Review by: Jonathan Houghton
Published: January 3, 2001

During the latter half of the 1990s, we witnessed several revolutions in electronic entertainment. Hardware capabilities evolved exponentially and new genres were born every few months. One of the most intriguing and enjoyable genres to emerge during this time was survival horror. This style normally involves monsters breaking through walls and windows at inopportune moments, creating a heightened sense of drama and fear. Many gamers were introduced to survival horror through Capcom’s popular Resident Evil series for the original PlayStation, though purists might argue that distinction belongs to Alone in the Dark. Since the release of Resident Evil, the genre has continued to mature with offerings such as Silent Hill.

During the development of this genre, PC gamers have only been able to play inferior ports of the Resident Evil titles. We have never had a zombie-flavored shoot-’em-up made specifically for our platform of choice, unless you count the aforementioned AITD series. To remedy this, the designer of AITD, Hubert Chardot, loaned his talents to Cryo Interactive, teaming up with developer Gamesquad to bring us an extremely unique entry in this category that is littered with zombies, demons and hideous monsters. Released in Europe last summer, The Devil Inside has finally landed on American shores.

The Western mindset revels in the mysterious and arcane. At the same time, our modes of entertainment normally revolve around sensationalism. Give us something with lots of sex, blood, violence or paranormal activity, and we will be content. The Devil Inside capitalizes on these themes to thrill players. The subject matter is presented as a television show similar to the “X-Files” with one notable exception–the show is done in front of a live studio audience. Hosted by a ratings maniac named Jack T. Ripper–get it?–the show pursues all things paranormal.

You take control of Dave Ackland, a former cop turned paranormal investigator. With his trusty pistol in hand, he is the bane of undead creatures for miles around. However, The Devil Inside is not a mindless shooter. The storyline dates back to the execution of America’s most notorious serial killer, the fictitious Night Howler. This madman is not content to suffer in Hell along with all the other damned souls, and organizes an escape from the clutches of Satan. The Lord of Lies is none too pleased about this jailbreak since he needs to maintain an illusion of inescapable power over the subjects of Hades. Upon breaking the bonds of perdition, the Night Howler leads a small army of the undead into the hills of Southern California, where they inhabit a residence called Shadow Gate. Since this type of situation is exactly what Dave’s show investigates, he is quickly dispatched to the scene. Satan, being an ever-so-crafty entity of darkness and manipulation, sees this intervention as the perfect opportunity to recapture the lost souls. To aid Dave in his quest, Satan has gifted the young detective with powers beyond those of mundane mortals: Dave has the power to unlock the dark side of his personality and transform into the demon succubus, Deva, who commands mystic energies. Deva’s assignment is to return the escaped souls to hell at any cost.