What would you do if your little sister was kidnapped by a cult? I'll be honest, I might just let them keep her. Yeah, you heard me. If they want her this bad they must have some kind of a reason. Also, for the record, I'd like to mention that I'm an only child.
But let’s be serious: Wouldn't we all try to find her? To track down whoever took one of our family members from us? The question then turns into how well we'd survive against whatever took her in the first place. Of course, most of us wouldn't need to face down supernatural forces to save our younger siblings.
What is Devil's Hideout?
Devil's Hideout is a horror point-and-click adventure game with puzzle-solving elements. You play as a woman named Lauren who's told by a spirit medium that her younger sister isn't dead after all. In fact, she's in-between worlds and nefarious cultists are to blame. But watch out—There's more than just cloaked figures roaming in the shadows…
This game plays like a classic-style adventure game where you have to solve a variety of puzzle-based obstacles in your way to make progress in your investigation. For all you youngins like me, this means that some of the puzzles might feel arbitrary or nonsensical at times. Don't worry, though, these don't take away from the experience at all nor frustrate you too much. The main developer, Aviv Salinas aka Cosmic Void, is a veteran point-and-click creator with 11 titles under their belt. They know their genre well and it shows in Devil’s Hideout’s puzzle designs.
Devil's Hideout is currently in development with a release date of September 10th, 2024. In the meantime, there's a neat demo out right now where you can get a taste of the terror to come and see for yourself if it leaves you wanting more. The developers ran a successful Kickstarter campaign back in April of this year. Over 400 people have loved this demo enough to pledge a collective €11,458, equivalent to roughly $12,696.20 as of September 4, 2024.
Creepin' and crawlin' in the dark
The flashlight mechanic is one of the biggest standouts for me. In a nutshell, the range of what you can see is limited to your flashlight beam's area when investigating dark places. This is terrifying enough as a horror genre staple alone, but the presentation in Devil’s Hideout further elevated it. The art style helps immerse you into the world as if you're the one holding the flashlight thanks to how rich the details are. Not to mention, the powerful soundtrack adds to the sense of dread you feel as you move your cursor across the screen. There's an apprehension that comes from waiting to see if something's going to pop out at you. Or even worse, if something snuck into the room and is waiting for you instead.
Using your flashlight in Devil's Hideout to find clues while keeping an eye out for unwanted attention is something that seems influenced by certain fan-favorite horror games. Salinas mentioned on the Kickstarter page that they were inspired by Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2 when designing "... some of the outdoor sections..." Looking at the preview images confirms this and I'd argue that they influenced how they made the indoor environments as well. The streets of the town Lauren navigates are all filthy and deserted, including places inside the buildings such as the Operating Room. The Silent Hill games have a similar aesthetic. Even the empty static on the spirit radio is reminiscent of the eerie and gritty industrial music of the games.
It's not just a one-trick pony
Too often it's assumed that horror stories need to be scary all the way through. Experienced connoisseurs of spooky tales (y'all are real ones, for real) understand that wise use of humor can act as a crucial part of the setup for a memorable moment. I'm happy to report that Devil's Hideout does a subtle and fantastic job of having its occasional comedic moments while maintaining a tense atmosphere.
The secret to its success lies in its ability to not focus too much on its humor. Throughout Devil’s Hideout, you'll see jokes such as Lauren making a pun about an item she sees or teasing her partner Atticus in a playful way. These little moments help build up to the main scares by getting you to lower your guard just a bit. It's just enough to intensify the scares while keeping your faith in its promise to deliver.
Who should play Devil's Hideout?
Hands down, Silent Hill fans will be enthralled with playing this game. There are enough elements in it to remind players of its inspirations while having enough of a new spin to mark itself as an original game. Hell, just about any horror gamer will have a fun time with this one.
Let's not forget, old school point-and-click adventure gamers will also enjoy this. The game's made in a style that they'll not only like but also remember in a fond way. It's a throwback to a time when the genre was a part of mainstream gaming and not just a niche interest for an older demographic and the occasional young person stumbling onto them. While the pixel art aesthetic and overall game design are obvious indicators of its stylistic origins, I'd be remiss to not mention that the emphasis on puzzle-based gameplay will make point-and-click fans rejoice at another fun adventure to go on.
Evil lurks about and I can't wait for it to strike
There are a number of things I'm looking forward to from the full version. Who are these cultists? Why did they kidnap Beth? Is there a way to bring her back to life or are we going to put her spirit at peace? What's Lauren and Beth's relationship like? Who even is Lauren? Is magic normal in this world? Are the cultists known to society or are only those in the know aware of them? There's so much more I want to know about this game, and I’m anxious to see what other cool art is in Devil’s Hideout. For now, I'll just have to wait until it lunges at me from the shadows…
If you're like me and just can't wait for the September 10th release date, you can play the demo on itch or Steam. Don't forget that you can wishlist Devil's Hideout on both sites too!
Mushroomjuice
Justin's many things: Memer, designer, developer, game maker, Tarot reader, writer, and more. Now he's a keyboard monkey for Final Arc (don't tell them he said that). Website: heyjustinkim.com
