Devil May Cry 5 is not only a much needed return to form for a series that’s been standing on shaky grounds for the previous eleven years but is mainly a victory lap that encompasses everything that made the series special in the first place.

The amount of love poured into Devil May Cry 5 is undeniable from its highly detailed character models to its beautiful environments to the fine-tuned gameplay. The jump in quality is as impressive as the jump between Uncharted 3 and 4. The world is presented in beautiful stylized realism that is a great fit for the series. The gameplay takes the best parts of what made DMC3’s gameplay so good and adds welcome quality of life improvements to deliver the best combat system in the series. It might have a new coat of paint but it’s definitely DMC and better than ever!

Aside from a couple of characters getting mishandled and a few minor quirks, I actually don’t have any major criticisms to give to Devil May Cry 5. It pretty much excels on everything it’s trying to do and delivers a fun and campy action-filled experience with loving callbacks to the previous installments.

It might be a celebration of the series but i don’t think it’s a culmination in any way. Devil May Cry 5 feels more like a powerful revival that also lays solid groundwork for a supposed future of the series. I’m not gonna lie, seeing DMC get an entry like this has made me feel increasingly bitter that Bayonetta, my preferred action hack-and-slash series, got an installment like Bayonetta 3 instead of one like DMC5. To fans of Devil May Cry, I can’t express how happy I am for you to get a celebration like this for a series you cherish.

DmC: Devil May Cry is not successful in capturing the essence of the series it’s trying to reboot but it was never trying to in the first place. It is clear that Ninja Theory wanted to throw their own postmodern westernized spin on a DMC game, and I thought they did that successfully. DmC is such a drastic shift in writing, vibes, and the overall identity of the series but I didn’t find it to be as bad as the internet has made it out to be.

Devil May Cry is not a series that’s special to me in any way so I don’t hold it or its characters in a high regard nor am I protective over them. I also feel like it’s important to note that I’ve experienced this series while DMC5 existed so I always knew that the reboot was an offshoot that they ignored after its release. Hence, I didn’t feel passionate about the direction DmC went with because I knew it wouldn’t stick around. I understand that playing it with the idea of the whole series being rebooted in this style was disheartening for fans but to me, DmC ends up just existing in its own unique bubble.

I know it’s not a popular opinion but I ended up enjoying my time with DmC: Devil May Cry and appreciated what they were trying to do. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the direction they took, you can not deny that it is a well-made game. The combat is tight and satisfying, the environmental design is pretty good and the overall art direction is strong. It also includes phenomenal boss fights that are equally grotesque as they are creative. It might not look or feel like DMC but it is a pretty good game.

While I do appreciate the contemporary aesthetic, DmC: Devil May Cry ends up coming off as extremely edgy. From the excessive cursing and sexual content to the postmodern twist of the demons being crime lords, gangsters, and a mass-producing soda company that’s taking over the world (?) It’s probably the edgiest thing I’ve ever played. I do find it to be a little endearing because it feels like a time capsule to the early 2010s. That does not in any way excuse the cringy dialogue and nauseating shaky camerawork though.

DmC: Devil May Cry feels like a fun side experiment of a DMC with a different aesthetic and continuity. I feel like it wouldn’t have been received nearly as badly if it was under a brand-new IP or if the characters weren’t named after the original characters. The new interpretations are so widely different that they’re unique characters on their own and I feel like they could’ve benefited from being their own thing. All in all, I ended up enjoying it for what it is as a one-off entry and I’m excited to jump back into the old continuing with Devil May Cry 5.

Devil May Cry 4 is an interesting followup to DMC3 to say the least. It seems like Capcom wanted to take the series into a new direction, making some bold choices and it kinda works for me. It is pretty rough around the edges but I can’t deny that it’s one of my favorite entries to the series so far.

I love love love the atmosphere of this game. Best way I could describe it is biblical-gothic horror core. The cutscene direction especially is astonishing even for today’s standards. the character designs across the board are also pretty stellar, from returning characters to newcomers and the genuinely terrifying villain. Yes, it does feature the muddy visuals of its era, but the art direction really goes a long way into making DMC4 a visual feast.

