We Know the Devil

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"We Know the Devil" is a visual novel game where three teenagers are sent to a Christian camp for troubled youth. Players navigate their relationships and fears as they confront the devil. The game explores themes of identity, sexuality, and the struggle to belong.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,592 reviews

story180 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features beautifully written characters that are relatable and well-developed, particularly the three main characters: Jupiter, Neptune, and Venus.
The unique art style, combining black-and-white character sprites with photographic backgrounds, creates a haunting and atmospheric experience that enhances the storytelling.
The soundtrack is exceptional, effectively setting the mood and contributing to the overall eerie and surreal atmosphere of the game.

The writing can be vague and abstract, which may leave some players confused about the plot and themes, especially on the first playthrough.
The game is quite short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete all endings, which may lead some players to feel that it doesn't provide enough content for the price.
There are occasional typos and grammatical errors in the dialogue that can detract from the overall experience.

story
608 mentions
30 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "We Know the Devil" is a poignant exploration of queerness, identity, and the struggles of youth, set against the backdrop of a surreal Christian summer camp. While the writing can be cryptic and the plot somewhat vague, many players find the emotional depth and character development compelling, particularly resonating with themes of alienation and self-discovery. The game encourages multiple playthroughs to fully grasp its layered narrative, making it a meaningful experience for those who connect with its themes, especially within the LGBTQ+ community.
- “This is such a beautiful story about queerness and the power of community.”
- “The story belays a fantastic understanding of the LGBTQ experience and youth experience, and how people struggle to fit into normalcy.”
- “The writing is very cryptic and abstract, but as someone who really sucks at reading poetic metaphors, I'd say it's never overly confusing and makes more and more sense over time, after it uncovers certain themes and meaning behind the particular story elements.”
- “The game is quite expensive as well for barely an hour and a half of gameplay after completing all 4 endings... this is the kind of game that could've been so much better if it had a concise story!”
- “Would not recommend to anyone, this was insanely boring with minimal artwork and a relatively pointless plot that ends with no conflict or resolution, it literally just describes these kids' night in a forest and then it ends, no major plot points whatsoever.”
- “For the whole story, I was waiting for something important to happen, and it just kind of never does.”
music
360 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to create a haunting and atmospheric experience that enhances the overall narrative. While some players found the soundtrack to be beautifully unsettling and fitting for the game's themes, others criticized it for being overly loud or jarring, leading to a need for volume adjustments. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a critical element that contributes significantly to the game's unique aesthetic, despite some technical issues in mixing and volume balance.
- “The visuals are charming and the music is gorgeous and haunting.”
- “Alec Lambert’s soundtrack to the game is incredible, bouncing from spooky drones to lo-fi pop that would make Owen Ashworth blush.”
- “The soundtrack is perfect and the writing is so good that I kept laughing at the same jokes for four playthroughs in a row.”
- “Personally, I found the ambience and the music to be aggravating and annoying.”
- “The loud buzzing music with radio noises and morse code all over it wasn't pleasing to the ears at all.”
- “If you're sensitive to noise, then the soundtrack is, quite frankly, an absolute nightmare to listen to.”
atmosphere
180 mentions
60 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of art style, realistic backgrounds, and an evocative soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a haunting, immersive environment that effectively conveys themes of horror, identity, and emotional depth, often described as both creepy and beautifully atmospheric. While some critiques mention vague storytelling, many agree that the atmospheric elements are the game's strongest aspect, drawing players into its unsettling yet captivating world.
- “The sound design was really cool, I liked that the backgrounds were real photos of abandoned places and the woods; the atmosphere is really cool, and the story was creative.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing, and I love the premise of the game and how the flaws of the characters lead up to the endings.”
- “Wktd is a masterpiece of worldbuilding, atmosphere, characterization, and both understated and extremely raw emotions; a horror story that creates a sense of real, lingering dread without relying on jumpscares.”
- “The developers wanted a dark, horror-inspired, and emotional atmosphere that missed the mark entirely and landed somewhere in 'middle school creative-writing project' instead.”
- “From the very beginning, the game creates an atmosphere where things don't feel quite right.”
- “Sure, length might not be everything, but when you're just flying through the game it doesn't make it feel like you've been stuck in this cabin for 12 hours like it should, especially in something that seems to want to pull you into its atmosphere as much as We Know the Devil does.”
graphics
168 mentions
48 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their unique aesthetic, combining hand-drawn black-and-white character sprites with photographic backgrounds that evoke a lo-fi, nostalgic feel. Many reviewers praised the art style for enhancing the game's atmosphere, with its charming visuals and haunting soundtrack contributing to an immersive experience. While some found the visuals to be a bit simplistic or lacking depth, the overall consensus highlights the effective blend of art and music that resonates with the game's themes.
- “It's a simple and charming visual novel with realistic backgrounds that blend in so well with the character's art style, enhancing the atmosphere when combined with the sublime soundtrack.”
- “The visuals are charming, and the music is gorgeous and haunting.”
- “The art style is also on point, with black and white character sprites over photo backgrounds that look like they were taken on a disposable film camera.”
