Road To Devadatta arrives on Steam

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Demo also available for free-roaming adventure with light action elements on Windows PC

You'd think temples would be places to relax, pray, or meditate, but when it comes to gaming, they mainly seem to be places littered with puzzles, traps, even enemies ... and we wouldn't have it any other way. The latest game to tap into the obstacle-laden-temple theme is Road To Devadatta, the newly released adventure from indie developer Jorge Abellan.

Players control a character named Alo, who hasn't seen his beloved Uncle Robert in some time and visits his home to search for him. While there's no sign of Robert, Alo encounters "many secrets and surprises" at his uncle's house, and before long finds himself transported to an ancient temple preserved by the cult of Devadatta. According to legend, Devadatta was a monk and cousin of the Buddha who became his nemesis until swallowed by the earth and sent to a kind of hell called Naraka in the early fifth century BC. In tracing Robert's footsteps, Alo must use all his wits and a bit of physical prowess to overcome the many tests he encounters if he's to find his uncle and return home.

Road To Devadatta is a first-person free-roaming adventure controlled via keyboard and mouse. It soon becomes clear that you have been targeted by the "Assembly of Devadatta" as a potential recruit, but first you'll need to pass the many trials of the temple as only the "worthy" can escape. Some challenges are purely intellectual, like cracking symbol codes and redirecting light beams, while others involve dodging traps that will kill the unwary visitor. A bit of light platforming is required as well, and there are some enemies to evade, though it appears there's a way to remove them in the settings if you wish. Along the way, you'll want to keep a look out for the preserved "scriptures" left behind by the followers of the "Great Prophet" they believe will offer salvation.

The full version of Road To Devadatta is available now on Steam for Windows PC, but those who'd like to sample the game can try out the playable demo first.