ikeda |
| Programmer(s) | Yoshiharu Nakao |
| Artist(s) | Koki Kinoshita |
| Writer(s) | Bingo Morihashi |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Devil May Cry |
| Engine | RE Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | 8 March 2019
|
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure,hack and slash |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,multiplayer |
Devil May Cry 5[a] is a 2019action-adventure game developed and published byCapcom. The game is the sixth installment overall and the fifth mainline installment in theDevil May Cry series. The plot follows returning protagonistsNero andDante as they are hired by a mysterious stranger namedV to stop the Demon KingUrizen. Players control Nero, Dante and V, who each feature a different playstyle.
Devil May Cry 5 was directed byHideaki Itsuno whose goal was for this installment to be his best work. He aimed to balance the game for newcomers and returning gamers by providing various difficulties and challenges. Capcom also wanted to bring a more realistic design inspired by theRE Engine used in their previous work,Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. As a result, real-life people were used to make the character's faces. The plot was written by returning writerBingo Morihashi while the setting was based on various locations inLondon. Multiple composers worked together to produce the game's audio, creating three main themes centered around the playable characters.
Devil May Cry 5 was released forPlayStation 4,Windows, andXbox One on 8 March 2019. The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised the gameplay, specifically the variety of techniques the three characters bring, as well as the handling of the narrative. It won several awards, and sold over two million units in less than two weeks after its release, which increased to 9.9 million units as of December 2024, making it the best-selling game in the franchise. Alight novel andmanga related to the game have also been released. An expanded version calledDevil May Cry 5: Special Edition[b] was released forXbox Series X/S andPlayStation 5 in November 2020, featuring the addition ofVergil as a playable character. For players on PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, Vergil was released as paiddownloadable content.[1] AnAmazon Luna port was released on 9 December 2021.
The gameplay features the return ofDante andNero as playable characters, along with a new character, namedV.[2] The gameplay is similar to that of the other titles in theDevil May Cry series, focusing on fast-paced "stylish action"; the player fights off hordes of demons with a variety of attacks and weapons. They receive a style rating for combat based on several factors, such as move variety, the length of a combo, and dodging attacks. The game's music changes based on the player's performance in combat.[3] Every time the player interacts with the mechanic Nico or finds a statue, they can buy new abilities for each character. While there are three playable characters, the game forces the player to use only one per mission. Like previous games, this title has a Bloody Palace mode where players can face multiple types of demons in a single area.[4]
The first character is Nero, introduced inDevil May Cry 4. He retains his Red Queen sword for melee combat and the Blue Rose double-barreled revolver. However, he does not have his Devil Bringer from the beginning. Instead, he now has an assortment of new robotic arms called Devil Breakers. These have various functions, such as grabbing enemies from a distance or stopping time to freeze an enemy in place. Nero can also find Devil Breakers during stages. Devil Breakers are powerful but fragile and can be destroyed if misused.[5] Late in the story, Nero regains his Devil Bringer and has access to the Devil Trigger move, which expands his combat skills.
