Which Devil May Cry games are god-tier, and which deserve the dismal rating?

Devil May Cry is a game franchise built with love, passion, and an affinity for all things stylish. I think we can all agree that in the almost two decades of sexy smoking style combat, almost no other games get close to what Devil May Cry did.

But it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride. Through the years we’ve had with these amazing protagonists, it’s always either been a hit or miss. I’m looking at you DMC 2 Dante who everyone thought was 50 years old. That was a weird phase, that I think to this day, people don’t want to talk about.

The opinion of which DMC game is the best is a very divisive conversation among the fanbase. People will always have a different opinion about which Devil May Cry is the best and worst, but I’m here to give you a perspective. So here are the best Devil May Cry games, ranked!

6. Devil May Cry 2 | Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, PS2, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Devil May Cry 2 trailer for the PS2

Devil May Cry 2 is arguably the worst Devil May Cry game, and for good reason. Before we get into why exactly it’s considered a bad game, let’s first talk about the plot and character to get a feel of how the game is going to be. This will be the format for the review of every subsequent game after this one.

It starts out with our beloved Dante accompanied by a newcomer to the franchise, Lucia. Now Lucia invites Dante to help her with a task involving an international businessman named Arius. Her mother, Matier, tells Dante of all of the things that Arius is plotting. Long story short, bad businessman is bad, and Dante being the epic character he is, has to take him down.

Except, Dante’s rendition in this game is as lackluster as mayonnaise on a piece of bread. He’s a dry, and edgy man with a lot going on inside of his head. The last time I checked, this was Vergil (his brother), and not Dante. Even compared to DMC 1 Dante who wasn’t exactly our wacky woohoo pizza man, going on a journey with DMC 2 Dante is like watching paint dry.

The game overall doesn’t have bad mechanics nor does it have uninteresting boss fights, but it is a pain to play through. The environment is dull and the enemies can get way too repetitive - and that’s saying something for a franchise like Devil May Cry. Sometimes the combat feels dry, and it just hurts to look at. But it’s not an awful game, it’s just not a good Devil May Cry game.

5. DmC: Devil May Cry | PS4, Microsoft Windows, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One

DmC: Devil May Cry E3 Trailer

Now, this game. Everyone has a lot to say about this next game. But there are a lot of reviews out there in the world that embody the sheer anger and disappointment that this game brought to the fanbase. For the record, this isn’t a bad game either, it’s just not a good Devil May Cry game. To be honest, if DMC wasn’t slapped onto this game, people would’ve accepted it more with open arms.

For the longest time, this game felt like a big slap to the face for everyone who loved Devil May Cry. It was an entry about 5 years after DMC 4, so you know people were thirsting to get a hold of a new DMC game. But then we were greeted with this monstrosity.

Storywise, it isn’t anything new or unique. An underground resistance asks for Dante’s (please forgive me, DMC gods) help in taking down a big bad businessman named Mundus. Does this sound familiar? Well yes, it was the plot of DMC 2 and many other social commentaries pretending to be video games.

Combat-wise, it’s not that bad, to be honest, but the lack of a lock-on feature in a Devil May Cry game should be considered a war crime. Being hand-held as well as having color-coded enemies does make the game dull and boring at times, but having to visit a large god-like statue to try out new weapons makes the game refreshing. Overall, not a completely awful game, but if I have to look at El Donte and his potty mouth one more time, I’m suing. 

4. Devil May Cry 1 | PS2, Nintendo Switch

Devil May Cry 1 Trailer for the PS2

The one that started it all. Devil May Cry was such a fantastic entry into the franchise, that it’s no wonder different media have stemmed from it. It has classic bosses from the badass lava tarantula Phantom to other iconic ones like Griffon. It was never short of fun, exciting, and a new gaming experience.

During its release, some fans noticed it was very similar to the Resident Evil games. Well surprise, the original director for this game, Hideki Kamiya, was also the one who directed the very first Resident Evil. It had some striking similarities in the eerie, and dark department.

For the story, our legendary Devil Hunter Dante is greeted by a mysterious woman resembling his late mother. It is revealed later on that she is Trish, a demon made by Mundus who was created in the image of his mother. This is when Dante realizes his mission - to take down Mundus and get his shop’s name out there. What a great, fun, straightforward yet campy start to a franchise filled with lots of love.

But DMC 1 is not without faults. As the spearhead of the entire franchise, it did have some great moments as well as not-so-great ones. The overall design of the environment, combat, and Dante were great, but they weren’t perfect. Some fights were much too difficult and other controls were wonky. Overall though, it has such a great feel that gets you wondering what exactly you’d be facing next.

3. Devil May Cry 4 | PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, iOS, NvidiaShield TV

Full Devil May Cry 4 release trailer

Now we’re getting to the real meat of the franchise. At number 3, we have such a crazy entry. Devil May Cry 4 was almost as controversial as DmC: Devil May Cry at the time of its release, and for good reason. The man that we all grew up playing as (for three games, actually) wouldn’t be seen in the game until later in the game.

