The Devil is in the Details Review

The Devil is in the Details is a very unique horror game, and the first developed by indie studio HideWorks. I previously had the chance to speak with them about their second project, Liminal Point, but now that The Devil is in the Details has arrived on console, I was given a chance to play through and review it as well.

Until starting it up for myself, the only thing I knew about it was the story HideWorks mentioned where the game scared someone so badly, they had to ask them to stop playing. That being said, my expectations for its scare factor were quite high going in, and after spending over a dozen hours playing, I can see why it would trigger some people... but maybe not for the reason one might think.

Unlike many horror games out there, The Devil is in the Details is actually a "spot the difference" game with a twist, and everyone who plays it will have a different experience. While there are a set number of scares or tricks that can happen, you never truly know when they will trigger, or if they even will to begin with. This adds extra stress on top of the main gameplay and can result in a horrifying experience that gives players a reason to return time and time again.

On the other hand, if jump scares and stress are not your thing, and you simply want to play this game without worry, a "cozy" mode exists as well. So don't discount this game if horror isn't your cup of tea, because it might still be worth looking into.

The Gameplay:

The Devil is in the Details doesn't have a main story, but rather, it's a setting that you are "living." You play as yourself, trapped in a "Hell Gameshow." A mysterious entity known as the Arbiter watches and guides you through four unique locations, and tasks you with finding the differences between "phases." The Observation Phase lets you look around the house and study it, while the Ritual Phase is where things have been replaced or altered. You must then point out all of the differences and check back in with the Arbiter to see if you were correct. If you get everything right, you advance to the next round, but if you miss a single difference, it results in your death. Thankfully, the game runs on checkpoints, but sometimes multiple rounds will progress before you reach one, meaning you can lose quite a bit of progress.

What makes the game so unique with its "spot the difference" gameplay is the fact that you have to manage a lot! This is a survival game at its core, and you are on a strict time limit the entire time. The clock starts ticking down the moment you begin, and getting stuck in traps or attacked by enemies will drop the clock even faster. This is where the horror elements come in, as you never truly know what is going to happen to you! One minute you can be walking along studying one room, and the next you are transported across the house with crazed monsters and ghosts chasing after you! 

Traps litter the floor and need to be deactivated, switches need to be pulled in specific orders to gain access to additional areas, and jump scares will pop out when you least expect them. These are all horrors you must avoid, all while trying to memorize the layout of the house to see what has changed. And sometimes that alone is a lot.

Even if you play on Cozy Mode or turn off jump scares, ghosts, traps, and tricks, the memorization alone is more of a challenge than one might realize. While playing the game with my wife, we were both trying to remember different parts of the house. In the second area, I was saying things out loud like, "chair, zombie, throne, lady, RGR, scales, flower, tall plant, clown, box, table three chairs, guy," and each of us focused on roughly half. This is twelve different objects that could be changed in that specific round alone, and you cannot miss a beat. And with monsters chasing you, jump scares, and traps also blocking your way, you have to continue remembering these items, spot the difference, survive, and beat the clock all in one go. It becomes insanely hectic, and no two runs will ever be the same.

Thankfully, there are limited-use items to help stun ghosts and add extra time to the clock, but these are limited and must be used with care. Another item also allows you to get guesses wrong, but you are limited on how many you can use each round. One slip-up or wrong turn can be the end of everything, and having that safety net might be the small boost you need to make it through.

Extra Puzzles:

In addition to the standard gameplay, every area has 30 mini-Arbiter figures to find. These are very well hidden, with different ones appearing in each round. They can be on the ceiling, hidden behind doors, in trash cans, or in some of the strangest places you would never think to look. Finding them all gives you achievements, but they are not required to finish the game. These aren't the only extra puzzle elements, however, as the stages themselves are also filled with riddles.

Hidden throughout the houses you explore are notes and other pieces of information to help you solve a hidden puzzle. These are not spelled out by the game, but players can trigger some reactions that can clue them in if they are lucky. Some of the notes also add additional story context, but ultimately they are there to guide you toward each area's secret.

Of course, players looking for a challenge can complete these extra objectives during the main game, but they can also be completed using Cozy Mode, where there are no time limits. It's a less stressful way to go about clearing them, but it doesn't make them any easier. These riddles are cryptic, and their answers are not black and white.

Should you play it?

The Devil is in the Details is a fun and unique take on the "spot the difference" genre. It throws you into a maze with dozens of objects to memorize, scares you with jump scares, sends ghosts and monsters after you, and often plays tricks to further impede your progress. To top it all off, as you attempt to survive all of these horrors, you still need to recall what changed perfectly, or else you fail and will be sent back to a previous checkpoint. The game is challenging as a memory game alone, but this added layer of horror is what truly makes it unique and a game players can return to time and time again. While the game itself may be short, its replay value is endless.

VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided