You'd be forgiven for thinking Dark Devotion is just another Death's Gambit. While the titles do look similar, there's still room in the underdeveloped 2D Souls-like Metroidvania subgenre. And frankly, Dark Devotion is a great addition to that genre's growing catalog.

Rather than a clone or a rehash of the same thing, Dark Devotion serves as an excellent counterpoint to Death's Gambit, revealing how a few changes in design can create a different experience in the same genre.

Simply put, if you love pixel art or like a truly challenging dark fantasy game, Dark Devotion is going to work for you — whether you care about the Souls games or not.

Die, Pray, Die

 The real hero is this guy who tirelessly re-forges my sword when I die

Although the inspiration behind the game's combat style is quite clear, Dark Devotion actually reverses the expected formula in many ways. Rather than losing your experience and skills, you lose your equipment and items on death.

In an interesting take on the genre, this entry follows an NES-style formula where all damage to your character is calculated the same. Getting hit by a sword thrust from a shambling skeleton is the same as getting hit by a swinging ax trap or getting punctured by an arrow from across the screen.

The result is that both combat and trap avoidance revolve heavily around stamina management while dodge-rolling or blocking. Of course, you won't always time everything right, so that's where armor and health come in. Keep in mind, though, these are essentially the same thing since all attacks deplete 1 unit of armor or health.

Your mysterious female Templar starts Dark Devotion with Level 3 armor and a full 3 health, which may erroneously lead you to the belief that this is a Souls-like you can actually play without constantly dying.

 Behold my beautiful gleaming armor and polished sword.
Nothing can stop me!

But of course, that's not the case at all. Get ready to die, and die a lot.

After learning Dark Devotion's mechanics, you immediately get ganked by an unstoppable creature and have to start over at the bottom of the totem pole with threadbare cloth, minimal health, and a pathetic sword that's better suited to slicing bread.

Unlike overly difficult games such as Darkest Dungeon, Dark Devotion is actually fairly generous with healing poultices and armor repair sets. However, it's still pretty easy to die, so don't think this is the dreaded easy mode that Souls fans hiss and boo at whenever it's mentioned.

There is a way you can reduce the unrelenting difficulty of the traps, however; you can turn the brightness way up! Sure, it's completely anathema to the game's design and style since "Dark Devotion" is both literal and figurative. Regardless, the option is there if you're about to smash your screen to bits because you landed in another spike pit or didn't quite see the sharp glinting edge of that spear thrusting down from the ceiling.

Exploring A 2D World (And Killing Everyone You Meet)

While trying (and likely failing) to not get sliced, hacked, or burned to death, there's a large world map to explore in Dark Devotion, which is a bit hampered by the game's odd checkpoint system.

With this system, you can link any one single shrine back to the main game hub. The catch it that you can only link one at a time.

When you find new shrines, you have to decide which one to keep linked for teleportation and which one to unlink. In a way, it sort of adds another tactical element to the game, but it will also result in frustration if you get tired of constantly dying while trying to link a different shrine.

In a callback to the Souls style, the main game loop consists of finding bits of lore, learning how to progress through current parts of the map, dying, and doing it all over again.

The world map is static, but loot and rune drops are randomized. This means you'll often get different equipment and, consequently, have to try out different tactics on each run while memorizing trap and creature locations.

While all enemy attacks do the same amount of damage, the reverse is not true. You'll constantly be on the hunt for weapons to increase your damage output. Well, before you die and have to find new ones all over again.

Different play styles are accommodated by varying weapon types like the sword, scythe, flail, two-handed claws, and bow. Personally, I'm a fan of the giant two-handed swords, which slow attack but provide slightly longer reach.

To avoid a constant RNG-fest where you never know what you will be using, some weapons, armor, and even consumable items show up at the smithy and can be re-equipped each time you die. Unfortunately, it is very unclear which specific items remain available at the Smith after dying and which ones don't.

At the moment, I still have no clue how that system works. Based on some of the game's forum posts, it seems like other players are scratching their heads over this one as well.

Shambling undead, giant monsters, and elite armored creatures make up on half of the obstacles you deal with while searching for better equipment. 

