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Devil Daggers

Devil Daggers is the demon spawn of 90’s dark first person shooter Hexen, reborn as an arena shooter. A simple, intense game that will either turn you away or – drag you in.
Devil Daggers Game Cover
85%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
95% User Score Based on 7,125 reviews
Critic Score 74%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

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Devil Daggers Game Cover

About

Devil Daggers is a single player shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Sorath and was released on February 18, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Devil Daggers" is a single-player horror shooter game with compelling gameplay, awesome visuals, and fantastic music. Armed with versatile magic daggers, players face endless legions of demons and harvest crystals to increase their power in an abyssal arena. The game features fluid movement, advanced techniques, 13 horrifying enemies, leaderboard rankings, and a custom-built engine with 90's-style rendering. The lackluster story and grinding aspects are overshadowed by the fast-paced and hilarious dense atmosphere, making it highly replayable.

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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,125 reviews
gameplay290 positive mentions
story37 negative mentions

  • Devil Daggers offers a unique and intense gameplay experience that is both addictive and challenging, with a high skill ceiling that keeps players engaged.
  • The sound design is exceptional, providing crucial audio cues that enhance gameplay and help players navigate the chaotic environment.
  • The minimalist design and retro aesthetic create a captivating atmosphere that immerses players in a hellish arena filled with demonic enemies.
  • The game can be extremely punishing, with one-hit deaths leading to frequent restarts that may frustrate players who prefer more forgiving gameplay.
  • There is a lack of content beyond the single arena and one achievement, which may lead to repetitiveness and boredom for some players.
  • The absence of a tutorial or clear instructions can make it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and strategies needed to succeed.
  • gameplay
    834 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Devil Daggers" is characterized by its intense, fast-paced mechanics that demand precision and quick reflexes, reminiscent of classic 90s FPS games like Quake. Players engage in a simple yet challenging loop of shooting enemies while avoiding instant death, with a focus on mastering movement techniques such as bunny hopping and rocket jumping. While the game lacks narrative depth and varied content, its addictive nature and competitive leaderboard system encourage repeated play, making it a rewarding experience for those who enjoy skill-based challenges.

    • “The gameplay is fluid and feels good.”
    • “The gameplay loop is amazing, and the best part is that you just know you messed something up, and that you're able to fix that next run.”
    • “The gameplay of Devil Daggers is simple to play, impossible to master, you fight hordes of enemies with unique behaviors each affecting the gameplay, some will chase and try to hit you to which you die in one hit, some will suck up precious gems for getting stronger firepower and some even take away your ability to fire homing daggers.”
    • “The gameplay is binary; either you keep things under control and live longer, or let things slip and die 5 seconds later.”
    • “The game doesn't overwhelm you with mechanics, but it offers countless ways to use the few it has.”
    • “The gameplay gets boring after about 10 minutes, even though having an inaccurate mouse affected my decision to stop playing quite a bit.”
  • graphics
    707 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Devil Daggers" are intentionally retro, drawing inspiration from classic 90s shooters like Quake and Doom, featuring low-resolution textures and a pixelated aesthetic that evokes nostalgia. While some players appreciate the unique and haunting art style that enhances the game's dark atmosphere, others find the visuals dated and unappealing, leading to mixed opinions on their overall impact on gameplay. The cohesive blend of graphics and sound design contributes to a tense and immersive experience, though the simplistic visuals may deter those seeking modern graphical fidelity.

    • “The graphics are awesome, clearly inspired by Quake (1, of course), with low-resolution textures and models, a touch of PS1-like jittering, and a cohesive and beautiful palette.”
    • “The visual aesthetic is a love letter to the early days of 3D gaming, with a dark, gothic atmosphere that heightens the tension.”
    • “The graphics are perfect for what it is and the price tag is fair.”
    • “The graphics are pixelated and similar to old PlayStation games, playing into the overall tone the game is trying to give.”
    • “You run around a flat open floor, monsters are randomly spawned, there is 1 weapon, the graphics look 30 years old, and everything is brown.”
    • “The graphics are choppy and paint a dreary hellscape.”
  • music
    194 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's music aspect is characterized by a notable absence of in-game music, with only a minimal soundtrack present during the title screen. Players appreciate the exceptional sound design and audio cues that enhance the atmosphere and gameplay, often suggesting that the lack of music allows for better focus on enemy sounds. While some players express a desire for a more dynamic soundtrack, many find that the eerie soundscape effectively contributes to the game's intense and immersive experience.

