Every Devil May Cry Game, Ranked

With season 2 debuting on Netflix, Devil May Cry fever is spreading once again. Smartly, Capcom has basically put all the video games on sale, making this the perfect time to jump on board. For instance, on Steam, you can currently buy all the games for under $20, which is an absurdly good deal, considering Devil May Cry is known for its replayability. I picked up DMC5 for full price at launch and felt like I got my money’s worth, and I never once regretted it. Still, if you are new to the series, you might want to know exactly which is the best DMC game​​​​? Well, let’s try to answer that.

Devil May Cry has been through quite an evolution over the years, and every entry has its share of positives and negatives, albeit to different degrees. We are going to primarily focus on the former, as Devil May Cry has more than earned that type of coverage.

Updated May 13, 2026, by Mark Sammut: As the Devil May Cry animated series is blowing up on Netflix, this is the perfect time to either jump back into Capcom’s franchise or to play its games for the first time. We have updated this article to make your decision of which game(s) to buy as easy as possible.

7

Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat

Excellent Combat Hindered By Expensive Microtransactions

Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat is a mobile-only action game featuring Dante, Virgil, Nero, V, Trish, and Lady as playable characters. Although developed by a different studio, the mobile game successfully captures the feel and essence of what fans appreciate about the Devil May Cry series.

As with most mobile games, Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat features a lot of microtransactions to purchase Devil Gems to obtain more powerful summons, boosts, and better weapons. Being a Devil May Cry game, players can’t purchase skills; it requires practice to achieve an S-Rank with stylish combos.

6

Devil May Cry 2

Solid Combat, But A Step Backwards

Devil May Cry 2 is universally regarded as the worst mainline entry in the series by fans and critics alike. While obviously the second game in the series, chronologically, the story takes place before the events of Devil May Cry 4. Gone was the cocky and brash character in the first game, and a brooding Dante replaced him, with the overall humor toned down. DMC2 is more open than its predecessor, but the trade-off was much softer textures and blurry backgrounds. For all its misgivings, Devil May Cry 2 is still a solid action-adventure game with some mechanical improvements.

The game has a few positive things that make it worth playing for somebody going through the entire series. While arguably worse than the original, the combat focuses more on combos and works as a middle step between DMC and DMC 3. Dante’s design is among the best in the franchise, if not the best. DMC2 has multiple playable characters, with both Dante and Lucia receiving stand-alone campaigns that occasionally crossover. Trish can also be unlocked by completing one of the storylines. Lucia’s sole video game appearance happens here, and her campaign is arguably better than Dante’s, and DMC2 feels like it was built for her. While Dante stomps most enemies without breaking a sweat, Lucia doesn’t quite feel as overpowered, even though her campaign is still easier than pretty much every other game in the series.

5

DMC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition

A Controversial Entry With Brilliant Combat And A Far Superior Definitive Edition

DmC: Devil May Cry was developed by the talented Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice developer, Ninja Theory. Capcom brought Western developers in to work on a potential reboot for the action-adventure series with a new look for Dante to appeal to modern audiences.

Mechanically, DmC: Devil May Cry is a very good action-adventure game featuring fluid combat mechanics that have enough depth to keep things interesting for multiple playthroughs, and a silly but entertaining storyline. However, the game suffers from an over-reliance on tedious platforming sections, which disrupts the pacing, and one of the weakest selections of bosses in the series. This new iteration of Dante is less of a likable rogue and more like an obnoxious teenage stereotype trying to embody a rock star persona. Although it wasn’t what fans anticipated, Ninja Theory’s attempt at a Devil May Cry reboot is still an enjoyable action game with impressive set pieces.

If you are going to play a version in 2026, DMC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition is the only one to go for. It improves nearly everything about the base game, even removing the red/blue enemies that could only be hit by one type of weapon. There are way more difficulty levels, a Virgil Bloody Palace, and other changes that bring it more in line with the traditional Devil May Cry experience. For those who only played the PS3 and Xbox 360 originals and never tried out the upgraded PS4 and Xbox One versions, I recommend giving it a try. It is notably better. This iteration was never released on PC, which is frustrating as heck.

4

Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition

The Introduction Of Nero And A Great Action Title

Devil May Cry 4 was the first in the series to move into the PS3 and 360 era. This time, players can control Dante and Nero, the new protagonist with demonic powers that are relatively unique, and he naturally comes with a personality that separates him from Dante. Despite their similar looks and comparable base melee attacks, Nero controls differently from Dante, with his combat revolving around the Devil Bringer, a spectral arm that can be used for crowd control, to draw enemies near, and even attacks. Although his characterization in DMC4 isn’t to everyone’s liking, Nero’s mechanics are absolutely spot on.

