Automatic Mode

Automatic Mode (also known as Auto Assist / Auto Combo) is an assistance control mode that appears in Devil May Cry 1, 3, 4 and 5 which automates and randomizes the combat system by performing special attacks and combos for you just by repeatedly pressing a single attack button. This mode can be problematic however as you no longer have manual control over your character and can make certain encounters more difficult than they should be due to the lack of manual 1:1 control. Furthermore, In DMC4, you cannot perform parries while playing in automatic mode.

This mode is intended for those with little to no experience playing action games with no desire to learn the game's controls and systems.

Devil May Cry

Easy Automatic tutorial in DMC1

Enabling this mode

In order to unlock this difficulty mode, the player needs to use Yellow Orb on first two or 2 Yellow Orbs on the third mission or use a Vital Star on the first mission on Normal difficulty, an option will then appear, asking the player if they wish to activate this mode. If the player completes the game in Easy Automatic Mode, the difficulty will not increase to Normal in New Game+.

Gameplay enhancements

• Easy difficulty - Dante's attacks deal a higher amount of damage and he receives less.
• Automatic combos - Complicated moves are done simply with repeated press of a button.
• Simple shooting - The player is no longer required to hold the R1 button to shoot the guns.

Disadvantages

• As mentioned above, this difficulty is effectively a dead end in gameplay terms, requiring the player to start from scratch in Normal.

Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and Special Edition

Easy Automatic tutorial in DMC3

Enabling this mode

Automatic mode can be selected on Mission Select screen once Easy mode is available. Easy is unlocked the same way as in the first game - by dying three times in a row.

Gameplay enhancements

• Auto-Combo: Do complicated moves with a single press of a button. It also sometimes fires off Crazy Combos.
• Rapid Fire: For Ebony & Ivory one button press creates a barrage of three shots, instead of one.
• Summoned Swords: When playing as Vergil Summoned Swords appear mid-combo without having to press the gun key

Disadvantages

• Since the player doesn't fully control the input, it is sometimes hard to execute a precise string of combos.

Devil May Cry 4

Automatic mode tutorial in DMC4

Enabling this mode

Note that this mode in not listed in the Difficulty Modes given on the Mission Menu, it only appears on the Character Selection screen. While in the Character Selection screen, either press left or right until the desired character has "Automatic" written below him. With Automatic Mode enabled, you can perform combos by simply repeatedly pressing an attack button. This mode can be enabled for any difficulty.

Gameplay enhancements

Here are the gameplay effects used in the Automatic Mode of Devil May Cry 4:

• Burst Fire: A single tap of the Gun key will fire three Blue Rose or Ebony & Ivory rounds, instead of the standard one.
• Auto-Charge: During in-game battles, your guns will be automatically charged when not yet fired. (If the charge levels are unlocked.)
• Simple Combos: A simple tap of a directional input and an action button will perform a combo.
• Auto-EX: During attacks, EX-Act or MAX-Act activates automatically with a 40% chance of success. (If EX-Act or MAX-Act are unlocked.)
• Emergency Trigger: When you health bar is below two segments (flashes red), Devil Trigger activates automatically.
• Easy Swordmaster Style: The Style button will be bounded with the Melee button during battles, making a use of easier Swordmaster Style controls.
• Easy Pandora Formation: If is already unlocked, the Pandora can easily transform into the PF398: Revenge by simply holding down the lock-on and the gun buttons in front of the enemy.

Disadvantages

• Lack of manual and precise control. You cannot execute the combos you like while in the middle of a fight (such as Lucifer's Bondage ability), furthermore, you can only execute some commands out of a battle.
  • In some occasions, you cannot predict which combo will be executed by your button presses.
• Automatic Mode cannot use Dante's Royalguard Style.

Devil May Cry 5

In DMC5, this mode is called Auto-Assist, it can be turned on or aff at any time by clicking in the right analog stick (for a few seconds). (RS on the Xbox One, R3 on the PS4), or enabled from the gameplay section of the options menu. Using it applies a ×0.8 score penalty on the mission result screen.

Trivia

• In Devil May Cry 5, the auto mode originally also had the player dodge attacks automatically, but that was deemed too overpowered and was eventually removed.