Devious

About

Devious blends real time first person dungeon crawling with story driven visual novel segments. You navigate a fractured world where four nations teeter on war, shifting between fast paced exploration and tactical combat. Choices you make influence the narrative as you uncover secrets behind the kingdom’s collapse and the Arbiters’ mysterious return. The visual novel sections offer branching dialogue and lore, while the action segments require quick reflexes and resource management. The game’s layered storytelling and reactive world design set it apart. Set against a backdrop of political and religious conflict, Devious weaves player decisions into its unfolding chaos. Developer Top Hat Studios released it July 26, 2018, carving a niche for players who want narrative depth paired with action. The Arbiters’ ambiguous motives and the world’s tangled history create a puzzle that feels personal, with outcomes shaped by how you balance diplomacy and force.

Storyline

Long ago, the world was united under the single kingdom of Nor - a grandiose regime that stretched to every corner of the land and sea. Legend says a single king ruled over the kingdom for many years, appointed by the Gods. But as the kingdom flourished, its size grew to its own detriment, and clashes between regions began to spur, and faith in the King began to wane. Fearful that he may lose his power, the King grew violent in his reign, and the people of Nor felt his wrath. But four heroes - The "Arbiters" appointed by the Gods - emerged to end the so-called Age of Blood. The soul of the king was split in four, and according to tradition each quarter of his soul spawned a nation. The Arbiters faded, but some say in times of great distress, the council of each Nation will appoint an Arbiter to take a pilgrimage, and hear the words of the Gods. In a world on the brink of war thanks to the political and religious tensions between the four Nations, the Arbiters are summoned once more to deal with the growing international chaos; However, the Arbiter's return seems abrupt, and vastly different compared to the legend. Not only does there seem to outside forces influencing their every act, but even from the inside, they cannot decide on their true purpose.