By Adele Chapline Smith
NEW YORK (CNS) — One of the most influential franchises in the video game industry returns with the release of “Devil May Cry 5” (Capcom). It’s been 11 years since the last title in the series, but Capcom has succeeded in revitalized it with a fresh tale.
Legendary demon hunter Dante (voice of Reuben Langdon) is back, along with the choleric Nero (voice of Johnny Yong Bosch) and a mysterious new character named V (voice of Brian Hanford). A powerful fiend named Urizen (voice of Dan Southworth) has unleashed an invasion, and the survival of the human race can only be secured by his three opponents. At various times, the player perceives things from each of their perspectives.
“Devil May Cry 5” plays like a classic Japanese role-playing game, with dramatic fight mechanics and intense musical compositions accompanying the battle sequences. There is an option for the game to be played in the original Japanese with English subtitles. The devil-like creatures are based on monsters from Japanese folklore and not related to Western ideas of demonology or the occult.
The reliance on Japanese mythology, however, together with a high level of mayhem and some partial nudity, make the game best suited to adults. Parents may choose to allow older teens, mature in their faith, to play. But they should be cautious about doing so.
During gameplay and in the mission reward screen, players receive Red Orbs, which are the game’s upgrade currency. Red Orbs can be turned in to improve attacks, acquire skills or purchase new items. This currency system is extremely efficient, providing players with more than enough opportunities to unlock abilities throughout the story.
The use of combo attacks poses a particular challenge. Some attacks need to be purchased and upgraded with Red Orbs, and it’s recommended that this be done early on. Players can certainly mash buttons and muddle through the battles. But they’ll need to master these different attacks in order to receive higher scores.
Each playable character has its own fighting style and its own combination of buttons to execute different attacks.
Some of the female characters are depicted with less clothing than their male counterparts; they’re also sometimes covered by blood or slime. But there are no sexual scenes. Skimpy costuming is most frequently seen in the case of Nico (voice of Faye Kingslee) who runs the customization shop for the crew. Cigarette smoking is also depicted within the game, though this is accompanied by an on-screen message asserting that the developers are not promoting or condoning tobacco use.
Playable on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.
The game contains considerable violence with bloodshed, occasional partial nudity and frequent coarse language. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Entertainment Software Rating Board rating is M — Mature.
Smith reviews video games for Catholic News Service.