Devious Dungeon Review
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPad Mini Retina
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There is one particularly influential game that has gone entirely underrepresented on iOS: Spelunky. While Devious Dungeon isn't exactly that, it does come from that family of procedurally-generated action platformers, this one in particular may seem like a mobile version of Rogue Legacy. But while its inspirations may be clear, Devious Dungeon misses out on why those games were so good - being only mindless entertainment to tune out to.
It's a very by-the-books experience, and it feels like a game that misses the point of why Spelunky, Rogue Legacy, and the rest of the Roguelike-inspired games are so fun: per aspera ad astra. Those games throw lots of challenges the player's way, but they make sure that the player is rewarded for succeeding be it through tangible in-game rewards and/or through intangible satisfaction. Doing well at one of those games feels good.
Admittedly, these flaws actually make Devious Dungeon a great mindless game for those who just want to sit back and zone out without thinking too much. I spent way too much time one afternoon playing Devious Dungeon even though most of the time I was thinking about how it could be better. I think at least this serves as proof that this genre could work in some form on iOS, it's just going to take a talented designer to make it perfect.