Highlights

• The Devil May Cry series redefined hack-and-slash action-adventure games, drawing inspiration from classic beat-em-up titles like Golden Axe.
• Devil May Cry set the standard for power fantasy action hero games, paving the way for modern classics in the same genre.
• Devil May Cry 5 revitalized the series, offering a stylish and engaging experience that pays homage to the legacy of Dante while setting the stage for the future.

The first Devil May Cry game was launched in 2001 on the PlayStation 2. What initially began as an early concept for Resident Evil 4 became the standard for a new sub-genre of hack-and-slash action-adventure games. Despite being viewed as an action game sub-genre, the Devil May Cry series harked back to classic beat-em-ups like Golden Axe, Double Dragon, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade.

The primary difference is that games in the same genre as Devil May Cry are usually single-player affairs giving their players a sense of power. Other studios followed suit with games that used the same power fantasy action-hero concept of their own. This opened the door for many modern-day classics that are still going or equally acclaimed as the Devil May Cry series and solid recommendations for fans looking for something similar.

Updated on March 8, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Devil May Cry is one of the most stylish and engaging titles fans can check out. The series has enjoyed somewhat of a comeback with Devil May Cry 5, which serves as a great homage to Dante's legacy while also setting the stage for the future of this series. Fans of this amazing action franchise would probably enjoy checking out more titles in the same vein that will be right at home for them. These titles feature fun real-time combat, stylistic presentation, or both, and a few more of them have been added to this list.

28 Persona 5 Strikers

Combines The Jazzy Vibe Of Persona 5 With Musou Gameplay For A Fun Real-Time Action Twist

The success of Persona 5 encouraged Atlus to go to town and develop a wealth of spinoffs for their hit title. One such game that fans were particularly excited about was Persona 5 Strikers, which served as a spin-off/sequel to the widely beloved Persona 5.

The game's road trip setting was pretty inspired, even if the attempt to mimic the original game's infiltrations felt rather forced. Still, using a wealth of skills to exploit an enemy's weakness and unleash the patented All-Out Attack makes for a blast every single time.

27 Dynasty Warriors 9

The Latest Game In The Long-Running Action Series

Musou games have a niche in gaming that most fans love. Perhaps this is why Dynasty Warriors 9 has its fair share of fans despite some major faults that critics weren't huge fans of at launch.

The game attempts to revitalize the series' formula with mixed results. However, the core action combat continues to be the most cathartic aspect of the series, and there's nothing more satisfying than barreling through waves of opponents with some well-placed attacks.

26 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

Combat On An Epic Scale As Players Participate In The War That Destroyed Hyrule Itself

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a major step in the right direction for the Zelda series. It revitalized the genre, letting a new swath of players experience the magic of this series and play through one of the greatest open-world games of all time.

It's easy to see why Nintendo jumped at the opportunity to develop a spin-off for this title. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity focuses on an alternate timeline when Link and the other champions had to face off against the villains that arose during Ganon's attempt to destroy Hyrule. It's a Musou title, so it won't be for everyone, but it's also one of the best examples of the genre in recent memory, and further builds on the story in Breath of the Wild.

25 Darksiders 2

The Peak Of An Underrated Series With Great Exploration And Hack-And-Slash Combat

It's a shame that the Darksiders franchise has fallen off the map after the third entry failed to turn heads. Sacrificing a lot of what made the series and becoming just another mediocre Soulslike felt like a slap in the face of fans who loved this series and what it had achieved, especially considering the loyal fan following Darksiders 2 has.

Controlling one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Death, and aiding him in his quest to save his brother makes for a great and epic adventure. Darksiders 2 is an underrated gem for a reason, and fans of Devil May Cry should definitely check out its fun combat and unique puzzles.

24 Atlas Fallen

A Game Focused On Exploration And Action-Packed Combat

Combining elements of Journey and Devil May Cry, Atlas Fallen is one of the most unique titles on this list. While it borrows from other games in the action genre, it does enough to set itself apart and feature a world that action fans will love to explore and immerse themselves in.

It doesn't always come together flawlessly, and some bugs will irritate some players, but the combat is an excellent homage to the Devil May Cry formula. Navigating the sands is reminiscent of Journey as the player's created character surfs the sand to explore, and there is a surprising amount of depth to its upgrade system.

