{"id":25639,"date":"2026-08-15T00:18:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T05:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/?page_id=25639"},"modified":"2026-08-15T00:18:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T05:18:59","slug":"devil-may-cry-ps2-tips","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/devil-may-cry-ps2-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Devil May Cry (PS2) Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Devil May Cry (PlayStion 2) Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Devil May Cry Home Page<\/a><\/td>PS2 Game Catalog<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Devil May Cry (PlayStation 2) Tips<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devil May Cry is famous for a number of reasons, most notably its difficulty, which was considered quite high for a PlayStation 2 title. While it is true that this game can be challenging, it only becomes truly difficult in Dante Must Die mode where bosses gain their own Devil Triggers and enemies are far stronger in general. With this in mind, this collection of tips is intended for use in the Easy Automatic, Normal, and (to a lesser extent) Hard difficulties. With the right tools and preparation, the aforementioned difficulty settings become far less daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I may eventually add tips for Dante Must Die difficulty, but for now it’s worth noting the tricks outlined below will not allow you to sail through it and the only real trick to mastering the game is practice with a healthy dose of patience. Finally, this was written for the original PlayStation 2 version of Devil May Cry, so it does not take any changes made in later iterations if the game into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for using this guide and good luck with Devil May Cry!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~by tankMage (August 2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. General Tips<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Boss Tips<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Weapon Overview<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. General Tips<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devil May Cry can be difficult to get used to, especially for modern gamers. This is partially due to the game’s control layout, which is rather awkward. The other factor is the game’s somewhat unusual pacing; Devil May Cry encourages new players to rush, while requiring them to master Dante’s intricate moveset and explore an unfamiliar setting. Needless to say, this combination can lead to players getting stuck in impossible situations. The following tips are intended to help players prepare for any challenge DMC may throw at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. Don’t Worry About the Mission Scores<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devil May Cry is split into 23 missions. Dante will be scored on completion time as well as on how many Red Orbs are collected at the end of each mission. Ranks range from S to D Rank, with Red Orb prizes that increase with Dante’s ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it is nice to get an S or A Rank at the end of the mission (along with the Red Orb prize) it isn’t really practical for a new player to try to rush through every mission in search of a great score. Instead, take your time, explore, and get used to playing the game. You can always attempt those fast times in New Game + when Dante is far more powerful and you’re more familiar with the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Grind Red Orbs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Players can buy incredibly useful items and skills in the shop between missions and at Divinity Statues (the statues holding an hourglass) using Red Orbs. Defeating enemies, hitting breakable objects, exploring, and finishing missions are all ways players can earn Red Orbs. While getting S Rank in missions is probably the best way to get large quantities of orbs, it’s generally easier for new players to acquire them by defeating enemies over and over again. Luckily, fairly easy enemies that respawn when Dante enters an area can be found throughout the game. Here is a short list of foes worth farming for orbs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin Scissors\/Scythes – These robed spirits resemble the Grim Reaper and can be found in the first few chapters of the game. They drop a decent amount of Red Orbs per kill as well as the occasional Green Orb which restores health. Dante can blow these spirits away with a few close range shotgun bursts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blades – Dante will encounter Blades (which are basically just lizardmen) in Mission 9 around the time he gets Ifrit. While fast and durable, they are weak against the Grenadegun. Players can farm Red Orbs from Blades by knocking them down with a grenade, then pummeling them with melee attacks. Smart players can even do this with a group of Blades by herding them together before using the Grenadegun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetishes – These monstrosities are upgraded versions of the Puppets players encounter in the first mission. They can be easily recognized by their gangly appearance and flaming weapons. Fetishes tend to spawn in groups with Puppets. Shotgun blasts can quickly destroy a Fetish, though it may be better to use the Grenadegun against large groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plasma – These creatures do not appear until Mission 16, however they are still an excellent source of Red Orbs. They are not particularly strong and split into separate enemies that drop loads of orbs upon death. The Shotgun and Grenadegun both work very well on them. Do not allow these creatures to surround Dante, because they can do serious damage in groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grinding a few hundred or even a thousand Red Orbs per mission in the first quarter of the game will allow you to buy a few items that will make the game much easier. Be sure to hoard Red Orbs around Mission 16, because it becomes more difficult to collect them later on, which is also when you need them for items like Holy Water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C. Buy Stinger, Air Raid and Air Hike<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The previous