DEVOUR

Cooperative horror games have become increasingly popular in recent years. Sharing is caring – except when everyone in your team chat is screaming uncontrollably as they try to escape from an insatiable demon. That, more or less, is the core idea behind Devour.

Imagine a game where the chills of Amnesia meet the cooperative complexity of Lethal Company, and you’ll find yourself at the doorstep of Devour. This co-op horror adventure plunges you into the heart of darkness, where teamwork isn’t just encouraged; it’s your only lifeline against the infernal forces at play.

The Cult’s Last Stand

In “Devour,” you and your friends embody cultists teetering on the brink of eternal damnation. Your mission? Traverse chilling locales, gather esoteric items, and perform arcane rituals to banish the demonic presence ensnaring your brethren. It’s a game that redefines survival horror with a focus on collective cunning over individual bravado.

While stealth and strategy are your primary tools, “Devour” doesn’t shy away from direct confrontations that will set your pulse racing. Armed with nothing but UV flashlights and nerves of steel, these encounters are a chaotic dance with death that punctuates the game’s more methodical moments.

A Symphony of Screams

The game’s atmosphere is a relentless assault on your senses, crafting a tapestry of terror that’s woven into every gameplay element. As you step into its sinister world, the tension mounts with each creak and whisper. The AI-controlled adversaries are a masterclass in unpredictability, ensuring that every playthrough is a fresh descent into madness.

Sound design is top-notch here. While you'll miss the wonders of 3D audio or even a proper Dolby Access implementation, Devour remains a great showcase of what immersive audio can do for a VR horror game. And if you don't have one of those fancy VR headsets, don't worry! Devour can be played on your good old monitor instead.

Honestly, considering the amount of jumpscares and eerie locales you'll visit in this game, a 2D on-screen experience might be preferable for the faint of heart.

Terrifying Minimalism

Devour doesn’t chase the graphic-intensive race many modern games are known for. Instead, it takes a minimalist route, and honestly, it works out pretty well. The game’s graphics are straightforward, yet they pack a punch where it counts.

You know how sometimes less is more? That’s “Devour” in a nutshell. It’s the dim glow of a candle or the sudden cut to blackness that sets your heart racing. The developers have nailed it with lighting that’s not just functional but tells a story all on its own.

It’s the little things, really. A shadow here, a soft glow there—it’s all carefully crafted to keep you guessing. And let’s be real, when you’re playing a horror game, it’s the unseen that gets you. The anticipation. The what-ifs.

So while “Devour” might not be a graphical powerhouse, it’s got style. It’s got mood. And most importantly, it’s got that eerie vibe down pat. It’s proof that you don’t need the latest tech to create an experience that sticks with you.

Pros

• Great use of VR
• A strong emphasis on teamwork and communication
• Randomized elements and scaling challenges

Cons

• Limited variety of enemies that crave more diversity
• Occasional bugs related to VR
• Some dated character models

Co-op survival horrors seem to be coming thick and fast during this pandemic. It makes sense - they are games relatively easy to make and pull in a few hours of multiplayer fun during these trying times. DEVOUR feels like another one of those games that we can pick up, have a few jump-scares, a couple of chuckles, and leave it all behind.

DEVOUR looks like it wants to offer more than just a minimalist survival horror, though. There's a thick narrative around the game, supplemented with more detailed visuals to serve the plotline justice. Maybe the game is a starting point for an evolution in the constant wheel of samey indie survival horror games? Only one way to find out, join the cult.

Stop the Evil, Save the World

DEVOUR is a 1-4 player coop game that encourages you to play with friends. Though you can play solo, you just don't get the same enjoyment out of it without others. As an indie survival horror game, you can be assured that three things will be present in the gameplay. Those are jump-scares, interactions with one horrible monster, and short playthroughs.

You've probably guessed DEVOUR has them all. So what sets it apart from any other survival horror game? Well, not a lot, all things considered. However, we'll argue in favor of the game that the quality seems to trump the majority of the stack. The narrative does create engagement, the objectives are enthralling, and the scares are legit.

Yes, DEVOUR is short, sometimes it seems a little gimmicky, but players won't feel like they've been taken for a ride. It's a game where you can indeed enjoy for a few hours and share the experience of breaking the demon's hold on the possessed cultists. As far as what you have to do, we'll leave that to you not to spoil the thrills!

The benefit is that it does have some replayability, and the gameplay is polished, which is an admirable feat. The problem is that it isn't the memorable survival horror it tries to be. It's not a benchmark for evolution in the series, nor will it lead to bigger and better things. DEVOUR is just a decent multiplayer survival horror game.

Unleash Your Inner Demons

So, is DEVOUR worth the investment? Well, you can't say no. The game's price point is very reasonable, almost like it knew it would be one of those single-evening party games. However, you can't go into the game with high expectations. It's not a survival horror game made to last like Dead by Daylight.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Great survival horror experience to share with friends
• Accessible to any player
• Some replayability with no map having the same tasks

Cons:

• Many of the tasks are tedious
• The experience feels a bit bland after a couple playthroughs
• The progression system feels a bit useless