Ranking the Devil May Cry games

It's hard to believe that Devil May Cry has been around for almost 18 years now. When it first was released, it redefined the Hack-and-Slash genre, building upon earlier 2D ventures like Strider and the original Ninja Gaiden and presented it in 3D. There's been a lot of installments to this series since then, from 4 sequels and a failed reboot. With Devil May Cry V releasing today, what better way to celebrate the series return than ranking where each game ranks. Now, without further ado:

5) Devil May Cry 2

Devil May Cry 2 is…… Devil May Cry 2. Honestly, there isn't that much left to say about this uninspired sequel. For years, Devil May Cry 2 has been one of the biggest punching bags in gaming. You can go on any list of the most disappointing video game sequels of all time, and nine times out of 1, Devil May Cry 2 will be there. But, I'll try to keep things short.

Devil May Cry 2 took everything that made the original Devil May Cry great and dialed it down by a lot. Gone were the enemies that would continuously attack you, causing you to mix your strategies up, and are now replaced with dull demons that wait their turn to die. You could just fire your guns, and that would get the job done. For a series that is known for its weapons-based action, that's inexcusable.

I could go on and on about Devil May Cry 2, but you're better off reading the dozens upon dozens of lists that have circled the net. No matter what way you look at it, Devil May Cry 2 comes up short.

4) Devil May Cry

The game that started it all, Devil May Cry was initially conceived as a sequel to Resident Evil, and It shows. From the fixed camera angles to the constant backtracking and puzzle solving, the essence of Capcom's survival-horror series is here on display. However, that quickly changed and Devil May Cry eventually became its own thing.

Devil May Cry is an old game, and it shows. The combat isn't as refined as more recent entries, though there still some skill required and it is always entertaining. The story is pretty light on substance, having to pause the game to swap weapons is a real pain, and the camera will lead to your death more times than the actual enemies will. That being said, does all of that make the original bad? Not really.

Devil May Cry is a game that gets by because of Nostalgia, so It's understandable for younger audiences to be put off by some of its design flaws. It's still a decent title that most will be able to get through, despite some of its quirks. Like Dark Souls, it's a game that makes you work for your enjoyment, but it's one that's far more forgiving than Namco's Controller throwing simulator.

3) devil may cry 4

Devil May Cry 4 looked to be a new start for the series. Starring newcomer Nero, the story focused on him and his journey to takedown franchise hero, Dante, after he seemingly killed the leader of Nero's religious order. It was clear that DMC 4 wanted to differentiate its self from past games, and it showed.

Nero's Devil Breaker Arm and Motorbike-like Sword, Red Queen, offered a much different take on the series hack-and-slash combat than what fans were used too. Along with Nero, Dante made a return as a playable character, now allowing you to change his combat styles on the fly. Along with the same great combat the series is known for, the latest installment featured the best boss battles in the series history, providing players with a good challenge.

That all being said, while Devil May Cry 4 was able to scratch by with its excellent combat and entertaining storytelling, everything else seemed to be lacking. While it was nice for the devs to mix things up with some platforming and puzzles, the controls just weren't up to snuff for these parts. Level design was also laking, as you essentially replayed the same few levels and boss fights, but in reverse order. It was clear the series needed to step things up for the next installment. Speaking of which…..

2) DMC: devil may cry

Okay yes, DMC: Devil May Cry did a lot of things differently that alienated fans. After Devil May Cry 4, Capcom wanted to try something new out and hired Ninja Theory to give their take on the series. Yes, the new Dante could be a prick, but he wasn't as unlikable as fans made him out to be. He still had a lot of snark and wisecracks to give.

DMC: Devil May Cry was still an excellent game, despite anger over Dante's new look. Combat retained the fast-paced action that the series was known for, allowing you to rack up tons of combos. Dante's Scythe and Battle-Ax were great new additions that let you swap them during mid-combo. Meanwhile, level design and platforming were much improved over past games, making for some much-needed variety.

The story, despite questionable some writing, managed to tell an entertaining tale of corporate corruption and taking down the 1%. Sadly, a lot of this quality didn't translate into sales as DMC flopped. While the game has it's fans, a lot of longtime fans were just too put off by the direction Ninja Theory was going for. It's highly unlikely we'll see a continuation of this version of Devil May Cry, as Ninja Theory is owned by Microsoft and Capcom is going back to the series roots with Devil May Cry V.

1) Devil May Cry 3

After the disaster of Devil May Cry 2, Capcom and game director, Hideaki Itsuno, knew that they had a lot to do to gain trust from fans of the original. Taking all the criticisms to heart, Devil May Cry 3 made for one hell of an apology letter. Rather than continuing from where Devil May Cry 2 left off, DMC 3 decided to take things back to when Dante was a young, cocky kid, who's just starting his own business of demon slaying.

Devil May Cry 3 told an inane and eccentric story of Dante's rivalry with his twin brother, Virgil, that would cause the two to battle each other and work together to stop an unknown foe. Along with revamped difficulty, Devil May Cry 3 introduced the style system that allowed you to choose how you played. Do you prefer using guns, swords, doing mid-air tricks, or playing defensively? It was up to you and the game rewarded you for playing your way.

While the challenge did take things a bit too far, Capcom re-released a special edition that toned it down a bit to make the game feel fairer and allowed Virgil to be a playable character. Still, even with its hang-ups, few games can come close to the depth, challenge and over-the-top action that was on display with Devil May Cry 3. It' still one of the best action games you'll ever play.

So, that's our list. Do you agree? Where would you rank each Devil May Cry game? Leave a comment down below.