Dante plays like hisDevil May Cry 4 persona as he can change between four styles to create new techniques orparry enemy attacks. Along with his signature blade "Rebellion" and the Demonic "Devil Sword Sparda", Dante uses three new Devil Arms, a pair of buzzsaw-like weapons that combine into a motorcycle called "Cavaliere", and a set of fiery gauntlets and boots called "Balrog". Dante also wields "King Cerberus", a stronger version of the "Cerberus"nunchaku introduced inDevil May Cry 3. He also wears the "Dr. Faust", a hat that requires red orbs to attack; it is a risk/reward weapon depending on the player's actions. Dante can also use both "Kalina Ann" fromDevil May Cry 3 and the new enhanced "Kalina Ann 2," or both at once.[6] Besides the Devil Trigger that enhances Dante's abilities and restores his health, the character also possesses a more overpowered form named "Sin Devil Trigger" which produces new means of attacks.[7]
The third playable character is V, who primarily summons his three demon familiars to fight. These include Griffon, an eagle that uses ranged lightning-based attacks; Shadow, a panther that forms blades, spikes, and portals out of its body; and Nightmare, a large and powerfulgolem. V enters a Devil Trigger-like state, which turns his hair white, to summon Nightmare, which uses a combination of melee attacks and explosive laser beams. V's familiars are incapable of killing enemies; once their health bar turns light purple, V uses his cane to finish them off with a final blow.[8]
Vergil reappears as a playable character in the game's Special Edition, carrying over his playstyle from the fourth game's Special Edition, including the Concentration gauge system and weaponry. However, the Force Edge from previous Special Edition games is replaced with Mirage Edge, an ethereal sword that Vergil usually uses as a projectile summon. He has a new ability, which allows him to turn into V and gather his trio of demonic familiars to deal a wide range of damages to enemies. Instead of transforming into his regular Devil Trigger form, Vergil immediately transforms into his Sin Devil Trigger upgrade. His original Devil Trigger is now replaced with Doppelganger, a summoned spectral copy of his Sin Devil Trigger form which mirrors Vergil's attacks (with the Yamato only), which was a mechanic introduced inDevil May Cry 3 as Dante's Doppelganger Style, then reintroduced as the Devil Trigger ability for the reboot Vergil inDmC: Devil May Cry.[9]
Following the events ofDevil May Cry 4, Nero works as a demon hunter for Dante's Devil May Cry agency along with his friend, gunsmith Nico Goldstein. One afternoon, Nero is working at the agency when ahooded man enters. Nero offers the stranger food when he suddenly rips off his demonic Devil Bringer arm, which transforms into the Yamato sword. The stranger uses the sword to open a portal and departs.
Three days later, a mysterious man named V hires Dante and his crew to take down a powerful demon named Urizen.[10] The group travels to Red Grave City, where they find a demonic tree called Qliphoth planted in the city, killing people for their blood. Nero, working on his own, is also pinpointed toward Urizen by V.[11] Dante's crew confronts Urizen but, empowered by the Qliphoth, the new demon king incapacitates them and overpowers Nero when he intervenes. Dante stops Urizen from capturing Nero but is defeated and ejected from the Qliphoth with his sword Rebellion shattered. His alliesLady andTrish are captured to be used as demon-cores while V convinces the weakened Nero to escape.[12][13]
One month later, Nero returns to Red Grave outfitted with the "Devil Breaker" prosthetic arm, made by Nico.[14][15] Nero meets up with V, who is seeking Qliphoth for its fruit—born of condensed human blood—which makes whoever consumes it the king of the Underworld. As the pair destroy the Qliphoth's roots while searching for Dante, Nero rescues Lady[16] while V splits off to discover the Devil Sword Sparda—along with a comatose Dante, whose presence was hidden by the sword.[17]
After awakening from his coma, Dante frees Trish and begins fighting his way to Urizen.[18] Trish learns from V that Urizen is the demon-side of Dante's brotherVergil, who used Yamato's power to separate his demon and human halves - the latter manifesting as V, whose body is rapidly breaking down.[19][20] Realizing Yamato has the capability of separating humanity and the devil, Dante questions whether his Rebellion also has a hidden potential, believing both legacy weapons have incredible powers on their own. After stabbing himself with his broken Rebellion, Dante unlocks his full demonic power and a new weapon, the "Devil Sword Dante," by absorbing Rebellion and the Devil Sword Sparda into his body.[21] Nero attempts to confront Urizen again and is overpowered once more, but Dante rescues him[22] and gains the upper hand with his new powers. Urizen takes his leave when the Qliphoth bears fruit and consumes it to empower himself further.[23] While Dante arrives first to face Urizen, Nero rescues V from the demon Malphas and learns of Dante's history with Vergil.[24] Nero and V reach Dante just as he defeats Urizen, but a dying V intervenes and merges with Urizen before Dante can finish him, restoring Vergil.[25]
Vergil returns to the top of the Qliphoth, telling Dante to recover his full strength before they battle again.[26] Nero insists on going after Vergil himself, but Dante reveals that Vergil is Nero's father, and refuses to let Nero kill him.[27] Dante then faces V's familiars—revealed as the embodied memories ofVergil's time as Nelo Angelo—and they elect to die by Dante's hand to lessen Vergil's trauma.[28][29]
Dante and Vergil fight again, where Vergil learns Nero is his unintended son.[30] Nero settles his emotions in a phone call to Kyrie and resolves not to let his father and uncle die, fully awakening his demonic powers and regrowing his arm.[31] Intervening in their fight and forcing Dante out, Nero vows to end the pair's sibling rivalry[32] and defeats Vergil,[33] who gives Nero V's book as a memento.[34] Vergil joins Dante in a one-way trip to the Underworld to cut the Qliphoth down and seal the portal connecting it before it rips Red Grave City apart and merges the Demon World with the Human World,[35] with Nero departing as the Qliphoth falls.
