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Devotion Review Thread

Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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I'm a bit enamored with this game right now, and while full press coverage hasn't occurred yet there are a few reviews beginning to crop up. And due to the recent review bombing from China players due to a Xi Jinping Winner the Pooh Easter Egg, I thought I might collect the press' reviews here as they pop up as the game is already succeeding in the marketplace but catching some controversy from China.

IGN Japan - 9.8/10
(Google Translated) It is realizing extremely skilled production and storytelling. The realism of Taiwan's multi-family houses in the 1980s painted in 3D is a masterpiece. However, while incorporating a variety of art styles that do not fit in it, he succeeded in drawing a compelling story.
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PC Gamer - Recommended
Devotion presents as familiar and predictable, but goes to unexpected places, dealing with terrors both real and imagined, and climaxes in an assembly of light and music and emotion that few horror games even try for.
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The Indie Game Website - 9/10
If you're after captivating, slow-paced horror with a brilliantly unique cultural perspective and a story surpassing many horror flicks out there, Devotion answers your prayers.
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Spiel Times - 9/10
We need games like Devotion to remind a jaded industry how wide the range of subject matter games can explore is, and what impact they can have when they perfect their approach to that subject matter. It is a strange, twisted, and at times moving exploration of the costs and limits of devotion– devotion to self, to belief, and to family.
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Metro - 8/10
One of the best survival horror games of the generation, that's frequently terrifying but also surprisingly nuanced and intelligent when it comes to its storytelling.
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Stuff.tv - 5/5
If you're into East Asian culture and elements of horror, this is a great game. With great graphics, settings and soundtrack, the game has a way of captivating anyone into a deep, dark story of spirituality and what it means to be devoted.
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The game is still spreading in terms of coverage, I'll update the OP as more reviews trinkle in.
 
OwOtacon

OwOtacon

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How gory/disturbing does it get? I am a coward when it comes to horror games - I barely managed to beat Resident Evil 2, and I did that with a friend in broad daylight.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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Spinky said:
This game is good as fuuuuuuuck.
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It's very, very good.

OwOtacon said:
How gory/disturbing does it get? I am a coward when it comes to horror games - I barely managed to beat Resident Evil 2, and I did that with a friend in broad daylight.
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This is a bit hard to answer without big spoilers, most of the game isn't gory at all for example, but there's a sequence in particular that is very disturbing and gory. Most of the game is more subtle/atmospheric and subversive there, but know there is one scene definitely with that sorta' focus.

mario_O said:
Looks good, how long is it?
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2-4 hours, but it ends up being the perfect length for the game.
 
Cavsfan767

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Does this have a similar horror vibe as detention? Detention almost felt silent hill like with its atmosphere. Hoping for more of the same here.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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Cavsfan767 said:
Does this have a similar horror vibe as detention? Detention almost felt silent hill like with its atmosphere. Hoping for more of the same here.
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The atmosphere is a bit different as the style of game is different (IE 2D sorta' cut-out look to a 3D detailed look), but there is definitely more than a few parallels and feelings that can be exchanged, especially as Devotion just like Detention before it is focused on a historical Taiwan setting that is part atmospheric horror, part subtle but layered storytelling about the human condition. Devotion wears a bit of P.T. influence on its sleeves, but I consider P.T.'s atmosphere to not really be Silent Hill's atmosphere.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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Mórríoghain said:
Is this a psychologic horror or an Outlast-like? I don't think I can deal with another monster-chase game.
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The closest comparison to be made is, "What Remains of Edith Finch," if you've played that. It's a story and experience game first, and varies up it's gameplay and it's mechanics to tell it's story (integrating gameplay mechanics into a narrative focus).

Napalm_Frank said:
So is this a sequel to Detention or a separate thing entirely?
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Stand-alone mostly, though some connections can be made by the setting still being historical Taiwan (even though it's set in the 1980s and not the 1950s like Detention was).
 
Mirage

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Dusk Golem said:
This is a bit hard to answer without big spoilers, most of the game isn't gory at all for example, but there's a sequence in particular that is very disturbing and gory. Most of the game is more subtle/atmospheric and subversive there, but know there is one scene definitely with that sorta' focus.
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That part I had trouble looking at it was really intense.
 