    • “The ambient soundtrack sets the mood perfectly, enhancing the feeling of unease as you battle against the relentless hordes of demonic enemies.”
    • “Devil's Daggers is a hauntingly beautiful game that captivates the player with its dark atmosphere, eerie music, and terrifying creatures.”
    • “The sound design is phenomenal, but I feel like it needed some kick-ass music, and I recommend using the Quake II soundtrack as a perfect supplement to this game's rough, spartan, and devilish design.”
    • “Oh, it's not just music; it's the soundtrack to my nightmare!”
    • “There is no music, which I initially found odd but the inclusion of background sound would distract from being able to hear approaching enemies, so I feel that was a good tradeoff.”
    • “The only thing missing from this game is heavy metal background music.”
  • atmosphere
    140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Devil Daggers" is widely praised for its dark, gothic aesthetic and haunting sound design, which together create a tense and immersive experience reminiscent of classic 3D shooters like Quake. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and urgency, enhanced by minimalistic visuals and effective audio cues that contribute to its nightmarish ambiance. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay monotony, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature that keeps players engaged and returning for more.

    • “The visual aesthetic is a love letter to the early days of 3D gaming, with a dark, gothic atmosphere that heightens the tension.”
    • “Devil's Daggers is a hauntingly beautiful game that captivates the player with its dark atmosphere, eerie music, and terrifying creatures.”
    • “The excellent audio and visual design come together to create a palpable atmosphere of malice towards the player, which fits thematically because the game absolutely will hurt you.”
    • “Despite its simplicity, the game's visuals create a nightmarish atmosphere that is both unsettling and captivating.”
    • “With Devil Daggers, there are simply no environments, no enemy weight, no gravitas, no tone, and no atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is both minimal and oppressive, having only a single arena, lit only by the magic at your fingertips, and the music that sparsely plays eerily in the background of the menus.”
  • story
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game "Devil Daggers" is characterized by a complete absence of narrative or story elements, focusing solely on gameplay mechanics and survival against relentless waves of enemies. While some players appreciate this minimalist approach, viewing it as a return to pure arcade-style shooting, many express disappointment over the lack of any storyline, character development, or progression, making it less appealing for those seeking a more traditional gaming experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes gameplay over storytelling, which may not satisfy players looking for depth or context.

    • “To anyone unsure of whether to get this game or not, I hope my story inspires you.”
    • “It tells a story of determination, fear, and self-loathing as it resembles life, how failing constantly can make you better over time by approaching things slightly different.”
    • “A game that feels like it has a story without a story.”
    • “Devoid of story, tutorials, or any excess fluff whatsoever.”
    • “There is no narrative or story of any kind.”
    • “There's zero story or context, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, here there isn't even a feeling of progression.”
  • replayability
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many reviewers highlighting its challenging gameplay and addictive nature that encourages players to keep returning for "just one more round." Despite a limited amount of content, the simplicity and high skill ceiling create a rewarding experience that keeps players engaged, making it a standout title for fans of fast-paced FPS games. However, some critiques mention that the lack of variety in levels may detract from the overall enjoyment for certain players.

    • “It's super engaging and has absurd replay value for its simplicity.”
    • “One of the best arena shooters on the market with infinite replayability and one of the smartest and smoothest difficulty curves on the market, hands down.”
    • “Its replay value is that of clicking a pen over and over, and by that I mean it's fun and never gets old haha.”
    • “The game is okay, but the replayability is low.”
    • “What amazes me the most is the replayability: the game is never different, however, you probably won't even live long enough to see everything it has to offer, which only makes you want to throw more daggers at 'devils' in order to improve your high score and progress!”
  • grinding
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players find it rewarding and satisfying as they improve their skills and aim for high scores, others view it as tedious and frustrating, especially for casual gamers. The gameplay encourages repeated attempts and strategic farming, but many agree that it can become overwhelming and grindy, particularly when trying to surpass certain time thresholds. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a challenging, skill-based experience, but may deter players who prefer a more casual approach.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy... sometimes.”
    • “A lot of grinding.”
    • “The grinding music only amplifies the grit of distorted visuals echoing disfigured entities amongst a demented hellscape which rapidly expand into a relentless assault on any hope.”
    • “I'm fine with games being hard, but this game (to me at least) has very little reason to encourage replaying and feels way too grindy to be entertaining.”
    • “The game does some work to help this issue by layering new gameplay and enemies as you progress into a run; however, if you aren't focused on improving your score from the beginning, you won't see this as the point where this begins to occur, which requires at least an hour of grinding to reach.”
  • humor
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely centered around the absurdity and chaos of being chased by relentless, laughing skulls, which players find both amusing and frustrating. Many reviews highlight the game's darkly comedic elements, such as the juxtaposition of cute, funny sounds with the intense gameplay, creating a unique blend of humor and challenge. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to evoke laughter amidst the chaos, even as they grapple with its difficulty and the relentless nature of its enemies.

