Best Games to Play If You Like Devil May Cry’s Stylish Dark-Fantasy Combat

Start with Bayonetta. It is the closest match for Devil May Cry’s expressive melee strings, gunplay, dodge timing, supernatural enemies and flamboyant finishers. Choose NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black if execution difficulty matters most, NieR:Automata for a much larger story and exploration layer, or Final Fantasy XVI for dark-fantasy spectacle and cinematic bosses. Hi-Fi Rush, SIFU, God of War Ragnarök and Stellar Blade each preserve a different part of the stylish-action appeal.

Capcom describes Devil May Cry as a series about “appealing characters brimming with individuality and stylish action where players seek to dispatch enemies in sleek and showy ways.” That combination—not merely the presence of swords—defines the recommendations below. Capcom reported 16 million cumulative Devil May Cry units in 2018, evidence of how durable that character-action formula has become.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Bayonetta 3	$64.99	Buy on Amazon
2		Bayonetta -Switch	$59.99	Buy on Amazon
3		Bayonetta 3 Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]	$59.99	Buy on Amazon
4		Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (European Version)	$39.94	Buy on Amazon
5		Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 - Digital Bundle - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]	$59.98	Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What makes a game feel like Devil May Cry?

Devil May Cry rewards deliberate expression. The objective is not simply to reduce an enemy’s health bar; it is to vary attacks, stay airborne or mobile, control spacing and avoid damage while maintaining a stylish flow. Capcom has also said that the series’ appeal depends on cutting-edge visuals and action, so presentation and combat feedback matter alongside mechanics.

The games in this guide therefore differ in how closely they reproduce the full formula. Some offer weapon-cancel freedom and spectacle. Others keep the parries, dodges, enemy reading or boss theatrics while adding rhythm, role-playing progression, open-world exploration or a demanding revenge structure.

#1 Best Overall

Bayonetta 3

• 212077

$64.99

Buy on Amazon

Quick comparison: which game fits your priority?

1. Bayonetta is the closest overall match

Why it belongs at the top

Bayonetta is the most direct follow-up when what you miss is the sensation of turning a fight into a performance. PlatinumGames calls its system “Climax Action.” Bayonetta attacks with melee weapons and firearms mounted on all four limbs, while magic extends strings into larger, more theatrical punishments.

Its Bullet Arts system lets punches, kicks and gunfire function as one language rather than separate attack modes. Swords change the rhythm of a sequence; Wicked Weaves turn the end of a combo into a huge supernatural strike; and Torture Attacks convert openings into elaborate finishers. Animal transformations add another movement and positioning tool, so traversal and combat can both feel intentionally extravagant.

How it differs from Dante’s toolkit

The defining defensive skill is dodge timing. Evading at the right moment can trigger Witch Time, briefly slowing the encounter and giving you room to extend a string. That makes defense part of offense in a way familiar to Devil May Cry players, while the angel-and-demon setting supplies the same broad supernatural contrast.

Bayonetta is more self-consciously playful and acrobatic than most dark-fantasy action games. If you want a brooding political narrative, another recommendation will fit better; if you want to learn enemy attacks, evade through danger and answer with an outrageous finisher, this is the safest choice.

Edition and release details

The official PlatinumGames information lists a Nintendo Switch edition with physical and digital availability. It also records a PC release on April 11, 2017, and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One releases on February 18, 2020. The Nintendo Switch release date is listed as February 16, 2018. Store inventory and regional editions can change, so check the platform storefront for the version you intend to buy.

Rank #2

Sale

Bayonetta -Switch

• Witch fell her angel with her smile and beautiful black hair
• The Nintendo Switch is the origin of the action game series that works with the beautiful and brutal witch "Beyonetta"
• The thrill of throwing off your enemy attacks with a single sheet of paper, and the variety of combos will overwhelm your enemy. You can enjoy brilliant and extreme climax action with the angels of attacking

$59.99

Buy on Amazon

2. NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black is the technical challenge

Combat built around execution

Choose NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black when Devil May Cry feels too forgiving and you want enemies to punish hesitation. The official PlayStation description emphasizes breakneck combat with a sword, staff, flail and scythe. Each weapon has its own reach, cadence and chain logic, and the game expects you to switch from attack to movement without losing control of the arena.