OwOtacon

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Dusk Golem said:
The closest comparison to be made is, "What Remains of Edith Finch," if you've played that. It's a story and experience game first, and varies up it's gameplay and it's mechanics to tell it's story (integrating gameplay mechanics into a narrative focus).
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Oh shit, that really sold me.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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ScribeofGeadhain said:
Not port begging, only asking as I no longer have a PC: any news of a console port?
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kaishek said:
Detention came to PS4/Switch, so I would imagine this game would as well.
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Just to go a bit more in-depth, there's no word at this time, but as this game has been finding success on Steam I imagine down the line it'll pop up as Detention's ports did come out some time after the PC release, there's a small studio and all. I also kinda' doubt it'll come to Switch as this is kinda' a graphically extensive game.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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sn00zer said:
If I thought Corpse Party was shock garbage will I like this?
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Corpse Party should have no reflection on this game in any way, this is an apples and oranges comparison. Corpse Party is a Japanese 2D mostly visual novel with light adventure game elements episodic horror game with very strong anime tropes and stylings that often uses "schlock" horror in a fun or gruesome way.

Devotion is not Japanese (it's a Taiwan developed game), is not 2D and has no visual novel elements, is not episodic, has no anime tropes or stylings, and isn't very gory outside of one scene. The only comparison point is Devotion does have light adventure game elements, but even those are in a very different way.
 
sn00zer

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Dusk Golem said:
Corpse Party should have no reflection on this game in any way, this is an apples and oranges comparison. Corpse Party is a Japanese 2D mostly visual novel with light adventure game elements episodic horror game with very strong anime tropes and stylings that often uses "schlock" horror in a fun or gruesome way.

Devotion is not Japanese (it's a Taiwan developed game), is not 2D and has no visual novel elements, is not episodic, has no anime tropes or stylings, and isn't very gory outside of one scene. The only comparison point is Devotion does have light adventure game elements, but even those are in a very different way.
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I was more concerned about the overall violence. Corpse Party just felt depraved and I really like horror games in general.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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sn00zer said:
I was more concerned about the overall violence. Corpse Party just felt depraved and I really like horror games in general.
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You don't have to worry too much either, there's one disturbing gory scene in Devotion, but that's not really the focus and it's used in a way that's important and not just depraved I feel.

Gitaroo said:
Is this a sequal to something? Do I have to play previous entry?
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Nah, you can play it by itself. It's the developers second game and due to the same setting and some other really (really) minor things it could be seen as having connections, but it's a stand-alone game and you don't need to know anything about their first game to enjoy this one (though their first game is really good and also worth checking out).
 

Deleted member 4494

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Played this earlier today with a friend. We both agreed it is incredibly well done, spooky, and at a great price point. We were also both a bit let down by the ending, but I'd definitely recommend this game to any horror fans basically unconditionally.
 
nib95

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Oh wow, I'd not even heard of this game before. Reviews seem super positive. What platforms will this be available on?
 
Breather-Resistance

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Thanks again for the effort Dusk Golem. I likely wouldn't have known about this and Dusk until much later without both of your respective review threads. Cool to learn that this is from the developers of Detention, thinking of starting that very soon and this is a good omen for its quality.
 
Xiaomi

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I'm not sure where to talk about the game but I want to. It's incredible and I haven't seen other games do things quite like this before, particularly with regard to how it treats the perspectives of both the father and Mei Xin. Fuck, all y'all need to play this so I can get into a discussion about it.
 
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Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

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A couple more reviews have cropped up:

Spiel Times - 9/10
We need games like Devotion to remind a jaded industry how wide the range of subject matter games can explore is, and what impact they can have when they perfect their approach to that subject matter. It is a strange, twisted, and at times moving exploration of the costs and limits of devotion– devotion to self, to belief, and to family.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Metro - 8/10
One of the best survival horror games of the generation, that's frequently terrifying but also surprisingly nuanced and intelligent when it comes to its storytelling.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
 
Ravelle

Ravelle

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Oct 31, 2017
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Holy crap, I heard the name drop a while ago but these scores are nutso's. Definitely going to check it out.
 
EVA UNIT 01

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I took about 4 and a half hours.
Felt like nothing was a waste.
Game dealt with some things i wish more games would tackle.
Could see some P.T. DNA in there on top of classic silent hill.
I need a spoiler thread yesterday so we can talk
 
Sabretooth

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I just sat down and gave it some thought and realised that yeah, this might be my favourite horror game of all time. It's probably because of how much I could relate to its Asian setting, but also because its committed to telling a story more than spooking the player. I really appreciated that, it felt like the developer was on the same wavelength as me when it came to horror.
 
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