REVIEW: ‘Obey Me’ is a Fun Reckless Romp (Xbox One)

Obey Me, developed by Error 404 Game Studios and published by Blowfish Studios, is a modern-day brawler similar to Devil May Cry, where you play as a demon named Vanessa who’s accompanied by her loyal hellhound, Monty. Your task is to hunt down someone named Ors, yet there seems to be more than meets the eye with this rather simple mission. With a slick mouth, a hot temper, and a sarcastic hellhound, you take to the streets to get what you want.

Combat in Obey Me for Vanessa is handled in a fairly simple brawler style in which you can warp with the Left Trigger (LT) and combo light attacks (tapping A), heavy attacks (holding A), special moves, like Warp Attack, which can be combined with any heavy attack or after the 2nd light attack, and projectile throwing (tapping X). You also discover new weapons as you play through the game, which changes up the way you play. Monty, who can either be an AI companion or controlled by a couch co-op partner, which can be toggled on and off in the Pause menu, changes form when he enters into combat, from passive to aggressive, which is indicated by him setting himself ablaze.

He also has numerous abilities such as launching fire orbs that Vanessa can hit and trigger an explosion or using trigger which can be used to kill lesser enemies and also stun bosses. You can also fuse Vanessa and Monty into a greater demon that can recover health and has increased damage, this is can only be triggered when your Spirit Bar (the blue bar) has at least 3 segments filled. Some skills are learned via gameplay, such as Fusion and Dash Attack, but other skills and upgrades are unlocked with the aide of Soul Cores.

Soul Cores are a type of currency which are gained primarily through the means destroying Soul Crystals. You can also get a minuscule amount of Soul Cores from defeating enemies or from destroying items on the stage such as crates or garbage bags. Once you earn a certain amount of Soul Cores you can use them to upgrade Vanessa’s weapons and Monty’s combat abilities.

Aside from just beating up on enemies to earn the Soul Cores, you must keep an eye on your health, which is healed through the shattering Astral Crystals, picking up Astral Cores, or from also destroying things on the stage.  But there is more out there than just soul cores. There are also collectibles, called Crowley’s Notes, which give background to the world of Obey Me. Which speaks on the war that’s going on between Angels and Demons and the havoc it has invoked upon the world.

The combat in Obey Me is really fun, fast, and fluid. Being able to combine various skills and attacks together really make the game feel more engaging.  There’s also the usage of interactables such as exploding barrels which can be used to eliminate your enemies, especially when overwhelmed. You’re also graded on your ability to clear fights and levels with a ranking system that can be reminiscent of Devil May Cry’s combo and rating systems.

Additionally, the voice acting is really enjoyable in this game, and that’s saying a lot especially being that you’re able to skip all the dialogue if you so choose. The banter between Monty and Vanessa can be rather hilarious at times and cringe-worthy at others, plus the cutscenes in the main story and important parts are all fully voiced. There is some language so that’s something to be mindful of before you pick up this game, especially for the younger crowd. 

Overall, Obey Me is a fun and pretty reckless romp through the streets as you slay enemies, reminiscent of the Devil May Cry franchise but a bit more simplistic.  

Obey Me is currently available on Steam for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch for $19.99.