10 Video Games You Should Play On Hard Mode

The Devil May Cry series is well known for its multiple difficulty settings in each entry; as hack-and-slash games, the inherent idea is to replay them over and over again. Devil May Cry 5 is no exception to the rule, and while it does provide its easiest setting to players from the get-go (as opposed to previous entries), it saves its harder difficulties for players prepared to grind through the lower levels.

DMC5’s hardest offering ‘Hell And Hell’ requires a bit of effort to even unlock, as one must finish the game on ‘Son Of Sparda’ first, which in itself is only unlocked by completing the game on ‘Devil Hunter’.

For those prepared to put in the work, the further three difficulty settings after Son Of Sparda are all different and rewarding in their own ways.

‘Dante Must Die’ enables new enemy attack patterns and significantly increased speed and aggression, with the hardest enemies appearing earlier and more frequently, plus everything deals twice as much damage with twice as much health. ‘Heaven And Hell’ comparatively introduces a one-shot one-kill mechanic - not just for the player, but for everything.

Hell And Hell combines the best of both worlds. You still die in one hit, of course - but your enemies play like in Dante Must Die, making them spongy and spiky as hell. The mode also removes checkpoints, and limits you to only three revives per mission. It might sound impossible, but for a seasoned player who has beaten every other difficulty, this is the ultimate challenge, and it's insanely gratifying to beat.