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Devilian

Devilian is a dark fantasy themed action MMORPG set in the persistent world of Aelkeina. Players control half-devil characters who possess the ability to transform into their Devil Forms. Devilian offers multiple PvP modes and a dungeon finder for quick PvE sessions.

Publisher: Trion Worlds
Playerbase: Shut Down
Type: Action MMORPG
Release Date: December 2, 2015
Shut Down Date: March 5, 2018
PvP: Arenas /Battlegrounds / Guild Battles
Pros: +Multiple PvP options. +Solo & Group Dungeons +World bosses, raids, and other Guild features.
Cons: -Already several years old. -Looks similar to other ARPGs. -Repetitive gameplay required for advancement.

Devilian Shut Down on March 5, 2018

Overview

Devilian Overview

Devilian is an action MMORPG with a look and feel similar to Diablo 3 and Path of Exile. But unlike those lobby games, Devilian offers the full MMORPG experience with an open, persistent world to explore. The game will offer four classes at launch including the Berserker (warrior), Evoker (mage), Shadowhunter (assassin), and Cannoneer. Each class has a unique Devil Form which can be activated for a temporary boost. Devilian includes many competitive features including multiple PvP options and contestable world bosses for organized guilds to tackle.

Devilian Key Features:

  • Clear Dungeons Solo or Grouped - Explore dozens of dungeons solo or in groups of 3. Raid dungeons designed for 9 await experienced players.
  • Devil Form Progression - Players can temporarily transform into a Devil and level up their Devil form independently of their regular class.
  • Multiple PvP Modes - Take part in quick 3v3 PvP fights, or join battlegrounds for larger 20v20 battles. Guilds can form alliances and declare war for even more PvP action.
  • Contested World Bosses - Experienced guilds and players must compete for the right to battle powerful world bosses and claim their loot.
  • A Complete MMORPG - Devilian offers a persistent world complete with crafting, quests, mounts, pets, instanced dungeons, multiple cities, and more!

Devilian Screenshots

Devilian Featured Video

Devilian - Official Announcement Trailer

Full Review

Devilian Review

By Sean Sullivan

Nearly three years after it’s initial release Trion World’s ARPG Devilian has graced Western shores. While I didn’t hang a sign outside my door reading “Devilian need not apply,” I saw little reason to accept the senescent game into my Steam depository. But dismissing Devilian for its superficial qualities is a hasty judgment, as unfair as Hibernophobia. Ultimately Devilian is an acceptable free-to-play title that excels and trips on its own legs, a worthwhile distraction to temporarily escape an MMO drought.

Individuality’s Limits

Four gender-locked classes encompass the spectrum of Devilian’s available playstyles. By default two character slots are available, and players must purchase tickets to unlock additional characters. It’s clear the character models have an uncanny resemblance to Tera—sensical since developer Bluehole was involved in both projects—from the grisled Blademaster to the ethically questionable loli cannoneer. The choice is largely arbitrary (outside of PvP). Each archetype is designed to pummel countless enemies, with no strict class assignment when gallivanting through dungeons.

Customization is limited, but typical to the genre—and offering more than similarly stylized Diablo 3. Choosing from a small selection of hairstyles, facial structures, and decorating them with a color palette is the extent of exerting a personal flavor in Devilian’s world. But thanks to the game’s top-down camera angle subtleties are only noticed by the player, whereas other players will distinguish your character by their hair. I was impressed that skin tone extended the entire color wheel and took advantage while making my berserker LarryDavid. Eventually I settled on playing the Evoker, a voluptuous sorceress wielding vibrant spells to slay Genghis Khan’s demon army.

Barry White Combat

Combat is vivid and smooth. My Evoker’s spell effects, even basic spells, have an illustrious flare that signals the pleasure center in the brain to coo, “oooh.” Slaughtering Malek’s minions is immensely satisfying thanks to familiar controls. Attacks are bound to number keys (1-8 and function keys by default—which I switched to “control + [x]”) and right-click. While movement can be accomplished with WASD or left-clicking; I chose the former. One tricky function was recognizing that dodge, bound to spacebar, occurs towards the cursor rather than the direction your character faces. While disconcerting initially, it allows crafty sidesteps during boss fights and large encounters.

Smooth controls means grouping creatures together and eviscerating them with a chain of vivid attacks—sending viscera hurtling—epitomizes the sense that you’re a devil underneath your skin. Unfortunately for a game that relies heavily on blood I was disappointed gore was swallowed by the grassy fields soon after touching the ground—a minor sour note. Flashy effects and ease of use make up for the limited sanguiness. But eye candy can only carry Devilian so far.