Weeks later, Trish and Lady are hired for a new job by Dante's agent, Morrison, whom Dante left in charge of his office.[36][37] In the Underworld, Dante and Vergil continue sparring as they fight demons together, now friendly rivals instead of enemies.[38]
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In 2013,Hideaki Itsuno, director of theDevil May Cry games since thesecond game, showed an interest in continuing the originalDevil May Cry series by developing a fifth installment.[39] It was originally thought the series might go on hiatus or end for good ifDevil May Cry 4: Special Edition was not a commercial success.[40] However, in an interview withGameSpot, Itsuno confirmed this was not the case. He alleviated these fears by confirming that Capcom was ultimately satisfied with the final sales figures ofDevil May Cry 4: Special Edition andDmC: Devil May Cry.[41] In January 2016, Itsunotweeted that he was working on a project well in development which could not yet be announced.[42] In March,Reuben Langdon andJohnny Yong Bosch, who had done voice acting and motion capture for Dante and Nero respectively inDevil May Cry 4, took pictures of themselves in motion capture gear, leading to speculation that a newDevil May Cry game was in development.[43] In a response on Twitter about these speculations, Capcom Vancouver stated: "It's not a game that we've announced that we're working on at this studio."[44] On 17 May 2018, the domain name "DevilMayCry5.com" was registered by an unknown entity under Capcom's Onamae domain register.[45]Devil May Cry 5 was confirmed atE3 2018 for a release the following year.[46] Capcom confirmed a release date of March 2019[47] and a demo was playable in August 2018 atGamescom.[48] It was later made available on PlayStation Store and Xbox Live.
The game was originally planned to be announced in 2017. However, the idea to announce it along with theResident Evil 2 remake led to a change. The game was being developed by Capcom Dev Studio 1 and many staff members worked on theDragon's Dogma and theDevil May Cry series. The team aimed to make it the best action game from theHeisei period. A secret message was left in the first trailer for series' fans.[49] The game was created by a studio from Osaka, Japan.[50] It runs on theRE Engine, first used inResident Evil 7: Biohazard.[51] Most of the team had originally worked on the recently releasedResident Evil 7 and were experienced with the engine. Itsuno was also influenced by his work inMonster Hunter World to provide content that would appeal to new gamers. However, because of the need to have a good balance in the gameplay, Itsuno felt making it challenging would also appeal to long-time fans.[52] Other members of the staff previously worked in the reboot gameDmC: Devil May Cry, but the Osaka team was more willing to make a sequel to the fourth installment of the main series. The team listened to the fans' opinions of previous games to ensure the game appealed to them. An example is giving the players an "auto" mode that provides easier ways to produce combos.[50]
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Itsuno claims the originalDevil May Cry 4 was unsuitable for consoles of its generation which resulted in certain issues with its design. As a result, he aimed to make this sequel far more enjoyable with a budget that would allow more content and thus appeal to a larger audience, includingDevil May Cry 4 players. However, because the game's narrative was focused on Dante, Nero and V, Lady and Trish could not appear as playable characters again.[53] The difficulty mode of "Son of Sparda" was retouched from a previous game to provide players with new challenges like the way characters have toparry enemy attacks and then be able to defeat them in one counterattack while also enhancing the boss fights such as Goliath's fight scene.[54] Another of Itsuno's objectives was making more responsive controls to generate better productions while making the characters move like humans.[55] A big influence on Itsuno and the game was a movie where three robots combined into one giant bot and overcame their foe, moving him to tears. He wanted to create similar moments.[56] Itsuno also wanted to give players the style of a Hollywood movie, most notablyMarvel'sAvengers series.[57]
Dante and Nero's respective actors, Reuben Langdon and Johnny Yong Bosch, have expressed pleasure with the game.[58][59] Their characters were developed to play completely different in a similar fashion toDevil May Cry 4 as they employ different mechanics. Itsuno still felt that mastering Dante's skills would be more difficult as a result of the multiple mode and weaponry he executes.[60] It features Cameo System, anonline multiplayer mode for up to three players,[61] that can be triggered depending on the mission being played. In April 2019, Capcom's Matt Walker claimed Vergil would not be a playable character in the game, leaving "a bitter taste" in fans mouths.[62]