Acrobatics and dodges are not decorative. They let you reposition around groups, escape a bad angle and identify which opponent must be removed first. The best results come from reading enemy behavior, recognizing an attack before it lands and selecting a chain that ends the threat quickly. That focus makes the game less about improvising a long showcase combo and more about proving that every input has a purpose.

Difficulty that scales with mastery

Five difficulty levels give the game an unusually broad runway. New players can learn weapon properties and enemy tells before moving up, while experienced action players can treat higher settings as an execution test. The difficulty recommendation is not based on a single punishing mode: the structure supports repeated practice and a deliberate climb.

Expect a harsher learning curve than in the other entries here. If you mainly want a dramatic story, the combat-first pacing may feel spare. If your priority is speed, acrobatics and the satisfaction of surviving encounters through precise reads, this is the strongest alternative to Bayonetta.

3. NieR:Automata adds the biggest story and exploration layer

A broader action-RPG structure

NieR:Automata keeps stylish combat but places it inside a 60-frames-per-second open-world action RPG. You combine melee weapons with ranged pod attacks, use timed dodges to stay mobile and fight bosses that can shift into bullet-hell patterns. The result is less of a pure arena fighter than Devil May Cry, but it retains the important feeling of a character whose movement and attacks can be choreographed at speed.

Rank #3

Bayonetta 3 Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]

• Play as the bewitching Bayonetta in the third installment of her climax action game series
• Shoot, stomp, and slam your way through multiple locations and meet other Bayonettas
• Channel the power of demons using the new ability, Demon Masquerade
• Unleash Bayonetta’s Infernal Demons in larger-than-life battles
• Slash and slay as witch-in-training Viola and harness the power of her feline demon, Cheshire

$59.99

Buy on Amazon

Exploration changes the rhythm. Between major battles you travel through large areas, complete side activities and uncover story context that re-frames earlier events. Multiple endings are part of the design rather than a one-time campaign label, so seeing the full narrative requires returning to the game and continuing beyond an apparent conclusion.

Why the tone works for dark-fantasy fans

The setting is science fiction rather than medieval fantasy, yet it shares Devil May Cry’s interest in stylish heroes facing grotesque, theatrical enemies. Machines can look absurd, tragic or terrifying within the same chapter. The contrast between balletic movement and bleak subject matter gives the action emotional weight without sacrificing spectacle.

Platforms, editions and sales

PlatinumGames lists versions for PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox, Windows and Nintendo Switch. The North American PlayStation 4 release is dated March 7, 2017; the Steam release is dated March 18, 2017; and the Nintendo Switch edition is dated October 6, 2022. The official history records more than 7.5 million copies sold as of 2023. Those figures are cumulative milestones, not a forecast of current sales or an indication that every edition contains identical content.

4. Final Fantasy XVI is the dark-fantasy spectacle pick

Swordplay, magic and summons

Final Fantasy XVI is the recommendation for players who want the largest cinematic scale. Its combat combines swordplay, magic and summon abilities, then frames major encounters as set pieces with dramatic camera work and escalating phases. You still control a single fighter in real time, but the spectacle is closer to a prestige fantasy production than an enclosed character-action challenge.

The dark-fantasy setting is explicit. Political conflict, powerful factions and personal loyalties drive the narrative, while supernatural forces make each major confrontation feel consequential. That political drama gives the combat context that a pure score-attack game does not provide.

