Devikins features a Charming Eldritch Horror role-playing game experience. The player assumes the role of a domineering and exacting parent, guiding their Devikid (child) to become a Devikin (adult). Achieving this entails engaging the Devikids in an assortment of tasks in the nursery, blending amusing and horrifying elements, such as lifting bottles and handling sharp-edged blocks. These tasks enhance the Devikids’ various attributes, but some may also cause adverse effects, necessitating caution during training.
It’s crucial to maintain a balance between training and attending to the devikin’s mood, which includes feeding and resting. Devikins’ personalities also play a vital role, affecting the benefits derived from specific actions. Early on, this introduces a strategic element to gameplay, which, however, simplifies as players accumulate resources and follow guides. These resources can be acquired by purchasing from the shop or by watching advertisements for bonuses.
Gameplay Once the devikins reach adulthood, they embark on adventures into the void. Resembling the nursery’s activities, these adventures involve selecting tasks with timers. Some strategic thinking is required as different adventures demand diverse personality and attribute combinations, but this aspect becomes more straightforward as the team grows. Players may encounter a significant paywall here, as some adventures necessitate rare and costly personalities.
Mynthseeds serve as in-game points, awarded upon adventure completion. Accumulating mynthseeds throughout the week boosts leaderboard rankings and yields greater rewards. Players can also breed their devikins to produce new devikids. Additional features include the main hub’s rituals and wicked well areas, and the formation of guilds, where groups of players cooperate and compete in guild leaderboards while sharing resources.
The developers are currently working on a battler system, unavailable at the time of writing this review. It will encompass both player-vs-environment (PvE) and player-vs-player (PvP) elements, allowing players to equip devikins with items to enhance their skills before engaging in battles. Players will then select moves for each character, initiating combat cycles.
While Devikins boasts engaging lore and art, its primary gameplay loop caters to a niche audience. The game primarily consists of several timers, and the strategic aspects dissipate relatively quickly. A premium subscription reduces the time demands of these timers but doesn’t alter the core gameplay loop, merely decreasing the frequency of check-ins. The seven-day training period means that missing a few hours could jeopardise an entire week of progress.
This game may not suit players seeking an “active” experience. However, those who appreciate intricate progression systems and eldritch lore may find it enjoyable.
