Devil May Cry 5 is a hack-and-slash action game that finally receives a Switch 2 port! Learn more about the game, our thoughts about the port, our score, and whether it’s worth buying or not.
Overview
What is Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2)?
Devil May Cry 5 is an action-adventure hack-and-slash game developed and published by Capcom. This is the fifth mainline iteration of the Devil May Cry franchise, released on March 8, 2019 on PC(Steam), PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and on November 10, 2020 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Nintendo Switch 2 version, named the Devil Hunter edition, features all of the game’s DLC from its Special Edition. This includes all past DLC, namely Bloody Palace, Vergil as a playable character, additional weapons and music tracks, alternative announcers, and more.
Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2) features:
⚫︎ All DLC From Release
⚫︎ 60 FPS on Both Handheld and Docked Mode
⚫︎ Action Hack-and-Slash Gameplay
⚫︎ 4 Playable Characters
⚫︎ Over 30 Playable Missions
⚫︎ Multiple Difficulty Options
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2)’s gameplay and story.
| Digital Storefronts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Playstation |
 Xbox |
 Switch 2 |
| $39.99 | |||
Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2) Review: Worthy of an SS Rank
CAPCOM is Still On a Roll
I might be a broken record for saying this, especially since I already mentioned it in the Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo review, but Capcom is still on a generational run with releasing critically acclaimed games and also porting them to the Switch 2.
With their recent endeavor of porting most of their heavy hitters and new IPs like Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, PRAGMATA, Resident Evil Village, and, of course, Resident Evil: Requiem, they’ve been arguably the best at taking advantage of what makes the Switch 2 hardware. Now, they’re at it again, and this time with another heavy hitter, with what can be considered one of the best action games in recent years.
Let me make this quick: Devil May Cry 5 on the Switch 2 is the dream port we’ve all been waiting for. It’s kind of surprising to think that the series never had a handheld release until the Switch, and Capcom has certainly rectified that by giving us a near-flawless port. Sure, it makes some sacrifices in visual fidelity and omits one feature on current-gen consoles, but it is the best possible port for a game of its caliber.
Back in Business
Devil May Cry 5 features the return of the titular crew headed by Dante and Nero, as they try to stop yet another demon invasion in Red Grave City. This all started when the mysterious V calls the crew in for a job: killing the Demon King Urizen, who plans to invade the world with demons. Not all is as simple as it seems, however, as it seems Dante’s past has a habit of catching up to him in mysterious ways, through Urizen and V.
The story is still quite good; it’s one of the more digestible titles in the series without risking looking lost in the process. And it’s also great that they took players who want to start with the fifth game immediately by including a synopsis of the events of all of the games in chronological order thus far. The overall writing of the plot isn’t anything revolutionary or even amazing by any standard. However, it’s the game’s characters that prove why the series has gone as long as it has.
The gameplay of Devil May Cry 5 hinges on its three main characters: Dante, Nero, and V, as they each have their own unique playstyles and mechanics that take advantage of the game’s combo and Style system. Longtime players may be familiar with Dante and Nero, especially since the former has been the main character of the series for all five games, while Nero was introduced in the previous one.
However, that isn’t to say that they don’t have new tricks, like Nero’s Devil Breaker, Dante’s new weapons and Styles, and, most importantly, V’s completely new minion-based combat loop. This is where Devil May Cry excels at: character-based hack-and-slash action gameplay. It’s one of the biggest reasons why it’s a franchise that’s beloved to this day.
Each character brings something new to the table and shines in the game’s gameplay loop of racking up stylish combos and ratings. Getting used to Nero’s mechanics, then transitioning to V’s slower pace, then finally relearning all of Dante’s styles in the main campaign is an amazing loop of discovery and enjoyment in the experience. To this day, it’s still quite unmatched; I still haven’t found an action game of the same kind that has the same satisfaction as Devil May Cry 5 has.
Amazing Performance Both On the Go and Docked
An important part of any action game is that it should feel good to play, be it with its controls, its weight, its mechanics, or anything else, regardless of the platform. Being able to run any game at a stable framerate is a necessity, especially in a genre that demands quicker reactions and better execution than most. Safe to say, the performance was the most important thing to check out for a game as fast-paced, chaotic, and precise as Devil May Cry 5.
