Devious Dungeons

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Title:  Devious Dungeons
Developer:  Noodlecake Studios Inc
Publisher:  Ratalaika Games
Website:  http://www.ratalaikagames.com/games/deviousdungeon.php
Genre:  Action, Platformer, 2D
Platform:  Nintendo Switch / Playstation 4, PS Vita, iPhone / iPad, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Audience:  All
Release Date:  10/10/2018
Price:  £7.99 – Rapid Reviews UK was very kindly given a review copy.

What the Developers say

Devious Dungeon is a medieval action platformer with randomised dungeons.

Fight your way through each level locating the key to open the portal.

Slay enemies, earn experience, level up, and collect loot!

Introduction

Devious Dungeons is a 2D action platformer that sees you take to the catacombs beneath your kingdom to rid it of the monsters and demons lurking in the darkness.  Can you save your kingdom from the evil below?

Looks and Sounds

If you are looking for an old-school visual arcade style game then Devious Dungeons is exactly what you are looking for.  From its thick block pixel backgrounds to the brightly coloured enemies dotted across each stage, Devious Dungeons has all the hallmarks of an arcade classic from the early 90’s.  Add in some retro music and it’s like playing a game from your childhood years that you somehow missed the first time around.

Gameplay & Replayability

Like all retro platformers, the controls are pretty simple.  One button to jump and another button to use your weapon – that’s it.  This makes Devious Dungeons an accessible game for everyone.

The key to Devious Dungeons and what makes it fun is how you choose to play.  Do you take on the enemies head-on mashing away at the buttons, hoping for the best or do you play it safe and slowly chip away at them?  It’s a surprising depth of gameplay for what seems like a simple platformer on the surface.

Throughout each dungeon, there is a range of enemies that you will encounter and defeating them will give you coins.  Collecting coins are essential if you want to upgrade your weapons later on in the game. You start with a rusty sword, but if you collect enough coins, you can be wielding some rather nifty weapons in no time.

The only downside to Devious Dungeons is the lack of difficulty and variety as you progress throughout the game.  More powerful enemies will appear, but they can still be easily disposed of provided you have upgraded your weapon.  The dungeons themselves are all relatively the same, just with their own lick of paint.  Weirdly, if you die and then re-enter the level again, the chances are that the level will have a different aesthetic.

In terms of replayability, it is the simplistic style of Devious Dungeons that is both an advantage and disadvantage.

The levels are all pretty much the same with none of them having their own unique designs.  But it’s also this simplicity that means that Devious Dungeons is the sort of game that if you have a few minutes to spare, you would happily play it to pass the time.

This makes it perfect for a console like the Nintendo Switch where you can have a quick shot while you’re on the commute to work, in bed or just have a few minutes to spare whilst out and about.

Conclusion

Devious Dungeons is a simple yet surprisingly addictive 2D platformer. There is nothing particularly unique to this game but sometimes all you need is a fun casual game that you can jump in and play anytime.

Rapid Reviews Rating

You can support the Developer by purchasing the game on the Microsoft Store using the following link, https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/devious-dungeon/9mvls2c346ld?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab