I just beat DMC5 and I have things to say… (spoilers)
Context: I played every DMC except for 2, but it was a really long time ago. I remember having a great time with all of them, even the reboot
This game was really disappointing to me. It was received extremely well both by the media and the audience, so I was expecting something more. This game has little to offer other than polish, good graphics and cutscenes. The story is awful and barely existent; the only new character, V, is a cringey emo kid; and the gameplay consists of mashing Triangle and moving forward. If the combat were more interested, I would not mind all the other issues, but gameplay is the most important thing in a game, so… Let’s talk about that a bit.
Gameplay
I could beat this game with my eyes closed. I never had to retry from a checkpoint. All the playable characters are extremely overpowered. You just mash buttons and you win. It’s not interesting. It’s boring.
The gameplay is just too bloated. You play as 3 different characters throughout the story. One of them, V, is a disgrace to play with. How can I get invested in the game and my unlocks if you’re gonna keep switching my character whenever you want?
You are given more and more weapons throughout the game. Why? I don’t need any more weapons! I can just win mashing Triangle with the starting gear, so why do you keep giving me weapons?! Dante had like 20 weapons in total till the end.
This game is the equivalent of a high-budget summer blockbuster movie. It has lots of action, pretty colors and CGI, but not much else.
Story
There is no story. You have to stop Vergil. That’s the story.
So why is this game so well regarded?
Probably because it is loyal to the memes of the franchise, and that’s all the fans care about. It has great graphics and polish; and it works well. It is obviously competently made in all technical aspects. And that’s pretty much all the media cares about. That’s my explanation for why, at least.
DMC Reboot was treated horribly just because it was different. And it was a pretty good game. But that doesn’t really matter to a lot of people, apparently.
I find a few parallels between DMC5 and MGS4. Both are a love letter to the games that came before them, but they are burdened for that very reason.
Just make a good game. Don’t try to appease fans. Or do it if you want, it’s a really safe option.