Dark Devotion is a brooding, action-heavy rogue-like side-scroller due "early" this year
Coming to PC, Switch, and PS4.
Developer Hibernian Workshop has announced that Dark Devotion, its intriguing (and gloomily attractive) side-scrolling action-RPG, will be making its way to PC, PlayStation 4, and Switch "early" this year.
Dark Devotion first came to light back in 2017, when it successfully raised 31,796 Euros (around £28,690) on Kickstarter. It casts players as a Templar, sent to explore the depths of a mysterious, "unforgiving" temple in search of answers "that will challenge your very existence."
In some respects - it's a moody, Dark-Souls-esque rogue-like, with a tight pixel art aesthetic - it's all awfully familiar. However, Dark Devotion has a few tricks up its sleeve that will hopefully set it apart from its peers. For starters, its four large worlds are entirely hand-crafted (no procedural generation here), and there's a strong emphasis on story and meaty, stamina-based combat - featuring various weapons, armour, and relics - with a particular focus on diverse boss fights.
And while, in time-honoured rogue-like tradition, death takes players back to the beginning (although experience appears to be retained), Dark Devotion is attempting to keep things fresh by offering multiple interconnected routes through each labyrinthine world to uncover and explore. Be warned though; each door entered seals shut behind you, forcing you to commit to each new uncertain path. Here's an early glimpse of World 1 from Kickstarter:
There seem to be other elements at play too, with the game's Steam page hinting at "intricate systems of blessings, curses, and illnesses", although there's little in the way of specifics.
Despite its familiar core, Dark Devotion certainly has plenty of potential, and it's undoubtedly a looker if you're into your brooding, gorgeously animated pixel art. And while there's no fixed released date yet, Dark Devotion should be heading to Switch, PC, and PS4 relatively soon.