The Best Devil May Cry Games (Ranked)

What are the best Devil May Cry games?

First published in 2001 by Capcom, Devil May Cry is an action-adventure series that centers on the demon hunter, Dante.

The success of this series has led to the creation of many games, comic books, novels, and even an animated series.

However, not all games in the series have been major hits, and today we’re taking a look at the ones that have stood out the most!

The Best Devil May Cry Games

To create this list, we considered the content of each game along with its fan popularity and total number of sales.

This way, we’ve been able to pinpoint the games that stand out from all the rest as absolutely must-plays.

Get ready to dive into the world of demon hunting with our list of the best Devil May Cry games:

6. Devil May Cry 2

Kicking off our list, we have Devil May Cry 2, one of the best PS2 games ever created, which was released in 2003.

Set in the modern day, this game takes place on the island of Vie de Marli, and it focuses on Dante and the island’s guardian, Lucia.

Together, the pair have to stop a businessman, Arius, from summoning Argosax and making himself supremely powerful.

While Devil May Cry 2 was a commercial success, selling 2.9 million copies as of 2022, some fans disliked the lowered difficulty.

The larger variety of decisions that players could make also received some criticism, since this was very different than the original game.

However, the improved control scheme and having separate protagonists available on different discs were largely praised.

In fact, the strength of the storytelling between Dante and Lucia is what makes this game really shine, even if it lacks in other areas.

Lucia’s story, in particular, has been highly praised and is often seen as one of the greatest reasons to play the game.

Although some still consider it the most disappointing sequel ever, it remains worth playing for its superb story and characterization.

5. Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 4 was released by Capcom in 2008, and it follows the story of Dante’s nephew, Nero, who’s on a mission to stop his uncle.

Throughout the game, players can take control of both Nero and Dante at various points, something that many gamers praised.

While Nero was introduced to help attract new players, the inclusion of sections with Dante helped keep veteran fans invested.

Unlike Devil May Cry 2, this installment was praised for its level of difficulty, as well as Nero’s characterization as a new playable character.

Although backtracking during Dante’s sections was criticized as a minor annoyance, it was ultimately a small complaint.

Upon its release, Devil May Cry 4 became the fastest-selling and best-selling title in the entire franchise.

It was also remastered in 2015 as Devil May Cry: Special Edition, which adds both Japanese and English voice tracks.

This remaster also includes some re-balancing of gameplay mechanics and three bonus playable characters; Trish, Lady, and Vergil.

The addition of these characters makes the remaster a must-play for many fans, as they provide new fighting styles.

4. DmC: Devil May Cry

DmC: Devil May Cry was released in 2013 as an alternate universe reboot of the mainline franchise.

This game takes place in Limbo City, a modern-day metropolis that is controlled by demons who manipulate humans into compliance.

It is here that the parallel universe Dante can be found, living as a drifter who secretly hunts down demons.

Despite being a reboot, players can still use Dante’s iconic Rebellion sword and his handguns, Ebony and Ivory, in combat.

However, this game also introduces the new Demon and Angel modes, which modify the movesets you can use.  

Along with being able to play as Dante, this game also gives you the ability to play as his twin brother, Vergil, during the DLC.

Called Vergil’s Downfall, this DLC takes place after the main game and centers completely around Vergil’s personal journey.

Although not everyone was thrilled with Dante’s redesign, his brother was much more warmly received.

That said, the combat system, art style, and user interface were highly praised, as was the increased replayability.

Along with Devil May Cry 4, DmC was remastered into the DmC: Definitive Edition in 2015, which improved graphics and added new mechanics.

To date, 2.80 million original copies of this game have been sold, along with 1.20 million copies of the Definitive Edition.

While not the most successful in the series, DmC: Devil May Cry remains one of the best PS3 games ever created and one of the best in the franchise.

3. Devil May Cry 3

Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening was released in 2005 as a prequel to the original game, featuring a younger version of Dante.

Set 10 years before Devil May Cry, this story takes place in Temen-ni-gru, an enchanted tower as Dante battles his way through it.

The main story also focuses on his dysfunctional relationship with his brother, Vergil, with the pair often at odds.

Hailed as a return to what made the first game amazing, Devil May Cry 3 proved to be one of the most popular games in the series.

Along with its engaging story, it also features fast-paced combat with a large emphasis on combos.

While its high level of difficulty was criticized by some, the 2006 Special Edition of the game largely fixed this issue.

The Special Edition also assed checkpoints in the middle of missions and the ability to play as Vergil.

Combined, both the original and Special Editions have sold over 2.3 million copies, earning praise as one of the greatest games of all time.

Devil May Cry 3 was also re-released as part of the Devil May Cry HD Collection in 2012, and it came to the Nintendo Switch in 2020.

The Switch version of this game also adds a local co-op option in Bloody Palace mode, which was very well-received by fans.

2. Devil May Cry 5

Devil May Cry 5 is the most recent game in the franchise, aside from the Peak Combat mobile game.

One of the best third-person PS5 games, this game follows Dante, Nero, and the new protagonist, V.  

V quickly became a very appealing character, praised for his character development and combat style.

The overarching story tasks players with stopping the Demon King Urizen from destroying the world while also unraveling V’s mysterious past.

This game is designed to be balanced enough for newcomers to jump into yet challenging enough to keep fans engaged.

It more than managed to pull this off, having sold more than 6 million copies as of January 2023.

Gameplay is similar to other entries in the series, being fast-paced and focused on combos and tactics.

The uniqueness of V’s combat style has also been greatly praised for its contrast to Nero and Dante’s own.

Devil May Cry 5 was first released in 2019 but received an expanded version in 2020 for next-gen consoles that makes Vergil a playable character.

Currently the best-selling game in the franchise, this fifth installment is by far an incredible game you can’t afford to miss.

1. Devil May Cry

Taking our number one spot is the OG of the series, the very first Devil May Cry, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2.

Set on Mallet Island, this game is all about the demon hunter Dante, who is on a quest to defeat the Demon Lord Mundus.

While originally conceived to be a Resident Evil game, when developers thought it wouldn’t fit the franchise, it became Devil May Cry.

Gameplay consists of several missions, where players must defeat enemies and solve puzzles to get through.

After each mission, players are graded based on the time it took them to complete the level, their stylish combat, damage taken, and orbs collected.

Upon release, Devil May Cry was praised for its impact on the action-adventure genre, particularly for its high difficulty.

In 2012, this game was included in the Devil May Cry HD Collection, along with Devil May Cry 2 and 3.

This collection was later ported to the PS4 and Xbox One in 2018, which has since been made playable on next-gen consoles.

Now considered one of the best video games of all time, there is no denying that this first game is the greatest in the franchise!

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the best Devil May Cry games and agree with our choices!

While all of the Devil May Cry games are worth playing, these are the ones that have become the most popular with fans.

If you’re new to the franchise, you can jump in at any point, though we highly recommend checking out the original game first!

Here’s a quick recap of the best Devil May Cry games:

1. Devil May Cry
2. Devil May Cry 5
3. Devil May Cry 3
4. DMC: Devil May Cry
5. Devil May Cry 4
6. Devil May Cry 2

Which Devil May Cry game is your favorite? Leave a comment below.