- “I liked the art but overall it feels like there wasn't a whole lot of thought put into the visuals of the game.”
- “Would not recommend to anyone, this was insanely boring with minimal artwork and a relatively pointless plot that ends with no conflict or resolution; it literally just describes these kids' night in a forest and then it ends, no major plot points whatsoever.”
- “The game's aesthetics are unique, using photos taken with disposable cameras for its backgrounds and disquieting sound effects and music that blend and blur together, making it hard to tell one from the other.”
emotional
144 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its profound emotional impact, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from tears to deep personal reflection, particularly resonating with queer identities and experiences. Its short length does not detract from the heartfelt storytelling and character development, which leave a lasting impression on players. Overall, it is considered a powerful and touching experience that evokes a spectrum of emotions, making it a standout in the genre.
- “This game made me feel secret emotions I've never felt before in my life.”
- “The true ending is so emotionally impactful and left me thinking about it for days.”
- “This game is such a special experience, every interaction between characters feels heartfelt and meaningful, the soundtrack makes you want to crawl out of your own skin (in a good way), it's mysterious and magical and emotional and I want to absorb it into my body forever.”
gameplay
64 mentions
9 % positive mentions
86 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around a unique exclusion mechanic where players must choose pairs of characters to interact while leaving one behind, which influences the story's outcomes and character dynamics. While the mechanics are simple and can become repetitive, many players find the engaging writing and thematic depth rewarding, despite some criticism regarding the game's brevity and price. Overall, the gameplay effectively enhances the narrative experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking more traditional interactive elements.
- “Gameplay is simple, as with most visual novels, and the writing is engaging.”
- “The mechanic of having to choose a pairing, where one person is always excluded, added to the themes of isolation and alienation - in contrast to other visual novels, where no other characters are usually hurt or excluded by you going down a particular story path.”
- “The gameplay is extremely effective for a visual novel in that it actually matters what options you choose and what options you don't choose, which is a layer that is uncommon in these kinds of games.”
- “The game is quite expensive as well for barely an hour and a half of gameplay after completing all 4 endings... this is the kind of game that could've been so much better if it had a concise story!”
- “Gameplay can get a bit repetitive if you're trying to get all the endings, but getting all the endings is worth it.”
- “I am not writing this review to tell you about the gameplay, for there is none.”
humor
30 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending clever writing and relatable character interactions that evoke laughter across multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the mix of funny, sweet, and sometimes horrifying moments, with dialogue that is both thought-provoking and accessible. The game's ability to elicit both laughter and emotional depth within short spans is frequently highlighted, making it a unique and engaging experience.
- “The soundtrack is perfect and the writing is so good that I kept laughing at the same jokes for four playthroughs in a row.”
- “Few games have managed to make me double over laughing and cry uncontrollably in the space of 15 minutes.”
- “It's hilarious, tragic, and eerie all at once.”
character development
18 mentions
33 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized for being insufficient, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters despite their appealing designs and the atmospheric presentation. Many reviewers noted that the lack of backstory and rushed development resulted in a hollow experience, with only one character, the captain, standing out but receiving minimal focus. Overall, more time dedicated to character development could have significantly enhanced the emotional impact of the narrative.
- “This visual novel is definitely very artistic in nature, from the storytelling to the character designs, and the metaphors of God, the devil, and the radios playing off of each other as what it means to be good or evil, moral or immoral.”
- “The simultaneous lack and rush of character development left what could have been a very promising game feeling very hollow.”
- “More time for character development would have amplified an already intense experience.”
- “There isn't much backstory or really much of anything to really get someone invested beyond their personalities and their actions, and the short length leaves little room for individual character development or actualization.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, particularly with visual glitches that occur randomly or when fast-forwarding through dialogue, which some players find distracting. While these glitches may enhance the horror atmosphere for some, they can disrupt gameplay, though reloading saves appears to resolve certain character design bugs. Overall, the stability is inconsistent, with players experiencing varying degrees of issues.
- “I experienced some visual glitches that other people are also reporting, though others say they happen when they skip dialogue, whereas mine seemed pretty random actually.”
- “The visual glitches when you fast forward can be weird and distracting.”
- “The character designs do buggy stuff occasionally, but I've fixed it by reloading a save.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Players note that the game offers enhanced replayability through its core mechanics, which allow for varied outcomes based on initial choices, effectively foreshadowing different endings. This encourages multiple playthroughs to explore the consequences of different decisions.
- “This would both a) increase the replayability of the main/core parts, and b) show the player the initial, subtle consequences of their actions, and therefore foreshadow the ending they get.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that while multiple playthroughs are necessary to fully grasp the characters, the game's short length makes this grinding feel manageable rather than tedious. This balance allows for a more enjoyable experience in exploring all the endings.