Dark Devotion
A 2019 action RPG with mixed critical reception.
Dark Devotion is an action role-playing game from 2019, created by Hibernian Workshop and released by The Arcade Crew. It launched on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The story centers on a Templar Knight initiate who is sent by her God to investigate a ruined temple, where she must manage her faith and courage as she fights the demons within. Critical reception was mixed.
In the game, the Templar begins by entering the temple and eventually reaches the Filthblood Shelter, a hub where she can explore dungeons, improve her skills, and talk to non-player characters. Shortcuts and portals can be unlocked to speed up travel across the game’s worlds. The Templar can attack, dodge, parry, and block. Stamina is used up when rolling or dodging, and weapon attacks also consume stamina, with larger weapons costing more. Killing enemies earns Faith, which can buy perks or serve as mana. Each perk has five levels, but only one can be active at a time, and the player can switch perks in the hub based on their loadout or situation. Tablets found in the game grant permanent stat boosts, like extra stamina or damage. Equipment makes the Templar stronger, with two weapon slots, one armor slot, and one slot for an amulet or accessory. Armor determines how many hits the Templar can take before losing health, while accessories set her total health. Blessings and Diseases give buffs or debuffs. Heavy armor offers more protection but slows stamina recovery, while lighter armor may increase critical hit chances. Bosses appear through exploration, and some must be defeated to advance. The four worlds are interconnected, offering multiple paths that let players skip certain areas or bosses.
Teleportation Altars are scattered across the map, but only one can be active at a time. In Filthblood, a one-way portal returns the player to the last activated altar. If the Templar dies, she loses her equipment and respawns in the Filthblood Shelter with low health and armor. Weapons and armor from bosses or quest rewards are permanently unlocked, and the player can start with one of these from the hub. Accessories and runes are lost on death. In the shelter, experience points can be used for upgrades, side quests can be accepted, and gear can be collected from a blacksmith. Four doors in the shelter lead to the game’s four worlds.
Development began in 2015. The game passed Stea
- Developer
- Hibernian Workshop
- Publisher
- The Arcade Crew
- Release Year
- 2019
- Platforms
- Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
- Genre
- Action role-playing game
- Kickstarter Goal
- €20,000
- Kickstarter Raised
- €31,796
Lore & Background
Development of Dark Devotion started in 2015. The game cleared the Steam Greenlight process, and the developers launched a Kickstarter campaign seeking €20,000, which ended on 17 October with €31,796 raised. The Arcade Crew announced the game on 3 April 2018, with a planned release that same year. A playable demo was featured at PAX East 2018 and again at E3 2018. The game was delayed to Q1 2019 on 17 October 2018, and a developer diary was released that same day. In January 2019, a trailer showcased the game's bosses. Sources of inspiration include Romantic era artists such as Eugène Delacroix, 14th century French gothic architecture, and H. P. Lovecraft's stories and concepts about the antihero. Dark Devotion released for Windows on 25 April 2019 and for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on 24 October 2019. A physical release by Limited Run Games began production in late 2019.
Reader's Guide
Dark Devotion is notable as a Kickstarter-funded indie title that blends action role-playing with rogue-lite elements. Its interconnected world design allows players to skip certain areas or bosses, and its death mechanics—losing equipment and respawning in the Filthblood Shelter—encourage replayability. The game's Faith system, used both for purchasing perks and as mana, and its variety of armor types affecting stamina regeneration and critical hit chance, add strategic depth. Critics praised its visuals and combat but noted repetitive music and a lack of cohesion in its systems. The game received a score of 27/40 from Famitsu and was recommended by 50% of critics on OpenCritic. Its legacy lies in demonstrating how a small studio can produce a visually inspired title with Dark Souls-like influences, though its mixed reception highlights the challenges of balancing multiple gameplay ideas.
Did You Know?
- Dark Devotion was funded via a Kickstarter campaign that raised €31,796, exceeding its €20,000 goal.
- The game's development started in 2015 and it was released for Windows on 25 April 2019.
- Inspiration for the game came from Romantic era artists like Eugène Delacroix and 14th century French gothic architecture.
- Upon death, the Templar loses all equipment except weapons and armor dropped by bosses or received as quest rewards.
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