Devil Jam Review - Addictive Metal Roguelite Survivor with Deep Builds
Particularly charming, Devil Jam is the latest in the roguelite genre, which practically blew up overnight with 2021's Vampire Survivors. Despite arriving five years later, Devil Jam has an identity of its own that sets it apart from its contemporaries. This game has a hand-drawn art style, the action is addictive, and the long-term progression is deep enough to feed that addiction for 10+ hours. I am personally fairly experienced with this kind of game, and although it doesn't reinvent the wheel, Devil Jam had me hooked from the very first run.
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As one of the newest top-down roguelites, Devil Jam has its own unique premise to spice up its rather unoriginal gameplay. In a well-trodden genre like this, this game has a sort of charm that stands out from the crowd. The genre has flourished with different themes like Zombie Survivors and even Geometry Survivor, and this time the focus is on themes such as the Devil, Cardinal Sins, and metal music. At the start of the game, we are introduced to our first playable character, Falco, as he finds himself across the table from the Devil. This foundation is a story that has been told a thousand times, but it is the perfect setup for a roguelite. We quickly learn that Falco is part of a metal band and he signed a deal with the devil: Falco's soul in exchange for fame and glory. After he arrives in Hell as the Devil's property, Falco is offered a new deal. The Devil appears to have a dispute with Death, and Falco will be allowed to return to Earth if he is able to defeat Death in combat. This establishing lore is important because it explains why the player is able to die and resurrect over and over. It might seem like a small detail, but it goes a long way in justifying how Falco is able to try, fail, grow, and eventually succeed after dozens of attempts.
With that foundation established, we are ready to face Death and its endless hordes. There are three main stages to unlock as well as four challenge stages that offer a specific tailored experience. The challenges each have different modifiers and are there as an alternative to the main game, but these can easily be ignored as progress is not carried over between runs. Sticking with our music theme: these challenges are like the supporting bands that play before the headliner - good but not the focus. Front and center, the main stages are 20-minute-long runs that culminate in a one-on-one showdown with Death. Besides speed and loot modifiers, the differences between the stages are pretty minor. Typical of a roguelite, the player must dodge and weave through danger while collecting XP to level up.
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Unique to Devil Jam is the character-building grid. The player has a 3x4 grid of empty spaces to fill, and some abilities will trigger based on where they are placed. The grid is a reminder of the metal-music theme that is throughout Devil Jam. The grid represents 4-4 timing, which describes the tempo of a piece of music. In this game, the bar is activated from left to right, meaning your attacks will activate to the beat. Weapons and abilities can be enhanced over time and placed correctly to synergize into strong character builds. With each level, the Devil or one of the Seven Deadly Sins will present the player with a choice of three abilities. Finding effective combinations is key to success. Each of the Seven Deadly Sins has different sets of choices that can either be weapons, abilities, or traits that can drastically shape strategy.
There is a lot of enjoyment to extract from this game because in Devil Jam, Death is hardly the end.
The initial pool of abilities provides hours of experimenting, and that is just the beginning! When Falco finally completes a run and vanquishes Death, he learns that his fellow bandmates have also been sent to Hell. The Devil once again offers their freedom in exchange for defeating Death again. True to his word, there are three playable characters in total that each have a different starting weapon. The slight variations do little to extend the longevity of the game, but there are much more effective systems for that.
Each time Falco, Amy, or Lydia falls in battle, they awaken at the Devil's desk, which resides in a hub world. Within this hub world is a merchant that can sell you a number of long-term progression items in exchange for loot gathered on runs. There are five different currencies, which sounds like a lot but are actually pretty easy to understand. These different items accumulate until they are spent on either new Sins, new interactable fixtures on the main stage, or permanent stat boosts. These long-term progression systems effectively extend a 4- or 5-hour experience into a game that can remain fresh for dozens of long sessions.
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Lastly, let's examine the audio/visual aspects of Devil Jam.
The graphics are not realistic, and that is very intentional. The assets are advertised as hand-drawn, and that is both effective and helpful in setting this game apart from other roguelites. The game does not take itself too seriously, and that is reflected in the graphics and the overall premise. In my opinion, gameplay is king, and these graphics do not take away from that; if anything, they will appear to age less as time goes on.
More importantly, the audio direction is a little disappointing. For a game centered around a trio of metal-band rockers, I really expected more metal in the soundtrack. The soundtrack during each run is a little better but still not as strong as the game deserves. The music is technically metal, but the energy is lacking. There is a slow and docile "metal" ambient track that plays in the main menu. The song shifts during boss fights, but after more than twenty hours with the game, I cannot recall a time where the music rose to match the excitement of the action. Even during the final showdown with Death, the soundtrack includes some screamy metal vocals, but the song is hushed beneath the sounds of combat. It doesn't make sense to me why, but the music is almost certainly subdued in order to appeal to a larger audience.
In conclusion: Devil Jam is a very enjoyable experience. The charm and personality of the game are memorable, even if the music wasn't very strong. The surprisingly original plotline fits perfectly, and the traditional roguelite gameplay is fast-paced, addictive, and varied enough to be enjoyed for hours and hours.
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