Devil Devour Alive DX Review

For those who keep the dream alive of the 90s, Virtua Worlds’ single-screen action title Devil Devour Alive DX is here on standby. Does its 32-bit action invoke nostalgia while still being something new, or is its low poly world more outdated than a FUBU jacket?

Devil Devour Alive DX Review

This pick-up-and-play title serves as a love letter to both the occult and 90s video games. After simulating an arcade-like boot system (complete with 666kb ROM size), players are thrust into a world of the damned.

Making yourself at home in the world of Hell, players are tasked with grinding up the eternally damned to feel the devil’s insatiable appetite and keep him alive. Stuck with the endless task of keeping the lightbringer alive, players must gather up the blood of sinners and suffer a fate the title proudly proclaims is worse than death.

No matter if one is using the keyboard, arrow keys, stick, or D-pad, players will guide a funnel to catch the dearly departed and grind them down into tiny meaty bits. It is an absolutely gruesome process, one that leaves a lasting impression.

However, Devil Devour Alive DX’s presentation is the only thing it really has going for it – and even that is a stretch. The core gameplay loop is just moving the funnel around and gathering sinners – no more, no less. There’s the chance to earn combos and rain blood, but this title has the depth of a puddle. Even similar titles like Arkanoid or Breakout have more depth and strategy to them.

Even then, the presentation of Devil Devour Alive DX will be love-it-or-hate-it. It’s certainly a nostalgia trip; there’s no denying that. However, it’s clear to see that this title has the look of a poorly aged work. While it is a design choice, gratuitous pop in, heavily pixelated items like fire, and less polygons per item than Virtua Racing leave a sour taste in one’s mouth. We’re no strangers to the past – we grew up with much love for arcades gone by – but this title captures the worst elements of the era.

Outside of gunning for the high score and completing weekly challenges, there’s not too much to this title. Players can keep track of the poor forgotten souls that met their demise with a collection that lists their name, birth and death date, and sin. However, while there is a lot to keep track of, it features the depth of a puddle.

For the absolute purists out there, there is a TATE mode that allows players to take up the whole screen. We did not take advantage of this in our playthrough – moving a 55” OLED isn’t a wise move – but we appreciate the option nonetheless.

Devil Devour Alive DX works better as an art piece than a video game – and even that is a bit of a stretch. This title has the depth of a puddle, and while the graphics are true to the 90s, it also captures the worst elements of the time.

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