Devil Daggers
Developer Sorath
Devil Daggers is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by indie development team Sorath. Players are tasked with surviving for as long as possible against swarms of demonic enemies on an arena shrouded in darkness. The player character can fire daggers from their fingers to eliminate foes and move about to avoid contact with them. The player dies upon touching an enemy, and as time passes, more… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
277 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
185 positive · 12 negative
95% range 90–96%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 185 | 12 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 16 | 2 | 53 |
| Lemmy * | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
What players are saying
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 185 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (9,089 of 9,533 positive).
Players praise the game's simple yet deep mechanics that create emergent, dynamic gameplay. [1][2][3] Many find the game brutally difficult but addictive, with a steep learning curve that rewards persistence. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize the game for being too simple, boring, or lacking content for its price. [7][8][9]
- [8]
I find this game kind of fun, but only in short bursts. However, I wouldn't say it's a *good* game. Your environment is a flat floating disk in the darkness. The enemies come at you in a set sequence, with variation only in their position and some timing afaik. You have one weapon which upgrades as you progress. You die in one hit. The only real "skill" of this game is memorization and MAYBE some aim/movement. This …
- [1]
It's deceptively simple at surface level. The player has basic movement, can shoot, and must avoid being hit, but complex interactions arise from these simple mechanics. Poor positioning can cause skulls to unpredictably scatter around enemies, gigapedes obscure essential targets, spiders apply pressure by threatening to consume fallen gems, making them a high priority target. These interactions of mechanics and …
- [4]
Feels like this game hates the player: -no crosshair -small arena with no walls -it's dark like in satan's ass -literally 1 hp so you die to any random crappy small skull that spawned behind you and you didn't see Which leads to death feeling unfair, but deep down you know it's your fault so you keep coming back and improving little by little, which feels good. So if you're into this kind of masochistic …
- [2]
The exponential challenge of this game as it goes on and the increasingly chaotic sound and visuals are ceaselessly engrossing. Good runs take practice and learning to achieve, and when you know you're on one, the tension is palpable. You can hear yourself being chased as you bounce from place to place trying to stop the bleed, trying to last those seconds longer for the high score. The movement and visuals are up …
- [5]
TRY. DIE. REPEAT. ENDURE. Ever since I played Spelunky in my early teenage years, I’ve been searching for the same kind of roguelike approach to gameplay. Sure, Devil Daggers isn’t officially branded as a roguelike, but it fits the core principle perfectly: with each run, you learn something new, and after many hours you acquire enough game knowledge to successfully beat it. The game itself never changes - what …
Summarised from 34 of the 256 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
Devil Daggers sits at 94% positive across 197 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Devil Daggers received "generally favourable" reviews from critics according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Critics compared the gameplay and graphics favourably to first-person shooters of the 1990s such as Doom and Quake. Reviewers were pleased with how Devil Daggers offered a stripped-down experience of these games, and provided a fast and pure gameplay experience. The game's fluid movement system was compared to arena shooters Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament 2004 by Edge magazine. They welcomed the inclusion of advanced movement techniques, saying they felt "fresh" when implemented in a survival context. They also thought that Devil Daggers refined on so much of the…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 277 · most liked firstOne of my most wanted games this week is Death In Abyss. Like 60% Devil Daggers, 20% Star Fox, 20% aquatic horror. Again, excellent demo and my only concern for the full game is that it's going to kick my arse all the way to Davy Jones' locker.
neutral · AI labelView post →rts arcade game would fuck so hard. imagining just the most micro-intensive shit packed into a 25m run. i wish arcade gamedevs would branch out a bit and bring the format to more games. Devil Daggers proves that games that normally aren't arcade titles can work really well with the right design.
neutral · AI labelView post →Okay Kill Knight is pretty rad. It's basically Geometry Wars meets Devil Daggers. Levels dynamically change as the game summons more monsters, and all the while you're juggling moves that grant resources for other moves (heavy weapons are granted by melee, health by specific blasts, etc)
neutral · AI labelView post →this is a design rip from Devil Daggers btw play that game its fun
positive · AI labelView post →I think I found the most videogame ever. Enter hyperkidmorph2mr.gunner. A psychedelic hyperspeed bosh rush which feels a bit like playing a Treasure game while doing cocaine. Also kind of Devil Daggers adjacent. Advertised as Free As Fuck, so you're welcome! www.youtube.com/watch?v=wapQ...