The story main's theme is "love" which is something Capcom aimed to introduce intoDevil May Cry since the first installment.[57] Itsuno explained the development team aimed for a "photo-realistic" graphics style. The game targets 60frames per second on each release platform.[63][15] The developers scanned various models to give the characters a realistic look, and actual clothes were created inLondon and scanned inSerbia.[64] Using the RE Engine, the Capcom staff aimed for a more realistic story than previous games in the franchise rather than making it look like low-budget plot. The game's main location was modeled after London. The team made multiple research trips to generate better stages. Locations includeMidhurst in West Sussex,Rochester, Kent,Canterbury andLeeds Castle in Kent.[60] Art director Koki Kinoshita stated that thanks to the new technology provided by the engine, the character designs of the returning ones involved slight alterations to theirDevil May Cry 4 appearances in order to fit their personalities. However, while Dante and Nero had few scrapped ideas, V underwent nearly twenty different appearances. The designs were also inspired by Carol Christian Poell as well asDaniel Craig andBenedict Cumberbatch.[65]
Itsuno wanted to portray a villain who would not be taken lightly by either Dante or Nero. As a result, the staff found Vergil to be the best candidate for an interesting villain due the power he has developed in the series, and how he is related to the protagonists.[53] The staff wanted to generate a major emotional scene when Vergil reappears in the climax confronting his brother. As a result, the brothers' feud is stopped by Nero who awakens his own demon powers to face his father.[56] Nero's gameplay is designed to emphasize his anger over the way Dante treats him in the beginning. The game's climactic event, where Nero awakens his demonic powers and stops the struggle between Dante and Vergil, is meant to give the story a deeper form. The idea behind making Nero's new powers available near the game's ending is not only to give the title replay value, but to emphasize the power Nero needs to use to face Vergil. This contrasts with the beginning of the game when he can not defeat his alter-ego Urizen.[56] His redesign forDevil May Cry 5 is intended to contrast with Dante's older look.[67] Capcom used an older incarnation of Nero, so he would be "at the top of his game in body and mind".[68] Because the game's graphics are meant to be as realistic as possible, each character is modeled after an actor.[69]
According to the company, Dante "hasn't gone wild for no reason".[68] In terms of his moves, Itsuno said he would be more like hisDevil May Cry 3 persona. Nevertheless, he stated Dante has a more mature personality and still wishes to protect humanity and honor the legacy of his father, Sparda.[70] The new antagonist, Urizen, was meant to remind players of the original Demon King from the 2001Devil May Cry game. Itsuno said, "Urizen is definitely the strongest enemy of the entireDevil May Cry saga ... the most powerful. You've seen it: every time he appears, he sits on his throne and, maybe sometimes, he moves a little, but that's it. We want to make people understand how a fight against him can be completely crazy."[71]
Newcomer V was created to be the exact opposite of Nero and Dante. He does not wield weapons, giving him a sense of mystery.[60] Itsuno was pleased he was well-received as a character by fans, despite his traits which he felt would make him divisive.[53] Nico was created to be a contrastingheroine to Nero's girlfriend, Kyrie; Nico is more used to fighting. In developing Nero's Devil Breaker abilities, Itsuno pointed out that Punch Line, which involves Nero shooting his mechanical arm, was made to attract teenagers.[72]
During localization, Langdon did not like reading the script. Although he enjoyed the story and characters, Langdon claims the dialogue was "horrible," and they had to rewrite some parts. Translator Mike NcNamara reworked the original dialogue much to Langdon's liking alongside Itsuno's. Langdon worked with Daniel Southworth and Bosch to improve the English translation of the dialogue, which they enjoyed. Dante performs a parody of one ofMichael Jackson's themes that the staff knew Langdon could not perform in motion capture during one scene. As a result, this scene was performed by a stunt double known as Shibata.[73] The voiceover had to be redone during the making of the game. AlthoughDevil May Cry 5 is a sequel, Bosch did three auditions to reprise his roles due to the considerable time the game took to be made.[74]