tip was about getting Red Orbs. Here are a few of the skills you should buy with them as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stinger – A thrusting attack with Alastor. Does good damage and allows Dante to cover a lot of ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Raid – Allows Dante to briefly fly and shoot lightning while Alastor’s Devil Trigger is active. Great for crossing chasms and looking for hidden items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Hike – Gives Dante the ability to jump a second time in mid air with Alastor. Very useful for evading attacks, exploring, and attacking with Alastor. This skill costs a whopping 4000 Red Orbs, but it’s worth getting very early if you have the patience to grind Sin Scissors in one of the opening missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re supremely patient, you can grind the roughly 7000 Red Orbs in the second mission and pretty much coast through the game using what you earn as you go to buy items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D. Buy Purple Orbs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shop sells Purple Orbs which increase Dante’s Devil Trigger capacity. While these items are unassuming and easy to miss, the upgrade they provide to the Devil Trigger is priceless. Just one or two Purple Orbs will allow Dante to stay in his devil form noticeably longer, which can help a lot in boss fights and tight situations. The first couple of Purple Orbs only cost a few hundred Red Orbs a piece, so try to get them sooner rather than later. Dante can have up to ten Devil Trigger glyphs, which translates into a lot of demon form time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E. Devil Trigger is a Life Saver<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dante gets the Devil Trigger after acquiring Alastor in the second mission. Hitting L1 will activate Devil Trigger as long as at least three of the glyphs underneath Dante’s health bar are lit up. Dante deals extra damage, regenerates health, and moves far more quickly when Devil Trigger is active. Using it strategically is key to winning boss fights. It’s also great for healing and clearing out weak foes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One good way to manage Devil Trigger power is to use ranged weapons to build it up while avoiding incoming attacks by jumping\/rolling. Once the Devil Trigger gauge is full, you can activate it and go on with melee attacks. That said, this technique does not work for every regular foe and boss. Sometimes it is best to stick to ranged or melee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F. Use R1 in Combat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the things I struggled with when I first began playing DMC was avoiding enemy attacks and alternating between melee and ranged weapons effectively. Eventually I realized it is generally best to keep the R1 Button held down while fighting. Holding R1 forces Dante into a combat stance where he can quickly use his guns and roll to evade damage. At the same time, he will aim his melee attacks better. It also allows for the use of skills like Stinger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get used to rolling and jumping by using the Left Stick while holding R1 and pressing Triangle. You should also try to get a feel for the amount of time it takes Dante to use his sword and the recoil associated with the various ranged weapons. Mastering this style of combat makes the game far more enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G. Save Untouchables for the Final Boss<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will occasionally find an item called the Untouchable hidden in various places around the game. These stars are very rare and powerful. Using one makes Dante invincible for a brief period of time and grants him unlimited Devil Trigger. It’s best to use these very sparingly since they are so few in number. Try to hold onto them for really hard bosses or even the very end of the game. Keep in mind that you cannot use this in the first phase of the Mundus battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Untouchables can be bought in the store and you can only hold one at a time, so it’s safe to use one as long as you have a few thousand Red Orbs to buy a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H. Use Holy Water on Bosses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy Water is extremely effective against bosses like Phantom and Griffin. Even Nightmare loses a good chunk of health to Holy Water. Better yet, Dante is immune to damage while he is activating it, so use it on bosses you are having a hard time with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I. Use Nightmare-Beta Very Carefully<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nightmare-Beta is a semi-secret weapon found in the second half of the game. It fires a cool looking green laser that bounces. Each shot consumes a Devil Trigger glyph. Charging the weapon up will fire more powerful shots, while consuming more energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You probably guessed the problem with this weapon right off the bat: Devil Trigger glyphs are Dante’s life blood and a single shot from the Nightmare-Beta is nowhere near as powerful as a few seconds of Devil Trigger mode. Ebony & Ivory, the Shotgun, and the Grenadegun are arguably superior to the Nightmare. Not only do these weapons do a fair amount of damage, they also actively build Devil Trigger power, which is invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Nightmare-Beta is extremely powerful when Dante is in devil mode, because it does not consume glyphs while still benefiting from Devil Trigger bonuses. Consequently, it can be very powerful under the right conditions. Consider using this weapon in situations where you can eliminate numerous enemies in tight spaces where the bouncing beams from Nightmare-Beta can deal tons of damage. Alternatively, you can use this weapon on bosses you really want to stay far away from, granted they are vulnerable to its shots and you are willing to power it with Devil Trigger energy. Devil Stars are really potent if used in conjunction with this weapon, because you can keep Dante in devil mode for an extended period of time while firing charged shots from the Nightmare-Beta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J. Make Multiple