Devil May Cry 5 is finally here, and more than anything fans will be itching to S rank every single mission they come across in Capcom's slick new over-the-top action game. But newcomers who are unfamiliar with the series may have some trouble.
To be clear, S rank is the highest possible score you can achieve in a mission, and the key to S-ranking missions is to score SSS rank during the combat scenarios. The combat ranks start at D, and the way to raise your score is to combo enough unique moves in battle while avoiding repetition and damage.
You don't have to hit SSS in every scenario, and sometimes you don't even have to hit it at all, considering that I've S-ranked missions with A's and B's in combat. But it all depends on what difficulty you're on.
For example, in one mission on Devil Hunter mode, I scored 5,028 and achieved an S rank. But in the same mission on Son of Sparda difficulty (hard mode), I hit 5,271 and got an A rank.
If you're having some trouble getting that S rank in Devil May Cry 5 or just want to play with more style, here are some tips to help you out.
SSSpice It Up
Before you dive into S-ranking everything with the following tips, you might want to consider waiting until your second time through the game. By the time you finish the game once, you’ll have enough red orbs to buy a ton of useful upgrades.
But if you want to get it all in one go, consider buying any of the Combo B and C moves, simply because it'll give you more to work with to keep your combo up. Also, Stinger and Streak are a must for getting up close and personal.
Cheese It
While it's important that you refrain from using the same abilities over and over again, there are a few exceptions.
V can use his Devil Trigger to buff Griffon and Shadow, causing their basic movesets to trigger a variety of stylish combos. Therefore, you can simply use the same moves and you'll be on your way to an SSS combat rank in no time.
Another is Dante's Dr. Faust gun. It won't necessarily bring your ranking up, but if you just hold the fire button, it will keep your rank from decreasing (at the cost of red orbs, of course). This'll allow you to regain some momentum and plan out your next attack.
Similarly, Nero's Devil Bringer move will keep your rank from decreasing if you just spam it on a staggered enemy.
If you're confident enough, you can actually taunt (View button on Xbox or Touchpad on PS4) during combat to increase your rank bar as well.
Know Your Enemy
The most important aspect of retaining your stylish ranking is remaining untouched. It's better to bail out of a combo than to get hit by an enemy and drop from an S to a B rank. You have to know your enemies' movements and use the evasive skills that the game offers.
With Nero, you can use his Table Hopper move to dodge horizontally right before you're hit and turn that into a combo. Dante has his Trickster and Royalguard style, which you can use to either dodge or block attacks, respectively. And while V is a ranged fighter, if you find yourself in less than ideal situations, you can use Shadow to dodge horizontally and Griffon to fly backward.
It'd also be beneficial to invest in Air Hike and Enemy Step for each character, as that'll give you more air time to escape clutch scenarios. With that said, you'll also get a multiplier added to your overall score at the end of the mission for having No Continues (aka not dying).
Become a Demon Herder
Don't get caught up with any stragglers. More often than not, I'll find myself at the end of a battle with one enemy left alive that's a mile away from me, which causes my ranking bar to deplete as I make my way there. Guns are typically the clear solution to this scenario, but spamming your guns will only decrease your rank.
The best way to avoid creating stragglers is to be cautious when using moves like Dante's Stinger or Nero's Streak. Only use them if you absolutely need a quick way to get to the enemy, or if you've already backed them into a corner. Otherwise, those moves will do nothing but disperse the enemies across the battlefield.
Nero can get away with using Streak more often because he can use Wire Snatch to grapple enemies back to him. V is a ranged character, regardless, but he can quickly teleport to enemies with his Cane if need be. Dante has a move called Drive, which let's him send a shockwave with his sword from a distance.
Take Your Time
Unlike previous titles, Devil May Cry 5 relies solely on the score from the combat scenarios. In other words, there's no time bonus, so you don't have to fumblerush to get a SSS rank in combat. Keep your moves cool and calculated.
The game does, however, have a time bonus for red orbs if you want to maximize your piggy bank. Other red orb bonuses require you to pull your Devil Trigger, guard-break and destroy the environment several times.
Also, keep in mind that there are Secret Missions, blue orbs and loot, like Lady's Kalina Ann, hidden in almost every mission that'll give you can extra edge in combat. While the goal is to avoid getting hit, it's better to have enough health to avoid dying altogether so you can get that No Continues multiplier at the end of a mission.
We hope that these tips help you barrel your way through to an S rank. Let us know some of your personal tips that helped you be so stylish!
Credit: Tom's Guide
