Do You Need to Play Devil May Cry 4 Before Jumping into Devil May Cry 5?
As an avid fan who has eagerly awaited the release of Devil May Cry 5, I‘ve been asked a lot recently if players need to go back and play through Devil May Cry 4 first. After all, DMC5 is a direct sequel that picks up the story 5 years later.
I fully understand the desire to immediately jump right into the exhilarating combat and stunning visuals of the newest entry. But I strongly recommend taking the time to play through DMC4 first. Here‘s why:
DMC4 Provides Crucial Story Background
DMC5 continues the stories of characters like Nero, Dante, and Trish from DMC4. It builds right off the cliffhanger ending in DMC4 where Nero begins questioning his origins.
Without the full context from DMC4, you‘ll miss out on details about Nero‘s family history, his relationships with the other demon hunters, and the unresolved plot threads DMC5 picks back up. I tried jumping right into DMC5 myself at first and definitely felt I was lacking some important backstory.
DMC4 does an excellent job developing Nero‘s cocky but heroic personality and establishing his dynamic with Dante. Seeing their rivalry and banter pay off in DMC5 hits differently once you‘ve grown attached to the characters in DMC4.
DMC4‘s Gameplay Deepens Your Skills
DMC5 brings back Nero as a playable character utilizing the same iconic Red Queen sword and Blue Rose revolver from DMC4. So playing as him in DMC4 will make you instantly comfortable with his moveset when you take control in DMC5.
The Exceed system returns in DMC5 as well, allowing you to rev Nero‘s sword during combos to boost his attacks. Mastering the precise timing for Exceeds in DMC4 will lend you a huge leg up for maximizing your damage potential with Nero in DMC5.
In general, DMC4 emphasizes timing, spacing, and canceling moves smoothly together – skills fundamental to excelling at DMC5‘s combat. The hours you spend honing your combo execution in DMC4 will translate directly into pulling off impressive high-level techniques in DMC5.
DMC4 Has Stood the Test of Time
DMC4 first released in 2008, but it holds up incredibly well even today. Its combat still feels responsive, impactful, and offers tons of depth with Nero and Dante‘s varied movesets. Many critics, myself included, argue DMC4 features some of the best combat ever found in an action game even a decade later.
The DMC4: Special Edition re-release makes the gameplay even tighter. It adds the lightning-fast Turbo Mode, tougher Legendary Dark Knight difficulty, and three new playable characters – Vergil, Trish, and Lady. The Special Edition is the definitive way to experience DMC4‘s phenomenal combat.
DMC4 is Fast-Paced and Replayable
An important point is that DMC4 won‘t require a huge investment of your time before jumping into DMC5. I was able to complete my first run through DMC4 in just over 8 hours. Focusing just on main story missions, you‘re looking at a 6-8 hour playthrough.
And you‘ll likely want to replay levels multiple times to improve your combat rankings or try the new characters. The relatively short length and replay value make it easy to fit DMC4 into your schedule.
Critics and Fans Urge Playing DMC4 First
In researching whether to play DMC4 before DMC5, I looked to reviews and forums to see what long-time series fans recommend. The consensus among critics and Devil May Cry veterans seems nearly universal – play DMC4 first.
Destructoid‘s score of DMC5 praises it as an amazing return to form but explicitly states "…you owe it to yourself to catch up properly by playing DMC4 first." Many fans on Reddit have echoed this advice in response to those asking if they should skip straight to DMC5.
There‘s clear agreement in the Devil May Cry community that seeing Nero‘s full arc pays off better if you‘ve joined him on his earlier journey first in DMC4.
DMC4 Holds Up as an Amazing Game
Even disregarding preparing for DMC5, I think DMC4 is absolutely still worth playing today in its own right. It not only serves as a lead-in to DMC5 but also stands on its own merits as one of the best hack-and-slash games ever made.
The level design remains superb, offering hidden combat challenges to discover and rewarding you for revisiting areas. The story and characters are entertaining, with stellar voice acting bringing them to life. And the combat, as mentioned, is simply incredible and highly responsive.
Don‘t just take my word for it – DMC4 earned extremely positive reviews when it launched and still maintains a metascore of 84 on Metacritic today. With the Special Edition, this is an amazing game that every action fan should play.
Conclusion
So in summary, I couldn‘t recommend more strongly taking time to play through Devil May Cry 4 before jumping into DMC5. Seeing Nero‘s backstory and relationships fully developed in DMC4 makes the events and character moments in DMC5 hit so much harder.
Plus, mastering DMC4‘s similar combat systems will have you destroying demons with style the second you pick up the controller for DMC5. And even ignoring DMC5, DMC4 absolutely stands on its own merits as one of the best action games out there. Trust me, you owe it to yourself to experience DMC4 firsthand before moving on to the exciting adventures awaiting in DMC5!