Devil May Cry 5 Devil Hunter Edition Switch 2 Review: Fast But Lean

Devil May Cry 5 first arrived in 2019 as a statement piece, a reminder that character-action games could still dominate the medium. Since then, Capcom has repackaged it twice: the Special Edition added Vergil and higher-spec console support, and now the Switch 2 gets the Devil Hunter Edition, pitched as a portable priority. I have played every version, and I came to this release wondering whether Nintendo’s new hardware could offer the full experience in handheld form. After clearing the campaign across both TV and portable modes, the answer is complicated. This port locks the frame rate and includes the content that matters most, but it also makes cuts that are impossible to ignore.

Key Takeaways

• Locked 60 FPS in both docked and handheld modes makes combat feel precise and responsive.
• Playable Vergil, extra Devil Breakers, and color variants are included, matching the Special Edition’s core content.
• Aggressive dynamic resolution scaling sacrifices visual clarity, especially in handheld mode.
• Turbo Mode and Legendary Dark Knight difficulty are completely absent.
• The 120 Hz video output option smooths the display signal but does not double the in-game frame rate.

The Devil Hunter Package

This edition bundles the full base campaign starring Nero, Dante, and V, and crucially it includes Vergil as a fully playable character across the story and in his dedicated modes. That aligns with what the Special Edition offered elsewhere, and after running through Mission 8 with Vergil’s Yamato, I can confirm his move set translates intact. You also get the extra Devil Breakers and color variants, which gave me more loadout flexibility for Nero than I remembered having back in 2019. For the early-adopter price of €29.99 until July 7, the value is undeniable, especially since the digital release landed on June 23. Just know that the physical Key Card version does not arrive until August 28, so anyone waiting for a boxed copy is stuck waiting another two months.

Performance That Fights Back

The headline feature here is the 60 FPS lock, and in combat it genuinely holds. I threw the worst scripted enemy mobs I could find at this port-Urizen’s tentacle barrages, Fury encounters in Mission 16, full-team Royalguard shenanigans with Dante-and the frame rate never buckled in handheld mode. Docked performance is equally steady. Capcom prioritized consistency over visual flash, and for a game where jump-cancel timing and parry windows matter, that decision pays off. The controls feel responsive in a way that matters when you are trying to land Nero’s Ex-Act revs mid-air or swap Vergil’s concentration gauge on the fly.

Then there is the 120 Hz unlock buried in the video output settings. Enabling it is straightforward, but the practical reality is more complicated. The game does not natively render at 120 frames per second in any meaningful sense; instead, the output refresh uncouples from the render target, creating a smoother-feeling image on compatible displays without actually doubling the fluidity of the gameplay. I tested it on a 144 Hz monitor and noticed slightly reduced input latency in menus, yet combat itself felt identical to the standard 60 FPS mode. It is a nice bonus for display enthusiasts, but do not buy this expecting a high-refresh competitive edge.

The Visual Trade-Offs

To hit that performance target, Capcom leaned on aggressive dynamic resolution scaling. In handheld mode, the image can get soft to the point of muddying fine detail during busy sequences. Character models hold up well enough-Dante’s coat still animates with that satisfying weight—but environmental textures and distant geometry collapse into fuzz. There were moments in the Qliphoth’s red-washed interior where I struggled to read enemy tells because the background had turned into indistinct crimson soup. The scaling is more forgiving docked, but you are never getting the crisp presentation the Special Edition boasts elsewhere. This is a port that chooses speed over beauty every single time, and while I respect the consistency, there is no denying the visual downgrade.

Missing Modes, Missing Features

Here is where the package gets harder to defend. Turbo Mode is gone. Legendary Dark Knight difficulty is gone. Those omissions are not minor footnotes; they were signature features of the Special Edition that fundamentally altered how you could engage with the game. Turbo Mode’s 20 percent speed increase rewired my muscle memory when I played that version, and Legendary Dark Knight’s enemy density turned certain missions into glorious chaos engines. Their absence on Switch 2 stings, especially since Capcom is still charging a premium price after the discount window closes. If you are coming from the Special Edition expecting the complete feature set, this port will feel incomplete.

Vergil on the Go

Playing Vergil’s campaign in handheld mode is admittedly thrilling. There is something genuinely cool about executing Judgement Cut End on a train commute, watching the screen slice apart in a stable 60 FPS. The additional Devil Breakers for Nero also gave me an excuse to relearn his toolkit; I found myself using Rawhide more frequently than I ever did in 2019 thanks to the expanded selection. Battery life, however, takes a noticeable hit. A full charge burned down in roughly three and a half hours during intensive play sessions, which is shorter than I expected given the scaling sacrifices. Loading times are also slightly longer than the console versions I remember, though never egregious enough to kill momentum.

Bottom Line

Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition on Switch 2 is a paradox. It is the smoothest portable version of one of the best action games ever made, delivering the exacting frame rate the combat deserves and finally putting Vergil in the palm of your hands. Yet it is also a curiously stripped-down release, missing the modes that gave the Special Edition its longevity and trading visual clarity for raw speed in ways that occasionally undermine the art direction. I keep it in my Switch 2 case because the moment-to-moment fighting feels flawless, but I cannot shake the feeling that Capcom left meat on the bone. If you value portability above all else, this is an easy recommendation. If you want the definitive version, you are still better served elsewhere.

Rating: 7.5/10

TL;DR

The Good: Locked 60 FPS combat in docked and handheld modes; playable Vergil and extra Devil Breakers included; early-adopter pricing is fair.

The Bad: Aggressive resolution scaling hurts visual clarity; Turbo and Legendary Dark Knight modes are missing; handheld battery drains fast.

Verdict: A technically impressive portable conversion that plays beautifully but arrives with frustrating content gaps. Buy it if you need Devil May Cry on the go, skip it if you want the complete package.