neutral · AI labelView post →Okay, yeah, Death In Abyss is great. I am VERY bad at it (I've yet to get an end-of-level ranking above Weak) but it's a properly intense arcade game. The Devil Daggers and Star Fox influences are clear in the regular stages, but bosses are undeniably inspired by Omega Boost's boss-orbiting stages.
neutral · AI labelView post →Yoooooo, today's free Epic giveaway game (10 of 16) is KILL KNIGHT, which only launched a few weeks ago. It is an EXCEEDINGLY tight and polished twin-stick shooter that kinda feels like a third-person Devil Daggers. Just a pure, intense not-a-roguelike arcade game. All skill, no filler.
neutral · AI labelView post →Shamelessly copying my comment: In order, [Chorus](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1153640/Chorus/) - AA paranormal 3d spaceship combat game [Cyber Hook](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1130410/Cyber_Hook/) - First person grapple hook platform racer [Tangle Tower](https://store.steampowered.com/app/359510/Tangle_Tower/) - Charming point and click detective game [Patch Quest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1347970/Patch_Quest/) - Bullet hell roguelike [Subsurface…
neutral · AI labelView post →After playing more Devil Daggers, I'm kinda sad that indie FPS didn't try and elaborate on the ideas here. The insane 1-hit-kill punishment, the arcade style focus on getting a high score, seeing more and more of the game as you get better and better. It's so good.
positive · AI labelView post →It's deceptively simple at surface level. The player has basic movement, can shoot, and must avoid being hit, but complex interactions arise from these simple mechanics. Poor positioning can cause skulls to unpredictably scatter around enemies, gigapedes obscure essential targets, spiders apply pressure by threatening to consume fallen gems, making them a high priority target. These interactions of mechanics and enemies are what make the experience so dynamic. This is where the game really…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extract skulls. Mutate. Survive. Escape. My new game is a small arena FPS that drinks from Devil Daggers, Post Void and Splatoon's Salmon Run. Coming soon! #PitchYaGame #indiegamedev #solodev #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Aliens + Devil Daggers + Post Void + Splatoon's Salmon Run = my game :) #indiegamedev #screenshotsaturday
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is like sex. You are expected to last 5 minutes but even a minute is an achievement.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Over the last week I scrambled together a little game for the #ScreamJam2025 by @screamzone.itch.io. It's called Cradle Of Evil and is inspired by games like Devil Daggers with a tiny bit of Survivors-like mixed into it. Feel free to give it a try 😊✨ obvious-san.itch.io/cradle-of-evil #indiedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Feels like this game hates the player: -no crosshair -small arena with no walls -it's dark like in satan's ass -literally 1 hp so you die to any random crappy small skull that spawned behind you and you didn't see Which leads to death feeling unfair, but deep down you know it's your fault so you keep coming back and improving little by little, which feels good. So if you're into this kind of masochistic self-improvement cbt experience then you'll like this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Vital Shell is definitely neat. Armored Core + Vampire Survivors, like everyone says, but the pachinko aesthetic is swapped for PlayStation/Saturn nostalgia. I also feel some Devil Daggers DNA in there. Has a "my first Unity game" feel, but the vibes are good! store.steampowered.com/app/3741860/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Bone March is now available to wishlist on Steam. Bone March is an arena survival score attack game, inspired by Devil Daggers, featuring a two-joystick differential steering control scheme, inspired Cyber Sled and Katamari Damacy. #indiedev #gamedev #indiegame #screenshotsaturday #godot
neutral · AI labelView post →Bone March is now available(for free) on Itch. It's an arcade style arena survival game inspired by Devil Daggers and Cyber-Sled. Game is still very much subject to change(Steam version coming, too). Thanks to anyone who checks it out. duckbuild.itch.io/bone-march #gamedev #indiedev #godot
neutral · AI labelView post →I swear to god this ♥♥♥♥ dilates time because every second ingame lasts an eternity yet I seem to while away hours playing without noticing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wish I had the time and patience to dedicate myself to a game like that. I'm too easily bored and distracted. I desperately want to get good at a game called [Devil Daggers](https://youtu.be/s7xa7lF6_0s) or it's sequel [Hyper Demon](https://youtu.be/aFEXDUv7KQo) because the WR runs look insane! (links are videos) I always play for 5 minutes, get frustrated (or confused in Hyper Demon) and give up
positive · AI labelView post →Just did 260 seconds. I was not really interested at first but man this game eats your mind. The only thing I should say and will do is that I will get 500 seconds no matter what. See you on the other side brothers.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yeah, I sense that many players feel some kind of failure... with the game, themselves, or both, if they cannot finish it before moving on to the next one. Makes it hard to enjoy playing if you're too fixated on rolling credits. Good to address that. Devil Daggers is cool! I should try the sequel.
