Cthulhu's Reach: Devil Reef
- April 14, 2024
- The Fine Arc
Get on Steam"Cthulhu's Reach: Devil Reef" is a 1920s-set roguelike game where you, driven by debt and drawn by rumors of hidden treasure, venture to the cursed town of Innsmouth and the treacherous maze of Devil Reef. With up to four player online co-op, explore the labyrinth, battle eldritch horrors, and unlock powerful weapons and upgrades to survive the perilous journey. Isometric action and challenging gameplay await in this Lovecraftian adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a solid premise and offers a fun overall experience, especially when played with friends.
- The graphics and ambiance are praised, with a nostalgic 90's vibe that appeals to old school gamers.
- The developers are responsive to feedback and show promise for future updates and improvements.
- The game suffers from various bugs, including crashes and poor hit detection, which can disrupt gameplay.
- There are concerns about low replayability due to permadeath and a grindy nature, making it feel tedious after a while.
- Controller support is limited, particularly on the Steam Deck, making it unplayable for some users.
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a dungeon exploration loop that is occasionally interrupted by enemy hordes, creating a sense of urgency, but it suffers from bugs and poor mechanics, such as hit detection and item pickups. While the ambiance is praised, comparisons to similar games highlight a lack of engaging mechanics that could enhance the experience. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable but marred by technical issues that need addressing.
“Hammerwatch had a similar mechanic which would, on certain floors, add unique effects (like temporary darkness) which were more threatening or at the very least interesting.”
“Totally worthy, the game feels awesome, gameplay as well and of course the dev dedication to the game.”
“The gameplay loop really suffers when it comes to the actual dungeon exploration - every so often a horde of enemies will spawn, providing a subtle sense of urgency as you explore the stage.”
“The game suffers from many bugs (milestones that don't update, poor pickup mechanics, poor hit detection) that will hopefully be ironed out because the game's ambiance is fantastic.”
“You may see the rare deep one psychic, which is an enemy that remains relatively motionless and shoots an orb at you, but I never saw them spawn via the horde mechanic.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their captivating pixel art style, appealing particularly to fans of retro gaming. Reviewers appreciate the aesthetic, noting it enhances the overall experience, despite the game's low replayability and grindy nature.
“Promising action roguelike game with really cool music, really dangerous barrels, and awesome pixel graphics.”
“If you are an old school gamer like I am, born in the era of Diablo and Wolfenstein, then you will love this graphic style.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, making the game visually unappealing.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, contributing to the overall atmosphere with its cool and engaging soundtracks. It complements the action-packed gameplay and enhances the experience alongside the impressive pixel graphics.
“The music is present.”
“Promising action roguelike game with really cool music, really dangerous barrels, and awesome pixel graphics.”
“The music is forgettable and lacks any real impact.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and uninspired.”
“The audio quality is poor, making it hard to enjoy the music.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is perceived to have low replayability due to its permadeath mechanic and grindy gameplay, which necessitates breaks between matches. However, players find it captivating and appreciate its graphics, despite the limitations in replay value.
“The game offers a unique experience with each playthrough, encouraging players to explore different strategies and character builds.”
“With multiple endings and various choices to make, every session feels fresh and engaging, making you want to dive back in.”
“The dynamic world changes with each playthrough, providing new challenges and surprises that keep the gameplay exciting.”
“The game has low replayability; after each match, there's permadeath, and the grind against the mobs can be exhausting, making it necessary to take breaks between matches.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return, as the permadeath mechanic and repetitive grinding make it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
“While the game is captivating and visually appealing, the lack of replayability due to its grindy nature and permadeath system really detracts from the overall experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be grindy, particularly due to permadeath and the need for breaks between matches, which contributes to its low replayability. Despite this, many still find the game captivating and appreciate its graphics.
“The game feels like a grind fest, with repetitive tasks that make it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
“Grinding in this game is tedious and feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the experience.”
“After a while, the constant grinding against mobs becomes exhausting and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance during gameplay.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
