Devastation

Devastation features standard first-person shooter gameplay, comparable to that of Unreal 2, as the game is based on Unreal 2's game engine. Notably, the game can be played in either "arcade" or "tactical" mode. Arcade mode features fast-paced action similar to that of many first person shooters, while tactical mode features slower gameplay more akin to tactical shooters such as Counter-Strike.

The single-player game focuses heavily on team-based gameplay. The player can have a squad of up to several NPCs following them at any given time. Each NPC can be issued one of 4 orders: attack, defend, follow, or stop. NPCs ordered to attack can independently make their way from the beginning to the end of the level without any guidance from the player, although they will stop moving and wait for the player to catch up if they get too far ahead of the player. In the game's initial levels, the game ends if any NPC squadmate is killed, but squadmate health regenerates fairly quickly to prevent this aspect of gameplay from being too frustrating.

The year is 2075. Instead of a bright and peaceful future, human civilization is in a state of polluted, dilapidated ruin akin to post-World War II Europe. A corrupt mega-corporation, Grathius Inc., controls the world by force, using pacification squads to kill any who oppose them.

The game's protagonist is Flynn Haskell, the leader of a small band of terrorists/resistance-fighters determined to rid the world of Grathius and their evil schemes. Later the player meets up with a female scientist Eve whom Flynn regards as the best helper he could get. Flynn, while exploring once, is captured and put into jail but successfully escapes with another resistance member named Duffy who also helps him in his next destination Urbia, as she is familiar with their resistance leader Tara.

Work began soon after the cancellation of an Unreal Tournament add-on pack that the development team had previously been building. Deciding to continue to use the Unreal Engine, work began on a what would become Devastation in 2000. As development progressed the engine received numerous upgrades, by its release using a modified version of the engine used in Unreal Tournament 2003. Additions included changes to the engines skeletal system, work on a new particle and special effects system called OFX, and the introduction of the MathEngine's Karma Physics.

Artistically the game is inspired by authors like William Gibson, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell, as well as film directors such as Terry Gilliam, Jim Jarmusch, Tom Tykwer, Darren Aronofsky, Alex Proyas, David Fincher, and Christopher Nolan. The game also takes inspiration from real locations and environments, with lead designer Barry L. Gibbs commenting that "I feel that I can be, and have often been, influenced by simply walking out my front door, or just by driving down the street. When I see something that inspires me, I pull over and snap a photo." Work on the game was completed by the spring of 2003, and it was released in North America on March 25, 2003.

Devastation received "mixed or average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. While the game's graphics, detailed urban environments, sound effects, and wide arsenal of weaponry were praised, it was criticized for having poor artificial intelligence, derivative storyline and game aspects, mediocre voice acting, and a flaky physics system.

IGN's Ivan Sulic described the game as a "slightly above average" mix of positive and negative elements. He praised the excellent visuals, immersive weapon arsenal and enjoyable multiplayer while pointing out the absurd storyline, graphical and physics glitches and bot-like behavior of enemies. The "mazelike environments" are initially well handled by artificial companions but bugs surface as the squad size grows. The enemies' bot-like combat moves make playing "almost like being a spectator to multiplayer deathmatch".