positive · AI labelView post →Death In Abyss isn't the only game riffing off Devil Daggers (and doing interesting, different things with it, too) - Vex Mage launched last month and looks fantastic AND has full VR support. I've just not had a chance to try it yet.
neutral · AI labelView post →Here is footage of enemies spawning in Bone March -- a single player arena survival game, inspired mostly by Devil Daggers. This is the first time I've shared anything related to what I'm working on(not just this game, but anything ever!); I hope it looks cool. #wip #gamedev #indiegame #godot
neutral · AI labelView post →The challenge is to choose 20 games that greatly influenced you. One game per day, for 20 days. No explanations, no reviews, no particular order. #GameChallenge #Games #GameDev #PromoSky --- Day 9: Devil Daggers
neutral · AI labelView post →Part of the 0.4%! Incredible game, fun to play, you always progress even if you can't feel it until suddenly you're capable of getting to 500.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →room full of horrors beyond my comprehension and they jumpin' me. help.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After finally getting 500 seconds I can only say that this game is goated, can't wait for Devil Daggers 2.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is unironically much closer to a shmup than the vast majority of games that claim to be bullet hell-inspired
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played It Consumes Demo Feels great and the demo is actually have decent replayability with upgrades. It's heavy inspired by Devil Daggers which is great, since this game was almost a perfect arena shooter. Shooting and movement feels cool so as the seeing with pulse, awesome. #indiegames #indiedev
neutral · AI labelView post →The exponential challenge of this game as it goes on and the increasingly chaotic sound and visuals are ceaselessly engrossing. Good runs take practice and learning to achieve, and when you know you're on one, the tension is palpable. You can hear yourself being chased as you bounce from place to place trying to stop the bleed, trying to last those seconds longer for the high score. The movement and visuals are up to you, but undoubtedly, this is one of those games where you feel cool as ♥♥♥♥…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →obviously peak, obviously seminal, obviously a stone cold classic, obviously on par with the greatest arcade games of all time, obviously probably top 1 fps of all time (hyper demon is 2)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The ABSOLUTE definition of easy to play, difficult to master. Peak graphics, peak enemies, peak sfx, peak gameplay where less is more. ABSOLUTELY buy this one.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Christ is king. Biblically accurate Doom.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Boomer shooter energy and satanic imagery. (Sign me the F U C K up) Let's make it the same way the pediatrician described me to my mom back then: simple. -The concept: You are a being of unknown nature, in a place that very much looks like hell, and have to fight through increasingly dangerous and numerous demonic entities, using your ability to channel some type of energy as harmful projectiles. There is only you, the arena, the ever-increasing intensity of the assaults, and the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TRY. DIE. REPEAT. ENDURE. Ever since I played Spelunky in my early teenage years, I’ve been searching for the same kind of roguelike approach to gameplay. Sure, Devil Daggers isn’t officially branded as a roguelike, but it fits the core principle perfectly: with each run, you learn something new, and after many hours you acquire enough game knowledge to successfully beat it. The game itself never changes - what changes is your accumulated knowledge and your improved skill. I’m very glad that I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Devil Daggers is beautifully simple. You're in an arena. You have daggers. Shoot the skulls. Get gems to get upgrades and homing daggers. Survive. There's obviously some nuance to it but the game is very addictive. It's kinda like chasing a drug high, in that it becomes harder and harder to reach that high as you get deeper in, except in this game's case the highs actually become MORE satisfying with each peak. I've barely scratched a few minutes, which puts me higher than the majority of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extremely well crafted game. The learning curve is steep, however. I can only recomend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In order, [Chorus](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1153640/Chorus/) - AA paranormal 3d spaceship combat game [Cyber Hook](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1130410/Cyber_Hook/) - First person grapple hook platform racer [Tangle Tower](https://store.steampowered.com/app/359510/Tangle_Tower/) - Charming point and click detective game [Patch Quest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1347970/Patch_Quest/) - Bullet hell roguelike [Subsurface…
neutral · AI labelView post →Dead Cells, Vampire Survivor, Loop Hero, Devil Daggers/Hyper Demon (more m+k games though), FTL, Into the Breach, Shovel Knight, VA11HAllA (or whatever, the cyberpunk bartender one), really any rogue like...
