It has been seven years since the game’s original launch, and now, Devil May Cry 5 is available on the Switch 2 as the Devil Hunter Edition.
The game’s Switch 2 version is based on the DMC5: Special Edition, which was released in November 2020 for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Given that the Switch 2’s hardware is not on par with the two aforementioned consoles (given its hybrid design), we were curious to see how well DMC5 performs on Nintendo’s console.
We were also interested to see how it looks. In this regard, we have high hopes, as the last-gen version of DMC5 is still a good-looking game. After all, Switch 2’s hardware capabilities are typically comparable to the PS4 in terms of visuals.
Before we get into the performance and visuals of the Devil Hunter Edition, we wanted to take a look back at DMC5, a game that was a long time coming for the series.
Looking Back at the Latest Devil May Cry Game
It’s fair to say that Devil May Cry is one of Capcom’s most iconic franchises, especially in the PS2 era. The series’ direction went a bit astray with DmC: Devil May Cry, the 2013 reboot that tried to appeal to a wider audience. In the process, the game lost most of what made the first four DMC games special.
Fans of the series had to wait a while, but Capcom finally returned to the series with Devil May Cry 5, which was a return to the original timeline. The game was met with great reviews from critics and fans alike. In fact, it even became an entry point to the series for many gamers who have not played the original Devil May Cry games.
I was one of those players, as I didn’t get far into the first DMC game (I found it too hard as a kid). To be exact, DMC5: Special Edition was the version I played on the PS5, and I found it to be a fun action game that has a surprising amount of depth if you’re willing to learn the intricacies of its combat system.
After returning to the game with its Switch 2 release, I found that my opinion of DMC5 hasn’t changed much. If you’ve never played a Devil May Cry game before, this is a great place to start gameplay-wise, as the combat is fairly easy to learn, even with all the weapons at your disposal and the fact that you play as multiple characters.
It helps that you can get by with mashing buttons and just switching up your weapons when you feel like it when playing on the Devil Hunter (or Normal) difficulty. Of course, you can’t just attack without thought, as there are still tough enemies on the normal difficulty setting.
To get the most out of the game’s action combat system, though, you’ll want to aim for a high Style Rank for each encounter. You get a higher rank the more “stylish” your moves are in battle. This isn’t as easy as it seems, as you can’t button-mash your way to an SSS rank, meaning you’ll need to plan your moves more. If you need extra motivation, you can choose a higher difficulty mode, though you’ll need to play through the game on Normal to unlock these.
In all, the action in this game is great. It also doesn’t get old as you get to play as multiple characters, though upon replaying, I still find V’s playstyle to be the least engaging, given that I much prefer to slash and shoot as Dante or Nero.
One thing I have to admit is that, while I think DMC5 is a fun action game with an incredibly deep combat system, it’s not a game that has resonated with me enough to seek out SSS ranks for each combat encounter. Again, this is just personal preference, and I still think it’s an action game that’s well worth playing.
Plus, while the game’s story is fun, you may find yourself a bit lost if you haven’t played the previous games. By the sheer charm of the characters, you’ll still have a good time, but it’s clear that this game’s story shines for long-time fans.
The Switch 2 Port has Great Performance
With my thoughts on DMC5 after a replay out of the way, let’s talk about how it looks and plays on Switch 2. Whether you play in handheld or docked mode, you’ll enjoy great visuals with the Devil Hunter Edition. Sure, graphics aren’t as good as the PS5 version, but the great thing here is that it matches up well to the PS4 version. As I mentioned above, the PS4 version still looks great, so you won’t have to worry about subpar visuals with this release.
As for performance, the game delivers a steady 60 FPS framerate on both modes. That means you can enjoy the game while on the go without major FPS drops. This is great, especially given that DMC5 surprisingly works well as a game to play in short bursts. That’s because combat is typically divided into small, self-contained encounters, which means you can play a bit, stop, and pick it back up again when you have extra time.
An interesting thing about the game is that, if you set the Switch 2’s output to 120Hz, the game will run at a higher framerate. It’s not a locked 120FPS, but it’s noticeably faster (around 90-100 FPS, based on tests by various publications/channels).
We don’t exactly recommend playing on this mode while docked, though, as the docked mode does not have Variable Refresh Rate support, so you may get some noticeable screen tearing. On the flip side, you can get a better experience with the 120Hz mode in handheld mode, as this mode supports VRR.
In terms of visuals and performance, this Switch 2 version is a good port. It also comes with most of the additions in the Special Edition. The only exception is the lack of the Legendary Dark Knight mode. This makes sense, given that the LDK difficulty adds way more enemies; something that the Switch 2 probably won’t be able to handle.
Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition Final Verdict – 8/10
Overall, Capcom has done a great job porting Devil May Cry 5 to the Switch 2. Even seven years after its initial release, DMC5 still holds up well thanks to its combat that’s both in-depth and still accessible.
As for the port itself, the Devil Hunter Edition runs well and looks great, making it a worthy buy for Switch 2 owners who have yet to experience this game.
This review was made via a Switch 2 game code provided by the publisher.