He isn't even the main character. Let's just start there. When Capcom dropped the first trailers for the fourth installment of their gothic action franchise back in the mid-2000s, fans were... confused. Who was this punk kid with the glowing arm? Where was the red coat? But when Dante in Devil May Cry 4 finally makes his grand entrance, crashing through the ceiling of the Opera House and putting a bullet through the Sanctus's skull, it becomes clear. Dante isn't just a guest star; he's the yardstick by which the entire genre is measured.
Honestly, the transition is jarring. You spend half the game mastering Nero’s "Snatch" mechanic and the Exceed system, then suddenly, the game hands you the keys to a Ferrari and says, "Good luck." Dante feels heavier, faster, and infinitely more complex. He doesn't just have one weapon or one gimmick. He has everything.
The Real Power of Dante in Devil May Cry 4
If you look at the technical data, Dante’s presence in this game is actually a bit of a controversial design choice. He backtracks through Nero’s levels. He fights Nero’s bosses. On paper, it sounds lazy. In practice? It’s a masterclass in "Stylish Action." Unlike Nero’s relatively straightforward loop, Dante features a real-time style-switching system that allows players to cycle between Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Trickster, and Royalguard with a tap of the D-pad.
In Devil May Cry 3, you had to commit to a style at a Divinity Statue. Here, you're changing styles mid-air. You can teleport with Trickster, slash with Rebellion in Swordmaster, and then instantly swap to Royalguard to frame-perfect parry an incoming hit. It’s a massive jump in "skill ceiling."
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The Weapons That Define the Legend
Dante’s arsenal in this game is weird, even by DMC standards. You start with the classics—Rebellion and the twin pistols, Ebony and Ivory. But then things get experimental.
- Gilgamesh: The gauntlet and greaves combo. It’s slower than the Beowulf set from the previous game but packs a punch that feels visceral.
- Pandora: This is literally a suitcase that transforms into 666 different forms, including a gatling gun, a bowgun, and a freaking flying missile battery.
- Lucifer: A backpack that lets you toss spectral needles into enemies and detonate them with a rose toss. It’s eccentric. It’s flashy. It’s peak Dante.
The sheer variety means that playing Dante in Devil May Cry 4 feels like playing a fighting game character inside a hack-and-slash. You aren't just mashing buttons; you're orchestrating a symphony of violence.
Why the "Backtracking" Actually Works
People love to complain about the second half of the game. They say it’s repetitive. I get it. Walking backward through the Mitis Forest or the Fortuna Castle isn't exactly groundbreaking level design. However, there’s a narrative and mechanical purpose here.
Dante is a force of nature. When Nero struggles through these environments, he's a kid trying to find his way. When Dante arrives, he's cleaning house. The boss fights against Berial or Bael take on a completely different flavor. With Nero, it’s a desperate struggle of grabbing and slamming. With Dante, it’s a playground. You can use the Dreadnaught form to tank hits or use the "Distorted Real Impact" glitch (which Capcom famously left in because it was so cool) to delete health bars.
It’s about perspective. Dante represents the "old guard" showing the "new guy" how it’s done. Even the cutscenes reflect this. Dante is never truly in danger during DMC4. He’s just waiting for Nero to grow up.
Mastering the Style Switcher
If you want to actually get good at playing Dante in Devil May Cry 4, you have to stop thinking about the game as a series of encounters and start thinking about it as a combo video. The most elite players—guys like Donguri990 on YouTube—showed us what the engine is actually capable of.
- Inertia: This is a hidden mechanic where Dante carries momentum from one move into another. If you use a move like Sky Star (Trickster) and then instantly switch styles and use an attack, you can drift across the battlefield in ways the developers probably didn't even fully intend.
- Guard Flying: By combining the recoil of the Pandora weapon with high-speed style switching into Royalguard, you can literally fly across the arena.
- The Weapon Cycle: You have to get used to the fact that Dante has three melee weapons and three ranged weapons equipped at all times. Tapping the triggers to cycle through these while also switching styles is what separates the "D" ranks from the "SSS" ranks.
It’s overwhelming at first. You'll probably fumble the D-pad and accidentally switch to Gunslinger when you meant to Trickster out of the way of a thrust. That’s fine. The game is designed to be replayed.
The Cultural Impact of the "Uncle Dante" Era
This version of Dante is often called "Uncle Dante" by the community. He’s older, he’s got a bit of stubble, and his coat is more detailed with those cowboy-style chaps. He’s also more laid back. His interaction with the boss Agnus is essentially a theatrical play, complete with dramatic lighting and Shakespearean delivery.
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This version of the character solidified his identity. He isn't just the "cool guy" from the 2001 original. He’s a dork who happens to be the most powerful being on the planet. That duality—the ability to be incredibly goofy one second and terrifyingly lethal the next—is why we're still talking about Dante in Devil May Cry 4 nearly two decades later.
Actionable Steps for New Players
If you're picking up the Special Edition today, don't get discouraged when you switch from Nero to Dante. It’s a different game.
Start by sticking to one style for a whole mission. Get comfortable with Swordmaster. Once you know the moves, start trying to switch just once per combo. "Swordmaster for the ground combo, Trickster to close the gap." Don't try to be a pro on day one.
Also, learn to use the Coyote-A shotgun. It’s arguably one of the best tools in Dante’s kit for crowd control and building style points quickly. Point-blank shots followed by a quick style-cancel can keep your momentum high while keeping enemies at bay.
Focus on the Royalguard style early on. Even if you just practice the basic block, it builds a gauge that lets you unleash a "Release" attack. It’s the most satisfying move in the game. When you see a boss charging up their big hit, timing that "Just Release" perfectly will take off a massive chunk of their health and instantly jump your style rank to SSS.
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Dante in this game is a mountain. You don't climb it in an afternoon. You spend years learning the nuances of his movement and his absurdly deep move list. But once it clicks? No other character in action gaming feels quite as rewarding.
Next Steps for Success:
- Download the DMC4 Hook: If you are on PC, look for the "DMC4 Hook" or "Trainer" tools. These allow you to practice with infinite health or disable certain limits, making it much easier to learn the high-level movement tech like Guard Flying.
- Study the Frame Data: Check community wikis for the "Invincibility Frames" (i-frames) on Dante’s rolls and Trickster dashes. Knowing exactly when you are untouchable is the key to surviving on Dante Must Die difficulty.
- Watch Professional Combo MADs: Go to platforms like YouTube or Bilibili and search for "DMC4 Dante Combo MAD." Seeing what is possible will change how you view the "Stinger" or "High Time" moves forever.