In proper 2D style, Dark Devotion adds an array of devastating and dastardly traps that revive the truly challenging platforming qualities found in games of the SNES/NES era — but minus the jumping.

There's an important reason to ditch any sort of jump animation: stamina is more crucial than health, both in combat and in puzzling out the moves needed to get past a trapped hallway.

Constant death also ties in as an important mechanic here. If you've jumped down a ledge to a lower area, for example, there's typically no way back up, forcing you to move forward. 

Measuring The Souls Effect

Constant death, no jumping, memorizing attack animations: this all sounds familiar, and it should.

As you might expect, the bosses are also incredibly hard and utterly vile (but in a good way). 

From huge fetus monsters abandoned at bloodstained altars to a giant who has been flagellated to shreds and chained to the wall (whose arm rips off when he drops to half health so he becomes disgustingly mobile), you are going to see some things in this game, that's for sure.

Overall, the bosses are more interesting in terms of aesthetics and design than Death's Gambit — other than perhaps the out-of-left-field robot sniper battle in that particular game.

Personally, I'm in love with the variety and the design of bosses, and I love the way they connect to the lore, even if some are going to strain your patience to the breaking point.

When there's no jumping, limited stamina, and a restricted field of view brought on by the game's constant darkness, throwing action RPG style boss encounters at you feels flat out unfair.

When a boss spawns multiple enemies for you to deal with and flings unseeable bullet-hell projectiles from off-screen, it's less an issue of "git gud" and more an issue of "How many times are you willing to re-try this boss before you murder someone?"

Finally, there's one other source material analog worth mentioning. As with most of the Souls style games, there's no pause option available. It simply comes with the territory but frankly, it's a design decision I don't really understand. There is no multiplayer element to this game, so there's no reason not to be able to pause. You can pause in Sekiro, for God's sake. 

For me, it's not even an issue of needing a breather to re-think my strategy — it's an issue of having a toddler who frequently pulls me away from a game so I can't always just stand there waiting to be murdered by wandering monsters and lose all my progress yet again. 

Dark Devotion: The Bottom Line

Pros: 

• Smooth controls
• Excellent dark atmosphere
• Great twist on the Metroidvania/Souls-like/Rouge-like style

Cons: 

• There's hard and then there's unfair; sometimes Dark Devotion is the latter
• The relentlessly dark aesthetic sometimes gets in the way of the gameplay
• The checkpoint system is kind of annoying

Whether Dark Devotion is meant for you will likely boil down to whether you like the visual flair and dark aesthetic of the game.

As a fan of grimdark fantasy where there are no good guys, I found the atmosphere to be absolutely spot on. From prayer acting as a profane and selfish act to the prevalence of fatalistic and evil Templars, Dark Devotion's tone feels right.

The control scheme might also play into your decision here, as these 2D throwback titles can feel really clunky when they try to emulate an earlier era of gaming. Luckily, that's not an issue here. Even with very limited controls and mechanics, the dodge rolling, blocking, and attacking all feel very smooth.

There's one caveat on that front, however — there were major controller support issues ahead of launch, such as buttons randomly remapping for no apparent reason. They have largely been addressed with a day-one patch, although it's not 100% fixed yet.

In terms of overall length, Dark Devotion ends up a fairly long experience for an indie 2D game — expect 12 or more hours if you are awesome at this style, or even up to 20 if you're still trying to git gud.

When you add it all together, this is a killer entry in the 2D genre, although some the insanely difficult bosses and map checkpoint design may temper your enjoyment.

GameSkinny's Weekend Download is back to bring you the week that was here on the site.  

Here's most of everything we published this week in one easy to digest roundup. While we didn't cover everything, we did report on when the PlayStation 5 won't be releasing, all (new) things Persona 5S, more Magic: The Gathering, Mortal Kombat 11 (although our review is still pending), Dark Devotion, World War Z, and, of all things, Minecraft. 

Sit back. Relax. Enjoy. It's the weekend. What else are you gonna' do? Play video games? 

• Sony Talks PlayStation 5 Launch Date and More in Financial Report
  There's a while to wait yet for the PlayStation 5, but Sony suggests there will still be third party software in 2019 to keep the PS4 alive. Read more.
   
