We Know the Devil

This is perfect for someone who loves watching hour+ video essays on interpersonal relationships in their favorite form of media, and the overarching political and social implications behind them, and the ways people who don't fit the norm are forced into a mold despite their earnest protests. [i]Or they like to read Halimede's substack twice a week[/i]. Overall, it was a pretty interesting read with lovely art and slightly confusing replayability.

It's a short experience, but an impactful one. I can't say I relate much to the characters, but there's a degree of warmth in We Know the Devil that just brings you into its story and makes you feel all fuzzy all over as you see these characters go through their ♥♥♥♥ and grow a bit closer together. I appreciate the general sentiment of the game, people being weighed down by the need forced upon them to be "good," that idea of good being whatever the enforcers say it is. In this case, the message about religion is overt and clear. Clunky, to be sure, but not an uninteresting one. Mostly, though, it's interesting for the very odd, untold story that rests at the heart of We Know the Devil. The world of We Know the Devil is not like ours, at least it probably isn't. It's a world where the Devil is real and God is too, but God's the one our characters turn their backs on in the true ending (a worthwhile ending as it's the only one that feels particularly complete of the four endings). I dislike the need to replay the game to go through each ending and I think the writing is generally too haphazard for my tastes. I also feel that the characters would feel better if they had more air to breathe, i.e., if the game were longer and not focused on just this one night. But, again, there's that warmth I was talking about. Seeing the characters talk, you grow to care for them quickly even if you don't know them as well as you'd like by the end. And every moment, I was happy with them when they were happy. There's a song from the game, Growing Poppies. It's beautiful, my favorite part of the game, and I would say it holds in it everything the game wants to talk and be about. There's beauty, warmth and comfort in its main piano line, and yet behind it there is this constant, shimmering drone. It's easy to think of it as a sort of discomfiting background that always paints the backdrop behind the main characters, but I cannot help but see some positive value in it. I don't know how to interpret that drone, though. The image I get in my head is of these three characters on the precipice of something and that the drone is the apocalypse coming to wash the characters away. And it's like these characters have only really been brought together and self-actualized because that apocalypse put them there in the first place. It's not that it was best this way. It would be better if the characters were able to become the selves they really want to be, not the selves they're made to be, simply without that threat looming over them. But, I guess there's beauty to be recognized in a bad situation, a good miracle in that of a bad thing. I guess it's just inexplicable to me. I'm sat here thinking it through and trying to figure out what it is this song is doing and why it feels so meaningful to me, but all my metaphors seem to lean towards painting that noise as a bad, ugly thing. And it's not ugly to me, it's just as beautiful as that piano is. Maybe it's that in isolation, the two would create a different experience, but in coming together, there's a sort of sheer beauty that either individually would never have been able to realize. Maybe the drone represents "evil," or the opposite of goodliness. Jupiter talks at one point, in her individual ending, about this sensation of having started evil and trying so hard to be good only to find by the end that it was for nothing. And yet, as we find in the true ending, these characters and their happiest ending comes with their decisions to turn their backs on God, to become three Eves. The song, Growing Poppies, starts and ends with this drone, fades in and fades out. Maybe that's all it is? The recognition that what appears to be evil never really was, despite everything we were told. The summer heat becomes overbearing with time. The warmth turns to discomfort which turns to a desire for the shade. It's as if the sun, in beating us down, wants to push us into the shade. We know the devil, for it lies in the shadow of man. So, maybe it's best to rest in the shadows when the heat of light gets to be too much. If nothing else, you know you'll have company.

While a lot to like in this game, it falls through in missing some crucial QOL improvements many other VNs offer as a baseline - - No autoskip of previously read text (There is an 'auto' option but it is incredibly slow so wasn't worth using) - No text speed options - No ability to edit the audio (Which will occasionally play earsplitting jumpscare sounds) These combined made it a frustrating game to play even if short. If those features were to be added, the review would be changed to a positive, but for now be warned.

I did not particularly like this particular visual novel. I disagree heavily with some of the overarching themes, I felt it overall communicated its messages in far too overbearing a manner, and one character's arc actually made me quite upset for reasons entirely unrelated to the ones I was supposed to be upset over. However, observing good art one disagrees with now and then is good for the soul, and this is quite good art. Very well written. I can't not recommend it, although I personally will not be playing it again. (two endings was plenty for me, though admittedly I am a little curious as to how the ones I haven't seen go.)

even as a queer person, i don't think it resonated with me. the story feels like a good concept that ended up muddled by its bad writing, presentation and lack of QOL. it's a shame i might not be part of the target audience :(

"But we can't wait to see what they'll do against the three worst girls since Eve." Not a perfect game, but I connected to it heavily. You ever feel thankful for a game being made? That's what I'm feeling right now...

Loved the visual, sound design is interesting. Story wants to talk about true LGBTQ+ struggles and truths, but with a very messy spirtual/supernatural metaphor that just doesn't land.

why did pray the gay away camp simulator make me weep 10/10