As a
Devil May Cry newcomer, my first experience with the recent game in the series left me with a lot to process gameplay wise. I'm very much familiar with the action genre, mainly action associated with the developers
Platinum Games. I've never explored the depth of the other DMC games and they were never a drawn of interest for me. I had no doubt they were bad games, but throughout my growth as a gamer they were never priorities of exploration.
But I'd have to thank this current Covid-19 pandemic for the days I've spent inside my apartment to finally understand the appeal of the series. From the likable Nero and Dante (including newcomer "V"), to the engrossing lore and world building, to the over-the-top stylish action, and the gameplay that prompts constant exploration for creation by the player.
Devil May Cry 5 is the most addicting game on my Playstation 4 at this point and I've played it so many times that while I'm not at the peak of skill to "S" Rank the "Dante Must Die" difficulty, I've learned quite enough of the game to share some basic tips of how to master all three heroes enough to prepare for the harder difficulties.
Devil May Cry 5 was released March 9th, 2019, developed my Capcom and released on the Playstation 4, PC, and Xbox One. It's been heavily praised as a more than worth entry into the series. It brings its story and characters full circle in unexpected and satisfying ways. The central element of the game is its combat. The combat caught me completely off-guard when I first played it because I've never experience such limitation in its combat. This was only because I had to buy moves with red orbs. I was more used to the
Bayonetta approach to combat where your variety of moves and combos were already set but just remembering them was the key. Bayonetta allowed experimentation in the loading screens before the next level and you could even press"Select" on your controller to halt the loading all together to experiment as much as you need to.
DMC 5 was an eye opener to what true experimentation can be in an action game. The limited move set you're given are not the limits you're subjected with. You have a specific amount of individual moves that can be put into a combination instead of re-occurring single strings like what I was used to. Before we get into the three protagonists' individual fighting styles, I want to acknowledge the general moves that I encourage exploring because it elevates the skill ceiling so high that you can't help but want to explore the potential you can bring out through the combat system in the game.
NOTE: This goes more for Nero and Dante than "V" since "V"'s play style is intentionally vastly distinctive from the other two but in sense, equally as layered.
Tip #1 - Jump-canceling
Jump-canceling is what changed the way I approached combat in the game. This is also what helped me understand what the combat through me could be. Once you understand the idea of what it is, it leads to endless creative possibilities of what you can do. This pertains mostly to air combos as a character like Nero for example, is able to execute extensive combo strings in the air due to both jump canceling and his Devil Bringer (more on that later). The definition of jump-canceling is pretty self-explanatory, as when you jump, you can double jump off an enemy when continuing a combo. This can be come extensively when you want to reach an S-Rank. For example: in a single 3-hit combo, when finished you can jump off the enemy and do another 3-hit combo. Here's a simple example of jump-canceling in the video below:
Notice the second jump off the enemy. This can be done in a re-occurring manner with a character like Nero when incorporating his Devil-Bringer. Practicing the jump-canceling move can help you get a grasp on how beneficial it is when controlling your movement during air combos.
Now that we got that simple tip out the way, let's get into each character and their functionality:
1. Nero
Nero is the starting character that you play mostly in the beginning chapters starting with the prologue. Beginning the game as Nero was a good start for newcomers to get a grasp on the general combat system of Devil May Cry 5. His moveset is basic enough as unlike a character like Dante, he only uses two main weapons (excluding the Devil Breakers): His sword Red Queen and gun Blue Rose. As you can probably guess, his sword is short range and his gun is longer range. Despite those two central functions they can be mended to create creative combo strings that leave a lot of freedom for experimentation.
Nero has a 3-hit combo with Red Queen both on ground and in the air. When you stack up on Red Orbs you can purchase a ton of new moves. His increasing variety of moves still have a certain limitation while still experimenting the numerous ways you can combine them.