    • “Try to get off Mr. Bones' wild ride, in this hilarious new adventure.”
    • “10/10 strangely addicting and also has a very funny death grips sound mod.”
    • “Skulls laughingly mock you as they chase you around as they spray out from Cthulhu-like octopus towers.”
  • optimization
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users noting its impressive performance, including extremely high frame rates and smooth gameplay on a variety of systems. While it excels in optimization for PC, some players have reported issues with controller support. The game's design and mechanics encourage players to explore optimization strategies, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The game's genius is in this relentless drive it instills, urging you to surpass your previous performance.”
    • “Finding tiny optimizations and new strategies to squeeze a few more seconds past your best time.”
    • “Well optimized, running on a custom engine instead of a hackjob Unity game.”
    • “Thank god for the performance update; if a game doesn't run at 2500fps, is it even running?”
    • “Furthermore, the game's performance is rather iffy at times.”
    • “Crazy how such a mechanically simple game being available for so long can be analyzed by players and optimized with several different strategies.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, eliciting strong feelings of distress, frustration, and even tears from players. Many describe the experience as both mentally and physically taxing, yet rewarding, with a sense of accomplishment that is rare in gaming. Despite its simplicity and lack of narrative depth, the game successfully evokes a wide range of emotions, making it a unique and memorable experience.

    • “This game makes me want to cry.”
    • “This game hurts me mentally, physically, and emotionally.”
    • “Seeing even a tiny bit of progress towards the achievement (and past it) is emotionally rewarding.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, user reviews on stability are mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with minimal glitches and bugs, others have encountered significant issues that detract from gameplay. Despite these inconsistencies, many appreciate the game's performance and reliability, highlighting its low incidence of crashes and interruptions.

    • “Tiny install, runs great, and cheap.”
    • “Little to no glitches or bugs.”
    • “No problems with the game, runs great.”
    • “Game this buggy is not worth your time.”
    • “I asked the cashier to take a few items off, but the system was being buggy and they said they had to run me through again.”
    • “In these times of easy access money grabbing, it's a miracle to have pure gameplay without any interruptions from crashes, falling through floors, and graphical glitches.”
  • monetization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a straightforward monetization model with no loot boxes, DLC, or in-app purchases, which many players appreciate as a refreshing change from typical cash-grab tactics. While some users suggest the addition of microtransactions, the overall sentiment is that the absence of ads and paywalls enhances the gaming experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Doom.

    • “No loot, no DLC, no in-app purchases, no padding.”
    • “It kinda plays like a mobile game, only without the ads, microtransactions, or rigged failures.”
    • “No microtransactions or tomfoolery within sight.”
    • “Hoping maybe this guy stops the cash grabs or whatever, it's really shady and not professional. It's just not worth paying this guy or helping him.”
    • “No microtransactions or tomfoolery in sight.”
    • “They really need to add microtransactions to this game!”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that character development in the game is lacking, with some players expressing disappointment over its cold and expressionless portrayal. This has led to a broader critique of the game's storytelling, suggesting that poor character development can significantly detract from the overall experience. Players who prioritize narrative and character depth may find this aspect particularly unsatisfying.

    • “It filters out those addicted to graphics, storytelling, and fancy character design for a pitch-black, expressionless, cold place, but who the hell wants to play this?”
    • “A game can be great or terrible for a number of reasons; recently we've seen examples of games failing in the AAA market due to horrible stories, bad character development, etc.”
    • “I am well aware that I enjoy my games mostly for the storyline and character development.”
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17h Median play time
37h Average play time
6-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 36 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Devil Daggers is a shooter game with horror theme.

Devil Daggers is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 37 hours playing Devil Daggers.

Devil Daggers was released on February 18, 2016.

Devil Daggers was developed by Sorath.

Devil Daggers has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Devil Daggers is a single player game.

Similar games include Swarmlake, CROSSBOW: Bloodnight, HYPER DEMON, Post Void, Akane and others.