Kota Suzuki, Yoshiya Terayama, Hiromitsu Maeba, Steven McNair, John R. Graham, Casey Edwards, Cody Matthew Johnson andJeff Rona composed the game's soundtrack.[75] Johnson and Rona had worked together on multiple projects beforeDevil May Cry 5 including the fighting gameMarvel vs. Capcom: Infinite where both worked on a remix of Dante's theme "Devils Never Cry". Their work's success led the duo to be chosen to work onDevil May Cry 5. While not a composer, Johnson played the games, so he knew the series. Edwards has been a fan of the series since the original 2001 game. He took a liking to Nero's theme fromDevil May Cry 4 which attracted him mostly because of the lyric "I'll endure the exile." According to Johnson, the general idea for the music was "grittier, heavier, and more experimental." The fact the game uses three characters allowed them to use different types of music.[76] Sony Japan released the game's original soundtrack in Japan on 12 April 2019 on five discs.[77]
Nero's battle themes are "Devil Trigger" and its final boss remix, "Silver Bullet," both performed by Ali Edwards. "Devil Trigger" was released on 11 June 2018 as a soundtrack single to promote the game.[78] Edwards was given multiple images of Nero facing his enemies to give him an idea of how his theme song should sound. Edwards met Bosch, who gave him a better understanding of the character. This included his young and reckless traits despite being older when he is introduced.[76] The massive positive response to "Devil Trigger" surprised Edwards. OnSpotify, the song has over 7 million streams. It currently has over 68 million views onYouTube.[79] "Devil Trigger" was also the first song revealed to the audience because older members of the staff enjoyed the composers' work on that track.[76] The theme "Silver Bullet" used for Nero's final fight with Vergil was considered a "risk" by the composer. It served as an homage to the originalDevil May Cry final boss theme and served as a remix of "Devil Trigger." He faced the challenge of putting a more emotional theme than "Devil Trigger" in this remix and was grateful to the Capcom staff for assisting him in making this theme.[79]
In September 2018, Dante's battle theme "Subhuman," composed by Johnson and performed bySuicide Silence, was released. It was originally sung by the band's lead vocalist Eddie Hermida, but following sexual misconduct allegations against him, he was replaced by then-formerVolumes vocalist Michael Barr.[80] The idea for this theme was to explore the dark and goofy sides of Dante's personality through the instruments being played. The staff was careful the song accurately reflected the character.[76]
In December 2018, new franchise character V's original battle theme, "Crimson Cloud," composed by Rona, was released. Because V's real identity was not revealed until later in the story, the composers avoided giving him themes related to his origins.[76] The final trailer presented the game's ending theme "Legacy," composed by Kota Suzuki and sung by Ali Edwards. Edwards worked as both vocalist and lyricist. A theme of this song is "family" as well as the idea of people supporting each other.[76] The Japanese version of the game includes the song "Mad Qualia" byHyde.[81]
Devil May Cry 5 was released forPlayStation 4,Windows, andXbox One on 8 March 2019. Players who purchased the deluxe edition of the game had access to several pieces of additional content. These included the Cavaliere R weapon for Dante, newcutscenes and announcer options, battle music from the first fourDevil May Cry titles, and four Devil Breaker weapons for Nero, including a Mega Buster based onMega Man 11.[82] They were available for purchase separately asdownloadable content within weeks of the game's release. A wave-based survival mode, Bloody Palace, was released as a free update on 1 April 2019.[83] In Japan, there were three limited releases of the game which included a replica of either Dante, Nero, or V's jacket.[84] AnAmazon Luna version of the game was announced and released during the2021 Game Awards.[85]
Bingo Morihashi, the game's writer, wrote a prequel novel that leads up to the beginning of the game's story. TitledDevil May Cry 5: Before the Nightmare, it was released in Japan on 1 March 2019, one week before the game's release.[86] A spin-off manga centered around V was also released. TitledDevil May Cry 5: Visions of V, it was written by Tomio Ogata and serialized onLine Manga from 7 March 2019 to 19 March 2022.[87][88] Its 50 chapters were collected into five physicaltankōbon volumes, with the first volume released on 15 November 2019,[89] and the final volume released on 15 July 2022.[90]
