Devil Hunter Edition

Back in 2018, a series that had been stagnant finally got a new entry, the first in ten years. Devil May Cry 5 released to rave reviews, and to this day, has sold a total of 12.9 million copies. It is the best selling single game for Capcom, that isn’t part of the Monster Hunter or Resident Evil series. However, there was something missing for DMC5, a release on a Nintendo console. It’s possible that the Switch was too underpowered for a character action game, but it’s finally getting a release on the Switch successor, the Switch 2. Let’s see how the Switch 2 version of the game holds up and if it’s a solid iteration, or a lackluster port.

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The Switch 2 runs DMC5 as smoothly as possible, and looks great while doing so.

Polishing a Diamond

One of the first things you will notice when playing this version of the game is that it looks spectacular. Considering the original was a PS4 and Xbox One-era title, there’s no question that the Switch 2 can handle everything. The graphics are as crisp, or even better, than the PS4 version. This is true both when playing it docked, as well as in handheld. The character details are fantastic, especially when you view them up close, as they always were in the other versions. The game also runs smooth as butter, in both TV and handheld modes. It is advertised as being 60fps in both modes and it definitely feels like it lives up to it.

Of course, one of the bigger cons in the previous iterations were the environments. They aren’t really any better here, since they are the same. They are lacking heavily, which is to be understood, since you are fighting off a demon invasion. One of the better locations is probably the first real mission you have, where you have lights and water to look at. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really get much better after that, but that’s to be expected, as the Switch 2 version wasn’t going to add anything there.

Tale of Three Protagonists

If you’ve never played this game before, nor a Devil May Cry, then you’re in for a treat. The game is structured as missions, with you being forced to play as one of three characters for that mission. The stages are usually linear in nature, with some off-beat paths that contain secrets or collectibles. Some of the levels will contain bosses, which are always fun, since these types of character action games tend to excel at crazy fights. From the older DMC games, to even something like Bayonetta, the prospect of dodging attacks, then striking back will never get old.

You get introduced to the playable characters over the course of the game, with Nero being the first one. He has a sword that he uses to attack, but the main gimmick behind him are the Devil Breakers. These cybernetic arms are basically like extra weapons for Nero, with special properties. V is the second character you’ll get to play as, but he’s a special one. Instead of fighting directly, he’ll be using summons to do his bidding. The only catch is that you’ll have to defeat enemies with his cane, as his summons cannot. The last character is Dante, the familiar face to the series. He’ll start with his trust sword and guns, but will be able to unlock a variety of other styles.

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The gameplay is great and having multiple characters to play as adds variety.

The three characters have three completely distinct styles, especially once you unlock more of their skillsets. While you won’t be able to play as all of them in every mission, the game does a good job at keeping variety, so you will never really get too bored with things. In addition to all of the above, the Switch 2 edition also adds the ability to play as Vergil out of the box. This was originally DLC in the initial version of the game, then included in the Special Edition, and is also included with this iteration. While it’s not part of the main campaign, you do get a fourth character you can play as that follows along the story.

Dante Must Die

The Devil May Cry games aren’t particularly long, with a single playthrough of the main campaign lasting about 10 to 15 hours. However, there will be a bit more to this, if you do the Vergil playthrough. DMC5 is also a game that has multiple difficulties, so there will be some replay value there, especially if one wants to challenge themselves. The hardest difficulties do mix things up some, but they are still essentially the same game. For those that only play a game a single time on the hardest difficulty, you won’t be able to do that, as the higher difficulties have to be unlocked (it was like this in other versions, too).

This version of the game is ideal for those who only had a Switch and upgraded to the Switch 2, as it isn’t any different than previous iterations. Additionally, having Devil May Cry 5 on the go, with it running extremely well in handheld mode, does add a little value to it. This is a perfect game for short bursts, especially since you can play a mission or two, then put it down without missing a whole lot. If you played it on any other platform, you’re not going to find anything new in this version. While there are no system-wide achievements on the Switch 2, you do have game-specific achievements built into this version of DMC5, so that can add some longevity to your playing time.

Overall, Devil May Cry 5 Devil Hunter Edition is a solid port of an already amazing game, although it doesn’t really fix its major problems nor offer anything new to veterans. Thankfully, it’s not a full-priced port, with it costing $40 at launch and there’s a sale on the Nintendo eShop that puts it at $30 for a limited time. That makes it more enticing, even moreso to newcomers and for those who played it before and loved it.