Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition

2005 CAPCOM Co. Action

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxSilver

Gamicality score

Metacritic 664

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 611

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today3/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Mixed

62%

3,971 reviews1

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxSilver

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Silver, runs with minor issues.3

Played Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition running today

Install the DMC3SE Mods Starter Pack linked from PCGamingWiki; it bundles the v1.3 update, Style Switcher, restored high quality music, Xbox button prompts and controller support.
Without the pack, use XInput Plus or Xidi so both triggers work on an Xbox controller (PCGamingWiki).
If the camera turns the wrong way on a controller, set InvertCamera=1 in StyleSwitcher.ini (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

A third-person action game in which the young demon hunter Dante climbs a demonic tower to confront his twin brother Vergil. Players chain sword, gun and devil weapon attacks into stylish combos, switch between fighting styles and battle a long run of demanding bosses. The Special Edition adds Vergil as a playable character, a Bloody Palace survival mode and retuned difficulty.

Developer: CAPCOM Co.
Released: 2005
Best version: Play Devil May Cry HD Collection instead: this 2006 PC port was delisted from Steam in January 2024 and needs several fan mods to play well.
Genre: Action

Reception

The game itself is widely seen as one of the best action games ever made, praised for its deep combat and boss fights. This PC port, however, holds a PC Metascore of only 66 and Mixed Steam reviews. Players call it a poor conversion with awkward controller mapping, missing music and performance problems that only fan mods fix. The port was delisted from Steam in January 2024, and recent reviews advise buying the HD Collection rather than fighting with this version.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3/5

?Not confirmed yetSold or given away today by an official source
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
Some content no longer works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The game was delisted from Steam on January 31, 2024, so only existing owners can play it, and some PS2 music files are missing from the 2006 PC port unless a fan pack restores them (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen needs Style Switcher or a widescreen fix (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
Controllers work through DirectInput, but Xbox pads need a fix for the triggers (PCGamingWiki).
?Not confirmed yetSteam Deck Verified or Playable
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
?Not confirmed yetNo intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists only graphical errors as unresolved, with fixes for the performance and controller problems (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
There is no mouse support, Xbox triggers do not work, and on many pads the sticks are swapped or mapped wrong until fan mods are installed. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The game has no native widescreen or field of view setting and shows numbered generic button prompts instead of Xbox or PlayStation icons. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The Special Edition adds mid-mission checkpoints, and progress is saved between missions. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Missions are linear with only a few light puzzles, and the Special Edition retuned the difficulty levels, so the challenge lies in learning enemy and boss attack patterns rather than finding the way. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The game moves from one fight and boss to the next with minimal story breaks and only a few short puzzles between battles. Source: steamcommunity.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The camera uses fixed and scripted angles, and on PC players report it spinning on its own or turning the wrong way on controllers. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.