Dark Devotion attempts to deliver an atmospheric and challenging experience, but its design choices often result in frustration rather than engagement. While its art style and ambiance are noteworthy, the gameplay mechanics and progression system fall short of creating a satisfying experience.

• Art Style & Atmosphere: The game’s dark, oppressive visuals and haunting soundtrack establish a moody and immersive setting that fits the narrative.
  
• Combat Weightiness: Each attack and dodge feels deliberate and meaningful, adding to the sense of tension in battles.

• Overbearing Traps: Traps are excessively punishing and often hard to notice, leading to unavoidable deaths that feel unfair rather than challenging.
  
• Alienating Controls: The keyboard and mouse controls are unintuitive and cumbersome, making even basic interactions with the environment and NPCs frustrating.
  
• Lack of Inventory System: The absence of a traditional inventory limits strategic planning and forces players into restrictive choices that undermine the gameplay.
  
• Pace-Killing Death Mechanics: Dying forces you to slog through the same areas repeatedly to return to the dungeon, which feels more tedious than engaging.
  
• Misleading Tags: Despite being tagged as a "roguelike" and "casual," the game has little in common with traditional roguelikes and is far from casual, creating false expectations.

Dark Devotion’s atmosphere and combat design are overshadowed by its alienating controls, punishing traps, and tedious progression mechanics. While it’s clear the developers aimed for immersion and tension, the result is a game that often feels more frustrating than rewarding.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Unless you have a high tolerance for clunky mechanics and punishing design, Dark Devotion is unlikely to provide the satisfying challenge it promises.