23 Final Fantasy 16

A Final Fantasy Game Developed With A Prominent Devil May Cry Veteran In A Major Design Role

2023 was a staple year for RPG fans, and Final Fantasy 16 was among the biggest. Despite sticking to the Final Fantasy formula with its exploration and epic battles, the combat is pure Devil May Cry-style action with set pieces and an excellent story.

The pacing takes a hit when the world map gets littered with side quests that amount to little more than traveling to a location, fighting something, and fetching it back to the quest-giver. Even so, it's a superb action game with spectacular boss fights that incorporate the summons from Final Fantasy lore into something new and original.

22 Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

Brutal Melee Combat That Is Perfect For Devil May Cry Fans

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine looks more like a Gears of War clone. While it shares elements with the third-person shooter, it features brutal melee-based combat that fans of Devil May Cry will enjoy. The flow of action is weightier and less fluid, but the sense of scale and violence is on another level.

Despite being a PS3 and Xbox 360 title, Space Marine holds up spectacularly against many modern titles and is just as cinematic now. Warhammer 40: Space Marine 2 is set to launch on current-generation systems.

21 God Of War Greek Mythology Saga

An Old-School Action-Packed Trilogy With Brutal Combat

Even though the Kratos saga moved into Norse mythology, fans of the hack-and-slash action genre should also check out the original God of War games with the backdrop of Greek mythology. Kratos is less likable in these games, but the power fantasy is arguably better than in the recent titles.

The battle system is reminiscent of the older Devil May Cry games, and the boss battles are unmatched in scale. Kratos is taking down Titans that make him look like an insect by comparison. He also fights and destroys regular monsters like the Gorgon, Cyclops, and Minotaurs in cinematic fashion.

20 Gungrave G.O.R.E.

A Tough, Fresh Take On DMC's Formula

Launched in late 2022, Gungrave is an action game similar to the Devil May Cry series. It was criticized early on for having unfair difficulty spikes, but Dante fans who relished the challenge of the Hell and Hell modes will adjust quickly.

Gungrave features stylized supernatural combat where the protagonist will put his enemies down in style. There is a fast-paced industrial metal-style soundtrack, and players are awarded Art points like style points in Devil May Cry for taking down enemies with executions and other skills.

19 Evil West

Fun, Nostalgic Action Combat In A Unique Fantasy-Western Setting

Another action shooter launched at the end of 2022 was Evil West, a pulp action shooter that puts players in the shoes of a vampire hunter in the Wild West. The over-the-shoulder camera and animations are reminiscent of the recent God of War games. Yet the supernatural element and visual style will make it DMC-like in nature.

The core gameplay of Evil West and the way the players can play a style that suits them once they unlock perks make for an accessible and fun experience. The combat is brutal, and there is even an online co-op mode where players can take down vampires together.

18 The Nier Series

Great Stories, Imaginative Combat, And A Focus On Skill-Based Gameplay

Fans looking for games with deep stories and action RPG mechanics should check out the Nier series. Nier: Replicant and Nier Automata are two of the deepest games available, but the action is accessible, fun, and fast. Combat-wise, Nier: Automata is the better game, thanks to being developed by PlatinumGames.

Stylistically, Nier: Automata has similarities to their other titles, like Bayonetta and Astral Chain. However, the improved gameplay mechanics and speed of Nier Replicant - a remake of the original Nier - will be appreciated by fans of Devil May Cry.

17 Scarlet Nexus

A Stylistic Action-JRPG With A Focus On Melee And Telekinetic Combat

Developed by a team that created mainline entries in the Tales and God Eater series, Scarlet Nexus is an anime-style action RPG with a stunning combat system as fast and enjoyable as Devil May Cry. Furthermore, the characters use psychokinetic powers to throw objects at enemies and combine spectacular special attacks.

The combat is fast-paced but strategic and challenging, especially the boss fights. The Devil May Cry games are anime-like in their execution, but Scarlet Nexus is a stunning visual experience that plays like an interactive anime and holds an excellent story.

16 Soulstice

A Fluid Hack-And-Slash Game In An Apocalyptic Setting

Launched in 2022, Soulstice is an action hack-and-slash game heavily inspired by the Devil May Cry series. It features an apocalyptic setting that is grim but full of stunning visual set pieces that fans of the genre will instantly click with.

While not quite as polished as the games that inspired it, Soulstice is a fluid action game with strategic mechanics that are easy to pick up and challenging to master. The tactical element borrows from Ikaruga with color-coordinated attacks that ramp up the challenge, but eventually, the fighting system will click like second nature.