The environmental design is a huge leap forward in terms of its aesthetics and its variety. It also helps that this game is a bit more modern so the environments are designed in a way that guides the player a lot more clearly than its predecessors. This is the first DMC game where I don’t get lost and have to look up where to go next, thanks to the way the levels are designed, the inclusion of a very helpful minimap, and the clarity of the objectives.

The story honestly leaves a lot to be desired. Devil May Cry isn’t a series that shines in its narrative with the exception of DMC3. What frustrates me, however, is that DMC4 actually lays the groundwork for a riveting and moving story to be told but doesn’t go anywhere with it. Previous entries had very simple stories and managed to tell them decently but I wish the added complexity in DMC4’s story was handled properly.

The highlight of DMC4 for me has to be the characterizations and the character interactions. This game finally brings back characters we met from DMC1 and 3 and they make for a really dynamic cast. It kind of sucks that all returning characters are given the short end of the stick in terms of story inclusion but I appreciate the little moments they had.

Newcomer Nero, unfortunately, ends up being hurt the most by the lack of narrative depth. I genuinely like him and think he goes through a great arc through this game but the game doesn’t elaborate on his personal relationships enough to make the players care. Especially in his relationship with Kyrie. I wish they did more on that front because what we end up with is a character that just comes off as needlessly edgy.

Devil May Cry 4 doesn’t nearly reach the heights of DMC3 and comes off as a weird follow up but, damn it, it did some things really well. The streamlined gameplay and fun moments really go along way into making this one of my favorite entries so far.

It took them three installments but it feels like they finally realized what to do with Devil May Cry. I played the previous two and really didn’t jive with them. Maybe they were good for their time but they really haven’t aged well so I was expecting Devil May Cry 3 to be a similar case. What I got, however, was a proper evolution of the formula adding some much needed variety to the gameplay and having just a fun vibe.

One of the biggest upgrades Devil May Cry 3 has over its predecessors is in its direction. While the first two entries were mostly serious aside from occasional quirky one-liners, DMC3 embraces early 2000s camp and cheesiness in its dialogue and scene direction. Dante is finally the charismatic protagonist I’ve been hearing about. The cutscene camerawork is a lot more dynamic which produces some pretty awesome scenes.

The gameplay and combat adjustments also go a long way in making this the best feeling Devil May Cry yet. The combat is not only tighter but is also customizable to the player’s liking. You can have the combat be focused on how you want to play, this was much appreciated and adds a lot of variety. On the topic of variety, DMC3 adds further customizability to the combat through the multitude of unique weapons you pick up throughout the game.

The biggest downside I’d give DMC3 is that, even though the environmental design has improved, the lack of guidance can make certain sections just feel needlessly obtuse. I had to look up where I was supposed to go next or what the mission wants me to do a lot more than I like. This becomes very frustrating close to the end of the game when the environments turn more labyrinthian.

Aside from the PS2 clink, Devil May Cry 3 is actually pretty great. It’s flashy and over the top, funny, sometimes a bit scary and definitely has a lot of heart. I’d even recommend completely skipping the first two entries and starting here since it does a great job introducing the characters and mythos and, honestly, serves as a better first impression.

I’ve never played a Metroidvania game before and was told Guacamelee was a pretty friendly entry-point to the genre. I wholeheartedly agree. The game might have eased me into its progression but it sure wasn’t a breeze. The combat is simplistic but very effective. The presentation is absolutely stellar and the writing is cheeky and hilarious. The game is just a modern classic.

Guacamelee presents information in a clear and concise manner through great use of color-coding that translates information just a bit faster to non-veterans of the genre. Metroidvanias are characterized by progressively giving players more and more abilities that help them interact with the game in a new way. What Guacamelee does so well is assign each ability you gain with a color. If you get an ability that emanates with blue energy, it’ll be effective against blue pieces of the environment and enemies coated in blue. It just makes the game a lot more friendly to comprehend.

Guacamelee oozes early-2010s charm in its writing, has a timeless art style, is easy to pick up and understand without prior knowledge of its genre, and is just an overall fun and addicting time. This was just the palette cleanser I needed after feeling like I’ve been in a bit of a rut. ¡Magnífico!