Devil May Cry is once again slicing its way through popular media, with Netflix’s new Devil May Cry series slashing into the hearts and minds of fans like Dante’s blade through waves of demons. With the games currently available at solid prices on Xbox and PlayStation marketplaces, it’s the perfect time to ride the surge of renewed interest. And you know what that means—it’s ranked list time. So grab your guns, your sword, and that iconic red leather jacket, and join us at The Outerhaven as we rank the Devil May Cry series.
Published: 2019 (Original) / 2020 (Special Edition)
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
I know this is going to annoy a lot of the Devil May Cry fanbase, and I understand there are plenty of characters and lore from this game that made their way into the recent Netflix anime series. But for some reason, I couldn’t get into this game the way I have with the rest of the series. Maybe it’s because you start off playing as V, the newcomer at the time, instead of a more familiar face like Dante or Nero. I’m not a fan of games where you begin as one character, only to spend most of the game with someone new.
Granted, I didn’t mind it with Metal Gear Solid 2, but that might be because Raiden and Snake played similarly—whereas Nero and V definitely do not.
That said, Devil May Cry 5 is a gorgeous game. The RE Engine delivers some of the best visuals on the market and supports just about any type of gameplay. The character models are incredibly detailed, and the environments capture a demonic take on modern-day London with impressive accuracy. The gameplay shines when you’re controlling Nero, Dante, or Vergil… but not so much with V.
I’m not sure why, but V just didn’t click with me, and that’s one of the main reasons I’ve never finished this game—and why it’s ranked so low on my list. Sorry, Devil May Cry 5 fans. Sometimes, things just don’t connect with everyone.
Published: 2008 (Original) / 2015 (Special Edition)
Available on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
I think just about everyone expected this one to land at the bottom of the list—and for good reason. Devil May Cry 4 committed so many sins that it rightfully deserves its spot here. But even with all the flaws in its characters, storytelling, gameplay, and those fucking dice roll sections… I have to admit, I still enjoyed playing it. Seeing what Capcom could do with Devil May Cry on the PlayStation 3 was a great sight to behold, and the visuals looked fantastic for a 1080p game. The gameplay was smooth as butter too, without the slowdown that plagued earlier entries.
Then came the Special Edition, which added new playable characters, new cutscenes, polished gameplay, improved graphics, the option to switch between English and Japanese voice tracks, and additional costumes. Getting all that on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was a great move—otherwise, we’d have another Metal Gear Solid 4 situation on our hands, where a great game is left to gather dust on the PS3 and Xbox 360… which should never happen.
While people had issues with the level design and Nero taking the lead as the main character, Devil May Cry 4 is still worth picking up and giving another go. Honestly, I think a lot of the hate it gets comes from baggage at the time of its release, and people still use that as a reason to rank it low on tier lists. If you can cast your feelings about Nero aside—just like many eventually did with Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2—you might find yourself enjoying this game and its characters too. Or you can just fire up the Special Edition, play as Vergil, and handle things your own way.
Published: 2005 (Original) / 2006 (Special Edition) / 2012 & 2018 (HD Collection)
Available on: PlayStation 2, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Here we go again… One of the more beloved—if not the most beloved—games in the franchise isn't where people expect it to be. But much like Devil May Cry 5, there was just something that didn’t click with me when it came to Devil May Cry 3, even though it resonated with so many others.
Maybe it has to do with the story being a “beginning” of the franchise, as was the style at the time. Or maybe it’s the fact that, after toning things down in Devil May Cry 2, the devs decided to crank everything up to 1,000—not 11, one-fucking-thousand. Don’t get me wrong—I enjoy some good quips during fight scenes (I’m a Spider-Man fan, after all), but Dante in Devil May Cry 3 drove me nuts with all the banter. And don’t even get me started on the insufferable Vergil worship. We get it—Vergil is the “cool guy” of the series—but we really didn’t need the full-on Homer Simpson pitching Poochie moment: “When Vergil’s not on screen, everyone should be asking where Vergil is.”
Also, for a game that’s meant to be the start of everything, Dante seems to know way too much about his past, his skills, and even the sword he wields—which he doesn’t actually get until the original Devil May Cry. The narrative is just a big, annoying ball of contradictions, and it completely falls apart if you try to play the games in chronological order. It’s the Batman: Arkham Origins effect, where Batman somehow has gadgets and abilities he only gets later in Arkham Asylum. As someone who values cohesive storytelling, Devil May Cry 3 hits all the wrong notes when it comes to planning and consistency.
As for the gameplay—just like the story—it’s not as good as people make it out to be. It’s filled with overly complex mechanics and movement systems that feel unnecessary. Half the time, you end up wandering around, unsure where to go, and thanks to the awkward camera angles, you’re getting hit by off-screen attacks a lot.