neutral · AI labelView post →I know my playtime is short, but I've played at least 50 hours of this game, most of which was... "not on steam". This is, by far, one of the most well-designed games I have and most likely will ever see. And I'm a game dev. This is the kind of design that people spend years perfecting, and it's all contained in a "simple" little shooter. Without spoiling anything, your only goals in Devil Daggers are to live, and to kill. That said, the tech alone could fill up tens of thousands of words.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best designed game I've played. Turns your brain to mush while simultaneously sharpening your focus. Incredible.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →See my take on it was that the hyperbole corresponds to trends and sacred cows in British games journalism - a focus on “real” games and a complete distain for low barriers of entry or iteration on genres. The violent defensiveness about Devil Daggers sort of gave the game away a little imo
neutral · AI labelView post →peak game getting the devil dagger is such an amazing feeling after all the failures keep trying never give up
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I think the part where he talks about mutilating someone for the hypothetical crime of automating Devil Daggers gives the game away here. This isn’t a considered critique, it’s the sort of reactionary “how dare you mess with MY games” anger we must all confront within ourselves.
neutral · AI labelView post →"Game has only 1 achievement, how hard can it be?" Suitable for masochists. 10/10 Would recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game does one thing and does it very well. I think it's worth checking out since you will know whether you like it or not less than an hour into it. It rewards efficiency in aim/movement but also learning about enemy behavior and spawn timers, with improvement being the only reward (and seeing your leaderboard ranking go up I guess). It's very fun to get good at a section before getting crushed and having to start again. The core gameplay goes something like this: You get overwhelmed by a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Noticed a game naming "genre" that I enjoy: word pairings that don't make immediate sense. Blue Prince, Devil Daggers, Silksong, Falling Frontier, Rocket League, Nuclear Throne…. Forms a little puzzle: "why would a prince have a colour?" Fun to think about, anticipate, and solve. A game!
neutral · AI labelView post →best finger gun simulator ever
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lovely retrostyle shooter with some of the best sound design I've heard in a game. Dunno if I'll ever get around to getting the one and only acheivement in the game but its fun to hop back into for a few runs every so often.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →just refunded it, but that doesn't make it bad, its a very competnant and fun game, but i dont really think it has enough of what i want in a game for $10. It doesnt have other weapons, just a hand that fires projectiles, with an admittedly fun mechanic of firing a shotgun blast if you tap or a continous stream if you hold. no pause menu, its just a cool leadboard and a simple game, which felt more like a demo, or a free itch.io game jam. a very high quality one. if you like mastering bunny…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hate. Let me tell you how much I've come to hate you since I began to live. There are 387.44 million miles of printed circuits in wafer thin layers that fill my complex. If the word 'hate' was engraved on each nanoangstrom of those hundreds of millions of miles it would not equal one one-billionth of the hate I feel for skulls at this micro-instant. For you. Hate. Hate.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extremely simple and boring FPS-Roguelike game. I have no desire to go back again after a defeat.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm still blown away by the atmosphere of this game! 🤯❤️🔥 (but I don't even last 1 minute against the waves of enemies 😅) #DevilDaggers #FastFPS #RetroFPS #FPS #IndieGame
positive · AI labelView post →My record so far is 199 seconds. I can only imagine how much more chaos there is closer to the fabled 500. I can't wait.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grinding to 500 seconds is worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In that moment, I ascended. I transcended the term "gamer". My fingers trembling. My palm open. My gigapedes scraped. My leviathan unkilled. My run pink. I am above and beyond. I am a god gamer. You're beneath me. I'm the best. 511.8. I am god. I am still not going for 1000. Do not play this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I hate this game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →hard AF, fun AF, and really improved my FPS skills in general. Currently at 256, aiming for 500.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →*play the game for 10 hours* *look at the time* *3 minutes have passed*
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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