Saves<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there was one thing I wish I knew when I started Devil May Cry, it’s that it becomes harder to farm Red Orbs for items and skills later in the game. Make a new save file every few missions so you can go back if you get stuck. I had to manage my items very carefully when I got to the end, because I ran out of Red Orbs, which made the last few fights tougher than they needed to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K. Devil Stars are Awesome<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devil Stars are a relatively cheap way to power up Dante in dangerous fights. A single Devil Star gives Dante enough juice to activate his Devil Trigger for a few seconds. Going into devil mode can often turn the tables when a boss has you on the ropes, so try to keep a few Devil Stars on hand at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Boss Tips<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few brief hints for fighting the various bosses that appear in DMC. These tips should not be considered full guides, since they generally do not go into great detail about things like movesets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. Phantom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being the first boss, Phantom represents a challenge for new players. Its body is armored aside from its back and head, which are both often protected by its limbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is really helpful to have learned the Stinger skill before this fight as it allows Dante to get a quick sword thrust into Phantom’s face when it is exposed, then roll or jump away. Skilled players can bait Phantom into swiping at Dante with its forelimbs, then attack its exposed face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also possible to jump on Phantom’s back, then slash away at it with the sword. However, I find this move difficult to execute without Air Hike, so it’s probably not a great option for inexperienced players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Nelo Angelo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dante will encounter Nelo Angelo several times throughout his adventure. Nelo can be very difficult or very easy depending on how you fight him. His combos are fast, have decent reach, and deal significant damage. Nelo can also block Dante’s weapons and is unphased by guns of any type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be aggressive and use Stinger to lock Nelo into a defensive stance. Hitting him about three or four times will break his guard and allow Dante to get a combo in. Jump or roll away after hitting him a few times to avoid his counter attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ifrit destroys Nelo in the second fight with him if you use aggressive tactics. In fact, you can usually just pummel him until he runs out of health. That said, Ifrit does not work well on Nelo in the third fight and you will have to rely on Alastor as you did in the first encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C. Griffin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Griffin can be very difficult depending on how he chooses to use his powers. Sometimes he will rush Dante, which can be easily dealt with by rolling a few times. In other instances, Griffin will unleash waves of red lightning which can be very tough to jump over or roll away from. Griffin seems to choose his moves at random, so it can be hard to tell if he’s going to charge a lot or use his ranged attacks more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, players can control this fight to some extent by hanging back and using the handguns or Grenadegun. Which one you prefer is up to you: The handguns seem to be more accurate while the Grenadegun packs more of a punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can get a few melee attacks in with Alastor to hurry things up when Griffin rushes Dante. Devil Trigger is great as usual. Dante will have to fight Griffin three times over the course of Devil May Cry, but the techniques used to beat him work the same outside of the second battle where it’s best to use the handguns to destroy the red birds he sends after Dante.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D. Nightmare<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nightmare is easily the most annoying boss in this game, if not the most difficult. Dante has to fight it on several separate occasions towards the end of the game. While the arena changes a bit in each battle, the overall strategy for defeating Nightmare remains the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First off, Nightmare has a solid and liquid form. It prefers to remain liquid, which is a problem since it can only be damaged when its core is exposed in solid form. Nightmare’s liquid form can also absorb Dante. If this happens, the player will be trapped inside the creature. To escape, the player must defeat several skulls as well as one of the bosses from earlier in the game. Yes, there is a boss inside of this boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recommend resetting or purposely dying if Nightmare swallows Dante, because defeating the boss inside of it really isn’t worth the time and energy unless you’re going for a no death run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say, you will want to keep Nightmare in solid form, which leads into the first tip for this boss. You will always find a seal that can be attacked in Nightmare fights. These seals are the round, clock-like objects you have encountered throughout the game. Activating the seal will force Nightmare into solid form. The seal will slowly deactivate and Nightmare will return to liquid once it is inactive, but you can always hit it a few times to keep the seal active. Consequently, you can keep Nightmare in solid form forever if you make sure the seal is active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When fighting this boss in its solid form, roll or jump around it while blasting it with your guns, then go into Devil Trigger mode and attack its core (a round glowing ball) with a melee weapon when it is exposed. Holy Water works well against Nightmare, especially since time is generally working against you in these fights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E. Mundus Phase 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stock up on Devil Stars