  
• Apex Legends Twitch Viewership Dwindles, Top Streamer May Leave Game
  Apex Legends' falls to the number 10 spot on Twitch, and some point to Respawn's lack of attention to new content as the primary reason. Read more. 
  
  
• Mortal Kombat 11 Krypt and Tower Fixes Coming Soon
  NetherRealm Studios have confirmed that hotfixes are inbound for two of Mortal Kombat 11's game modes: Towers of Time and the Krypt. Read more. 
  
  
• New Minecraft Update Introduces Village Changes, New Mob, and More
  The new Minecraft Village and Pillage update introduces a wide range of new features, quality of life improvements, and more cats, among other things. Read more. 
  
  
• New Persona 5 The Royal Details, Screenshots, Western Release Date, and More
  Persona 5's new female character, Confidant, mechanics, human Morgana, and more came during the Persona Super Live concert. Read more. 
  
  
• Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers Announced for Switch and PS4
  Persona 5 S is a musou game pitting the Phantom Thieves against hordes of enemies to uncover the truth behind a series of mysterious events. Read more. 
  
  
• Critical Mode to Finally Arrive In Free Kingdom Hearts 3 Update
  Kingdom Hearts 3 players will be able to start playing the game's most difficult mode after a new content update. Read more. 
  
  
• Sony Hosts Big PlayStation Plus Sale — Over 200 Games Discounted
  Some of the best games on PlayStation are currently on sale for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Read more. 
  
  
• Doraemon Story of Seasons Coming West to Switch and PC
  The Story of Seasons crossover with the classic manga series gets an official announcement trailer, along with some background information about plot and gameplay. Read more.
   
• World War Z Swarms to 1 Million Units Sold in First Week, Updates on Horizon
  Despite average critical reviews, World War Z has infected 1 million players since launch. Read more.
  
  
• BioWare Focused on Fixing Anthem Bugs, Delaying Roadmap Content
  Anthem's endgame content gets pushed back to an unspecified date, as BioWare outlines the dev team's focus for the next few months. Read more.  
  
  
• Surviving Mars: Green Planet and Animal DLC Launching May 16
  Surviving Mars is getting a huge upgrade in Green Planet and Project Laika come May 16. Read more. 
  
  
• SteelSeries Arctis Headset Line Comes to the Xbox with 9X
  SteelSeries announced the first Xbox One-specific headset to join its Arctis lineup. Read more. 
  
  
• New RAD Biome and Starting Town Details Showcased
  The new images detail the action game's hub town and some of its more dangerous locations full of deadly mutant toxins. Read more. 
  
  
• Snail Games' PixARK To Release This May
  Get your voxel-based survival gaming on when PixARK releases on all platforms in May. Read more. 
  
  
• Action RPG Warlander Slashes Its Way to PS4 and XB1 This Year
  The upcoming ARPG for PS4 and XB1 will feature deep combat and customization, along with a dark storyline and sentient sword. Read more. 
  
  
• Blizzard Announces BlizzCon 2019 Dates, New Ticket Option
  BlizzCon 2019 dates have been announced and ticket purchase days are close. Read more. 
  
  
• WoW Classic Blog Post Details What Players Should Expect From Rewards
  When Blizzard releases new items in WoW Classic, they'll be the best possible versions of those items. Read more. 
  
  
• Mario Kart Tour Beta Coming to Android Phones In May
  A Mario Kart Tour beta is coming to Android in May, ahead of a full release for Android and iOS later in the summer. Read more. 

• World War Z Review: Left 4 Dead Formula is Alive But Shambling
  Although zombie swarms are impressive in World War Z, and combat is fun at first, things quickly get a tad bit boring. Read more. 
  
  
• Pathway Review — A Pulp Adventure Without The Feeling
  While Pathway has a lot of interesting ideas, none of them are executed in a way that makes them compelling. Chucklefish nails the setting of the pulp era but not the feeling. Read more. 
  
  
• Dark Devotion Review: Death Lurks Within Every Pitch Black Pixel
  Get ready to die with another killer 2D souls-like that flips the script in several ways for a refreshing take on the genre. Read more. 

• Artist Reimagines Demon's Souls as Game Boy Classic
  If Demon's Souls had released on the Game Boy decades ago, this is what it would have looked like. Read more. 
  
