I don’t know of this sub-genre of game has a title yet. Auto-shooter, Vampire Survivors thing. You know what I mean, right? Anyway, Rogueside offers up Devil Jam. No, it’s not some kind of possessed fruity preserve.

“Devil Jam is a top-down survivor roguelite where you play a rockstar wielding up to 12 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of monsters. Choose from a variety of items to create unique builds and survive until the end.”

Devil Jam made its debut on PC last year, but console players can finally get in on the chaos when it is released on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch on the 26th. And honestly, it’s well worth your time if you’ve got even a passing fondness for the survivor‑like sub‑genre. I don’t think that you need me to explain the fundamentals: you, a lone avatar, versus an ever‑swelling tide of enemies. You carve through them, earn experience, level up, unlock new weapons and abilities, and inevitably die… a lot. But the roguelite structure means each failure feeds into permanent upgrades, so every run feels like a step toward mastery rather than a reset.

Where Devil Jam separates itself from the pack is its rhythm‑driven combat. This isn’t just another auto‑attacking horde game; it’s a heavy‑metal‑infused dance of timing and buildcraft. Attacks trigger on the beat, and when you unlock new abilities, you slot them onto a four‑beat grid that resembles a stripped‑down guitar fretboard. Each beat can hold up to three attacks, and the real strategy comes from deciding which abilities synergise and when they should fire. Get the layout right, and you don’t just survive, you become a walking amplifier of destruction, capable of shredding through even Death himself.

The game leans fully into its demonic rock‑opera aesthetic. The story revolves around literally signing a contract with the Devil, and every attack is themed around the seven deadly sins. Visually, it looks like someone animated the cover art of an ’80s metal album, bold, grimy, and full of personality. The animations are punchy and packed with small flourishes that make each run feel alive. My biggest gripe is the lack of map variety. There’s only one arena, and while it fits the narrative conceit, it feels like a missed opportunity. With a theme this rich, the developers could’ve easily drawn inspiration from iconic metal album covers to create a handful of wildly different battlegrounds. Even though there are optional challenges outside the main “contract” mode, they all take place on the same map, which limits the sense of progression.

There are three playable characters to unlock, each with distinct attributes that meaningfully affect your approach. Experimenting with different characters and attack grids adds a welcome layer of strategy. I also appreciate the ability to toggle auto‑aim on the fly, it lets you switch between a more traditional Vampire Survivors‑style experience and a twin‑stick shooter whenever the mood strikes. Devil Jam isn’t trying to reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to. It takes the familiar survivor formula, injects it with heavy‑metal swagger, and spins it hard enough to feel fresh. If you enjoy the sub‑genre and want something with a bit more attitude and mechanical nuance, this one’s absolutely worth a play.