DMC5 for a new DMC player?

OK, so I need some feedback/advice...

I have loved action games for a long time, and while I have always respected the DMC series as being one the genre's greats, I just have never really gotten into them.  Full disclosure---I have never fully completed any DMC game.  I have played a little here and there of most of them over the years, and just never really got hooked.  I think I am just too attached to the Ninja Gaiden approach and "feel" of combat and I just have never been interested in DMC's combat philosophy of being about style and how many crazy combos can I do/how many times can I hit this enemy, etc.... Perhaps I am being unfair but this has always been my impression.

But, I am really wondering if I need to give DMC5 a fair shake and give it a shot.  The game certainly looks amazing.
Any advice for a serious Ninja Gaiden fan considering testing the DMC waters again?  For other primarily NG players, is DMC5 satisfying and something you'd recommend?

The only advice I can give you is that there is a demo for DMC5. You can only play as Nero though.

They play like night and day, and in the past more than one Ninja Gaiden player has expressed difficulty transitioning to Devil May Cry. I had the same problem and the game in the series that really connected to me the most was the third one. Play on the harder settings and act like it is Ninja Gaiden II - aka rush foes down and stay on the offensive while using guns from afar and melee up close.

The stigma that it is all about styling is a bit of a community thing and not at all how the games should be played, which is why most combo videos are against a singular foe or in the training room. It is all about being on the offensive, with a neat feature that you can look and feel cool while doing it :)

Thanks guys! I will download the DMC5 demo and try it out.

Encouraging to hear your comments about the styling aspect vs. the gameplay @Royta/Raeng!

No problem! Both me and Phandral (gamefaqs user, big Ninja Gaiden fan) had a lot of trouble making the transition. Played it very defensively (NGB style), dodging to punish etc. That's not the way to play this game I feel. Let me know how it goes for you!

OK, played the DMC5 demo for a few hours the other night.

There was definitely some fun to be had and the game certainly looks gorgeous to play. I totally can understand the appeal of the combat and the depth available in it. But, again with the caveat of only based on a few hours of play and in a demo, I can pretty much already tell it likely is not for me. As fun as the combat is at times, I just find it pretty lifeless to be honest---there is no real sense of visceral impact or urgency. It is hard to explain.... It just feels like floaty, flashy fun to me. Again, for myself, this just does not even come close to the combat in Ninja Gaiden games. Team Ninja just has something ingrained within their combat engine, their animations, etc. that just cannot be matched IMHO. The only game that has come close for me is Metal Gear Rising....

I had something similar, and I urge you to try Devil May Cry 3 if possible. The later Devil May Cry games really focused more on flashy style and what you can do with the combos, as opposed to the foes you used them on. They also had a lot less 'oomph' in their animations (both in the animations themselves and the sound effects).

Devil May Cry 3 still has that, paired with a good difficulty demanding something from you. DMCV is fantastic, but it doesn't really push you to do anything beyond being stylish, at least until you reach higher difficulties.

Like with all games, I can show you a video, but honestly playing it is much better to get that feeling across. The game is available on the PS2, PS3/X360, PC, PS4/X1. All except the PS2 version are the 'special edition', which is the best version of the game. The PS2 version has a regular version (called Dante's Awakening) and the Special Edition. Again, the latter is superior.

You know I think you should try the original Devil May Cry. I don't think that I can describe it well enough but I think that the original is more intense than stylish.

Thanks guys! I will try to check out DMC3 and the original sometime soon!

It's interesting, these two mindsets. Recently I started wondering if it's related to personality.

It was actually a pretty big 'thing'. When a lot of NG players played on PS3, they bought DMC4 and the HD collection and had a lot of trouble getting into it. My first run of DMC3 went horrible and I absolutely hated the game, mostly because I was playing it NGS1 style. I think it is more what you're used to, than personality, though the later ofcourse does play in (heavily) about what you like.

mostly because I was playing it NGS1 style
Playing something the 'wrong' way plays a huge part, like all those people who complained that CL wasn't DMC.

I think it is more what you're used to
Which causes you to play like above I'd say.

though the later ofcourse does play in (heavily) about what you like.
Of course, you'd have to wait until AFTER experiencing the game to be able to say for sure. That's what I mean, when all is said and done, I feel like it's a personality thing. Do you want to purposely extend juggles on helpless enemies, or have aggressive enemies that require efficiency, who won't allow you to combo endlessly, judging and prioritizing who to remove from the field, etc.

I find after years of experience I prefer the latter, though I still love games like DMC and Bayo.