Rank #4

Sale

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (European Version)

• Once upon a time, there was a young witch named Cereza
• Long before this trainee of the dark arts would come to be called Bayonetta, she took a fateful journey into the forbidden Avalon Forest. Alongside her was Cheshire, her very first demon, possessing Cereza’s stuffed toy. Play as both Cereza and Cheshire and search through the treacherous forest to look for the power to save Cereza’s mother
• Any good story has a lesson about teamwork, no, In this tale, Cereza and Cheshire coordinate their efforts to fight faeries and solve puzzles. Use the Left Joy-Con controller to move Cereza and bind enemies with her magic. With the Right Joy-Con controller, move Cheshire to slash and chomp foes
• Turn the pages of Cereza’s story as you explore the enchanting, storybook-inspired Avalon Forest. Avalon Forest is just as beautiful as it is beastly. Each new area looks like it has been painted carefully by hand. Fully-narrated story scenes are told through the vibrantly-illustrated pages of a storybook. Be sure to stop and smell the roses in this whimsical world, but don’t tarry too long – the forest has a taste for lost witches

$39.94

Buy on Amazon

Trade-offs for action purists

The game is less focused on unrestricted combo experimentation than Devil May Cry or Bayonetta. Its strength is the way abilities, summons and cinematic boss battles build momentum across a long campaign. Pick it when you want to alternate between expressive swordplay and story-heavy chapters; pick one of the Platinum-style games when you want every encounter to function primarily as a technical playground.

5. Hi-Fi Rush turns stylish action into a rhythm game

Every input lives on the beat

Hi-Fi Rush preserves the visual language of stylish action while making musical timing the central rule. Attacks, dodges and parries sync to the track, so a successful sequence is not only about choosing the right move but also about landing it in time. The environment pulses with the soundtrack, giving ordinary traversal and combat a shared tempo.

This does not mean every input must be perfectly timed to survive. The beat supplies a framework for stronger results, cleaner strings and more satisfying parries. Players who enjoy learning enemy tells in Devil May Cry will recognize the same observation loop, but the answer is rhythmic rather than purely spatial.

Soundtrack and post-story challenge

The official page names Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys and The Prodigy among the soundtrack artists. After the main story, BPM RUSH! provides a dedicated challenge mode for players who want a more concentrated timing test. Its tone is brighter and more comedic than dark fantasy, so choose it for inventive action design rather than gothic atmosphere.

6. SIFU makes parries, dodges and replay mastery the point

A revenge story with a real cost for defeat

SIFU focuses on close-quarters flow. Strikes, parries and dodges link together as you manage groups in tight spaces, and positioning is as important as the next attack. The game’s revenge premise gives every stage a clear personal objective without requiring a giant fantasy arsenal.

Best Value

Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 - Digital Bundle - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]

• Double the Climax Action with Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 in one package!
• Strap on your heels (and the attached guns) in two nonstop action games. Use your witchy powers to conquer both heaven and hell in the critically-acclaimed Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 games.
• Meet the baddest witch around—Bayonetta Originally released in 2010, the unforgettable first chapter of the Bayonetta saga introduced the world to "climax action", an explosive blend of dynamic action and saucy style. Armed with a weapon in each hand and one on each foot, Bayonetta destroys her opponents with combo attacks that are as beautiful as they are brutal.
• Fight like hell to save your soul-less sister in Bayonetta 2 In this climactic sequel to the critically acclaimed Bayonetta action game, you’ll be on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Brimming with jaw-dropping battles and even more abilities , this game never lets up on the action.

$59.98

Buy on Amazon

Its signature system activates when you lose: every defeat ages the character. Age increases strength while reducing health, turning failure into a trade-off rather than a simple reset. A run can therefore become more powerful and more fragile at the same time, forcing you to decide whether to continue, restart for a cleaner route or accept the consequences.

Permanent progress and the learning loop

Repeat runs permanently unlock moves, so practice has a lasting effect even when a stage goes badly. That makes SIFU a strong choice for players who enjoy mastering enemy patterns and parry windows more than collecting weapons or watching elaborate magic finishers. Its combat is grounded and disciplined compared with Devil May Cry; the supernatural element is concentrated in the aging mechanic and revenge premise.

