Devilated

Devilated is a first-person action game with RPG elements, set in a dark, demon-infested world where players wield supernatural abilities and advanced weaponry to survive. Released in 2021 for Windows, the game blends intense shooter gameplay with character progression and exploration, backed by a haunting atmosphere and visceral combat. Developed by Trung Cao and published by Neon Doctrine, it challenges players to confront otherworldly horrors in a solo campaign filled with strategic encounters and immersive storytelling.

Devilated: Review

Introduction

In a gaming landscape oversaturated with reverent homages to retro shooters, Devilated emerges not as a nostalgic throwback but as a chainsaw through the fourth wall. Developed by Vietnamese solo creator Trung Cao (aka Trunka) and published by Neon Doctrine, this ultraviolent RPG-shooter hybrid dares to ask: What if Doomguy ditched subtlety and ate his enemies’ faces? Released in Early Access in 2021 before its full launch in October 2024, Devilated is a love letter to chaos—a game that marries the frenetic pacing of ’90s shooters with the mechanical depth of character action titles. Its thesis is simple: Overkill is underrated.

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Development History & Context

Trunka, a self-taught 3D artist and programmer, spent years crafting Devilated as a passion project. Built in Unity, the game began as a solo endeavor before Neon Doctrine stepped in to provide QA, marketing, and design support. The studio’s mantra—“cool shit”—permeates every aspect of development, from bullet-time katana swings to guitar solos atop demonic corpse piles.

The early 2020s boomer shooter revival (think Dusk and Amid Evil) set the stage, but Devilated defies mere nostalgia. It leans into RPG systems, boasting over 100 weapons and a combo-meter-driven scoring system reminiscent of Devil May Cry. Technological constraints forced creative solutions: Trunka’s handmade animations and Sigurd Jøhnk-Jensen’s thrashing metal score compensate for limited budgets, while Neon Doctrine’s playtesters (led by Steve Lin) meticulously balanced TTK (time to kill) metrics to avoid “mahjong with the aunties” monotony.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Devilated’s plot is gloriously nonsensical. You play a nameless, deer-skull-masked antihero trapped in a labyrinth—a mashup of Cube and Event Horizon—battling demonic TV heads, fish-men, and other nightmare fuel. The narrative exists solely to justify the carnage: escape the maze, consume foes for health, and mutter one-liners voiced by industry legend Gianni Matragrano (ULTRAKILL, Faith: The Unholy Trinity).

Themes of nihilism and rebellion simmer beneath the surface. The protagonist isn’t a hero but a feral survivor, rejecting morality in favor of survival. Dialogue oscillates between edgy (“Here’s Johnny!”) and meta (“Subtlety is dead, and I’m wearing its face for a mask”). While hardly Shakespeare, it complements the game’s anarchic tone.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Devilated is a first-person power fantasy with RPG scaffolding:
– Combat: Swap between 100+ weapons (rocket launchers, electrified katanas) while chaining kills to fuel a style meter. Bullet time and dash abilities enable Matrix-esque crowd control.
– Progression: Unlock New Game+ (“Slaughter Rank”) for escalating enemy counts and permanent upgrades. Rotate items in a grid-based inventory à la Resident Evil 4.
– Systems: Use corpses as shields or grenades, dual-wield mismatched firearms, and exploit Steam Workshop support for custom maps.

Critics note flaws: Enemy tankiness disrupts flow, and ammo scarcity forces reliance on weak melee attacks (a headache for players with carpal tunnel). Yet, these missteps reinforce Devilated’s identity as a “slow burner”—its best weapons and abilities unlock deep into the campaign.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Devilated’s labyrinth is a technicolor nightmare, blending claustrophobic corridors with surreal arenas dripping in neon and blood. Visual nods to Quake and Serious Sam abound, but Trunka’s grotesque creature designs (e.g., bosses with CRT monitors for heads) carve a unique identity.

Sound design is a highlight. Jøhnk-Jensen’s metal soundtrack syncs with combat pacing, while Matragrano’s voicework sells the protagonist’s rage. Environmental audio—gurgling flesh pits, screeching demons—immerses players in the madness.

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Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Devilated earned a 85% Very Positive Steam rating (190 out of 236 reviews). Critics praised its ambition but flagged motion sickness risks and repetitive enemy waves. Nmia Gaming’s 7/10 review called it “free of nostalgia’s chains,” while Softpedia lauded its “spectacular fights” but lamented underdeveloped world-building.

Legacy-wise, Devilated joins Cultic and Forgive Me Father in evolving the boomer shooter template. Its Workshop support and modding tools could sustain a cult following, though its impact remains niche compared to titans like ULTRAKILL.

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Conclusion

Devilated is a messy masterpiece—a game that thrives on excess. It stumbles with balancing and pacing, but its audacity earns respect. For players craving unapologetic violence, RPG depth, and a soundtrack that demands headbanging, this is a hellscape worth visiting. As Trunka himself might say: “Eat their face before they eat yours.”

Final Verdict: A 8/10 for genre devotees; a chaotic middle finger to restraint.