Seeing as though Devil May Cry 5 has a number in the title, it’s likely you’ll wonder whether or not you need to play the other games first. Playing the fifth numbered entry of any series might make you feel as though you are missing something in the story. After all, Devil May Cry has been around for 18 years. There’s bound to be some lore that carries over into Devil May Cry 5. So in order to get the most out of it, we will tell you what you should play before Devil May Cry 5 and what ones you can maybe even skip.
Do I need to play the other Devil May Cry games before I play Devil May Cry 5?
Devil May Cry is mostly known for its mechanics so if you purely want a mostly incredible combat game and are going to skip the cutscenes, then you can jump straight into Devil May Cry 5. However, the answer is different if you want to pay some attention to the story. And while not anything close to the peak of the genre, it’s got some good moments worth paying attention to.
The Devil May Cry games were not released in chronological order. Here is the actual order of events: Devil May Cry 3, Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, Devil May Cry 4, and then Devil May Cry 5. DmC Devil May Cry is its own timeline.
While the game has some small gestures towards the original Devil May Cry, it does not include many overt (or any at all) references toward Devil May Cry 2. In fact, Capcom’s recap video barely even includes the maligned sequel outside of a few seconds of footage. Since these two games have fairly low stakes in Devil May Cry 5, it’s safe to not play them. Also both are quite dated by today’s standards and might be a bit difficult to go back to especially since neither game has checkpoints.
The other two Devil May Cry games are a different story. Devil May Cry 3 tells the story of Vergil and Dante, the two brothers at the center of the franchise. Devil May Cry 5 utilizes that bond as one of the key points of the story. Without knowledge of that story, their relationship, and how it all plays out, some events won’t make as much sense in DMC5 and will seem pretty random.
Therefore it is advisable that people hunt down copies of Devil May Cry 3 in order to get some of the reveals and narrative beats. The game is available on the PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and PS2. It’s widely regarded as the best in the series and holds up rather well. The special edition added Vergil as a playable character, tweaked the difficulty, and even added mid-mission checkpoints, which makes it easier to revisit today.
Devil May Cry 4 doesn’t play as big of a role in Devil May Cry 5, but is still worth tracking down. Both games star Nero, who has some deep ties to Dante and Nero and is worth seeing through. While he has a different personality, look, and voice actor from DMC4 to DMC5, Nero’s story doesn’t change and continues from game to game and isn’t as key as Dante’s involvement but is still pretty important especially for the last act.
The game is quite dated in some aspects but holds up relatively well. Devil May Cry 4 is available on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. The special edition adds Trish, Lady, and Vergil as playable characters and is on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
In essence, to learn more about Dante’s involvement in Devil May Cry 5, you’ll need to play Devil May Cry 3. And to understand why Nero matters in Devil May Cry 5, you’ll need to play Devil May Cry 4. And since you’ll likely want a full grasp on DMC5‘s story, you should probably play both.
Devil May Cry 3 and Devil May Cry 4 are still lauded today and even though the story carries through, both are important to play within the context of the genre and series. And even though DmC Devil May Cry is in its own separate timeline, it’s also still a great game in its own right and entirely worth playing. If anything, playing it will allow you to compare and contrast both series and see how they are similar and where they diverge.
Keeping it Stylish: Devil May Cry's Rad Rogues
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Keeping it stylish | Devil May Cry's rad rogues
The devil is in the details. Sure, you think of Dante when you think of Devil May Cry, but that's not the only playable character in this series. Not by a longshot. Pull up a chair, grab a slice of pizza, and journey through every sword wielder ever depicted with stylish action. -
Dante
We tried to start this list with something more obscure, but Dante just wasn't having it. The original badass atop the series, the Son of Sparda in a long jacket is "too cool to smoke." Wielding an arsenal of killer weapons and twin pistols, fans will ensure that Dante never dies in Devil May Cry. -
Trish
A demoness created in the image of Dante's mother, Trish starts in the first game as one of your opponents. Afterward, she switches sides, with playable appearances in DMC2 and the special edition of DMC4. Her devil trigger sees her don a pair of shades as she's surrounded by a gaseous yellow fog. -
Lucia
Lucia is a mannequin demon created by Arius. She turned against her creator, becoming one of the main protagonists of Devil May Cry 2. Although she hasn't returned to the series since then, many will remember her distinctive curved swords and throwing knives as highlights of an otherwise disappointing sequel. -
Secretary
Secretary demons are a type of demon you fight quite a bit in Devil May Cry 2. If you master that game and play through several times, you can unlock a Secretary as a bonus playable character. They don't appear in cutscenes, but their playthrough is significantly harder than the main campaign. -
Lady
Appearing in Devil May Cry 3 as a boss character, Lady was made playable in the Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition. She wields Kalina Ann, an impressive missile launcher that doubles as a bladed missile launcher. She may not have demonic powers, but her guns pack a punch. -
Vergil
If Dante is hot fire, Vergil is calm cool and collected. The other Son of Sparda, he goes after Dante as the main bad guy in Devil May Cry 3. He's playable in the special editions of both DMC3 and DMC4 but remains on the side of darkness in the original continuity. -
Nero
Nero is the second protagonist of Devil May Cry 4 and the son of Vergil. Raised in a religious organization known as the Order of the Sword, he joins with Dante after discovering a conspiracy to conquer the world. His Devil Bringer arm gives him much elemental utility in combat. -
V
The newest addition to the Devil May Cry roster, V is a human with no powers of his own. However, he does find kinship with a trio of demons that he can summon to fight for him. Griffon fights from the air and also acts like an English interpreter for his allies Nightmare and Shadow. -
Dante (DmC)
Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Ninja Theory's excellent DmC Devil May Cry in this list. That team's version of Dante is a bit more modern and inexperienced but learns his powers with the help of side character Kat. He also looks great with a mop on his head. -
Vergil (DMC)
Ninja Theory's take on Vergil is also a bit different, with him acting as an antihero who cares for his brother rather than a villain. He's still a cold soul, but he's much more experienced than Dante and helps him master his newfound abilities.