My experience with the game ran smoothly, with no noticeable slowdowns or frame drops during combat. Cutscenes are a different story, though, as these are much more noticeable when you’re not fighting anything. But these nitpicks don’t hold much weight, as they don’t affect the game’s core experience other than a few times in its narrative segments.
It’s not a secret that Devil May Cry 5 is one of the better, if not the best, action games in recent memory. The gameplay needs to run stably to enable players' creativity with the game’s many playable characters. From Dante’s many styles and Devil Arms to V’s demonic pets, the game asks players to do a lot more than just mindlessly mashing the attack button to deal damage.
That said, it’s great that Capcom has certainly delivered on that end, as the game comfortably runs at 60 FPS on both handheld and docked modes. This allows players to play the game anytime, anywhere with no downsides, and utilizes the Switch 2’s greatest strength: portability. Plus, the game also makes use of the console’s hardware near-perfectly, where everything but its visuals didn’t noticeably take a hit.
Noticeable Graphical Hitches Yet Still Looks Great
Devil May Cry 5 is still one of the RE Engine’s best examples of looking great while having variety. You can’t help but admire the game's graphics, despite it being set in a hellscape of demonic structures mixed with urban environments, while facing horrific monsters everywhere. But the most defining visual aspect of this game is its special effects, especially given that its style is distinct and recognizable even amid its frantic, chaotic gameplay.
So it’s not surprising that Devil May Cry 5 Switch 2 port’s visuals look noticeably weaker. After all, we’ve seen it in Capcom’s other ports of its AAA games as well. A lot of it is noticeable in the characters’ hair, edges, and certain textures, which leads me to believe that the game’s anti-aliasing and texture detail took the hit.
But it has to be said that the port’s visuals still look pretty damn good.
One can even argue that this is Capcom’s best Switch 2 visual adaptation yet, with how much the game kept its visual flair despite sacrificing some fidelity. It’s even gotten to the point where I could compare this game’s visuals to any of the Switch 2’s best-looking games, and it might even come on top because of how it's able to balance great performance and good graphics.
Almost All DLC Included
A good thing about the Devil May Cry 5 Switch 2 version is that it already contains almost all of the game’s DLC in the $40 package. This means that you have access to more Devil Breaker weapons immediately, the battle music tracks from all of the previous Devil May Cry games, other Style Rank announcers, various gallery content, and, most importantly, playable Vergil, all in one pack.
The only real downside is that it isn’t an adaptation of the current-gen port. For context, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S introduced a new difficulty mode called the Legendary Dark Knight, which adds an obscene number of enemies in all encounters. Unfortunately, since the Switch 2 port is an enhanced version of the last-generation Special Edition, it doesn’t include this difficulty mode.
Granted, this is definitely more of a nitpick than anything; it’s still a shame that the Switch 2 version isn’t the end-all, be-all version of the game. Maybe it’s for the best given that the Switch 2 isn’t exactly as strong as the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X|S, but it’s still in the running for the best version outside of these two.
Is Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2) Worth It?
It’s Absolutely Worth It.
Capcom continues to impress with delivering a port for Devil May Cry 5 that exceeds expectations and uses the Switch 2’s hardware in its best form. With consistent performance, still-good-looking graphics even with the downgrades, and all of its previous DLC, Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition is an absolute must-buy for anyone with a Switch 2.
Comparatively, it’s not the definitive edition of the game; that still goes to its PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S releases only because they have Legendary Dark Knight mode. However, being able to play an action game this amazing comfortably on the go? It easily makes its case as its best version bar none.
I would absolutely recommend this game to anyone, even those who aren’t particularly fans of the series or the genre, because of its easy-to-digest narrative, likable characters, and, of course, its addictive gameplay that’s served as the gold standard for modern action games. Additionally, the game is on sale until August 1, which is an absolute steal given how much content the game currently has.
Game8 Reviews
