Food Devils, an upcoming tactical RPG from Studio Daimon, will feature more than 200 skills, handcrafted battle maps, randomized expeditions and restaurant management when it enters Steam Early Access on November 3, 2026. Game director Alfred Kamon has explained how these systems work together, including how Devil Contracts and character relationships can change combat strategies.
Speaking in an interview with Noisy Pixel published on October 27, Kamon discussed the design decisions behind Food Devils and his experience developing tactical RPGs. Before founding Studio Daimon, he worked on the Fire Emblem fan project Midnight Sun and later developed Path of the Midnight Sun, an original tactical RPG.
Unlike traditional Fire Emblem campaigns, which generally follow a predetermined sequence of battles, Food Devils uses a roguelite structure that encourages repeated expeditions through different environments.
Players can choose which biome and area to explore, while enemy encounters, objectives and map selections change between runs. However, the individual battle maps are handcrafted rather than entirely procedurally generated.
Kamon explained that he wanted to preserve the deliberate level design associated with tactical RPGs while introducing enough variation to make repeated expeditions worthwhile.
Each expedition begins with a party consisting of one Food Devil and up to four human adventurers recruited through the player’s restaurant. Adventurers have randomized appearances, statistics, personalities and traits, making party composition different between runs.
Devil Contracts are central to the combat system. These agreements modify an adventurer’s abilities and mobility, allowing players to experiment with unconventional character builds.
For example, an ability called Bonfire Bonanza lets the Hunter Devil generate Calories when adventurers end their turns beside Bonfire tiles. Characters capable of creating those tiles can consequently take on resource-generation roles instead of focusing exclusively on damage.
Kamon also confirmed that the Early Access version contains more than 200 skills. Certain combinations can substantially change how a class functions, potentially allowing a Healer to become a defensive tank or a character specializing in weakening enemies.
Additional modifiers called Codex Clauses provide bonuses that apply to the entire party throughout an expedition.
Rather than ensuring every possible combination is equally powerful, Kamon wants players to discover particularly effective builds. Studio Daimon has also introduced combat previews, improved tooltips, a glossary and Training Grounds featuring smaller puzzle-like encounters to help explain individual mechanics.
Restaurant management forms the other major component of Food Devils. Ingredients collected during expeditions can be turned into dishes that provide bonuses for subsequent runs.
Restaurant furniture influences which adventurers visit and some of their characteristics, while kitchen upgrades can affect their innate traits. Consequently, decorating the restaurant and preparing meals directly influence recruitment and future combat opportunities.
This creates a progression loop in which successful expeditions improve the restaurant, and restaurant development provides new options for the next expedition.
Character relationships also have gameplay implications. Players can romance any of the five Food Devils regardless of their chosen protagonist, while the Devils can develop relationships with one another.
According to Kamon, relationships between Devils can eventually unlock unusual combinations of Devil Contracts and additional tactical possibilities. The relationship system therefore extends beyond dialogue and character interactions.
Food Devils is scheduled to launch for Windows PC through Steam Early Access on November 3. Its release coincides with ArcheAge Chronicles entering PC Early Access, although the two games offer different approaches to RPG progression and combat.
Studio Daimon also released an updated Food Devils demo for Steam Next Fest on October 19. The demo includes the Hunter and Poison Devils, additional gameplay improvements and full English voice acting. The developer has confirmed that save files from this updated demo will carry over into the Early Access release, although saves from the older June demo are incompatible.
The Steam demo is currently available for players interested in trying the game’s tactical combat and restaurant systems before launch.