Single-player Progression

Quests are short spurts of slaughter: kill seven mobs and autorun back to the NPC, or collect your reward remotely and move to the next objective. In a game where each creature bursts into a blubbering pool of blood I would prefer to be tasked with decimating an army, not smalltown ruffians. Instead the empty spaces between combat eat up time, turning leveling into a chore—accomplished while watching Netflix. Quest progression is fine, but ought to have been expanded to anchor players in one area for longer periods of time. I wanted to chain mobs instead of run-and-gunning.

Devilian’s creature aggro range is pathetic, and counterproductive to decimating large packs (what should be the core aspect of gameplay even while leveling). I should not have to consciously remember to walk a fine line to avoid losing aggro. If leveling wasn’t so damn easy it would be a serious issue. Instead it’s mitigated thanks to easily accomplished quests.

Fast-paced progression is symptomatic of the genre but it leaves much to be desired. There needs to be different difficulties: slower progression and harder quests, mobs with more health and varied attacks. Or simply more mobs inhabiting an area. Instead, the world plays out like a theme park where idle distractions catch your eyes for a glance before you walk forward. Devilian plays like a single-player experience with interactions nearly as passive as Dark Souls.

Enemies do respawn dangerously fast, to the point where I grouped the same pack of mobs together on multiple occasions. Oftentimes I would need to collect an item drop but was halted by the reappearance of the boss—too bad he didn’t drop colorful gear each time. Picking up quest items is awkward. Pressing “F” ought to pick up the item you’re standing nearest to. Instead you default to pick up the quest item no matter your position in the item’s vicinity.

Becoming The Devil

The game’s namesake alludes to a combat mechanic that feels slapped on, but ought to be the core motivator. By slaying mobs the Devilian Gauge stacks, enabling a class-specific devil form—with its own health, stats, skills, and level. I rarely felt a need to utilize my curvaceous devil, making her an afterthought in boss fights; encounters are regularly so simple there’s no need to power up. When I did become a Devilian the unfamiliar skillset was too daunting to utilize effectively. I have to return to judge the Devilian form when I’ve become more familiar with the mechanic.

A Three Year Old Painting

Devilian’s environments are polished and smooth, well optimized for any modern PC (as it should be for a three year old game). Each area on the world map features distinct locations with its own aesthetic. But the nature of gameplay devalues any appreciation of the world. Between an autorun system and environments that serve as different portions of a hedge maze, there’s a loss sense of inhabiting a world. Each area is a set of linear paths, like a collection of coiled snakes wrapped in their own glass case.
Even creatures blended into a blur. And intricately designed monsters deserve recognition but instead leave a fleeting impression thanks to amphetamine induced progression. Chaperoned by autorun, I was never imbued with a desire to care about the world.

Getting Rekt In PvP

Stepping onto a battleground I entered a 20 v 20, objective-based match, where the first team to score 2000 points over 20 minutes wins. It’s intense chaos, where distinguishing players on the map requires close scrutiny lest you fall victim to an enemy Evoker’s black hole. Unfortunately PvP is not confined to level-groups, but features every level in a battleground. Considering the stat differences between a character at level 30 and at 52, the unfiltered pairings seem ludicrous. But PvP is the ultimate testing ground for a player’s abilities. I recommend capping out your level before entering the arena.

Six different battlegrounds exist, and not all are 20v20 frag festivals. I found Depraved Temple to be the most interesting, where two teams of six fight each other to defeat an enemy boss, whereas corrupted courtyard is a manageable 3v3 that’s more suitable for a party to enter and coordinate attacks. There’s enough variety that PvP doesn’t blend into a monotonous haze, but queue times do vary and it can be dissuading when matchmaking seems endless. And so far the intense nature of PvP has me hooked.

Not Jackie Chan’s Talisman

It seems every game needs to incorporate cards, whether it be a TCG like Hex or MOBA such as Paladins. Dubbed Talismans, Devilian’s cards offer stat bonuses such as increased magic critical strikes and experience boosts. Every 10 levels, beginning at Level 10, you can enhance yourself by equipping a new card for a maximum of five. Cards are earned from boxes randomly dropped by enemies or by transmogrifying magic dust (from salvaging items). Equipped through a Talisman menu, cards can be improved by feeding them unused cards—increasing their experience, stat bonus, and level. There is a large library, and mix and matching refines player strategy.

Talismans are a fine addition that refine a character’s playstyle but due to acquisition methods lends itself to a contentious perception. Boxes containing cards known as Enigma Boxes require Enigma Keys to open. But the keys are not easily acquired. They must be purchased with Archgemstones (from daily challenges, challenge modes, guild tournaments) or through the in-game marketplace. So, while they can be grinded, wealthy patron can buy themselves keys for convenience.

