Check out my roguelite first-person dungeon crawler!

[ithiro]

Hee hoo! I'm Ithiro, and for over a year I've been working on this passion project of mine together with my best friends: Devil Spire.

It's a hardcore first-person pseudo-3D roguelite action RPG dungeon crawler stylized after retro PC games, inspired by classics like King's Field and Heretic.

My design philosophy for it was a slower-paced game which rewards strategy, adaptability and self-control more than just quick reflexes, kinda like the Souls series (at least in the first few entries). It has lots of neat stuff like hand-drawn and animated enemy sprites, different game modes; tons of unique weapons, spells, special powers and enchantments; and more! With a focus on solid gameplay, it gets progressively more fun as you learn all its mechanics, secrets and form your own broken strats and experiment around, discovering things yourself!



Other highlights include fully customizeable, dynamic character portraits including exotic races; a dark, opressive atmosphere with some cryptic lore; gigantic low-poly bosses; real RPG mechanics that make you FEEL your character's stats; and a kick button!

I'd love it if you guys checked out the demo and wishlisted it:

https://ithiro.itch.io/devil-spire
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1861290/Devil_Spire

We also have a Discord server and a Wiki in construction too:
https://discord.gg/Hd2tESGqyE
https://devil-spire.fandom.com

Thanks for your attention!

​

 

[Darth Canoli]

You asked for it.
It's a dungeon crawler / hack & slash with slow doors animations.
1/5 for the music but is it a RPG?

 

[ithiro]

You asked for it.
It's a dungeon crawler / hack & slash with slow doors animations.
1/5 for the music but is it a RPG?

"1/5 for the music"? I don't think that's a fair review, my dude. All the music is royalty-free so I think the right score is somewhere around 0/5, excuse you. Plus, name a single good dungeon crawler / hack & slash without slow door animations.

Also, I think technically any rogueli(t/k)e with stats is an RPG. This forum even has tags for it, so I must be right!

 

[Darth Canoli]

"1/5 for the music"? I don't think that's a fair review, my dude. All the music is royalty-free so I think the right score is somewhere around 0/5, excuse you. Plus, name a single good dungeon crawler / hack & slash without slow door animations.

Also, I think technically any rogueli(t/k)e with stats is an RPG. This forum even has tags for it, so I must be right!

No, I maintain my 1/5 for the music since you chose it.
In before you tell me the music was imposed by your wife whom beats you when you don't cook well enough or don't clean the toilets.

Is there quests somewhere? Are they more advanced than killing x mobs? Side quests? Even blobbers have those.
A single character hack & slash is hardly a RPG, The game "The Quest" manage to pass the RPG test because of its great quest design but I don't think yours is doing anything remotely similar.

As far as fair goes, you should have posted in general gaming where you could find more fans for your work.

 

[bionicman]

You asked for it by posting on RPGCodex.
1/5 for not being a turn based blobber.

Spoiler

Just kidding, the game looks great, I wishlisted it and I'll try the demo later!

 

[curds]

Looks interesting to me but be warned (well, too late, but oh well) that codexers are generally VERY harsh critics and a good number of posters here dislike Souls games (though many here love them, too), action RPGs in general and games with the "Roguelite" tag.

BTW, what makes it Roguelike/lite? Does it have procgen levels? Permadeath?

Personally I'd be much more interested in this if it has neither feature. As in, I prefer hand made levels and being able to reload/respawn if I die.

Good luck nonetheless.

Also, you should change the logo. I get what you're doing with the homage to Demon's Souls thing, but I think it's a bit on the nose to be quite honest. Because it's almost completely the same I look at it and think "oh, another From ripoff" and not "oh, something new and potentially interesting".

 

[Sunri]

Is this dark souls V?

 

[curds]

I thought of a more concise way to put it:

Basically, the logo and art screams "this is not an original product".

The gameplay video may say otherwise, but that's not the first thing people see, is it?

 

[ithiro]

"1/5 for the music"? I don't think that's a fair review, my dude. All the music is royalty-free so I think the right score is somewhere around 0/5, excuse you. Plus, name a single good dungeon crawler / hack & slash without slow door animations.

Also, I think technically any rogueli(t/k)e with stats is an RPG. This forum even has tags for it, so I must be right!

No, I maintain my 1/5 for the music since you chose it.
In before you tell me the music was imposed by your wife whom beats you when you don't cook well enough or don't clean the toilets.