During the September 2020PlayStation 5 showcase,Capcom announced an expanded version calledDevil May Cry 5: Special Edition. It was released as a digital-only launch title for theXbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 in November 2020.[91] A physical version was released the following month.[92] Owing to the more powerful hardware, it features improved visuals and gameplay at up to 120 frames per second.[93] Alongside all previously-released downloadable content, other additions include Vergil as a playable character, ray tracing graphics options, and two additional game modes; Legendary Dark Knight mode, which significantly increases the number of enemies in each level; and Turbo mode, which increases the game speed by 20%. Turbo mode was previously included inDevil May Cry 3: Special Edition andDevil May Cry 4: Special Edition.[93] Players who own the original version ofDevil May Cry 5 can also purchase Vergil separately as downloadable content.[94]
Including Vergil as a playable character was something the team wanted to do ever since theSpecial Edition was conceived.[94] Vergil's new battle theme, titled "Bury the Light", was composed by Casey Edwards with vocals performed by Victor Borba. Edwards stated that the song was meant to be a reflection of Nero's battle theme, "Devil Trigger", as he saw Nero as a reflection of Vergil. According to Edwards, "Nero chose to 'embrace the darkness' within and accept his demon side. Vergil has always tried to bury his humanity as it is a great source of personal pain and memory of weakness".[95]
Following 2018'sTokyo Game Show,Devil May Cry 5 won the Future Division award from theJapan Game Awards.[96] Some concern arose in the gaming community regarding the decision to include optional in-game purchases where the player can purchase red orbs used to upgrade characters. Capcom confirmed this in no way alters the game's designed progression system, and it is similar to that ofDevil May Cry 4: Special Edition, which also allowed for similar in-game purchases.[97][98][99]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PC: 89/100[100] PS4: 88/100[101] XONE: 87/100[102] XSXS: 84/100[103] PS5: 89/100[104] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 10/10[105] |
| Eurogamer | 9/10[106] |
| Famitsu | 37/40[107] |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10[108] |
| GameRevolution |   [109] |
| GameSpot | 9/10[110] |
| GamesRadar+ |  [111] |
| IGN | 9.5/10[112] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 18/20[113] |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 9/10[114] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 9/10[115] |
| The Guardian | [116] |
| USgamer | [117] |
| VideoGamer.com | 9/10[118] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [8] |
Devil May Cry 5 received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according toreview aggregator websiteMetacritic.[100][101][102] The gameplay and characters were praised.[110][114][8]PC Gamer UK referred to it as "one of the best games about hitting demons ever made". The reviewer enjoyed the characters' fightstyles and how performing different techniques rewards the player for their originality in combat.[114]USgamer found it one of the series' strongest installments. They noted that while the reboot by Ninja Theory was enjoyable,Devil May Cry 5 remained true to the series' core when it came to gameplay mechanics and the handling of the characters.[117] VideoGamer.com praised its gameplay and world building style—particularly its handling of the setting based on London.[118] Similarly,The Guardian gave it a perfect score. The reviewer liked how newcomers can easily learn how to score the stylish system in a short time, noting they must also understand the enemies' tactics to beat them and the bosses.[116]GameSpot appreciated the depth Capcom offered players, most notably the change in Nero's gameplay to allow different styles of Devil Breaker techniques.[110]Destructoid enjoyed the multiple types of enemies and boss fights and noted Capcom had responded to criticism ofDevil May Cry 4 by providing the player with more stages.[105]
Several critics focused on the increased number of moves available to the three protagonists.The Daily Telegraph praised the characters' mechanics, most notably V's, for how differently he plays compared to Nero and Dante while still entertaining.[8]GamesRadar enjoyed the great variety each of the three playable characters possess in combat while retaining their own style—this, despite Dante playing similarly to hisDevil May Cry 4 persona.[110]GameSpot noted how engaging Nero is to newcomers thanks to his gameplay. They also felt the techniques V presents and how differently he plays from Dante and Nero is impressive.[110]IGN liked Nero's new techniques provided by his mechanical arms—most notably the one he shoots to attack enemies. While IGN felt Dante was similar to his presentation in previous games, they noted the new weapons he presents were much more enjoyable. V was also well-received for his interactions with the demons he commands to fight enemies.[112] Due to some difficulties in handling Nero's Devil Breakers mechanics,Destructoid felt that Dante and V were the most polished characters to play.[105] Despite enjoying the gameplay, the swapping between characters who need to earn new powers was criticized byGame Informer.[108]