There was some repetition and backtracking, requiring players to retrace many of Nero’s steps with Dante in the later stages. Tedious as this can get at times, Dante’s depth more than makes up for it, as he can swap with the press of a button between four combat styles with unique combos. Except for DMC5, which mostly just copies over this moveset, DMC4 has the most complete and satisfying version of Dante, which also means it has one of the most complete and satisfying hack-and-slash characters of all time.

The divisive 2008 game is fine, but there is absolutely no reason to play that version when Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition exists. It adds three new playable characters: Vergil, Lady, and Trish. That is more than enough reason to pick up this release, as they are all fun to use. This iteration includes a few other improvements as well, including Legendary Dark Knight Mode for those who want an even harder challenge.

3

Devil May Cry

The Classic Is A Gothic Masterpiece

As Devil May Cry has evolved with each new release, the 2001 classic can feel a bit antiquated for players only familiar with the newer entries. However, it was a masterpiece when it came out, and it is still a masterpiece today. There is an old-school challenge to Devil May Cry where skill, patience, and perseverance are rewarded. It merges the adventure, hack-and-slash, and beat-em-up genres in perfect harmony in what remains one of the best power fantasies available. Combos aren’t really the priority here, and the goal is to master Dante’s small but perfectly tuned moveset.

Devil May Cry explores a dark world with nicely crafted pre-rendered backdrops like Resident Evil, featuring excellent characters and a story that gets more intriguing with each chapter. It not only spawned a sub-genre that featured games like God of War and Bayonetta, but it also remains the standard for all other action-adventure hack-and-slash games. Decades on, Devil May Cry is still as deep, challenging, and playable as its successors.

2

Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition

After Two Divisive Entries, Devil May Cry Returned To Its Rightful Place As The Peak Of The Action Genre

Although they have plenty of positives and are, overall, good games, Devil May Cry 4 and DmC had just enough shortcomings that stopped them from achieving unquestionable greatness. Fortunately, Devil May Cry 5 not only reached that threshold, but also blasted through it like a motorbike driving at over 100 miles an hour.

This time, the campaign is split between three playable characters – Nero, Dante, and V – who play completely differently, and each one of them could have carried a game on their own. Except for new weapons (including a bike), Dante mostly plays the same as in DMC4, as you cannot really improve on perfection. DMC5 also retains Nero’s core moves, but it complements them with swappable arms that offer different types of attacks and uses. Finally, V fights from a distance by using two familiars, only opting to get involved when an enemy is down. He is the least enjoyable of the three characters, but his stages are still quite good.

Once again, Capcom released a special edition for more powerful hardware. Thanks to the power of current-gen systems, DMC5 is faster, smoother, and more accessible and another incredible showcase for the stunning RE engine from Capcom. Moreover, the special edition includes the Legendary Dark Knight difficulty, a Turbo mode, and offers ray tracing support and faster loading times.

Furthermore, this version features Dante’s twin brother Virgil as a playable character from the start, allowing players to utilize his unique combat style for the entire game. Virgil’s combat style is more challenging to master than Dante’s and Nero’s, but it is rewarding and perfectly reflects his character. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is the best way to dive into one of the best and most stylish hack-and-slash games ever.

1

Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening Special Edition

An Incredible Prequel With Outstanding Combat

Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening was and still is widely regarded by fans as the best in the series, along with being perhaps the best hack-and-slash action-adventure game ever created. Even though it doesn’t have as many options as in its sequels, the combat is nevertheless perfect here, delivering a fluid system that has incredible depth but is immediately accessible and fun. After the serious tone of the second entry, the younger Dante is back to being the comedic devil hunter fans loved from the first game, and this version solidified his characterization moving forward.

As a prequel, Devil May Cry 3’s story predates the first game and introduces gamers to Vergil, Dante’s twin brother and one of Dante’s greatest rivals in the series’ history. Like with a few others mentioned in this article, DMC3 Special Edition is the one to get nowadays, as it features Vergil as a playable character, along with Bloody Palace, Turbo Mode, and even Heaven or Hell difficulty. It also rearranges the difficulty levels, making “Normal” feel more like a standard, entry-level challenge rather than the harder version of the original.