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Devil May Cry was reminiscent of action films from the late 90s and early 2000s like Blade andThe Matrix and gave players a sense of power just like characters from those films. It is not surprising that the series still holds up very well on Metacritic but let’s see if the fan favorites rank well according to their scoring system.
Updated May 20, 2022 by Michael Llewellyn: There are more upcoming action-adventure hack and slash titles set for release. There is Soulstice from Replay Games and Project Eve from South Korean Magna Carta developer Kim Hyung Tae. Many of these games owe something to the style and mechanics of the Devil May Cry series.
The games have always provided the player with multiple ways of fighting enemies with unique combos and finishers. The systems behind the DMC series are both challenging and rewarding and as close to taking part in an action anime movie as it can get. This list has been updated to include the special edition versions of the popular series thanks to the new features some of these remasters included.
9 Devil May Cry 2 – 68
Released: 2003 Developer: Capcom Platform: PS2, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
Released in 2003 Devil May Cry 2 is universally regarded as the worst in the series by fans and critics alike. Despite being the second game in the series, chronologically it takes place before the events of Devil May Cry 4.
Gone was the cocky and brash character in the first game and a moody brooding Dante replaced him with the overall humor toned down. The game was more open than its predecessor but the trade-off was much softer textures and blurry backgrounds.
Furthermore, the combat system felt stiff and sluggish compared to the first game and Dante’s movements felt robotic. For all these reasons and more it has the lowest score of the series. For all its misgivings, however, Devil May Cry 2 is still a solid action-adventure game with a style of its own.
8 Devil May Cry HD Collection – 70
Released: 2012 and 2018 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
The Devil May Cry HD Collection includes the first three games as a trilogy. They originally launched on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2012 and later ported to the PS4 and Xbox One. One would think that a collection of all three games would have scored better with critics.
Unfortunately, as remasters go this collection is as barebones as it gets. The collection was acceptable when it was first released but fans and critics alike were hoping for some quality of life improvements to the menu systems and upscaled cutscenes. All the issues that fans had with the original game remained 6 years later. Still, issues aside these are great games to pick up and enjoy even today.
7 Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition – 73
Released: 2015 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS4 and Xbox One
Despite scoring lower than the last-gen original on Metacritic, the special edition released on the PS4 and Xbox One is the best way to experience this game. In addition to looking much better than its PS3/360 predecessor, there are 3 more characters to play with.
There are now five characters to choose from, Dante, Nero, Virgil, Trish, and Lady. Furthermore, the special edition includes Japanese voice acting, brand new cutscenes, and a new ending.
6 Devil May Cry 4 – 84
Released: 2008 Developer: Capcom Platform: Android. iOS. PC, PS3, Switch, and Xbox 360
Released in 2008, Devil May Cry 4 was the first in the series to move into the next generation. This time players could control both Dante and the new protagonist Nero – a new character with demonic powers that are similar to Dante’s.
Despite their similar looks and powers, Nero controlled differently from Dante bringing a new dynamic to the series. Unfortunately, there was some repetition and backtracking by forcing the player to retrace many of Nero’s steps with Dante in later stages. While a vast improvement over the second installment it didn’t match the success of the third title.
5 DMC: Devil May Cry – 85
Released: 2013 Developer: Ninja Theory Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
Released in 2013 DmC: Devil May Cry was developed by Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice developers Ninja Theory. Capcom brought in the western developers to work on a rebooted series with a new look for Dante in an attempt to appeal to modern audiences.
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Mechanically, DmC: Devil May Cry was a solid action-adventure game with fluid combat mechanics and an interesting take on the story. However, the over-reliance on tedious platforming sections hurt the game’s pacing. Furthermore, this new version of Dante was less the lovable rogue and more an obnoxious teenage stereotype that thinks he’s cooler than he is.
4 Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening – 87
Released: 2005 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and is widely regarded by fans as the best in the series and one of the best hack and slash action-adventure titles ever created, even if the critics didn’t quite agree.
Chronologically the game’s story takes place before the events of the first game and introduces gamers to Dante’s twin brother and antagonist Vergil. The developers brought back the cocky and brash Dante from the original and refined many elements that made the first game so popular.
3 Devil May Cry 5 – 88
Released: 2019 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
After the disappointing sales of the attempted reboot in DmC: Devil May Cry, developers Capcom decided to go back to the series roots. Released in 2019, Devil May Cry 5 continues the original story arc after the events of Devil May Cry 4.
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DMC 5 brought back the Dante fans have loved since the first entry along with more battle-hardened Nero. Additionally, the game introduced a mysterious new magic-wielding character called V.This allows the player to select three very different characters in battle. The game was not just a return to form for the series it features some of the fastest and most complex combat in the genre.
2 Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition – 89
Released: 2020 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Another Devil May Cry and another special edition re-release. However, this updated version scores higher than the original game on Metacritic. Thanks to the power of current-gen systems, DMC 5 is now faster and smoother than ever.
It also includes the Legendary Dark Knight difficulty, a Turbo mode, and it offers ray tracing support. More importantly, the game also includes Dante’s twin brother Virgil as a playable character. It’s the best way to dive into one of this generation’s best and most stylish hack and slash games.
1 Devil May Cry – 94
Released: 2001 Developer: Capcom Platform: PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One
The first Devil May Cry was released in 2001 and is still the highest-rated game in the series on Metacritic. It has been refined and improved upon in its more recent sequels but there’s no getting away from the fact that Devil May Cry is still one of the most influential games ever released.
It not only spawned a sub-genre that featured games like God of War and Bayonetta but it remains the standard for all other action-adventure hack and slash games going forward. Eighteen years on Devil May Cry is still as incredibly deep, difficult, and as playable as its successors and its high Metacritic rating is a testament to the first entry’s impact on the genre.
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