Let’s be real. Most action games treat their protagonists like glorified hitboxes with a cool coat. But Capcom didn't do that. When devil may cry 5 characters hit the scene in 2019, they didn't just bring better graphics; they brought a level of mechanical personality that honestly makes other hack-and-slash titles feel a bit hollow. You aren't just playing a different skin when you swap between Nero, Dante, or V. You’re playing an entirely different philosophy of combat. It’s chaotic. It’s stylish. It’s incredibly deep.
Dante: The Living Arsenal
Dante is the heart of this franchise, obviously. But in the fifth installment, he feels more like a final boss that you just happen to be controlling. His complexity is legendary. While most games give you two or three weapons, Dante gives you an entire warehouse. You’ve got the Rebellion (or the DSD), Balrog for those punchy Balboa vibes, the Cavaliere—which is literally a motorcycle he breaks in half to use as chainsaws—and King Cerberus.
The learning curve? It's vertical.
The genius of his design lies in the Style system. Trickster for movement, Royal Guard for the brave souls who love parrying, Gunslinger for the flashy stuff, and Swordmaster for raw damage. To play Dante well, you aren't just mashing buttons. You're orchestrating a symphony. You’re switching styles mid-air to teleport, then swapping to a shotgun, then transitioning into a bike combo. It’s overwhelming for beginners, but once it clicks, you feel untouchable. It’s probably the most sophisticated character kit ever put into a 3D action game, period.
Nero and the Devil Breaker Gamble
Nero is where things get controversial for some long-time fans. He lost his Devil Bringer arm at the start of the game, which felt like a massive nerf until we saw the Devil Breakers. These prosthetic arms are disposable. That’s the catch. You can't just scroll through them like a menu; you have to break the one you’re using or "burn" it to get to the next one in the magazine.
It forces you to think.
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If you have Overture equipped but you really need the time-slowing bubble from Ragtime for a boss, you have to sacrifice your current tool. It’s a brilliant bit of game design by Hideaki Itsuno. It adds a layer of resource management to a series that usually only cares about how fast you can hit "Triple S" rank. Nero’s combat is also defined by the Exceed system. Ramping up his sword, the Red Queen, like a motorcycle engine mid-swing is still one of the most satisfying "game feel" moments in the industry. It’s tactile. It’s loud. It’s aggressive.
The V Problem: Why He’s the Most Misunderstood
Then there’s V. He’s the outlier.
Instead of swinging a sword, V reads poetry while his summons—Griffon, Shadow, and Nightmare—do the dirty work. A lot of players find him "boring" because you can technically mash buttons and win on lower difficulties. But that's missing the point. On Dante Must Die difficulty, V becomes a high-stakes game of positioning. You are fragile. One hit and you're cooked. You have to manage the positioning of three different entities while keeping yourself out of the line of fire.
He represents the "Vergil" side of the story in a way that feels tragic and frail. Using Nightmare, the giant colossus that drops from the sky, feels like calling in a tactical nuke. It’s a different kind of power fantasy. It’s less about your reflexes and more about your ability to multitask under pressure.
Vergil: The DLC King
We can't talk about devil may cry 5 characters without mentioning the "Alpha and the Omega." Vergil was technically added later, but his presence looms over the whole narrative. His playstyle is the antithesis of Dante's. Where Dante is flamboyant and messy, Vergil is surgical.
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The Concentration gauge is the mechanic that defines him. If you run around like a maniac or miss your swings, you lose power. If you stand still, dodge perfectly, and land your hits, you become a god. His "Judgment Cut End" is still the most visually stunning move in the game. It’s basically a screen-clearing slash that happens in a blink. Playing Vergil feels like being the smartest person in the room. You aren't working hard; you're working efficiently.
The Ladies of Devil May Cry: Nico, Trish, and Lady
It's a bit of a bummer that Trish and Lady weren't playable in the base game or the Special Edition. They’ve been such huge parts of the lore. Lady, the human demon hunter with a rocket launcher, and Trish, the demon who looks like Dante’s mom (it’s weird, we know), are mostly relegated to cutscenes here.
However, Nico is the breakout star.
As the daughter of Agnus and the granddaughter of the woman who made Dante's iconic Ebony and Ivory pistols, she’s the glue. Her "Devil May Cry" van is a mobile sanctuary. Her personality is abrasive, funny, and incredibly charming. She gives the world of DMC 5 a sense of history. She isn't just a shopkeeper; she’s a character with a legacy that ties back to the very roots of the series' lore.
Why the Character Design Works
What Capcom nailed here is "visual storytelling through mechanics." You can tell Nero is a hothead because his moves are wide, swinging, and require literal revving. You can tell V is dying because he’s physically detached from the fight. You can tell Dante is a master because his kit is so vast it borders on the absurd.
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These aren't just tropes. They are integrated into the buttons you press.
The game uses the RE Engine to make these characters look startlingly real. The facial animations during the more emotional beats—especially toward the end when the family tree finally gets sorted out—are top-tier. You see the regret in Dante's eyes and the desperate need for validation in Nero's. It’s a far cry from the "pizza-eating woohoo man" vibes of the early 2000s, even though that DNA is still very much present.
Misconceptions About the Roster
One thing people get wrong is thinking that you need to master all of them to enjoy the game. You don't. Each character is designed to teach you something different.
- Nero teaches you rhythm and timing (Exceed).
- V teaches you battlefield awareness and positioning.
- Dante teaches you creativity and resourcefulness.
- Vergil teaches you discipline.
If you’re struggling with one, it’s usually because you’re trying to play them like someone else. You can't play Dante like Nero. You'll run out of momentum. You can't play V like Vergil. You'll just die.
Actionable Tips for Mastering the DMC 5 Roster
If you're jumping back into the game or trying to climb those leaderboard ranks, here’s how to actually get better with these characters without losing your mind.
- For Nero: Map your "Gun" button (Blue Rose) to a shoulder button like R2 or L2. This allows you to constantly hold a charge while you’re busy performing sword combos with your thumb. It’s a game-changer for keeping your style rank up.
- For Dante: Don't try to use all four styles at once. Pick two—like Swordmaster and Trickster—and get comfortable switching between just those. Once your muscle memory takes over, add a third. If you try to do it all at once, you'll just end up standing still while a demon chews on your head.
- For V: Keep your summons active by holding their respective buttons even when they aren't attacking. Also, remember that V is the one who has to deliver the final blow. Don't wait for the enemies to die; get in there and use your cane as soon as they turn purple.
- For Everyone: Go into the "The Void" (the practice mode). It’s not just for pros. It’s the only place where you can safely figure out the "cancel" windows for your animations. Learning how to jump-cancel (using a jump to reset your attack animation) is the secret sauce to infinite air combos.
The beauty of devil may cry 5 characters is that the ceiling is essentially non-existent. You can play this game for 500 hours and still find a new way to link a move or a more efficient way to dispatch a group of Empusas. It’s a masterclass in character-driven action that hasn't been topped since its release. If you’re looking for depth, this is the deep end of the pool. Dive in.
To truly master the mechanics, start by focusing on Nero's "Max-Act" timing in the training room. This single skill—hitting the rev trigger at the exact moment a swing connects—increases your damage output and mobility more than any other basic mechanic in the game. Once you can do that consistently, the rest of the game's complexities will start to feel much more manageable. After that, spend time in the Bloody Palace to test your endurance and see which character's flow actually matches your personal playstyle.