But keys aren’t the issue. The affluent Devilian can buy Gemmed Talisman Boxes, and theoretically open an infinite number of boxes given an endless wallet, acquiring powerful cards and maximizing their Talisman’s stats. Players aren’t able to buy Übermensch cards directly, but essentially purchase a lottery ticket to spin the RNG gods’ wheel of fortune. So I wouldn’t classify the cash shop items as pay-to-win, as prosperous players aren’t guaranteed a winning hand. And non-paying players can grind out keys and Enigma boxes given a strong willpower and perseverance, so there is no content lock per say. But prosperous players can pay for convenience and earn stronger Talismans more quickly if they identify as whales.

The Fine Line Of Pay For Convenience

Devilian walks a tightrope around pay-to-win, catching itself before falling into a void difficult to return from. Ultimately, what I found was an extreme level of pay-for-convenience that’s tolerable, albeit annoying at times. I ought to preface and say I played with an Obsidian Founder’s pack, unlocking innumerable bonuses that make in-game quality of life equivalent to a Saudi prince. My VIP life includes greatly expanded bagspace from the pitiful 24 initial slots, daily Patron boxes for three months (granting Archgemstones, health potions and a Talisman box), and blessings that greatly increase experience and gold acquisition—among other conveniences. Had I not had the Founder’s Pack the lack of bagspace would have guided me to Alt + F4. It’s a personal belief that monetizing bagspace is an MMORPG sin, but in Devilian you can exchange in-game credits for gems, and in-turn buy additional bag slots. It’s an annoying circumvention but better than leaving bagspace behind a cash barrier.

Plenty of convenience items adorn the Marketplace’s wall, such as Refining and Attribute Stones—adding or capturing gear stats. But again, no gameplay option is blocked to free players, but the maze to acquire such items is far more intricate. As a free-to-play game it does its best to maintain harmony with free-to-players while pushing Patron status conveniences like an airport missionary. And the cash shop has been altered to suit the cries of pugnacious forum commentators. What I gather is that Trion wants to find the right balance, given their infamy linked to Archeage, and I have to commend them for listening to player feedback. Unfortunately, casting aside a shadow is no easy task.

Final Verdict - Good

Devilian is a solid free-to-play ARPG that smiles like a moribund cow. It’s a summer job—you play knowing you’ll collect your fun and ultimately quit. Combat is an effervescent bloodbath broken by intermittent downtime while leveling, while the endgame is a, thankfully, endless dungeon crawl interspersed with chaotic PvP. Making it rain in-game currency will give your account VIP treatment but it’s not necessary to experience every avenue of gameplay. Had it released three years ago in North America, Devilian would have snagged players anticipating Diablo 3 and been a widespread success. In 2015 it’s a fine game, a diversion to waste time before another ARPG whisks you away.

Screenshots

Devilian Screenshots

Videos

Devilian Videos

System Requirements

Devilian System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 (64 bit)
CPU: 2Ghz Dual Core
RAM: 3 GB RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA 9800 GTX / AMD HD 5670
Hard Disk Space: 5 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 (64 bit)
CPU: 3Ghz Dual Core or better
RAM: 4 GB RAM or more
Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 460 or ATI HD 6850
Hard Disk Space: 5 GB available space

Devilian has not released official system requirements yet. These are numbers are estimates based on our experience. We will update these numbers as soon as official numbers are released!

Music

Devilian Music & Soundtrack

Coming soon...

Additional Info

Devilian Additional Information

Developer: Bluehole Ginno Studios
Publisher: Trion Worlds
Game Engine: Custom In-House Engine
Producer: Andrew Sipotz @Stanrule1
Senior Community Manager: Evan Berman @Scapes
Program Manager: Victoria Voss

Release Dates:

Korea: December 06, 2012 (NHN Hangame Korea)
Thailand: November 2, 2014 (True Digital Plus)
North America/Europe: Q4 2015 (Trion Worlds)

Shut Down: March 05, 2018

Development History / Background:

Devilian is an action MMORPG inspired by classic ARPG series like Diablo and Torchlight. The game was first revealed in late 2012 by Bluehole Ginno Studios, the same studio behind the popular fantasy MMORPG Tera. Following its Korean release, Devilian was launched in Thailand in late 2014. In June of 2015 it was announced that Trion Worlds would publish Devilian in North America and Europe.

Devilian distinguishes itself from other action RPGs by offering a persistent game world in which players can form guilds, battle, and trade. The game was shut down on March 05, 2018.