Both Red Queen and Blue Rose have a charge system as well. Blue Rose has a medium rate of fire but can be charge by holding the square button on the PS4 or X button the Xbox. You will eventually unlock the ability to charge a shot strong enough to emit an explosion at your enemy, while the remaining charge shots do massive damage. Using your Blue Rose, while in the air and charging the shot can keep an enemy in the air as well and support your combo strings. On the ground they can be used as a tool for juggling your enemy off the ground. Example down in video below:
What I tried to do are show examples of the Blue Roses's charge shot and how can support air combos. Frequent juggling with the gun can help with any form of air combos. It just takes frequent discovering and sampling.
Now the Red Queen is the main element of Nero's combat. As I said before, he has a variety of moves you can purchase and use. Nero's charge element is the same as it was in 4, which is Exceed. This is when he revs up his sword like a motorcycle, producing almost-heat levels of power from it that can be only used for a split-second time depending on what level your Exceed is revved up do. It makes the sword incredibly powerful and can be used frequently when kept charged during combat. Learning varied moves combined with keeping the Exceed charged adds an extra dimension to Nero's combat system. Example in the video below:
Notice how I'm using different moves when your sword is fully charged. Here I'm using the Taunt move while in the air which charges the Exceed completely. This took perfect timing to get right because you'll either only charge one more two levels, or none at all. You'll have to be quick when using the exceed so that you can the full amount of charge.
The second video involving the Exceed has me holding down the charge button which takes a little more time since I wasn't even able to charge it while taunting in the air. This is all about timing. I can't really specify advice of how to time the Exceed except to say for example, on the Playstation, a swing of your sword or an air taunt would need to instantly follow with a press of the Exceed button. This can either work or not, but it will take constant practice.
Lastly is Nero's Devil Breakers. When Nero's arm was ripped off from the antagonist (whom which I'm not spoiling, sorry!!) his friend and partner Nico uses parts from fallen demons to build a large series of Devil Breaker robotic arms with their own functionalities that can be highly beneficial in combat. I'll briefly go down the list. NOTE: I'm excluding the DLC Devil Breakers since they're not the already accessible ones.
Overture: Generates electricity and when charged, can be used as a ticking bomb that sticks to enemies. Great choice for beginner players.
Gerbera: Used for push-back attacks. The push-wave ability can be used to maneuver in the air. When charged it can become a massive energy cannon but leaves you stationary and vulnerable for attack so use it wisely.
Tomboy: Adds extra power to your sword but leaves you unable to target enemies when using it to attack. You're pretty much wildly moving around with the sword attacking. Its alternate ability is using it as a long range weapon. Use this wisely as well.
Ragtime: Can stop enemies in their tracks. This can be used for air attacks as well. When charged, it stops time in the entire area, stopping every single enemy.
Punch Line: You can fire a rocket fist that swirls around the enemy, multiply attacking them. You can also surf the rocket, flying around attacking several enemies. When charged, you can charge it and do a powerful uppercut that launches enemies into the air.
Buster Arm: A supplement for Nero's original Devil Bringer arm. It has low durability but still manages to be a good use for grab attacks.
Rawhide: Features a chain that be swung around and attack multiple enemies at once. When charges, you can snag a single enemy and use it as a weapon itself against groups that leads to a finishing slam.
Helter Skelter: Can be used as drill. It works with enemies with strong guards to break through them. When charged, it turns the drill into a tornado attack that launches enemies into the air.
In the video I don't show all the display of the Devil Breakers but how you can utilize them in your combo by the few onscreen. NOTE: Devil Breakers are fragile and can break in an instant. You can either self-destruct them by choice, they'll break after using their charge attack, or during their usage they can break mid-use when attacked by an enemy. The way you use them is up to you can how you use them is a strategy that is something to think about. In the video also are some combos you can use as you play as Nero throughout the game and begin to become familiar with his moveset.
2.
"V"
"V" is the most distinctive of the three characters you play. Not only is he mysterious, strange, and difficult to read, but his fighting style is vastly different from Nero and Dante. In a nutshell, "V" summons three enemies from the previous game, (lower image, left to right) Griffon, Shadow, and Nightmare.
A difference between V and the other two is that he doesn't actually fight. V uses his three demon counterparts to do all the fighting. This may seem like an easier style but despite its simplicity there's much more to how V actually plays.
