On Sept. 16, a trailer for “Devil May Cry 5” Special Edition premiered on Sony’s Playstation Showcase. Some of the features it announced were Turbo Mode for those who want to play a faster version of the game, Legendary Dark Knight mode for those who have mastered the other difficulties, and Vergil being playable once again. 

Ever since his debut in “Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening”, the iconic rival of main character Dante has only been playable in the special editions and DLCs of each installment. This includes “Devil May Cry 3”, “Devil May Cry 4”, the “DMC: Devil May Cry” reboot and now “Devil May Cry 5”. 

Vergil will be immediately playable for anyone who purchases the upcoming special edition during the PS5’s launch this November. On top of that, DLC for Vergil is slated for the base game from 2019. There is no release date for the DLC as of yet, but the promise is more than enough to inspire hype, or as Vergil famously calls it, motivation.

Devil May Cry 5 is a stylish and electrifying hack ‘n slash game with 3 playable characters: Dante, Nero, and newcomer V. Dante’s level of complexity and multitude of weapons make him the most fun character to play and experiment with while pulling off some of the flashiest combos in the series. 

Nero gains access to an ever-expanding number of disposable buster arms, each with their own attributes to make them distinct and fun to experiment with once all 8 are unlocked. V is a more tactical character as he summons familiars to do damage for him so he can finish off enemies with his cane. 

Vergil’s inclusion adds a 4th character to the mix as his more direct and imposing nature translates once again to his gameplay. His play style consists of quick and decisive slashes, teleportation, sword projectiles, a doppelganger projection, and more. Weapon-switching and the temporary super form, Devil Trigger, are both staples of the franchise, and Vergil has access to these features.

Vergil now has his own personal theme song. He’s had memorable boss themes in the fights against him in “Devil May Cry 3”, but never a song dedicated to him. Each playable character in “Devil May Cry 5” was given a theme, so it was only natural that Vergil would follow suit.

Cue “Bury the Light” by Casey Edwards ft. Victor Borba: an unstoppable 9-minute metal banger. It’s the longest song in the entire series at almost 10 minutes, and its booming choruses are the most grandiose musical passages in the franchise. The vocals by Victor Borba combined with some of the almost industrial electronic bits thrown in also give the song a “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” vibe for those familiar with the over-the-top boss fights and music of that game. 

The lyrics encapsulate Vergil as a character, an imposing, power-hungry, yet tragic figure caught between the dark path he’s always taken and the good he’s capable of.

While the chance to play Vergil once again is more than a month away, the trailer and theme song that dropped are exciting nonetheless. This bit of exciting news also gives fans of the series the chance to replay the entire series in preparation for his return in the “Devil May Cry 5” DLC and the November-bound “Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition”. I look forward to hacking and slashing demons in “Smokin’ Sexy Style” once again.