Yes, Devil May Cry 5 Continues the Story from Devil May Cry 4

Devil May Cry 5 picks up the story about 5 years after the events of 2008‘s Devil May Cry 4 and builds directly on that foundation. This guide will explore the deep connections between DMC4 and DMC5 in extensive detail.

Recapping the Story So Far

Let‘s briefly recap the Devil May Cry series story so everyone is caught up:

• 2001 – Devil May Cry – Introduces Dante and the concept of stylish demon hunting
• 2003 – Devil May Cry 2 – A disappointment that even series creator Hideki Kamiya wants to forget
• 2005 – Devil May Cry 3 – A wildly successful prequel with a younger, cockier Dante
• 2007 – Devil May Cry: The Animated Series – Anime set between DMC1 and DMC4
• 2008 – Devil May Cry 4 – New protagonist Nero seeks his origins in a European city
• 2010 – Devil May Cry 4: Deadly Fortune – Light novel prequel to DMC4
• 2013 – DmC: Devil May Cry – An alternate universe reboot Dante that was quickly abandoned

That brings us to 2019 – Devil May Cry 5, the first numbered sequel in over a decade.

DMC5 centers around Nero, Dante, and new protagonist V as they try to stop a demonic invasion of the human world.

DMC5 Starts With the Fallout of DMC4‘s Ending

DMC4 ended with Nero embarking on a quest to understand his demonic heritage after his arm awakened strange powers. DMC5 explores the direct aftermath.

In the opening scene, Nero‘s arm is violently ripped off by a mysterious assailant. This kicks off a chain reaction that leads to a full-scale demon invasion by the villain Urizen.

Dante, Lady, and Trish are quickly drawn into the battle as the situation escalates. Meanwhile, Nero teams up with weaponsmith Nico to track down his stolen arm and take down Urizen.

DMC5 wastes no time showing how it continues the threads left dangling at the end of DMC4 11 years prior. Many fans agree Capcom did a great job with this continuity.

Nero and Kyrie‘s Relationship Is Central

Nero‘s girlfriend Kyrie played a pivotal role in DMC4, captured by the Order of the Sword. She spends much of DMC5 captured yet again, acting as a "damsel in distress."

Some players complain this is an outdated trope, but it underline‘s Nero‘s motivation. He desperately wants to rescue Kyrie from harm‘s way. Their romantic relationship has clearly deepened in the past 5 years.

In a Reddit AMA, Director Hideaki Itsuno said Kyrie "represents Nero‘s humanity." As Nero explores his demonic powers, his love for Kyrie keeps him grounded.

Dante Investigates The Order of the Sword

Dante spends much of DMC5 investigating the Ascension Ceremony and Savior statue from the Order of the Sword. This religious cult served as the main antagonists in DMC4.

Dante discovers the group‘s fanatical worship of Sparda, his legendary father. This exploration ties back into DMC4‘s lore and worldbuilding.

The Order‘s remnants play a key role in Urizen‘s plans to conquer the human world. Dante puts a stop to them for good in DMC5.

Lady and Trish Assist the Crew

Fellow demon hunters Lady and Trish who assisted Dante in DMC4 return to help him again in DMC5.

Trish manages to briefly infiltrate Urizen‘s lair, providing intel on the demon king‘s motives. Meanwhile Lady provides missile support from her bazooka Kalina Ann in key battles.

Lady also takes care of Nero and Nico, ensuring they take time to eat and rest during their relentless pursuit of Urizen. Their big sister dynamic is a true delight.

Fan-Favorite Villains Cameo

DMC5 brings back several fan-favorite villains for short cameos:

• Agnus – The stuttering scientist Nero defeats in DMC4
• Credo – Nero‘s mentor in the Order who later becomes an angel
• Sanctus – The leader of the Order of the Sword cult

These villains appear in flashbacks, memories, or V‘s magical reading. It‘s pure fanservice seeing them again even briefly.

By the Numbers:

• 3 – Playable characters (Nero, Dante, V)
• 5 – Styles of combat
• 11 – Years between DMC4 and DMC5
• 14 – Total missions in the main campaign
• 97 – DMC5 Metacritic score on PS4
• $6 million – Development budget for DMC5

V Offers a Fresh Playable Character

The new protagonist V provides a completely unique playstyle in DMC5. Instead of attacking directly, V summons demon familiars to fight for him.

V can call forth:

• Shadow – A black panther for melee combos
• Griffon – A bird for ranged attacks
• Nightmare – A giant golem for huge attacks

Managing these demons along with V‘s limited health pool presents an interesting challenge. V shakes up the normal DMC combat formula.

Nico Has Ties to DMC4 Characters

Weaponsmith Nico provides Nero with his Devil Breaker prosthetic arms and other gadgets during their roadtrip against Urizen.

As fans realized, Nico is actually the granddaughter of Nell Goldstein, the gunsmith who upgraded Dante‘s pistols in DMC4. Goldstein was later revealed to be Agnus‘ mother too.

Nico‘s crafting talents clearly run in the family. Her research notes hint Nell Goldstein may still be alive too.

DMC5 Has Deep RPG Elements

Previous DMC games included some light RPG mechanics, but DMC5 takes it a step further with:

• Unlockable Skills – Spend red orbs to acquire new abilities
• Custom Loadouts – Equip your choice of melee weapons, guns, and abilities
• Crafting – Use materials to forge and upgrade equipment

This provides new depth in building your ideal Dante, Nero, or V to match your playstyle.

Map Design Offers More Freedom

DMC4‘s levels were criticized for repetitive backtracking and reusing environments. DMC5 improves on this with more open maps and hidden secrets. As IGN said:

"DMC5‘s levels features labyrinths of hidden paths, misdirects, and traps. I was continually impressed with just how many routes there seemed to be through certain areas."

Exploring to find blue orb fragments and other collectibles is hugely rewarding.

My Take: DMC5 is the Best in the Series

In my opinion as a longtime fan, DMC5 represents the pinnacle of the series so far.

The combat mechanics are deeper than ever while retaining that trademark stylish action. V adds a completely new wrinkle to the formula. The story hits the perfect mix of high drama and wacky humor.

DMC5 pays tribute to the past games while refining everything that came before. This game shows Capcom still knows exactly what fans love about DMC. From the music to the visuals to the rewarding progression, DMC5 knocked it out of the park.

I can‘t wait to see where the series goes next. DMC6 has some big shoes to fill after DMC5 set the bar so high!