Devil May Cry 5 Tips: Guide To Finding And Beating Every Secret Mission

TL;DR

  • Secret missions require camera alignment with red streaks to form glowing glyphs
  • Each mission presents unique combat, collection, or time-based challenges
  • Nightmare summoning often reveals hidden pathways to secret locations
  • Failed attempts can be retried via main menu without penalty
  • Character abilities like V’s sprint significantly ease completion


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Devil May Cry 5 continues the franchise tradition of concealing special challenges throughout its campaign, though the discovery mechanics have evolved significantly. Unlike previous entries that relied on cryptic environmental clues, this installment introduces a visual puzzle system requiring precise camera positioning. These hidden trials test everything from your combat efficiency to navigation skills under pressure.

The new glyph-based activation system represents a major departure from earlier games. Instead of hunting for obscure notes, you’ll notice crimson streaks forming partial patterns in specific environments. These visual cues indicate proximity to secret mission locations. Success requires standing at exact positions and manipulating your viewpoint until the fragmented red lines converge into complete glowing symbols.

Once activated, these missions present unconventional objectives that often deviate from standard combat encounters. The forgiving retry system allows unlimited attempts through the mission select screen, eliminating frustration from particularly demanding challenges. This accessibility ensures players can perfect their approach without restarting entire levels.

Our comprehensive guide covers all twelve hidden missions, providing detailed location instructions and proven completion strategies. For broader gameplay insights, consult our Complete Guide to action game mechanics.

Mission 2 Secret Challenge: This introductory hidden mission appears in the hotel area with deliberate visual emphasis. Position yourself beside the bed against the far wall, then angle your camera through the doorway to align the fragmented red markings into a complete glyph pattern.

Completion Strategy: As the initial secret mission, this serves as a straightforward combat trial. Unleash your full arsenal to eliminate all adversaries within the time limit. Prioritize crowd control abilities and aerial combos to maximize damage output against multiple targets simultaneously.

Mission 3 Hidden Objective: During the Flying Hunter mission’s sewer segment, descend the staircase completely and approach the drainage grate. Direct your gaze upward toward the ceiling to synthesize the glyph and initiate the challenge.

Advanced Tactics: This mission demands aggressive single-target focus against Red Empusa clusters. These elusive creatures will flee when threatened, so employ Nero’s Exceed system for burst damage and use Devil Breakers like Overture for quick eliminations. Defeat one enemy completely before engaging the next to prevent mass escape. For weapon optimization strategies, see our Weapons Unlock guide for damage maximization principles.

Mission 4 Secret Location: Progress past the bridge to discover a Nidhogg Hatchling near a warehouse. After the subsequent demon confrontation, proceed inside and continue to the lower streets. Spot the large mural and summon Nightmare to breach the wall, revealing an alley leading to another hatchling. Follow the road until you encounter forked paths, take the left route past demonic barriers. Utilize your collected hatchlings, then access the upper floor room and peer through the wall opening downward to align the glyph.

Collection Challenge: This mission tasks you with gathering all red orbs before time expiration. Purchase V’s sprint ability—where he mounts Shadow for accelerated movement—to dramatically improve collection efficiency. This ability proves invaluable for time-sensitive objectives throughout the game.

Mission 5 Access Point: Again requiring Nightmare’s destructive capabilities, locate the fragile wall ahead after observing the colossal demon’s second leg above. Summon your familiar to demolish the barrier, advance through the resulting battle, then ascend the metallic staircase. From the summit, pivot your camera toward the overhead beam to reveal the mission glyph.

Success in Devil May Cry 5’s secret missions hinges on understanding character-specific advantages. Nero’s Devil Breakers provide situational solutions—Helter Skelter breaks armored enemies, while Ragtime slows opponents for easier targeting. V’s familiars offer distinct tactical benefits; Griffon handles aerial threats while Shadow excels at ground control.

Time management represents the most common failure point in these challenges. For collection missions, mentally map orb locations during initial scans. Combat trials benefit from pre-battle style meter building to begin with powerful attacks ready. Always prioritize eliminating healers or support demons first in enemy groups.

Common mistakes include over-committing to flashy combos instead of efficient damage, and failing to scout environments thoroughly before activating timed objectives. Advanced players should master jump-canceling to maintain aerial superiority and avoid ground-based threats. For character specialization insights, our Class Guide details ability optimization approaches.

Estimate 5-15 minutes per secret mission depending on difficulty, with Mission 3’s Red Empusa hunt and Mission 12’s platforming challenge typically requiring the most attempts. Persistent players will discover that these missions significantly enhance combat skills and provide valuable upgrade resources.

How To Complete: You’re facing a tight 20-second window to eliminate three targets, demanding aggressive area-clearing tactics. Initiate by powering up Griffon’s wide-beam laser assault while simultaneously directing Shadow to execute rapid close-quarters strikes. Avoid deploying Nightmare entirely, as his sluggish movement speed makes him ineffective for time-sensitive objectives. Engaging the special attack enhancements for your demon companions (via LT/L2 inputs) significantly amplifies their damage output for quicker eliminations.

