So, you’ve probably seen a dozen videos of Donguri or some other combo god making Dante look like he’s playing a completely different game. It’s intimidating. You pick up the controller, try to mimic a devil may cry guide you found on a forum, and immediately get smacked out of the air by a random Empusa. Honestly, it's frustrating because the game doesn't really tell you that the "correct" way to play isn't actually about the flashy stuff—at least not at first.
The problem with most tutorials is they focus on the "what" and not the "why." You don't need to know how to do a triple-S rank combo if you don't understand the fundamental physics of enemy weight and gravity. It's about rhythm. DMC is basically a rhythm game where the music is made of swords and gunfire.
Stop Mashing and Start Thinking About Gravity
If you’re still on the ground, you’re losing. That’s the most basic rule of thumb in the series, specifically from Devil May Cry 3 onwards. Being on the floor means you’re vulnerable to every trash mob with a melee weapon. Once you get an enemy in the air, you are the one in control.
High Side. Helm Breaker. Million Stab. These aren't just cool names; they are tools for manipulating space. If you want a functional devil may cry guide strategy, you have to master the "Launch." Once that Scarecrow or Hell Caina is airborne, they are effectively a training dummy. You can stay up there forever if you know how to Jump Cancel.
Jump Canceling is the "secret sauce." It’s not just for pros. By jumping off an enemy’s hitbox mid-attack, you reset your move list. It sounds technical, but it’s really just pressing the jump button the second your blade touches their face. This lets you spam moves like Dante’s Killer Bee or Nero’s Calibur without ever touching the dirt. If you aren't doing this, you're playing at 20% capacity.
The Style Meter is Your Real Health Bar
Most people look at the Style Meter—that letter grade on the right of the screen—and think it’s just for bragging rights. Wrong. In Devil May Cry 5, your rank actually dictates the music and, more importantly, your resource gains.
👉 See also: Gears of War 2 Brackish Waters: The Most Frustrating Mission That We All Secretly Love
You want to hit that SSS rank not because it looks cool (though it does), but because it forces you to stop being boring. The game penalizes repetition. If you just use Rebellion’s basic combo over and over, your rank will tank. The game is literally telling you, "Hey, this is getting stale."
Switch weapons mid-combo. It's the only way.
Let's talk about Dante. Managing four styles and a dozen weapons is a nightmare for beginners. Most experts like Matthewmatosis or PatStaresAt will tell you to stick to one or two styles initially. Master Swordmaster for the extra moves, then learn Trickster for the mobility. Don't worry about Royal Guard yet. Royal Guard is for when you've memorized enemy frame data. If you try to parry everything early on, you’re just going to die with a D-rank.
Why Nero is the Secret MVP
Nero gets a bad rap from some old-school fans because he isn't Dante. But honestly? Nero’s Devil Breakers in DMC5 are the most creative addition to the franchise.
✨ Don't miss: GH World Tour Song List: Why This Soundtrack Still Hits Different
- Overture: It’s a giant electric palm. Simple.
- Gerbera: It’s basically a jetpack for your arm.
- Punch Line: You can literally ride your arm like a hoverboard.
The trick is knowing when to blow them up. "Break Away" is a defensive tool. If you’re caught in a grab, you sacrifice the arm to get out. It’s a resource management game. Don't hoard your breakers. They are everywhere. Use them, break them, and move on to the next one.
The Misconception of Difficulty
There is this weird myth that Devil May Cry is "Dark Souls hard." It isn't. It’s "Action Game hard."
In a Soulslike, the goal is survival. In DMC, the goal is expression. On "Human" or "Devil Hunter" difficulty, the game is actually quite forgiving. The real game starts on "Son of Sparda" and "Dante Must Die" (DMD).
In DMD mode, enemies get "Devil Trigger." They get tougher, they don't flinch, and they hit like trucks. This is where your devil may cry guide knowledge actually matters. You can't just style on them; you have to manage the crowd. If you leave an enemy off-camera, they are less likely to attack. This is a deliberate design choice by Capcom. Use the camera as a shield. If you can't see them, they (usually) can't hurt you.
The Vergil Factor
You can't talk about a devil may cry guide without mentioning the Motivation Man himself. Vergil is the ultimate power trip, but he requires the most discipline.
His "Concentration" meter is the opposite of Dante’s chaos. If you run around, whiff attacks, or take damage, the meter drops. If you stand still, walk slowly, and time your hits perfectly, you become a god. Playing Vergil is about economy of movement. One perfectly timed Judgement Cut is worth more than fifty random slashes.
It’s a different mindset. Dante is a party; Vergil is a surgery.
👉 See also: Finding Skins for Minecraft Cool Enough to Actually Wear
Practical Steps for Getting Better Right Now
If you actually want to see results next time you boot up the game, stop trying to do what you see on YouTube and do these three things instead:
- Go to the Void: This is the training mode. Turn on "Infinite Devil Breakers" or "Infinite DT" just to get the muscle memory for Jump Canceling. Do it for 10 minutes.
- Remap your buttons: The default layout is often garbage. Put Nero’s "Blue Rose" (gun) on a shoulder button (like L1 or R1). This allows you to hold down the charge shot while you’re busy slashing with your sword. You should always be charging your gun. Always.
- Watch the enemy's feet: Most telegraphs in DMC aren't in the hands; they are in the stance. When a Knight prepares to charge, its weight shifts.
The biggest hurdle is the "Wall." Everyone hits it. Usually, it’s the Vergil 3 fight in DMC3 or the Cavaliere Angelo in DMC5. When you hit that wall, don't try to power through with items. Gold Orbs are a trap; they kill your rank and prevent you from actually learning the boss's patterns. Die. It's fine. Die twenty times until you can see the boss’s moves in slow motion.
That’s the reality of the series. It’s not about being a natural; it’s about failing stylishly until you stop failing. Once it clicks, no other action game will ever feel fast enough again.
Next Steps for Your Gameplay:
- Remap Gun/Exceed: Move Nero’s gun and Dante’s projectile buttons to the triggers so you can charge them during melee.
- Master the Shuffle: Learn the back-to-forward inputs for moves like Stinger or Shuffle; these are your primary gap-closers.
- Focus on the "Small" Enemies: Spend a mission focusing entirely on staying in the air. If you touch the ground, consider the encounter a loss. This builds the verticality mindset needed for higher difficulties.