TheDevil May Crygames are widely known for their high-octane gameplay. Asthe descendants of the Dark Knight Spardaand their associates, players take on all sorts of demonic entities with their unique equipment and abilities. By mixing swordplay, gunplay, and otherworldly skills, the franchise continues to push the boundaries of the third-person action genre while remaining familiar to veterans and accessible to newcomers.
Speaking of newcomers, those new to Dante and company’s demon-hunting exploits might initially find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of enemies on screen at a single time. Demons of all types charge at players and range from basic cannon fodder to more dangerous threats that need to be dealt with separately. Thankfully, theDevil May Crygames implement a sly gameplay mechanic that allows tons of enemies to be present while letting players still feel like they are in control.
RELATED:21 Games To Play If You Love Devil May Cry
Only On-Screen Enemies Can Attack Players In Devil May Cry
Whether it bethe Empusa demons fromDevil May Cry 5or the Seven Hells ofDevil May Cry 3, all enemies in the franchise conform to a single rule: they can only attack players as long as they are visible on the screen. This feature originated from the first fewDevil May Crygames that implemented fixed camera angles akin to the earlierResident Evilgames. As futureDevil May Crytitles began implementing a free-moving camera, this feature was retained to keep the combat manageable at all times. SinceDevil May Crydoesn’t have a field of view slider, the developers can dictate how many enemies can be on the screen at any given time. This prevents combat from becoming overcrowded, which can result in problems like frame rate drops and player confusion.
Some players know of this mechanic and use it to their advantage. By pointing the camera away from enemies while attacking off-screen, players can deal damage without fear of getting hit themselves. A popular move that implements this technique can be found inDevil May Cry 5, whereplayers can spam Vergil’s ranged Judgement Cut. Since the move automatically tracks enemies regardless of their location, players can perform the Judgement Cut and still reliably hit enemies off-screen. They can then spend the extra effort making sure the camera is pointed in a direction that has the least amount of enemies possible.
Devil May Cry’s Enemy Visibility Adds Challenge, Balance, And Fairness
Apart from these exploits, the implementation of the enemy visibility mechanic allows both developers and players to make the most ofDevil May Cry’s combat. Developers can create levels that have a mix of wide open spaces and tight corridors to change the flow of each encounter.The upper segments ofDevil May Cry 5’s Qliphoth, for example, are much wider than its lower, tunnel-like segments. This allows Capcom to start players out small by funneling enemies on the lower levels before allowing them to stretch their combat capabilities on the larger upper levels.
Players, on the other hand, can equip specific gear and modify their playstyle so that they are prepared for these specific scenarios. Close spaces allow forDevil May Cryweaponslike the Coyote-A shotgun to shine while larger spaces call for more far-reaching tools like Lady’s Kalina Ann rocket launcher. Since each level in theDevil May Crygames has its own unique atmosphere and design, this allows the camera to be used in different ways to control combat. Should other third-person action games make use of this mechanic, more avenues would open with regard to gameplay balance, enemy density, and overall combat flow.
Devil May Cry 5is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Devil May Cry’s Vergil Might Be The Series' Most Tragic Character
