Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition | Devil May Buy Again
Devil May Cry 5 is the best action game of 2019 and it would also like to be considered the best action game of 2020 with this new edition. Releasing alongside the next generation PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S, DMC5SE brings some new content and modes to the already stellar game. It also now supports ray tracing and 120FPS, although not at the same time. Arguably the fan favorite addition, and the main subject of this review is Vergil’s inclusion as a playable character.
The release of DMC5SE is really a technical showcase and test for Capcom. Devil May Cry 5 was already one of the best looking games on last gen and it looks even better now. By default, the game now runs at a 4K resolution and a mostly consistent 60FPS with minor drops during cutscenes and some gameplay sections. There is also a 120FPS mode that is a reconstructed 4K image that runs around 100FPS or so on both consoles and will be mainly enjoyed by people with variable refresh rate displays. Lastly, there are the Ray Tracing modes. Ray Tracing Performance mode runs at 1080p around the 60FPS mark and Ray Tracing Quality mode is 4K but stays more in the 30FPS realm. It is an early next gen title, but serves as a benchmark for what the hardware is capable of and that both consoles have similar capabilities.
Regarding new content, Vergil’s calm and collected style is reflected in his gameplay. He has a fun and diverse moveset that makes him very satisfying to play. All of his attacks are measured and precise, yet vicious. One of his main mechanics is his concentration meter that rewards patience, precision, and dodging attacks. Building this meter rewards the player with the ability to block and parry incoming attacks, regain health through V, and get extra damage and reach off of Vergil’s normal weapons. He feels just as empowering to play as Dante, but in a completely different way. As his awesome battle theme says, he is the storm approaching.
His Devil Trigger is also different as his normal DT now summons a Doppelganger to fight alongside the player. This Doppelganger can also be delayed, sped up, or made to keep pace with the player to extend combos and deal more damage. His Sin Devil Trigger is more comparable to how his DT was handled in DMC4, adding extra hits to certain special moves and granting Vergil armor so he isn’t staggered by incoming attacks. Sin Devil Trigger is also the only other way to regain health besides World of V. Combining all these mechanics and additions to his kit means when you hit that rhythm with Vergil, it makes the player feel like they’re the final boss Vergil previously was in DMC5.
Unfortunately, Vergil isn’t very well integrated otherwise. In terms of the story, he only gets a whopping three cutscenes. The one at the beginning of the game and two at the end. It’s understandable that new cutscenes would have been very costly to add to this version of the game but it’s surely a missed opportunity. Additionally, the lack of all the other cutscenes makes the game feel somewhat bare in terms of presentation. The give and take of being able to play as this fun new character isn’t a great trade off for what feels like no story progression. Which certainly isn’t aided by the fact that beating missions or fulfilling trophy or achievement requirements in them doesn’t count as Vergil.
Something akin to Bulletstorm’s Duke Nukem DLC would have been much appreciated even if like that DLC, it was mainly a joke. Other missed opportunities include underutilizing Vergil’s other identities. Yes, he has World of V which sees him using the concentration meter to unleash V and his pets to restore health but that’s it. Any reference or move that took advantage of his time as Urizen or Nelo Angelo would have been a great addition to the character. It would have differentiated this version of the character more from how he played in previous games and would have added to his moveset similar to how both Dante’s and Nero’s were expanded in the original release of DMC5.
Other than Vergil, this version of the game includes Turbo Mode, the Legendary Dark Knight difficulty, and all EX costumes are unlocked from the start. Turbo Mode increases the speed of the game by 20%, upping the challenge for the player but making them feel more stylish when executing combos. The Legendary Dark Knight difficulty is equal to the Son of Sparda difficulty but it drastically increases the number of enemies per encounter. The EX costumes were previous unlockables or DLCs that reference other characters or incarnations of a certain character from the series. Most of them are just color scheme changes though since the outfits and appearances of characters were scanned in from real world human models. It may only take about 10 hours to finish the story but then there’s the Bloody Palace and the other modes and difficulties to keep players coming back for another stylish try.
In Conclusion
Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is the best version of the best action game of 2019. It’s a technical showcase on both next gen systems with a great story, multiple modes and difficulties, and unmatched gameplay. Exploding with fun and begging to be mastered, DMC5SE is a must buy for any fan of action games and a good addition to anyone’s next gen library.
Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is available now for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. As of the writing of this review, the game can be bought for $39.99 physically or digitally. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition was played mainly in Normal Graphics Mode on an Xbox Series X for the purpose of this review. Both the console and the game purchased with the author’s own money.
