Devil May Cry 5: Complete Beginner's Guide

Getting Started in Devil May Cry 5

DMC5 opens with Nero in Red Grave City — damaged, his Devil Breaker arm gone, hunting the demon Urizen. The prologue teaches core controls and the Style system's basics. Start on Devil Hunter (normal) difficulty; Son of Sparda and Dante Must Die are for veterans who've completed the game. Your first goal: understand that S and above requires move variety — never repeat the same attack twice in quick succession.

Core Mechanics to Master

Style Rank rises when you perform varied, creative actions and falls when you take damage or repeat moves. Combine melee, gun attacks, aerial combos, and special moves in sequence. For Nero: Exceed system charges his Red Queen sword's Rev — timing button holds after hits fills the meter for powered slashes. For Dante: map all four Styles and switch between them freely mid-combo for maximum style expression. Use the Taunt button — it briefly prevents Style rank decay and looks great.

Best Early Skills

For Nero: unlock Streak (dash forward attack) and Calibur (aerial kick) first for combo extenders. Exceed Level 3 is essential — practice the timing. For Dante: unlock all four Styles as soon as possible then invest in Swordmaster's Drive and Gunslinger's Rain Storm. For V: Griffon's Thunderclap is his best damage move; level it first. All characters benefit from Devil Trigger upgrades — the DT burst is your emergency save-button.

Essential Tips

1. Watch the timer — staying airborne keeps enemies off the ground and makes combos easier.
2. Switch weapons freely — Dante's weapon swap mid-combo is his primary style-building tool.
3. Use Taunts — they buy combo time and contribute to Style rank without dealing damage.
4. Never take damage — a single hit resets your Style rank to D. Learn enemy attack patterns.

First Major Boss: Goliath

Goliath is DMC5's first memorable boss — a massive demon with fire breath and slam attacks. Stay mobile and use Nero's Buster Arm Devil Breaker for thrown-object catches (he throws debris; catch it and throw it back). His weak point is the purple gem on his back; aerial combos reach it reliably. Phase 2 he grows larger — the Buster Arm grab opportunity is his shoulder-slam recovery. Exceed Level 3 slam on his vulnerable back between phases for massive damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to play DMC1-4 first?
A: No, but DMC3 and 4 add appreciated character context. The game provides sufficient background through cutscenes.

Q: How is the Special Edition different?
A: Adds Vergil as a fully playable character with his own campaign, Turbo Mode, and Legendary Dark Knight difficulty. Essential upgrade.

Q: What's the highest difficulty?
A: Heaven or Hell (one hit kills everything including you) and Hell and Hell (you die in one hit, enemies have normal health) are the extremes.