Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition [REVIEW] – An S-Rank Handheld Experience 

It’s a bit mad to think that Devil May Cry 5 is over seven years old at this point, and, if you’ve been following our coverage over the years, you will know that this is actually the third time we have reviewed Capcom’s stylish, demon-slaying masterpiece. We absolutely loved it when it first dropped, and we loved it all over again when the Special Edition hit the current-generation consoles a while later. Because of that history, I’m not going to bore you by diving too deeply into the nitty-gritty of the narrative or the overarching mechanics, because you can just read those reviews and see that we think it’s a brilliant game. Instead, let’s talk about the real reason we’re here… Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2, and exactly why it is an absolute triumph for handheld gamers. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

Just to catch you up on the basics, the core experience remains a masterclass in the slash-and-hack genre. You are still tearing through the streets of Red Grave City to chop down a massive, demonic tree and stop the big bad demon threat, and to do this, you swap between some incredibly distinct anti-heroes. Nero brings his grappling mechanics and wild robotic arms to the party, series veteran Dante offers that classic, high-skill ceiling weapon switching that rewards slick combos, and then there is V, the poetry-reading Adam Driver-like goth who fights from afar using animal summons. He is probably the weakest link of the bunch, and his playstyle can feel a bit slower when compared to the visceral thrills of the others, but his sections offer a change of pace and are short enough that it doesn’t drag the experience down.  

And hey, as a bonus, you have also got the brilliantly stoic Vergil included in this package from the get-go, whose lightning-fast katana strikes reward you for staying calm amidst the chaos. I love playing as Vergil, and if you’ve watched the anime, you’ll know he’s as cool as penguin piss.  

“Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition delivers an uncompromised, handheld way to experience one of the best hack-and-slash adventures out there.” 

So yeah, simply playing the game feels fantastic, with the loop as tight and rewarding as ever. But, of course, the main event here is how the game actually runs on the Nintendo Switch 2, and frankly, it is a bit of a marvel. The RE Engine has always been an incredibly well-optimised beast, but seeing a game this hectic run flawlessly on the Nintendo Switch 2 is something else entirely. Capcom promised a rock-solid 60fps experience, and they have genuinely delivered – whether you are playing docked on the telly or lounging on the sofa in handheld mode, the framerate simply doesn’t budge, even when the screen is absolutely packed with demons that need dealing with. 

Like all things Nintendo Switch 2, handheld mode is where this version truly shines. The linear, mission-based structure makes it incredibly easy to pick up, play a level, and put the console back to sleep, and better yet, having the 101-floor Bloody Palace mode in the palm of your hands is a dangerously addictive way to kill time on a commute. Visually, it holds up brilliantly too. If you squint, you might spot a bit of aliasing or notice that the character models aren’t quite as luscious as on other current-gen platforms. However, given you are playing one of the finest action titles of the last decade in the palm of your hands, those minor visual compromises are incredibly easy to forgive -especially since the quick-paced nature of the gameplay means you’ll barely notice imperfections. I definitely didn’t feel like I was playing an inferior version, and I’m one of those annoying gamers who picks up on small technical hiccups. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

As for what you get in the box, Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition bundles together almost all the bells and whistles released over the last seven years. You get alternate costumes, extra music tracks, and of course, Vergil as a playable character, amongst other things. If you are migrating over from the Special Edition, though, you should know that a couple of features did not make the cut. Turbo Mode is entirely absent, as is the Legendary Dark Knight mode. It is a bit of a shame – especially as someone who spent most of their time playing the game in the Special Edition – but it’s not a deal-breaker, particularly since the game has a reasonable price that really does make it feel like a steal on the platform. 

Developer: Capcom 
Publisher: Capcom 
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2 (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC 
Website: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-2-games/Devil-May-Cry-5-Devil-Hunter-Edition-3109582.html