Found In Mission 10: This stage features unique timed doorways that seal shut after predetermined intervals. Typically positioned before combat encounters, these barriers compel swift enemy disposal to access the closing pathways. During Mission 10’s concluding segment, you’ll discover a chamber containing dual exits alongside numerous hostile entities. Upon clearing the area, immediately sprint through the right-side portal and ascend the spiral corridor. The secret mission activation point awaits at the summit.

How To Complete: This objective mandates pinpoint accuracy against the Death Scissor’s vulnerable spot using a solitary projectile. Success requires breaching their defensive posture through calculated assaults. Target their massive scissor blades—their primary blocking mechanism—with deliberate strikes. Perfectly timed parries prove exceptionally valuable for creating attack opportunities. Inflicting any harm before they reveal their weakness instantly fails the mission. After shattering their weapon, await the crimson glow surrounding their head before discharging your firearm. For maximum safety and precision, utilize charged weapons such as Ebony and Ivory.

Found In Mission 11: Locating this clandestine operation is relatively straightforward. When you encounter the luminous puzzle segment featuring tendrils and the collapsing spire, obliterate the initial crimson cyst—Dante explicitly identifies it. Following the tower segment’s descent, retrace your path to the original entry point. Position yourself centrally within the aperture and align the mystical symbol to commence the secret mission.

How To Complete: Achieving the coveted S ranking necessitates flawless damage avoidance combined with consistent offensive pressure. The most dangerous adversaries are cleaver-wielding demons possessing super-armor capabilities during recovery animations, though well-timed deflections can interrupt this state. Prioritize neutralizing high-threat targets initially, then maintain aggressive evasion and assault patterns to dominate the engagement.

Found In Mission 12: Despite the stage’s labyrinthine design, the secret objective becomes accessible after revealing the concealed entry below the monument. Upon reaching the subterranean caves, you’ll eventually approach a substantial staircase preceding the exterior exit. Quickly pivot to locate a slight protrusion overhead. Leap to the elevated platform to discover the mission marker, then adjust your viewpoint to identify the glyph.

How To Complete: Surviving this trial demands appropriate armament selection. The Cavaliere motorcycle unexpectedly excels as a melee option here. Utilizing the Swordmaster configuration, Cavaliere’s airborne techniques provide exceptional mid-air sustainability. Rapidly executing the style maneuver with Cavaliere maintains Dante’s elevation sufficiently to fulfill requirements. Crucially, sustaining any damage whatsoever results in immediate mission failure.

Found In Mission 14: After conquering V’s consecutive boss encounters, progress to the level’s final segment. Here you’ll witness Dante and Nero engaged in distant combat. Annihilate the adjacent blood cyst to unseal the forward route. Once advancing along this path, take an immediate left to find a trail leading to another crimson sac. Destroy it to reveal a compact zone behind it, displaying the secret mission indicator. Reorient your camera toward the overhead structure to locate the glyph.

How To Complete: This assignment can prove frustrating even for players comfortable with V’s mobility and skillset. The challenge requires traversing to a blue orb fragment without ground contact. Unfortunately, Griffon and Shadow’s capabilities lack the necessary range coverage for this distance. When conventional methods prove insufficient, summon Nightmare as your solution. At mission start, invoke your demonic construct—it materializes on the terrain below. With the Promotion ability acquired, you can vault onto its chassis and safely pilot Nightmare toward the destination.

Found In Mission 15: Among the more unconventional secret mission accesses. After reaching the enhancement idol following the stage’s initial segment, circle right around it to discover a descending route. On lower difficulty settings, you’ll find a Punch Line devil breaker device and challenging angled surfaces ahead. If you’ve mastered rocket-surfing techniques throughout your playthrough, this segment represents the pinnacle of your Punch Line proficiency. Activate the Rocket Surf function and navigate the slopes and inclines until reaching the terminal position. The secret mission location lies just beyond.

Character Optimization: Each secret mission favors specific character builds and equipment loadouts. For Dante, prioritize style-switching fluidity and weapon versatility. Nero benefits from maximized Devil Breaker combinations and exceed timing. V’s effectiveness hinges on familiar coordination and resource management.

Common Pitfalls: Many players fail due to improper timing on parries or attempting risky maneuvers without adequate practice. Always test strategies in lower difficulty modes first to master the required techniques.

Time Management: Speed-based missions typically require 15-18 seconds for optimal completion, leaving minimal margin for error. Practice route optimization and attack sequences to shave precious seconds off your time.

Equipment Selection: Beyond the recommended weapons, consider how each piece of gear interacts with mission mechanics. Some provide hidden advantages not immediately apparent from their descriptions.

Action Checklist

  • Scan environments for red streak patterns indicating nearby secret missions
  • Position character at streak convergence points and adjust camera to form complete glyphs
  • Purchase V’s sprint ability before attempting Mission 4’s orb collection
  • Practice Nero’s Exceed timing for burst damage against elusive Red Empusa
  • Utilize main menu retry function to perfect challenging missions without level restarts
  • Study mission requirements and select appropriate character/weapon loadout
  • Practice specific techniques in Bloody Palace or lower difficulties
  • Execute location discovery sequence with precise timing
  • Implement advanced strategies for time optimization
  • Complete mission objective while avoiding common failure points

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