Is there quests somewhere? Are they more advanced than killing x mobs? Side quests? Even blobbers have those.
A single character hack & slash is hardly a RPG, The game "The Quest" manage to pass the RPG test because of its great quest design but I don't think yours is doing anything remotely similar.

As far as fair goes, you should have posted in general gaming where you could find more fans for your work.

Well, my taste in music is impeccable so I accept your point, but my wife does not beat me when I fail my duties as a househusband, only when she's a little bit too drunk or angry at work.

And no, there is no quest system as there's pretty much no one to nag you about them once you get inside the dungeon. So I can accept why you'd not accept it as an RPG.

But hey! A good excuse to post it twice on this board, thanks! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Spoiler

Please mods don't just move or delete the thread.

 

[ithiro]

You asked for it by posting on RPGCodex.
1/5 for not being a turn based blobber.

Spoiler

Just kidding, the game looks great, I wishlisted it and I'll try the demo later!

Thanks a lot. I'm actually a big fan of all kinds of RPGs, and I'd love to make one of each specific subtype, but I just did the one that I think was lacking overall.

This is basically just an elaborate cry for suggestions on good first person action roguelites with actual RPG mechanics (already played Barony, Delver and Slasher's Keep).

 

[ithiro]

Looks interesting to me but be warned (well, too late, but oh well) that codexers are generally VERY harsh critics and a good number of posters here dislike Souls games (though many here love them, too), action RPGs in general and games with the "Roguelite" tag.

BTW, what makes it Roguelike/lite? Does it have procgen levels? Permadeath?

Personally I'd be much more interested in this if it has neither feature. As in, I prefer hand made levels and being able to reload/respawn if I die.

Good luck nonetheless.

Also, you should change the logo. I get what you're doing with the homage to Demon's Souls thing, but I think it's a bit on the nose to be quite honest. Because it's almost completely the same I look at it and think "oh, another From ripoff" and not "oh, something new and potentially interesting".

I don't mind the criticism, I quite enjoy the honesty and the real opportunities to make my stuff better. It's fine to want people to tag their games properly so you actually know what you're gonna get. The lack of good, real ass RPGs nowadays is also a thing (for me to keep in mind).

As for the roguelite tag, it features procgen levels and permadeath, with no metaprogression between runs, because I don't like the "grind to win" thing a lot of roguelites are doing nowadays. Even the play to unlock new stuff is icky to me as I prefer it when every run could have that new thing you've never seen before, and be The One where you finally beat the final boss and get the macguffin. I don't consider it a roguelike because it's not turn or grid based, but no one anywhere (except here) knows the distinction so I just slapped both tags on.

But hey, I'm planning on putting together both a metaprogression game mode and a no-permadeath one, to catch all fish with the same net. So you might feel morally inclined to keep a look out!

And it's too late for the logo and art. But at least they look pretty (and marketable?), and the logo looks more unique in-game.

 

[ithiro]

Is this dark souls V?

It's King's Field V, the roguelite sequel no one asked for and is not an RPG!

 

[Darth Canoli]

Thanks a lot. I'm actually a big fan of all kinds of RPGs, and I'd love to make one of each specific subtype, but I just did the one that I think was lacking overall.

This is basically just an elaborate cry for suggestions on good first person action roguelites with actual RPG mechanics (already played Barony, Delver and Slasher's Keep).

Have you played Zorbus?
It's a very good 2D roguelike dungeon crawler, good itemization, interesting races (replacing classes in a class-less system), unfortunately no classes but good combat, particularly as a mage and surprisingly great ending area.

Also, Exiled Kingdom (2D, it's on steam, dev is actually working on a great RPG right now), an oddball, the project looks like an open world roguelike at first but it's a RPG with a very deep quest system (and also some mediocre townhall repeatable quests but you don't have to complete them).

In both of them, you can get companions, a lot of them, even, in Zorbus.

Also, an interesting one, not very good as it is but a missed opportunity: Dungeons of Chaos (steam), an open world sandbox Turn-based, and party based, full party control, interesting combat but no encounter design, huge world but unfortunately empty.
A great idea but poorly designed.

Something in between the first two of them (or all three) with full party control and 3.5 D&D character development (like in dungeons of chaos) with a good quest design (as in Exiled kingdoms) great bestiary and exploration (as in zorbus) would be great.

 

[ithiro]

Thanks a lot. I'm actually a big fan of all kinds of RPGs, and I'd love to make one of each specific subtype, but I just did the one that I think was lacking overall.