The game's narrative and the concept was also the subject of praise byIGN for its characters and elements of the story, despite the reviewer not finding it very entertaining overall.[112][118][111]IGN's Mitchell Saltzman said "its mysterious story keeps things interesting along the way."[112]GameSpot praised the storyline for concluding the crisis the protagonists have across the game, praising theircharacter arcs even though they are not deep.[110]The Guardian liked the plot despite finding it simple and noted it took elements from the reboot that were also well received. Dante's characterization as older than in previous games while retaining his juvenile personality was also praised byThe Guardian.[116]PCGamer enjoyed the story for the portrayal of its characters. The reviewer felt let down by some cutscenes and was critical of Nico.[114] While liking how integral the narrative became in the gameplay mechanics,GamesRadar felt newcomers might not understand the game's full plot and that the ending was rushed.[111]VideoGamer.com was more critical of the plot, believing the narrative and villain were "dull" despite some interesting interactions in the storyline.[118]
At its launch, the PlayStation 4 version of the game released in western countries included the use of alens flare which reduced the visibility of brief nudity. Several gaming journalists referred to it as an act of censorship and reported the change came about as part of a patch for the game.IGN also noted that another character was similarly censored in all western versions regardless of the platform.[119] In April 2019,Push Square reported the lens flare had been removed in the game's North American version, yet remained in Europe.[120]
In Japan,Devil May Cry 5 sold approximately 116,202 physical units, or 75.75% of its initial shipment for the PS4, were sold during its launch week making it the number one selling game of any format,[121][122] While selling fewer units than the debut ofDevil May Cry 4, it still surpassed the rebootDmC.[123] In the United Kingdom, the game debuted atop the all-format sales chart selling 20,872 physical units, becoming Capcom's second number-one in the country in 2019 followingResident Evil 2.[124] At the 2019Game Developers Conference, Itsuno revealed the game had sold over two million units, reaching the figure within two weeks of its release.[125] As of September 2019[update], the game had sold over 2.7 million units worldwide.[126] By September 2020, 3.9 million units had been sold, making it the best-selling title in the series.[127] By April 2022, 5 million units had been sold, not including theSpecial Edition version.[128] As of 19 October 2022, 6 million units had been sold.[129] By January 2023, the game had sold 6.5 million units.[130] By December 2024, the original release of the game had sold 8.9 million units, while theSpecial Edition had sold an additional one million, bringing total sales to 9.9 million units.[131]
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Japan Game Awards | Award for Excellence | Won | [132] |
| 2019 Golden Joystick Awards | Best Visual Design | Won | [133] | |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Original Song - Video Game ("Devil Trigger") | Nominated | [134] | |
| Titanium Awards | Best Soundtrack(Casey Edwards) | Nominated | [135] | |
| The Game Awards 2019 | Best Score/Music | Nominated | [136] | |
| Best Action Game | Won | |||
| 2020 | New York Game Awards | Statue of Liberty Award for Best World | Nominated | [137] |
| Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game(Faye Kingslee) | Nominated | |||
| 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Action Game of the Year | Nominated | [138] | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Animation | Nominated | |||
| NAVGTR Awards | Animation, Technical | Nominated | [139] | |
| Art Direction, Fantasy | Nominated | |||
| Camera Direction in a Game Engine | Won | |||
| Control Design, 3D | Nominated | |||
| Game, Franchise Action | Nominated | |||
| Original Light Mix Score, Franchise | Nominated | |||
| Use of Sound, Franchise | Nominated | |||
| Writing in a Comedy | Nominated | |||
| SXSW Gaming Awards | Video Game of the Year | Nominated | [140] [141] | |
| Excellence in Gameplay | Won | |||
| Excellence in Musical Score | Nominated | |||
| Excellence in Technical Achievement | Nominated | |||
| FamitsuDengeki Game Awards 2019 | Best Action Game | Nominated | [142] |
V: A powerful demon is about to resurrect, and we need your help, Dante. /Dante: Now that's a familiar tune... Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that exact same line? /V: This is...special. /Dante: Special? Okay, so what's so special about this one? /V: This demon is your 'reason'... Your reason for fighting.
