Devil May Cry 5

Devil May Cry 5 is the classic action series returning in full force, and a showcase of just how well Capcom's RE Engine serves them. The demonic tree Qliphoth has grown through Red Grave City, its roots draining blood from people, with the mysterious Urizen behind it all. Three playable characters take him on in turn: the young hunter Nero with his prosthetic arm, the mysterious and physically weak V, and finally Dante with his full arsenal. The campaign is split into short missions that can be replayed for a better rank, a model typical of the series and still effective today.

Each character plays completely differently, which is the game's greatest strength. Nero uses interchangeable Devil Breakers, single-use prosthetics with special effects, and his style is built around pulling enemies in and sustaining combos. V never fights personally; instead he sends a panther, a bird and a giant golem into battle and only finishes off weakened opponents himself. Dante switches between four combat styles and a whole range of weapons in real time, the most demanding but also the most rewarding way to play. The style rating at the end of every encounter pushes the player toward variety and against repetition, since mashing the same attack over and over stops adding points.

Technically this was one of the smoothest, cleanest action games of the generation: photorealistic characters, detailed effects and the tight control response that matters so much in this genre. The music mixes metal and electronica, with character themes dynamically kicking in when the player holds a high style rating, one of the best-conceived musical ideas in action games. Reception was excellent, and the game brought the series back to the top after a long pause. Today Devil May Cry 5 is a textbook example of the genre: simply accessible on lower difficulties and nearly bottomlessly deep for anyone who decides to truly master the combat system.