7. God of War Ragnarök offers mythic weapons and boss scale

Three distinct combat identities

God of War Ragnarök gives you the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos, each with a different range and elemental feel. Shield choices add another defensive identity, while customizable Runic Attacks let you tailor how a weapon spends its strongest abilities. Switching between these tools creates a deliberate, weighty alternative to Devil May Cry’s rapid weapon juggling.

The Norse setting supplies gods, monsters and mythic stakes, and major fights are staged as cinematic confrontations. The game also carries a substantial narrative and exploration load, making it a better fit for players who want character relationships and world discovery between battles.

Valhalla as a replayable extension

Owners of the full game receive access to Valhalla, a free roguelike DLC. Its structure provides a separate reason to revisit the combat after the main story, with repeated runs emphasizing adaptation and build choices. That is useful if you want a longer post-campaign challenge without requiring the tighter, score-focused structure of a character-action game.

8. Stellar Blade combines upgradeable combos with body horror

Learning a larger move set

Stellar Blade sits between spectacle action and upgrade-driven character progression. Its official listing highlights unlockable combos, additional moves and weapon upgrades, so the combat expands as you invest in the character. That makes it suitable for players who enjoy discovering new routes rather than mastering the complete move set from the opening hour.

Bosses draw on alien body horror and religious imagery, giving the game a darker visual identity than its polished science-fiction presentation first suggests. Those themes create memorable set pieces without copying Devil May Cry’s demon mythology.

Who should choose it

Pick Stellar Blade if you want flashy fights, a clear progression path and a world that balances stylish heroes against grotesque enemies. Its upgrade structure means the feeling of expression grows over time; players seeking an immediately open-ended laboratory may prefer Bayonetta instead.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Bayonetta 3

212077

$64.99

SaleBestseller No. 2

Bayonetta -Switch

Witch fell her angel with her smile and beautiful black hair

$59.99

Bestseller No. 3

Bayonetta 3 Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]

Play as the bewitching Bayonetta in the third installment of her climax action game series

$59.99

SaleBestseller No. 4

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (European Version)

Once upon a time, there was a young witch named Cereza

$39.94

Bestseller No. 5

Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 - Digital Bundle - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]

Double the Climax Action with Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 in one package!

$59.98

How to choose your first game after Devil May Cry

Choose by the skill you want to practice

• Combo creativity and dodge-counter timing: Bayonetta.
• Enemy reading, speed and high execution demands: NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black.
• Parries, evasion and repeated route mastery: SIFU.
• Rhythmic timing instead of traditional frame judgment: Hi-Fi Rush.

Choose by the kind of world you want

• Angels, demons and flamboyant occult action: Bayonetta.
• Bleak science fiction with multiple endings: NieR:Automata.
• Political dark fantasy and summon-powered spectacle: Final Fantasy XVI.
• Mythic gods and Norse adventure: God of War Ragnarök.
• Alien body horror with religious imagery: Stellar Blade.

Choose by campaign shape

• Focused action campaign: Bayonetta or NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black.
• Large exploration and narrative commitment: NieR:Automata or Final Fantasy XVI.
• Replayable mastery in compact stages: SIFU.
• Linear adventure with music-driven encounters: Hi-Fi Rush.
• Story-heavy mythic adventure with an additional roguelike mode: God of War Ragnarök.

A sensible playing order

1. Begin with Bayonetta. It tests whether what you wanted was the full character-action loop: expressive strings, defensive timing, supernatural enemies and extravagant finishers.
2. Move to NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black if you want the same intensity with stricter enemy reading and a more demanding difficulty ladder.
3. Play NieR:Automata when you are ready for combat to share time with exploration, side content and multiple narrative conclusions.
4. Choose Final Fantasy XVI or God of War Ragnarök for a longer cinematic campaign in which bosses and story carry as much weight as mechanical experimentation.
5. Use SIFU or Hi-Fi Rush for a focused change of emphasis: parry-and-route mastery in the first, beat-based timing in the second.
6. Finish with Stellar Blade if you want a progression-driven action adventure that steadily expands its combo and weapon options.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.