before this fight, so you use the L1 Dragon Summon on him as much as you want. Five or six hits from the dragon can defeat him. Time your attacks carefully, because he changes position at about half health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circling the screen and flying in zigzag patterns is a good way to avoid this boss’s various projectiles. Fly vertically or horizontally to get away from his big laser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shooting the spheres Mundus generates will build up the Devil Trigger. You can also damage him with your regular attacks if you manage to destroy the spheres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F. Mundus Phase 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the Grenadegun to charge Dante’s Devil Trigger and activate it as much as possible. Ebony and Ivory work fine if the Grenadegun is too slow for you. If you have an Untouchable, use it when your health gets low. Sometimes Mundus summons a fire dragon that refills Dante’s health if he can kill it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is possible to melee Mundus by jumping on the platforms he creates, but it is easier to circle around shooting at him. Sometimes one of the larger black orbs Mundus spawns will approach Dante. Destroy these for some health and Devil Trigger power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G. Mundus Phase 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final confrontation with Mundus is very easy, back away while firing the Grenadegun. Get ready to jump over his beam if he rears up. A cutscene will play and Dante will be told to activate his Devil Trigger, then use Ebony & Ivory, do so. Mundus will be defeated and the final portion of the game will take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Weapon Overview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dante has access to a fairly versatile arsenal of demon hunting tools. Understanding these weapons is key to success in battling the forces of darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. Force Edge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dante’s basic melee weapon and the weakest of the three until it transforms late in the game. Despite being weak, it’s serviceable in the first few missions. Later on, it becomes Sparda, which is very powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Alastor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A powerful lightning sword which grants Dante fast attacks and added mobility. While not terribly powerful, Alastor is a safe bet to use in most situations. Air Hike, Air Raid, and Stinger are some of the most useful moves in the game, so be sure to invest in Alastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C. Ifrit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These gauntlets are very powerful and quick, but they lack reach compared to Dante’s other weapons. They can also take some time to master since their most powerful attacks need to be charged. While Alastor’s skills and useful items should get priority when it comes to budgeting Red Orbs, Ifrit’s skills may still be worth some investment. Kick 13 in particular helps solve Ifrit’s problems with reach since it gives Dante the ability to quickly close with enemies without leaving himself exposed with a slow charging punch. Ifrit’s other skills are also worth getting if you have enough orbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ifrit is also very useful for farming enemies like Fetishes and Blades. A few good combos can quickly eliminate ground based foes, allowing players to quickly rack up Red Orbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D. Ebony & Ivory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dante starts with these handguns. They have excellent range and tracking despite their low damage. While it’s easy to write Ebony and Ivory off as starter weapons, they remain viable throughout the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E. Shotgun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shotgun works wonders against Sin Scissors and Scythes if used at close range. It also works well against Puppets and Fetishes thanks to its ability to knock them down. Bosses are largely unphased by the Shotgun, so it’s better to use melee attacks on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F. Grenadegun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power is the name of the game with the Grenadegun. It has heavy recoil and its shots travel slowly, but it hits hard. Learning to roll out of recoil is vital if you want to use this weapon effectively. The Grenadegun works well against all but the small, fast foes like Shadows and Sin Scissors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G. Nightmare-Beta<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This weapon was covered thoroughly in the General Tips Section, so I’ll keep it brief here. Nightmare-Beta can be very powerful, but it requires Devil Trigger glyphs to operate at full capacity, so it’s probably not the best choice for most players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H. Needlegun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This odd weapon can only be used underwater. At the same time, it’s the only weapon that can be used underwater, so it’s pretty important in the rare cases where Dante is fully submerged in water. Getting used to aiming the Needlegun is very helpful. It’s ability to rapid fire shots makes it pretty easy to use after a little practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for using my Devil May Cry Tips!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RetroMaggedon.com \u00a92026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Devil May Cry (PlayStion 2) Tips Devil May Cry Home Page PS2 Game Catalog Devil May Cry (PlayStation 2) Tips Introduction Devil May Cry is famous for a number of reasons, most notably its difficulty, which was considered quite high for a PlayStation 2 title. While it is true that this game can be challenging, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25639","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25639"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25641,"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25639\/revisions\/25641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/retromaggedon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}