  
• 10 Best Custom Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Stage Builder Stages So Far
  Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's stage builder mode opens the doors to many varied designs. We've sorted through and picked out 10 of the best. Read more. 
  
  
• Last Chance: Green Man Gaming's Spring Sale Enters Final Weekend
  Green Man Gaming's Spring Sale is entering its final weekend, and we've put together a list of some of the better games available for PC gamers. Read more. 

• How to Get the Infinity Gauntlet in Roblox Egg Hunt 2019
  Assembling an infinity gauntlet always requires finding all the components first, so of course, you'll need to find five other Avengers eggs before completing the Scrambled In Time Roblox egg event! Read more. 
  
  
• Days Gone Best Skills to Survive and Thrive
  There are 45 skills in Days Gone, and some of them are mandatory for the best experience. These are the ones you should get first. Read more. 
  
  
• How to Unlock Characters in Pathway
  Want to get all of the characters in Pathway but not sure how? This guide will show you how to unlock them. Read more. 
  
  
• Grim Dawn Best Builds Of 2019
  Not sure which mastery combo to pick for your next Grim Dawn playthrough? We show you three of the absolute best builds in the latest patch for tackling the Shattered Realm or the story campaign! Read more. 
  
  
• Grim Dawn Ultimate Tainted Brain Matter Farming Guide
  Can't seem to find Tainted Brain Matter now matter where you look? We show you three different ways to reliably farm this rare Grim Dawn crafting component! Read more. 
  
  
• What Is Illusion-Be-Gone in Grim Dawn?
  Several new items have been added to Grim Dawn with recent updates, including the Illusion-Be-Gone, which lets you change the appearance of weapons and armor. Read more. 
  
  
• MtG: 11 Best War of the Spark Cards for Standard
  A new Liliana and Nicol Bolas are the two big stars of the War of the Spark set, but here are more solid choices for Standard in MtG. Read more. 
  
  
• MtG: 11 Best War of the Spark Cards for Modern
  Looking to replace a few Modern staple cards in MtG? Then, check out this list of 11 most powerful cards from War of the Spark. Read more. 
  
  
• Magic the Gathering: 11 Most Expensive War of the Spark Cards
  War of the Spark is the most valuable Standard MtG set, and here are 11 cards that have the highest price points on the market. Read more. 
  
  
• How to Tame Foxes in Minecraft 1.14
  How to tame a fox and make it your best friend in Minecraft 1.14. Read more. 
  
  
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Stat Growth Guide
  A lovely little table to show you how your stats will grow as you level up. It even has some information on why you would want to know this. Read more. 

Check back next weekend for another roundup of news, reviews, guides, and features. 

Although it's been a long, arduous road for Dark Devotion, the self-ascribed "gloomy indie Roguelike RPG" that's been in development since 2015, light has finally begun to creep through the game's previously dark release window.

In a presser issued today, not only has publisher The Arcade Crew released a new gameplay trailer, which you can see above, it has also revealed that it plans to bring Dark Devotion to the PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch during Q1 2019. 

For those not up on the periodicity of quarters, that means the game is scheduled to release sometime between now and March 31. However, it's worth noting that Dark Devotion was originally scheduled to release in April 2018, but per Gematsu, was delayed to Q1 2019 late last year.

From what we've seen from trailers and screens so far, Dark Devotion shares striking, if exciting, similarities with the recent Soulsvania titles Death's Gambit and Salt and Sanctuary. True to the developer's description, the game adheres to the gloomy atmospherics of both titles, while echoing the punishing combat fans of the ever-growing genre have come to expect. 

Like the games above, as well as the series they're based on, The Arcade Crew stresses that Dark Devotion will reward patience and calculation over brute force. 

Dark Devotion has received praise throughout its development cycle, including being nominated for Bitsummit's Visual Excellence award and Vermillion Gate award at the 2018 Kyoto Indie Festival. The Vermillion Gate award is one "given to the project that was determined the best among all projects at A 5th of BitSummit."

While there was a Dark Devotion demo previously available on Itch.io back in 2017, that demo is no longer available. There is no word if a new demo will become available before launch later this quarter.  

You can learn more about the game by visiting its Steam page.