Let's be real for a second. Playing old games is usually a massive pain in the neck. You either dig a dusty PS2 out of your parents' attic or you spend four hours wrestling with emulator plugins just to get the resolution right. That’s exactly why the Devil May Cry: HD Collection exists, though it’s definitely not perfect. Most people grab it because they want to see where the "Character Action" genre actually started. They want to see Dante before he had a mortgage and a beard.
But here is the thing. This collection is a weird time capsule.
It bundles the original Devil May Cry, the disastrous Devil May Cry 2, and the undisputed masterpiece that is Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening Special Edition. It’s a trilogy of highs and lows. You get the gothic, almost resident-evil-ish vibes of the first game, the "what were they thinking" energy of the second, and the high-octane mechanical perfection of the third. It's a lot of game for one package.
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The Rough Reality of the Port
If you’re expecting a 4K remake from the ground up, you’re going to be disappointed. Honestly, Capcom played it pretty safe here. The Devil May Cry: HD Collection is more of a cleanup job than a renovation.
The gameplay is crisp. It runs at a locked 60 frames per second, which is non-negotiable for a game about frame-perfect parries and air juggles. If it dropped frames, the game would be broken. Simple as that. However, the menus are a different story. For some reason, Capcom left the original 4:3 aspect ratio menus intact. You’ll be playing a beautiful 16:9 combat sequence, pause the game, and suddenly you’re looking at a blurry, tiny square in the middle of your screen. It’s jarring. It’s lazy. But it doesn't affect the combat, so most veterans just shrug it off.
Then there are the FMVs (full-motion videos). These weren't upscaled using fancy AI or re-rendered. They’re just the original PS2 files stretched out. They look crunchy. You can practically see the pixels fighting for their lives. Is it a dealbreaker? Probably not. But it’s a reminder that this is a "Collection," not a "Reimagining."
Why the First Devil May Cry Still Holds Up (Mostly)
The original Devil May Cry was actually supposed to be Resident Evil 4. Hideki Kamiya was directing it, but the combat got so fast and stylish that the higher-ups at Capcom realized it wasn't survival horror anymore. They let him turn it into its own thing.
You can still feel those horror roots. The Mallet Island setting is spooky. The fixed camera angles—which drive modern players crazy—create a sense of claustrophobia that actually works. Dante is a bit more stoic here than he is in later games. He’s cool, but he’s not yet the pizza-eating goofball we know today.
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The Combat Learning Curve
In the first game, you can't just mash buttons. If you try to play it like a modern musou game, the first boss (Phantom, the giant lava spider) will delete your health bar in about six seconds. You have to learn the rhythm. You have to learn that jumping gives you i-frames (invincibility frames).
The Devil May Cry: HD Collection preserves the original difficulty, which is refreshing. It doesn't hold your hand. It expects you to get good. Or die. Usually both.
We Need to Talk About Devil May Cry 2
Look, there is no way to sugarcoat this. Devil May Cry 2 is bad. It’s widely considered the black sheep of the family for a reason. Dante is weirdly quiet. He has the personality of a damp paper towel. The guns are way too powerful, meaning you can basically beat the entire game by standing in a corner and holding the "shoot" button.
The environments are huge and empty. The bosses are forgettable—except for that one building that turns into a monster, which is just bizarre.
Why Is It Even in the Collection?
Technically, it belongs there for completion's sake. If you’re a lore nerd, you might want to see Lucia’s story or see the weird experimental mechanics that eventually led to the better games. But honestly? Most players skip it. If you buy the Devil May Cry: HD Collection, you’re really buying it for 1 and 3. Think of Part 2 as a weird bonus feature that you never actually watch.
The Main Event: Devil May Cry 3
This is why you’re here. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening is arguably the best action game ever made. Bold claim? Maybe. But the depth of the combat system is staggering.
You have the Style system:
- Trickster for movement.
- Swordmaster for melee.
- Gunslinger for ranged.
- Royal Guard for the absolute madmen who want to parry everything.
