The Devil Within: Satgat

Join Kim Rip, a Royal Guard whose humanity is gradually slipping away, on a thrilling 2.5D action-adventure platforming journey in 'The Devil Within: Satgat'. Uncover the mysteries of a desolate realm as you engage in stylish battles against formidable foes." -The Devil Within Steam Page

The indie world has no shortage of Metroidvanias, and these days it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Thankfully, The Devil Within is equipped with a sharp blade, and what it brings to the table is a hostile, ruined world resistant to your cutting abilities.

Combat is sharp and fast. Image: Steam.

Thanks to a code from the developer I was able to try out the first two hours of The Devil Within: Satgat, exploring multiple areas and defeating the game's first real boss. The Devil Within, developed by South Korean Newcore Games, is an exploration game in the style of other Metroidvanias, though it tends to lean much more heavily toward action than exploration. There's plenty to do and discover, but players will most likely find the game's combat more satisfying than its somewhat straightforward level design.

Enemies are plentiful, but so are the hero's abilities. Kim Rip, the protagonist assisted by a possibly malevolent spirit, has an arsenal at the ready including a katana and rifle which enable him to dispatch enemies quickly and effectively. While the combat is your typical hack-n-slash fare, it feels like an upgrade from the traditional Metroidvania standard because of its heavy reliance on parrying and dodging enemy abilities. The first boss is the first true test of this—a frustrating human/cyborg with two phases that had me cursing at my Steam Deck—who punishes you severely for not cooperating with the game's defensive systems. Thankfully the stamina drawback for blocking and dodging is minimal, and your reward for a Perfect is an extremely strong attack that deals damage and drives enemies back. Even bosses can be staggered and taken off guard by Perfect Blocks and Heavy Attacks, rewarding aggressive players that decide to go toe to toe with the game's formidable foes.

I enjoyed my first few hours with The Devil Within: Satgat, and while the game is not yet Steam Deck Verified I was able to find a comfortable balance between graphics and performance by tweaking both the in-game graphical options and my Steam Deck's GPU. For those who are looking for a solid Metroidvania entry that's light on exploration and heavy on aggressive combat, this is a game to watch out for.

Metroidvania and Dark Souls elements are mixed. Image: Steam.