Summary
TheDevil May Cryfranchise single-handedly laid the foundation for the entirehack and slash genre, thanks to its dynamic combat system, its creative weapons, its epic boss battles, and, most important of all, its cast of memorable characters. Luckily for players,Capcomwas clever enough to give gamers the option to slay demons with several playable characters and not just Dante.
But not all playableDevil May Crycharacters are created equal, as some are more conventional, and others are more experimental. Some feel really great to control, and others feel extremely clunky. It’s also important to note that each game in the series has its own mechanics that make characters unique from each other.
On paper,Luciais not necessarily the worst character ever made. While her gameplay is quite similar to Dante’s - so not much about her stands out - she has some interesting features, like her dual blades, her throwing knives, and her angelicDevil Trigger.
The problem is that Lucia’s only playable appearance was inDevil May Cry 2, which is considered to be theworst entry in the entire franchise. As a result, she’s held back by all of this game’s issues, like slow movement, tedious combat, overpowered projectiles, and a lack of challenge. This is why most fans are begging for Lucia to come back in a future installment someday.
If there’s something to be said aboutV’s appearance as a playable character inDevil May Cry 5,it’s that he’s definitely one of the most interesting characters in the franchise.He doesn’t fight enemies directly; he instead sends his three demons:Griffon,Nightmare, andShadow.
The concept of a summoner in a hack and slash game is very creative, and there are moments in which controlling V feels really fun. But the fact that the player is never actually directly damaging the enemies ends up feeling quite awkward in the long run. The worst part is that V has to deal the final blow with his cane, forcing this weak character to get close to the action and risk getting hurt in the process.
Trishwas playable in bothDevil May Cry 2andDevil May Cry 4: Special Edition. Oddly enough, she plays almost identically in both games, despite their differences in quality. She wields the epic Devil Sword Sparda, infuses her bare fists with electricity, and can even use the deadly Pandora weapon.
Trish’s playstyle feels quite derivative since anything she can do, another character can do better. She’s also lacking some variety in her arsenal and move set. However, Trish still feels really fun to control, and she delivers theclassic hack and slash experiencethat most fans would expect from her.
4Lady
Turning A Hack & Slash Into A Shooter
Lady’sonly playable appearance inDevil May Cry 4: Special Editionended up being extremely memorable. Since she prefers to use firearms instead of melee weapons in combat, her gameplay has a bigger focus on gunplay. And the final result was both fun and satisfying.
She can use dual pistols, a shotgun, and her trademark rocket launcher,Kalina Ann. And it all feels great, as the player now has to focus on making some space between her and the opponent in order to shoot effectively. Instead of a Devil Trigger, she can also fire a bunch of grenades, which is a useful screen-clearing attack. Lady may not be the most conventional character in the series, butshe’s unique and entertainingenough to make the experience worthwhile for those who play as her.
As Dante’s twin brother and one of the main antagonists of the series, players were ecstatic to finally controlVergilinDevil May Cry 3: Special Edition. It ended up working so well that he was added to every subsequent installment. Being able to play as one of the series’ toughest bosses was definitely a rewarding experience.
Vergil’s gameplay is all about speed and power, as every single slash he performs withhis katana,Yamato, can take out enemies almost instantly. His summoned swords are a solid alternative to Dante’s firearms, and using Beowulf always feels amazing. In lower difficulties, Vergil feels extremely overpowered, and even in the higher ones, he is still a true force to be reckoned with.
2Nero
The Series’ New Protagonist
WhenNerowas initially introduced inDevil May Cry 4, he seemed to be quite similar to Dante. But he had a few aces up his sleeve that helped him differentiate himself from his infamous uncle, like his sword with a motorcycle-like grip,Red Queen, and hisDevil Bringer, a mechanic unique to him that lets Nero grab and pummel demons in many ways. He was surprisingly fun to use, but his gameplay ended up feeling a bit repetitive after a while.
Luckily, this was fixed when he appeared once again inDevil May Cry 5, thanks to the introduction ofDevil Breakers. Thesecybernetic arms with different abilitiesgave Nero the variety he desperately needed, and players now have to pick and choose which one fits every situation. And to top it all off, even his new Devil Trigger form is one of the best ones in the game. Now, it finally feels like Nero is worthy of being the new protagonist of theDevil May Cryfranchise.
As the series’ protagonist, Dante has beenplayable in every single installment, and he always felt great to play as. But it wasn’t untilDevil May Cry 3that he turned into one of the best characters to control in the entire hack and slash genre. He definitely has the most variety out of any other person in the cast, which makes him the best option for most players. Firstly, fromDevil May Cry 3onwards, Dante has a huge array of melee weapons and firearms to choose from: swords, gauntlets, pistols, rocket launchers, and even a demonic guitar that shoots electricity or a motorcycle that turns into dual chainsaws. There’s a huge number of options in his vast arsenal.
But that game also introduced theStylesmechanic, which lets Dante switch into different styles that change the actions he can perform, like Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Royalguard, and more. Because of this, it is up to each player to customize their experience by mixing and matching different styles with different weapons. The gameplay that can result from all of these seemingly endless combinations always feels extremely satisfying, and it’s basically what theDevil May Cryfranchise is about: killing demons with tons of style, something in which Dante excels at.
