There’s certainly an ominous theme to this port roundup, as our first two reviews deal with supernatural evils while the third one uses rising sea levels in a clever way. Here are reviews of Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil, Dead Man’s Diary and Flooded.
Devil Inside Us: Roots Of Evil review (PS5)
Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil invites players into a sinister narrative, offering a distinctive horror experience on the PlayStation 5, following its 2021 PC debut. Developed by Fernando Tittz and Ahldain Michael and brought to consoles by QUByte, the game casts players as Aughust Heylel, a seasoned priest who is going through a bit of a crisis of faith as he revisits a haunted house from his past. This first-person horror adventure’s story unfolds over the course of several decades, intertwining supernatural elements with personal storytelling.
As you’d perhaps expect, navigating the game as an elderly (74-year-old) priest brings a unique kind of vulnerability to the horror genre. Aughust’s journey is marked by a linear progression, exploring the cursed residence and unraveling its troubled history – at times making it feel like a walking simulator when looking at the pacing. The narrative-driven exploration reveals the game’s strength, immersing players in an atmospheric and tension-filled environment, while the inclusion of jump scares adds to the overall immersive experience.
Roots of Evil uses a faith mechanic, requiring players to use a crucifix for exorcisms. However, the slow recharge of faith and reliance on rosaries can lead to frustrating moments. Visually, the game impresses with purposeful level design, blending the real world with supernatural/demonic worlds, complemented by hand-drawn cutscenes that enhance storytelling while the soundtrack and voice work contribute to the game’s atmosphere.
The downside of the pacing is that the combat mechanics and enemy AI, unfortunately, lack the intensity expected in a horror game, with adversaries exhibiting predictable movements that diminish the horror experience. The occasional lack of clarity in objectives also impacts the overall gameplay, so while Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil emerges as a commendable horror adventure that has a unique premise and engaging narrative, there are some hurdles along the way as well.
Dead Man’s Diary review (PS5)
Dead Man’s Diary, from TML-Studios and first released on PC, thrusts players into a post-apocalyptic survival challenge, combining elements of survival game mechanics, storytelling, and realistic puzzles. The game presents impressive photorealistic locations that were crafted using Unreal technology, offering a visually striking experience for a relatively smaller title from an indie studio. The game impresses with atmospheric night sequences and expansive, diverse environments, as well as an impressive scope – with a campaign that is dozens of hours long.
The other feature of Dead Man’s Diary that caught our attention in its immersive sound design, which adds to a good survival horror experience. The protagonist’s vulnerability that ties into the survival elements adds depth to the gameplay, as players navigate through the world, constantly balancing hunger, thirst, and other dangers. The need for resource management becomes apparent quickly, with players required to set up camps, start fires, and collect materials for survival and healing.
However, with such a long campaign, the game does have a tendency to feel repetitive, with each stage following a formulaic pattern that may diminish the overall experience, especially over time. While puzzles add variety to the gameplay, these drawbacks eventually become hard to ignore, despite the impressive visuals and immersive soundscapes.
In conclusion, Dead Man’s Diary offers a unique blend of elements, creating an atmospheric and challenging survival experience. Its visual and auditory aspects contribute significantly to its appeal and stand out within the indie domain, though some players will no doubt find the repetitive gameplay loop a drawback. For survival game enthusiasts seeking a distinctive post-apocalyptic journey with great production values for a budget title, Dead Man’s Diary presents an intriguing option though, combining the tension of survival with an interesting narrative.
Flooded review (PS4)
Flooded, a creation of Artificial Disasters that is now being published by Forever Entertainment on consoles, offers a new take on the city-building genre with an innovative “reverse city builder” approach. Set against the backdrop of a world that is facing rising water levels (Waterworld, anyone?), the game tasks players with leading a group of survivors through resource extraction, ark construction, and escape. This unique twist on traditional city-building incorporates strategic, survival, and rogue-lite elements, creating a gameplay experience that stands out from the crowd because you’re not just building to expand and optimize – you’re looking to get out and survive at the same time. The narrative takes a personal approach as well, following a small group of miners as they navigate the challenges of a flooding world, delivering a captivating storyline with a touch of humor.
The gameplay itself takes you across different eras, presenting players with diverse objectives for each time period, from just managing resources to defending against pirates. The constant threat of encroaching floodwaters adds an extra layer of urgency, requiring players to balance efficient decision-making with strategic planning so your thriving home doesn’t collapse in minutes. Despite occasional issues with clarity as you’re figuring out the mechanics, Flooded excels in executing its unique premise, offering an immersive strategic experience with a distinctive pixel-art aesthetic and isometric view.
Flooded also boasts multiple game modes on top of its story-driven campaign, like quickplay and an endless mode. The campaign dives into answers regarding this global flood you’re facing, while the endless mode challenges players to survive against increasing difficulty, ensuring high replayability through procedural generation that makes each playthrough unique.
Flooded is a compelling and innovative addition to the city-building genre that is not afraid to break away from the norm. Its successful blend of strategic depth, and engaging narrative, and unique gameplay mechanics make it a noteworthy entry for players seeking a fresh take on the traditional city-building formula.
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