This is basically just an elaborate cry for suggestions on good first person action roguelites with actual RPG mechanics (already played Barony, Delver and Slasher's Keep).

Have you played Zorbus?
It's a very good 2D roguelike dungeon crawler, good itemization, interesting races (replacing classes in a class-less system), unfortunately no classes but good combat, particularly as a mage and surprisingly great ending area.

Also, Exiled Kingdom (2D, it's on steam, dev is actually working on a great RPG right now), an oddball, the project looks like an open world roguelike at first but it's a RPG with a very deep quest system (and also some mediocre townhall repeatable quests but you don't have to complete them).

In both of them, you can get companions, a lot of them, even, in Zorbus.

Also, an interesting one, not very good as it is but a missed opportunity: Dungeons of Chaos (steam), an open world sandbox Turn-based, and party based, full party control, interesting combat but no encounter design, huge world but unfortunately empty.
A great idea but poorly designed.

Something in between the first two of them (or all three) with full party control and 3.5 D&D character development (like in dungeons of chaos) with a good quest design (as in Exiled kingdoms) great bestiary and exploration (as in zorbus) would be great.

Those all seem great, but none of them is first-person, so my needs continue unattended. Must I forever play Morrowind and get bugged quests in Daggerfall?

It's nice to know what each of those did good, though, so I might steal it for my next projects, AND NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!

 

[curds]

And it's too late for the logo and art.

How come?

 

[Darth Canoli]

Those all seem great, but none of them is first-person, so my needs continue unattended. Must I forever play Morrowind and get bugged quests in Daggerfall?

It's nice to know what each of those did good, though, so I might steal it for my next projects, AND NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!

We would and so would their devs whom lurk these pages...

And no, you mustn't play those forever.
In truth, to make a valuable contribution, you should stay away from them and never play them at all.
Now, I see where you're coming from.

Still, don't say I never helped you, there is a masterpiece growing up in our midst and it's called Redaxium, it's first person even.

Spoiler

And you can steal anything from this one, if you dare, no one will ever care.

 

[ithiro]

And it's too late for the logo and art.

How come?

The game is already out and about, and I've grown quite fond of the art and logo. I can't let my children go anymore!

We would and so would their devs whom lurk these pages...

And no, you mustn't play those forever.
In truth, to make a valuable contribution, you should stay away from them and never play them at all.
Now, I see where you're coming from.

Still, don't say I never helped you, there is a masterpiece growing up in our midst and it's called Redaxium, it's first person even.

Spoiler

And you can steal anything from this one, if you dare, no one will ever care.

I see I must create more and more almost-RPGs in first person. No one likes seeing the characters they spend hours working on outside the menus and tiny portraits, anyway.

 

[Hag]

This dancing mushroom has some strong Rayman 1 vibes.
Looks good by the way. May try it later.

 

[ithiro]

This dancing mushroom has some strong Rayman 1 vibes.
Looks good by the way. May try it later.

Thanks! Have another:

 

[ithiro]

The game is finally out, I stayed up until 5 am to set it live, so you HAVE to play it now!

It even comes with two day one patches! That's twice as many as all other releases nowadays!

 

[Tyranicon]

The game is finally out, I stayed up until 5 am to set it live, so you HAVE to play it now!

It even comes with two day one patches! That's twice as many as all other releases nowadays!

Congrats,. Hopefully your launch week is sitting back and watching numbers go up, rather than running around fixing shit.

 

[Lord of Riva]

Downloaded the Demo, wanted to create a character, saw "feminine" and "masculine" instead of "male" and "female".

Not going to buy the game.

Makes me kind of sad, the game looks interesting otherwise but it's a red line for me.

 

[ithiro]

Downloaded the Demo, wanted to create a character, saw "feminine" and "masculine" instead of "male" and "female".

Not going to buy the game.

Makes me kind of sad, the game looks interesting otherwise but it's a red line for me.

Have mercy on me, please. I already hard-locked the entire character portrait system into the two genres, I'm just waiting for the success to bring the cancellations.

Spoiler

Specially with my past games.

 

[Lord of Riva]

I do not know your past games, feel free to link them.

Then again, I am pretty sure you could change the whole thing by changing two strings, couldn't you?

EDIT: Also your sarcasm, while amusing, is somewhat lost on me, I am a pretty earnest guy. Not a critique, just an information.

 

[ithiro]

I'm a coward, I'm sorry.

Also, none of my other games are RPGs, except this one: