Pin’em to the wall!
Hideaki Itsuno promised that Devil May Cry 5, the just-released fifth game in the main Devil May Cry series, would “exceed all expectations.” I think many would agree that it didn’t just exceed all expectations, it damn well Max-Acted straight to the top before doing a level-three High Roller on everyone waiting to take the wheel again for Dante, Nero, and even V.
But after beating the game on Devil Hunter, I’ve come to appreciate the overarching story. Maybe not the immediate story of DMC5, of the good guys versus the bad guy, but of the arc that has always driven Dante since the beginning of the series’ chronology. Also, if it isn’t already obvious, everything past this point will be about spoilers, so that the comments can also talk about spoilers.
Ever since Vergil’s introduction in DMC3, which was not only cool by itself but also re-contextualized the first DMC, we see a different side of Dante. He decides to protect humanity despite it putting him at odds with the last family he has in the world, his brother Vergil. Dante is still decidedly Dante in DMC5, but the moment we have an idea that the end of the road in DMC5 involves Vergil, Dante gets serious ever so slightly. Meanwhile, for Nero, we finally get closure on the openly known secret that Vergil is Nero’s father, and we see Nero react to the fact that his father is a total asshole who tore off his arm.
There’s also all the new weapons and attacks. I completely overlooked the Double Kalina Ann weapon and completely fell in love with its unique Gunslinger move, the Cascade, which basically connects two Kalina Anns together to fire off a massive laser beam. Even though Balrog is publicly revealed, I can’t believe some of its level-four Swordmaster moves. Real Impact is a given, but Pyromania feels like Kick 13 on steroids. Not to mention the revelation of Devil Sword Dante allowing Dante’s sword combat to function like Nero alongside his very own summon swords. It was almost poetic seeing the two brothers go in different directions, Vergil casting aside his humanity for power and Dante embracing his demonic heritage for his own power.
I mean, these past few paragraphs are just me gushing, especially about how I think the story is low-key really enjoyable. I also love how the revelation that V is the manifestation of Vergil’s humanity means that Vergil has always been a huge dork for poetry.
So what have you been liking about Devil May Cry 5?
Have you been S ranking this bad boy lately? And really, what early week spoiler is more worth talking about then the reintroduction of Vergil, the coolest guy in the series this side of Dante’s right side. Let’s talk openly about the game, from the first few moments with Nero right down to the last shot we get of the Sons of Sparda as we possibly wave goodbye to their story.
Unless of course they break out of the Underworld again, and Devil May Cry 6 sees an adult Nero struggle to keep an elderly Dante and Vergil pinned down in the retirement home he put them in.