Griffon's combat is longer range as his style is more about projectiles while Shadow is a ground fighter with aggressive close range attacks. Combining both their attacks creatively is a good way of bumping up our S rank in combat. They can however have spam-worthy assets to their gameplay but on harder difficulties, strategy is a massive must. Both Griffon and Shadow can be damaged and when they are, they're on the benches until they recover. Until then, V remains vulnerable, especially since he doesn't have any attacks of his own. You can purchase new moves from them such as charging their attacks and combining it into a single attack (which I do all the time). V is a slow mover since he's not on the physical levels of Dante and Nero. He needs Griffon and Shadow for evasion on ground and in the air. Without them, he struggles to evade alone and his widely open for attacks.
V does have a finisher where only he can deliver the final blow on an enemy with his cane once his demons do enough damage. They'll turn a white color indicating V's chance to end them. This can be a gamble within itself as enemies that haven't been subdued yet can cancel out the finishing blow so knowing when to attack in the battlefield can come with smart decisions in how to do it. If you wait too long, subdued enemies will recover health so take the chance you have to take out an enemy.
Lastly there's Nightmare. Nightmare is V's own Devil Trigger. Nightmare is a massive demon that is pretty much a damage sponge. He physically strong, emits powerful projectile attacks, and can also be controlled by jumping on his back. The charge his Devil Trigger faster, you can read V's poetry book while simultaneously attacking enemies with Griffon and Shadow.
The above video is V's play style in a nutshell. Like I mentioned before, it's simplistic to an extent, but the higher difficulties require more understanding of the mechanics from a different angle.
The second video (below) is the usage of Nightmare, who is already flat-out powerful and is best used when the situation becomes overwhelming.
3. Dante
Last but not least, the one and only Dante. Dante's gameplay has transitioned from
DMC 4. Out of the three, Dante's move set is the most complex and varied. He can come off as incredibly overwhelming because of his weaponry and style changes, but mastering his play style is the most rewarding of the three. This is probably going to be the longest section as we have to go over what he can do and how to work his gameplay into an accessible play for anyone not familiar with how Dante works.
Dante has a variety of 11 weapons. The majority of them will be familiar to DMC veterans of the franchise such as Cerberus, Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory, Coyote-A, Devil Sword Sparta, and Balrog's similar functions as Beowulf from the recent games.
His new weapons are: Cavalier, Dr. Faust, and Kalina Ann.
Dante's style switching plays similar to in Devil May Cry 4. He's able to switch around 4 styles with the directional pad: Trickster, Royal Guard, Swordmaster, and Gunslinger.
Gunslinge: Puts emphasis on the attacks of Dante's longer range weapons.
Swordmaster: Emphasizes moves for Dante's closer range weapons.
Trickster: Allows quick dodging more movement around the battlefield or teleportation toward an enemy you target.
Royal Guard: Dante's defensive move. You can block with this move and build your gauge, which can result in a counter that can do incredibly high damage if times successfully.
With Danet's style switching, this involves mastery as switching is a frequent must to not only build up your style meter, but to continuously have the upper advantage and remain in control when the fights get heavy, especially on the hardest difficulty.
Back to the weapons, here's a quick clip of Dante's long-range weaponry:
They all have their own unique abilities and utilizing them in combat builds your S-Rank.
Dante's close range attacks are also important in mastering since his weaponry builds throughout his levels in the game. Jump canceling, understanding style-switching, and switching weapons mid-combo are essential to getting those juicy SSS Ranks in battle. Dante may be hard to use at first, but over time he can be the most fun out of the three.
Here's a solid demonstration of me switching through my weapons mid-combo:
The best way to get a grasp on Dante's move set and weaponry is to remove some weapons so you can practice switching between them. More weapons equals more combos and the goal to keep your S Rank.
Conclusion: Devil May Cry 5 is a rewarding gaming experience that can be replayed over and over again. It remains accessible as well as revealing what you can do with these characters once you know the ins and outs. I hope these tips helped anyone interested in playing the game.
Have you played the game? Leave a comment and share!