I’m sorry, but by the time this game came out, even Resident Evil had moved past fixed camera angles—so why was it still a thing here? God, the more I think about this game, the more it drives me nuts. If it weren’t for my disconnect with Devil May Cry 4 and 5, and the fact that I’ve actually finished Devil May Cry 3 more than once, I’d probably piss even more people off by ranking it even lower.
Published: 2013 (Original) / 2015 (Re-release)
Available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Man, the more I write this ranked list, the more I realise I might just be the opposite of the typical Devil May Cry fan. DMC is one of those games that usually sits in the middle or near the bottom of most ranked lists, but much like Devil May Cry 4, I actually don’t mind it as its own updated take on the franchise. In fact, I think it deserves another game in its universe to prove that this reboot isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.
As a reboot, DMC does exactly what it set out to do: modernise the Devil May Cry story into something more relatable, darker, and fast-paced. And it pulls that off really well. Dante—though admittedly a pain in the ass compared to his mainline counterpart—is the quintessential “modern edgelord,” rebelling against a controlling power. Honestly, that’s something a lot of today’s generation can probably relate to.
What really sells this version of Devil May Cry for me are the depictions of Mundus and his lieutenants. The game uses modern ideals and tech-driven visuals to show a world gripped by dark forces intent on subjugating the masses by any means necessary. The best example? The boss fight with Bob Barbas—a FOX News-style anchor who Dante battles inside a giant TV. The fight leads to a digital version of Barbas who weaponises visual media: throwing news clips at you, using “eye in the sky” camera tricks, and attacking with filmed footage and degrading commentary. It’s clever, stylish, and a perfect modern twist on the franchise’s themes.
Ninja Theory did a great job with this game, and they don’t deserve the hate they get from hardcore Devil May Cry fans. DMC is a good game—one that deserves more respect and attention in this day and age. Maybe, just maybe, if enough people buy it on PlayStation Network or the Xbox Game Store, Capcom might give this rebooted universe a second shot.
Published: 2003 (Original) / 2012 & 2018 (HD Collection)
Available on: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Here comes the hate mob! Devil May Cry 2 is widely considered the “worst game in the series,” at least according to a lot of people out there. But as you’ve probably noticed by now, I tend to like some of the black sheep of this franchise. One of the main reasons I rank Devil May Cry 2 this high is because it was the first game I ever started speedrunning—before speedrunning was even a thing. I’d spend days replaying it over and over, mastering combos, perfecting movement, and refining my timing just to make sure I got those S ranks after every mission.
Sure, the game isn’t the strongest when it comes to tone, narrative, or even character development. But after the chaotic mix-up that was the original Devil May Cry, I actually welcomed the changes DMC2 brought to the table. Lucia was fun to play, and honestly, I preferred her over Dante at times. She was quicker, more responsive, and easier to control. Dante, by comparison, felt clumsy and slow. Yeah, the story didn’t change much between characters, and there was a fair bit of backtracking, but that’s part of what makes Devil May Cry enjoyable—grinding crystals, unlocking new skills, and gradually progressing.
Devil May Cry 2 also leaned into a darker, more serious tone than its predecessor, and that was very intentional. The developers were trying to give Devil May Cry a more grounded, almost Resident Evil-like identity to help it stand out in the crowded survival-horror landscape at the time—and it worked. But anytime someone does something different with Devil May Cry, the purists crawl out of the woodwork to declare it trash.
Devil May Cry 2 isn’t trash. It’s just misunderstood by a fanbase that doesn’t like change.
Published: 2001 (Original) / 2012 & 2018 (HD Collection)
Available on: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
The original Devil May Cry is a flawed, clunky, hard-to-navigate mess… and I love it.
After watching the Devil May Cry anime on Netflix, I went back and started playing the original game again. It didn’t take long for those Resident Evil roots to come flooding back—and if you know me, you know I love Resident Evil. The massive castle with its maze-like layout, doors that lead you in circles before unlocking shortcuts later—it’s the kind of confusing, rewarding design that I’d eat up with a shovel if given the chance.
Gameplay-wise, Devil May Cry is annoyingly easy at times. You could practically play it blindfolded and still get an S rank on every mission. I wish I could remap the controls to suit my playstyle, but doing that would take half the challenge out of it. The game is designed to make you panic: enemies attack from off-screen, projectiles home in from across the room, and the fixed camera might as well be another boss fight. The camera is just as much an enemy as the puppets flooding the screen.
Still, without Devil May Cry, we might’ve ended up with a very different Resident Evil 4—and we definitely wouldn’t have this incredible hack-and-slash franchise. No, it’s not the “perfect game” like Devil May Cry 3 or 5 are often considered, but you’ve got to walk before you can run. Devil May Cry crawled so the rest of the series could sprint and rack up millions in sales.
Maybe once Capcom finishes remaking the Resident Evil series, they can give Dante’s first outing a proper overhaul using the RE Engine. I’d be first in line to take on Mundus all over again—and happily shove a sword up his ass one more time.