In the Devil May Cry: HD Collection version of DMC3, you’re playing the Special Edition. This means you can play as Vergil, Dante’s brother. Vergil plays completely differently. He’s precise, fast, and incredibly rewarding if you have the discipline to learn his kit.
The story is also surprisingly good. It’s a prequel, so it explores the rivalry between the two brothers. It’s campy, sure. There’s a scene where Dante eats pizza while fighting demons and another where he uses a motorcycle as a literal chainsaw. It’s ridiculous. It’s "SSS-Rank" entertainment.
Technical Differences and Platform Choice
Where you play the Devil May Cry: HD Collection actually matters a little bit.
- PC (Steam): This is the most flexible version. Thanks to the "DMC HD Collection Fix" and various community mods like DDMK, you can actually add features that Capcom left out—like Style Switching in DMC3 (similar to how it works in DMC4 and 5).
- PlayStation and Xbox: These are the most stable. They just work. If you want the "sit on the couch and slash demons" experience, this is it.
- Nintendo Switch: Here is the curveball. Capcom actually released the games individually on Switch, and the Switch version of Devil May Cry 3 is technically the best official version because it includes Style Switching and all-weapon carry natively. The HD Collection as a single unit isn't exactly the same on Switch, so keep that in mind.
Is It Worth It for Newcomers?
If you’ve only played Devil May Cry 5, going back to the Devil May Cry: HD Collection is going to feel like a bit of a culture shock. You won’t have the "Nero" arm mechanics or the insanely high-fidelity facial animations. You’re going to deal with some wonky camera angles that seem determined to hide enemies from you.
But you’ll also see the soul of the series. You’ll see the encounter design that influenced everything from God of War to Bayonetta.
The difficulty is the main hurdle. These games were made in an era where "Easy Mode" was something you had to unlock by dying three times in a row—basically the game mocking you. But that challenge is exactly what makes the "Smokin' Sexy Style" rank feel so good when you finally earn it.
Common Misconceptions
A lot of people think these games are just "button mashers." That is the quickest way to see a "Game Over" screen. The Devil May Cry: HD Collection rewards intentionality. It's about knowing exactly which move cancels into another. It’s about "Jump Canceling," a mechanic that started as a bug but became the foundation of high-level play.
Getting Started: Actionable Advice
If you just picked up the collection, don't start with 2. Just don't.
Start with the first game to get a feel for the atmosphere. It’s short—you can beat it in about six hours. Then, spend the rest of your time in Devil May Cry 3.
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Pro Tips for Beginners:
- Buy the Purple Orbs first. They increase your Devil Trigger gauge. Being able to stay in demon form longer is a literal lifesaver.
- Learn to Jump. In DMC, jumping has "iframes." You are invincible for the first few frames of a jump. It is often better than dodging.
- Don't spam. The style meter rewards variety. If you use the same combo over and over, your rank will drop to "D" and you’ll get fewer Red Orbs at the end of the mission.
The Devil May Cry: HD Collection isn't a flashy remake, but it is a vital piece of gaming history. It’s the most accessible way to experience the rise of Dante. It’s messy, the menus are ugly, and the second game is a slog, but the heights of DMC1 and DMC3 make it an essential play for anyone who likes hitting things with a giant sword.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of your experience, start by heading into the options menu of Devil May Cry 3 and mapping your "Gun" button to one of the triggers (L2/R2 or LT/RT). This allows you to charge up powerful shots while still performing melee combos with your thumb. It’s a small change that completely transforms how fluid the combat feels. Once you’ve cleared the first game, skip the second and go straight to the third on "Normal" difficulty—don't feel ashamed if you have to use a few Yellow Orbs to get past Cerberus; he’s a notorious "gatekeeper" boss designed to test if you've actually learned the mechanics.
Focus on mastering the "Stinger" move (Forward + Attack) as your primary gap-closer. It’s the most iconic move in the series for a reason. By the time you reach the final showdown in DMC3, you’ll understand why this series defined an entire genre of gaming.