From blockbuster releases like Monster Hunter World and Resident Evil 2 Remake, to nostalgia hits like the Beat ‘Em Up Bundle and Mega Man 11, Capcom feels like a company that can do no wrong.
This is a trend that looks certain to continue with the excellent Devil May Cry 5, which has a March 8 release date on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Devil May Cry 5 features the same razor-sharp action the series is famous for, as the demon-hunting duo of Dante and Nero return with an arsenal of swords, guns and robotic weaponry.
But Devil May Cry 5 also introduces an intriguing new playable character named V, who is described by game director Hideaki Itsuno and producer Matt Walker as the catalyst for the events of the new game, and one of the reasons DMC 5 was developed in the first place.
After slaying a boatload of demons with the enigmatic new character, I’m happy to report that Devil May 5’s newest addition is really V. good!
Equipped with a book of poetry, a cane and three demonic familiars, V isn’t your average Devil May Cry playable character.
He’s not the most nimble fighter, he isn’t a great swordsman and he can’t take much in the way of punishment.
“Upon first glance, he does seem like a pretty complex character,” Itsuno and Walker explain.
“There’s a lot going on with him, because he’s got these familiars, he’s got the book and he has to go in for the last hit. There’s a lot going on there. But, we’ve balanced him to be a pretty powerful character.”
V’s power comes from his ability to summon familiars to do his fighting. And if you keep your distance while mashing the action buttons, you’ll start to see similarities between V and DMC stalwarts like Dante.
Indeed, as Itsuno points out, V’s familiar Shadow is essentially his melee attack, while Griffin is an approximation of his ranged attack. Then there’s his Devil Trigger, which summons a colossal demon called Nightmare to wreak destruction.
“If you’ve played Devil May Cry before, you may recognise these enemies from past games,” Itsuno reveals.
But the biggest difference between V and Dante is that our Devil May Cry newbie carries a book of William Blake poetry into battle!
Poetry readings in a Devil May Cry game? It’s not something we ever expected to see, but it does have an interesting and rather useful upshot.
Itsuno explains more: “What you can do is pull that out and read it at any time, particularly during a battle. The closer you are to the enemy as you’re reading that book, the faster your devil trigger gauge will fill up.
“But, you can only walk while you’re reading that book, so there’s this kind of risk vs reward element to it.”
With fighting familiars, a fondness for poetry and an upgradeable cane used to deliver death blows to dazed enemies, Devil May Cry 5’s new character is V. intriguing, V. unique and really V. good.