Nero: What am I doin', wasting my time here? He's got this. /V: You should not underestimate this demon. After all, it was he who took your right arm... and gained a great deal of power from it.
Urizen: I have plans for the both of you. You will exist to give me strength. How fortunate to serve such divine purpose.
Dante: V, get Nero out of here! This was a bad move!
Nico: Yeah he's a real pro at smackin' demons around. That's why I built him that well-functioning arm... To kick demon ass.
Lady: Trish... she... she was captured. I remember that. But I don't know what happened to Dante.
V: The Devil sword Sparda was concealing Dante's presence.
Dante: You okay? /Trish: I've been better.
V: In order to defeat his younger brother, he could only do one thing with the crumbling flesh and feelings. He needed to separate man from devil with the strength of the Yamato. And eventually, the man became a true devil.
V: I've tried to hold together my crumbling fresh with whatever little demonic power I have left, but... I'm approaching my limit. In separating and regaining my human soul, I've realized the gravity of the crime I've committed.
Dante: Over the years, I've been stabbed and jabbed by a number of things. But who would've ever guessed... /Griffon: Have you lost your mind!? There's a demon to destroy! Kill yourself later! I'll help! /Dante: If the Yamato can separate man from devil.... Then what about the Rebellion? /Griffon: Wow... You are...absorbing the Sparda!
Nero: I knew you couldn't be killed that easily. Hey, he's all yours. But don't let it become a habit. /Griffon: Win, Dante, win!
Urizen: The Qliphoth is revealed in its entirety. This inconvenience... matters not.
Nero: They're brothers? Why are they fighting each other? /V: To see one's justice through, a man must fight for it. Even if the one who stands before him is his kin. /Nero: That's ridiculous. /V: The brothers of blood disagree on the very reason of their existence. They must fight.
V: I know... We are one in the same, you and I. But you've lost me, and I've lost you. Yet we are connected, by that one feeling. 'While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join.'
Vergil: Defeating you like this has no meaning. /Dante: C'mon, Vergil. Let's do this! /Vergil: Heal your wounds, Dante. Get strong. After that, we'll settle the matter.
Dante: He's your father! /Nero: What?! No! /Dante: I had this feeling the first time I saw you, but I wasn't so sure. And then I saw how the Yamato reacted... and I was certain. He's your father. Now he needs an ass-kicking. But I can't have you go kill your old man. /Nero: My father?
Griffon: Well, we're merely the discarded thoughts from when he was Nelo Angelo. No longer bound in his consciousness. We're here now to kill you of our own free will.
Griffon: Us? This is our final flight... And the end of Vergil's nightmares.
Vergil: Nero is my son? /Dante: Yeah, dumbass. You can't remember through that thick skull of yours? /Vergil: Well, well... That was a long time ago. /Dante: I guess you were young once, too.
Nero: I couldn't protect Credo. To this day, I hate myself for not having enough strength. But this time is different. I swear! I'M NOT LETTING YOU DIE!
Nero: I won't let you kill each other. There are other ways of settling your differences. /Vergil: Ahh, you came all this way just for that. /Nero: Vergil... V... whatever you call yourself... Dante's not gonna die here, and neither are you. Do you have a problem with that? /Dante: 'Not gonna die,' my ass. That bitch slap nearly killed me.
Dante: You cut your own son's arm for more power, and you still lost.
Vergil: I won't lose next time. Hold onto that until then.
Nero: You can't just expect me to stay here while you both go― /Dante: It's because you're here we can go. We're trusting you with things on this side, capisce? /Vergil: Make haste, Dante.
Morrison: See, there's this deed to this place, and I have it. /Trish: Why do you―? /Morrison: Clever little devil came to see me right before his last job.
Morrison: What is important is I have a job for you two... 'Cause the rent ain't free.
Dante: Score for Dante! I'm up one. /Vergil: Where did you learn to count? We're even. /Dante: You know... I'm starting to think this is never gonna end. /Vergil: Maybe. We got plenty of time.
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