The whole tone shifted so drastically after its predecessor. We were now playing as an angsty teenager who has arguably the healthiest romantic relationship in the franchise. His moves and skill set weren’t anything as impressive as in DMC 3, but it did convince some people that it was good.

The story revolved more about a cult that worshipped the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, and those he had relations with, like his kids and their kin. We were introduced to Nero, a passionate man with a pure heart - who actually grows up to be a deadweight.

This is where the combat system, especially for Dante, is kicked up a notch. The game still has an amazing soundtrack and environment design, but it goes above and beyond. As Dante, you can now easily switch between different styles rather than having to go to a lion statue and change it there. Then as Nero, you have a few moves that are a bit easier for newcomers.

DMC 4 is still a great game despite its rocky reputation. It holds the franchise to a higher standard which should be applauded. Nero is a great addition to the franchise and is definitely one worth staying. If you can get a hold of a copy of this, make sure to get one! 

2. Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening | PS2, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows

Gorgeous Devil May Cry 3 trailer for the PS2 release

Let’s be honest with each other. We already knew that DMC 3 was gonna be up here. But it is a large debate as to whether or not it was the best game in the franchise. I’m here to convince you that despite being a wonderful game, it still is only second. It’s a wonderful 3rd game with points hitting all the right spots.

For the story, we have such a refreshing prequel to the previous games so far. We have a 19-year-old Dante that is still a little rash and unrefined. We accompany him on his journey across a demon tower known as Temen-ni-Gru to fight the cause of all of the demonic presence in his town - his brother, Vergil.

Throughout the game, we are introduced to different bosses, Devil Arms, styles, and characters. It’s such a treat to have everything fit together so seamlessly - from music to environment, to the characters. The combat is as lovely as any DMC game can get. It’s as smooth as a hot knife through butter with only one complaint: we can’t change Dante’s style midgame! 

For different parts of the game, we can choose to change Dante’s style to whichever one we want to try, whether it be Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Royal Guard, or everyone’s favorite, Trickster. If back then we had it, this would definitely be an 11/10 game. Regardless, Hideaki Itsuno’s execution for this game is nearly flawless.

We see Dante through his journey to finding out about himself and his family. We can see him grow into the man he is - a fun-loving wacky woohoo pizza man that does anything in his power to help the ones he loves. He may have been an angsty teenager in this game much like Nero, but he definitely has a contagious personality that translates into gorgeous combat styles.

1. Devil May Cry 5 | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

The long-awaited E3 Trailer for Devil May Cry 5

I think it’s safe to say that even 11 years after its predecessor, this game does everything right. Us fans were at our wit’s end, rocking back and forth listening to edgy music in the dark as we waited for the next Devil May Cry game. Then Capcom finally announced a Devil May Cry game. When the trailer was released, everyone went absolutely nuts.

No one, and I mean no one, was expecting another Devil May Cry game. And it definitely came back with a bang. No other Devil May Cry game can get close enough to what this game has done. It broke barriers in the franchise that no one even knew was possible.

Story? Captivating. CG and character design? Charming. Environments? Stunning. Music? Irresistible. Combat? Absolutely flawless. There was no better feeling than finally getting an SSS in a game that commanded style and broken fingers. DMC 5 hit all the beats and much more. It’s an amazing game that everyone needs to go and play right now.

Wouldn’t you want to see Dante dancing around and channeling his inner Michael Jackson? Or perhaps our new and improved Deadweight with new mechanical arms? The game did all of its playable and non-playable characters right (except for Lady and Trish, arguably). It was amazing to see the band back together in crisp 4K resolution. 

The combat was also absolutely jaw-dropping. Seeing new and old Devil Arms was definitely a treat. Also, having Nero’s new Devil Breakers is always welcome in my books. There’s nothing this game held back on. It’s a Smoking Sexy Style/10, and for all the right reasons. I think every fan can die knowing this might have been the last Devil May Cry game. Hopefully, though, it isn’t.

Devil May Cry has given rise to many young, aspiring Devil Hunters like me to live the jobs of their dreams. Over almost two whole decades, the game has gone through many ups and downs - all creating such a wonderful universe that a lot of us have been invested in for years. 

Some combos and story plot points have driven fans crazy. To be able to keep your sanity, just remember to ask yourself: Is sanity… the price to pay… for power?!

You may also be interested in:

• [Top 7] DMC 5 Best Devil Breakers That Wreck Hard!
• [Top 10] DMC 5 Best Weapons Revealed
• DMC 5 All Secret Missions Guide
•  
•  [Top 10] DMC 5 Best Skills
• All DMC 5 Bosses Ranked From First To Last
• [Top 10] Best DMC 5 Wallpapers That Are Awesome
•  
• [Top 15] Best Devil May Cry Songs We Love
• The Best Devil May Cry Games (Ranked)
• The Best DMC 5 Characters (Ranked)