15 X-Men Origins: Wolverine

A Surprisingly Great Movie Tie-In With Brutal, Visceral Combat

• Platform(s): PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PC
• Release Date: May 1, 2009
• Developer(s): Raven Software, Amaze Entertainment

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a movie tie-in game that many fans considered more entertaining than its source material. It used the God of War series as inspiration, and it was the perfect fit. Wolverine is violent, deadly, and the anti-hero he's supposed to be.

The game is far more violent and bloody than the movie and features a combat system inspired by the God of War series. The combat lacks the complexities of Devil May Cry, but fans of the genre will enjoy the brutal mechanics and will feel right at home with Wolverine.

14 Conan

A Fun Conan The Barbarian Game With Tough Yet Enjoyable Combat

Conan was launched in 2007 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was an overlooked title because of its similarities to the God of War series. While it may be fair to call Conan a God of War clone, its counter-attack system, equipment mechanics, and weapon variety were far superior, and the emphasis on counters played a more significant part. It must be said that Conan lacks the epic triple-A movie-like feel of God of War, which is a shame.

Furthermore, Conan the Barbarian was the ultimate power fantasy in fiction long before God of War and Devil May Cry. Additionally, Conan features artwork inspired by the original works of Frank Frazetta, an award-winning soundtrack, and stellar voice work from Ron Perlman and Claudia Black in the lead roles. It is still the best Conan the Barbarian game, where players get to play as the titular character.

13 Transformers: Devastation

A Fun Transformers Game By PlatinumGames, The Masters Of Hack-And-Slash Combat

Developed by PlatinumGames and released in 2015, Transformers: Devastation was an action title that combines hack-slash gameplay and shooting mechanics similar to Devil May Cry and other Platinum titles. Players take on the roles of Autobot heroes Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Grimlock, Sideswipe, and Wheeljack in a stunning throwback to the classic 1980s cartoons.

Like the Devil May Cry series, Transformers: Devastation incorporates fast action, gameplay variety, timing, and memorable boss battles. Players can also upgrade their move sets with TECH enhancements that increase the statistics of the Autobots as the game progresses.

12 Dante's Inferno

A Great Hack-And-Slash Inspired By Dante Alighieri's Legendary Poem

During its early development, Capcom openly stated that Devil May Cry took inspiration from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Dante's Inferno was released in 2010 and is another hack-and-slash action-adventure video game that took inspiration from the same piece of literature.

The story is based on the first canticle of the epic poem Inferno. The combat isn't as fast or as complex as the Devil May Cry series, but it is just as visceral, and the level design - set in Hell - is just as impressive as anything found in Capcom's series.

11 God Hand

One Of The Most Underrated Beat-Em-Up Titles, With A Quirky Style Much Like Devil May Cry

God Hand is a cult PS2 action title developed by Clover Studio of Okami fame. Many of the same members of Clover Studio went on to form Platinum Games, which should give Devil May Cry fans an idea of God Hand's pedigree in the action-adventure and beat-em-up genre.

In addition, the game was directed by Resident Evil 4's Shinji Mikami. Mikami wanted to make a game where the character didn't rely on weapons. Godhand is pure anime-style fantasy with wacky characters and action sequences inspired by the Fist of the North Star manga JoJo's Bizare Adventure.

10 Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

An Action-Packed Metal Gear Spinoff With Incredible Hack-And-Slash Combat

Launched in 2013 on the PS3 and Xbox 360, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was an action game developed by Platinum Games. The development studio comprised many of the same staff who worked on the Devil May Cry series, and it's a power fantasy dream come true.

Metal Gear Rising features Raiden - from Metal Gear Solid 2 - as the protagonist. Metal Gear Rising has a Free Slicing mechanic that allows for versatility in combat, making it one of the best sword fighting systems in any genre. The game plays into the superhero fantasy with the ability to slice bullets and even rockets mid-flow.

9 Ninja Gaiden Sigma

A Revival Of The Ninja Gaiden Series With Tough-As-Nails Action Combat

Ninja Gaiden was released in 2006 on the PS3 and was created by Nioh and Dead or Alive developer Team Ninja. Ninja Gaiden is notorious for its punishing difficulty, but fans love its fluid fighting system and speed.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma was an expanded version of the critically acclaimed original game on the Xbox and featured enhanced visuals, new gameplay mechanics, and weapons. Fans of Devil May Cry will appreciate the blistering speed of the combat and the strategy required to defeat enemies.