Noitu Love: Devolution Review

Noitu Love: Devolution, the sequel to the PC only Noitu Love, is clearly inspired by top tier 2D action games like Gunstar Heroes and Metal Slug. Noitu Love distinguished itself from the many other retro inspired 2D action games with its unique control scheme: you control Noitu with your keyboard while using the mouse to aim your crosshair and attack. This unconventional control scheme takes time to master, but once you you do, it quickly becomes second nature. The Wii U and 3DS versions of Devolution utilize their respective d-pad and touchscreen inputs to mirror the keyboard and mouse combination.  The Wii U version has the added benefit of being able to use the Wii Remote point to aim, which is a more comfortable alternative for your wrists as the Wii U gamepad and 3DS begins to feel heavy after extended play time. 

Devolution takes place hundreds of years after the events of the first game after Noitu prevented the evil, mechanical Darn army from taking over the world. In the present day the Darns have returned via time travel and it’s up to you,  peace keeper Xoda Rap, to figure out how to stop them for good. The plot itself is a bit more serious than the game’s bright visuals would have you believe. Thankfully the mostly brief dialogue cut scenes seldom last more than a few moments. The time travel aspect leads to Xoda traveling through themed stages like feudal Japan.

Much like Gunstar Heroes, you’re able to get up close with a variety of melee attacks, dashes, and throws in your arsenal. Xoda only has one projectile attack, a powerful charge shot that you’ll probably use sparingly since you’ll be focused on attacking and dodging. You can also drop a temporary shield to block projectiles.  The stages are varied, often exhilarating, spectacles that offer new and unexpected challenges. The second stage starts off with Xoda falling through a clocktower while fighting enemies, culminating with a duel against a scythe wielding reaper, a moment lifted out of classic Castlevania titles. There’s another great moment where you fight off a boss enemy while riding on a moving water wheel. The pacing is frenetic with a wide variety of mini bosses and huge, screen filling boss encounters to keep you on your toes. The game handles the constant action very well and it doesn’t take long to adapt to the D-pad and touchscreen controls. As mentioned before, however, it can be a bit uncomfortable playing long sessions on either the Wii U game pad or the 3DS (especially the XL), but thankfully Devolution is suited for short play sessions and has a very generous check point system. 

Visually, the game’s overall look and designs look fairly standard for a 16 bit themed indie game. What does stand out are the massive enemy sprites, particle effects, and smooth frame despite the nonstop action. It can occasionally get a bit confusing during the more the chaotic action sequences, especially on the 3DS. The soundtrack doesn’t have any stand out tracks, but does a great job accentuating the non-stop pacing of each stage as well the more somber, story driven moments. Sadly, the 3DS version doesn’t utilize any 3D effects since all the action occurs on the bottom screen. 

Between the two Nintendo versions, I’d give a slight edge to the Wii U version because of the extra Wii remote control scheme. The 3DS performs every bit as well as the Wii U version and has the advantage of being portable, especially beneficial since the game is well suited for short sessions. The game itself is fairly short since it can be completed within an hour, but offers a ton of replay value with score tracking and additional playable characters. These aren’t reskinned versions of Xoda, but unique characters with completely different move sets and attributes. This makes subsequent playthroughs feel almost completely different. 

Fantastically fast, fun, and furious, Noitu Love: Devolution is an outstanding 2D action game that’ll please old school fans and players new to the genre. It has an excellent blend of blistering old school challenge wrapped in modern conveniences like quick saves. Much like the excellent Shovel Knight, Noitu Love: Devolution is an excellent tribute to the best 2D games of yesteryear while also an excellent game in its own right.