The Devil May Cry Franchise Deserves Better Treatment, and This Would Be the Perfect Way To Revive It

Over-the-top action, stylish and brash protagonists, compelling narratives, and intriguing antagonists. Capcom’s Devil May Cry franchise certainly has it all.

As a franchise that has been around since 2001 with multiple installments and an ill-fated remake from Ninja Theory under its belt, it may be time for Capcom to think about bringing it back in all its glory for the current generation of gaming hardware.

That rings especially true in the wake of the studio releasing an excellent remake of Dead Rising that has stayed true to the original while making meaningful changes that include a graphical overhaul among a few quality-of-life changes that have resonated well with its players.

The Legend of Sparda Deserves to Live On

Capcom certainly knows how to make franchises that can withstand the test of time, with Resident Evil and Street Fighter immediately coming to mind when one thinks of the studio that has become an important part of gaming history over the years.

But Devil May Cry has stood out among its work with its overarching narrative, giving each of its characters their time in the spotlight while allowing them to grow and mature with each new addition to the franchise.

Take Dante, for example. As the series’ main protagonist, his younger days in Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening presented a young, brash, and frankly arrogant devil hunter whose complicated relationship with his brother could be attributed to a kind of toxic masculinity that was the norm rather than an exception among male protagonists at the time of the game’s release.

However, subsequent appearances saw him take on more responsibility while he learned to rein in his impulsive tendencies to present a calculating, intelligent side to the character even as he outwardly maintained his signature balance of charm and charisma as he guided Nero, a new addition to the franchise, on his path.

While the franchise’s female characters certainly did not get their due in the game’s final installment, their role in the overarching narrative between various titles cannot be discredited as they often proved to be crucial parts of each game’s plot.

With an eccentric cast and a storyline that alludes to the Italian poet Dante’s Divine Comedy, Capcom has a winning formula on its hands that is begging for a remake that could bring its old-school combat system to the age with style and substance.

The Potential for Some Smokin’ Sick Style on Current-Gen Hardware

With gaming hardware currently at an all-time high – an advantage that Devil May Cry 5 took advantage of to great effect – Capcom has an opportunity to bring back its iconic franchise to a new generation of gamers while also making changes to a combat system that remains among my favorites despite Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice tying for first place in my book.

With each weapon that Dante finds along his journey offering up new ways for him to tear through lesser demons standing in his way while the game’s bosses push those weapons to their limits considering how well-designed they are, Devil May Cry could raise the bar for action games if it were to receive a remake.

Although remasters of each title exist and can technically be played on a current-gen console, Capcom’s recent success with Dead Rising proves that the studio could make something truly special for Devil May Cry fans considering the advantage that smoother animations and faster processing speeds could bring to the table.

Moreover, it could perfect its combat systems, bringing the ability to switch up Dante’s combat style on the fly featured in DMC4 and DMC5 back to older titles like the first installment in the series, which would give returning players an entirely new way to play the game.

Even Ninja Theory’s failed attempt at bringing a new perspective to the conflict between Dante and his twin brother Vergil had a lot going for it in terms of its playability and combat systems, with its tone-deaf iteration of the two brothers and the legend of Sparda falling flat in the eyes of the series’ long-term fans.

Ninja Theory’s title does serve a purpose, though. It demonstrates that if a remake of Devil May Cry were to happen, it should be Capcom leading the charge with Hideaki Itsuno at the helm, allowing the studio and director to make the most of current-gen hardware and potentially avoid the pitfalls of DMC2’s ill-fated production.

With excellent remakes of other Capcom titles like Resident Evil already garnering a lot of popularity among new and returning players alike, Capcom would be remiss not to attempt to bring Devil May Cry to a new generation of gamers whose only encounters with Dante and gang may be through upcoming anime and TV shows.

I believe that it’s time for Rebellion, Ebony and Ivory, and the Yamato to make their way to modern controllers and for Capcom to pull the Devil Trigger on a franchise that has served it well over the years.

If I were to quote Dante and Vergil, the studio could truly make the franchise into something they would describe as a “jackpot.”.

Would you want a Devil May Cry remake? What game in the franchise would you like to see first? Let us know in the comments what you think.