Capcom are coming out of the gates swinging in 2019 because Devil May Cry 5 is yet another home run!

Before I get started, I will say that I enjoyed Ninja Theory’s effort from a few years back. It got a lot of things right despite what some might say, but ultimately, it did feel like a respectful homage as opposed to a full-blooded sequel.

Devil May Cry 5 is exactly what all fans would hope for. Brash. Confident. Stylish. It’s a Devil May Cry sequel befitting the original trilogy, more than can be said for the fourth installment.

And one of the things that really seperates it is the different playstyles of each of the three leads – Nero, V, and Dante himself. Quite how Capcom have managed such variety with these guys is astonishing.

Nero has his Devil Bringer – a robot metal arm which can be switched out in multiple ways – from a shock disruptor to Mega Man’s own ultra blaster. This can really mix up the combo in effective, unique ways, combining its unique properties along with gun shots, and sword swipes.

The enigmatic V has his demonic allies to help him combat. The character himself is quite weak and seems deprived of energy, so relies on his demonic allies to do most of his dirty work so he can go for the killing blow.

And then there’s Dante who can do just about everything. Nunchuks, rocket launcher attacks, all while wielding the epic Sword of Sparda. Dante has never been more bad ass, quite frankly, so if this is his last ride then his director has given him a fitting send-off.

Devil May Cry 5 oozes charisma. Bright neon lights, witty one-liners, blaring rock music. All the hallmarks which have defined the series from the very beginning are ever present, but refined, harnessed, polished to perfection.

And it all stems from the flowing, feverish, and incredibly fun combat. The satisfaction of landing blows, building your combos, the movement between cutscenes all just comes together so masterfully.

For me, Devil May Cry 5 might just be the most satisfying slasher I’ve had the pleasure of playing. The more open-natured feel to the world and the amount of secrets that lurk around every corner are quite staggering. Even the story is well measured and paced appropriately.

True, the game is over quite quickly and could probably be bested in a single sitting, especially on a lower difficulty. But this is a game designed to be played more than once. The moves you can buy, the diverging pathways, secret missions and concealed weapons. Not to mention the higher difficulties and even a hidden ending.

Capcom have thought about longevity, something which will be explored further with the Bloody Palace update next month, but the content that we do have already is extremely enjoyable. You can even have other people join your game and you can rate their abilities on the battlefield, though this mode is really limited and could have been developed further.

Though it’s not plain sailing. Load screens are quite regular and sometimes go on longer than expected. Especially when there’s a delay between the final scene and the rating screen as you can be waiting up to several seconds, actually wondering if the game crashed. There’s also some slowdown on a standard PS4 which can be sluggish when moving into action sequences or if there’s a lot of enemy activity on screen.

I also found some of the environments repetitive in the second half of the game, with it sometimes feeling like you’re playing the same level as one or two previous, though the narrative does a good job of keeping things relatively fresh.

All told, though, Devil May Cry 5 is an absolute triumph. It’s a true return to form for a beloved franchise, it’s absolutely full to the brim with smash mouth, in-your-face action, and one of the most stylish and slick fighters you’ll ever have the pleasure of putting on your hard drive.

Capcom’s immense 2019 continues with another must-have game that will satiate fan appetite for more Devil May Cry, while also proving to the naysayers and newcomers alike that there’s plenty of life left in the Son of Sparda, his closest allies and worst nightmares.

Devil May Cry 5 is now available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Review code kindly provided by Publisher. Played on PS4