14 DAY TRIAL // There are demons and gangsters ready to fight my group of university students but I have the tactical advantage already. Faye will deliver a running punch to a creature, taking it out of the battle, and then strike a gangster to get him away from Knute. It’s some impressive stuff but it uses a lot of the action points that power my party.
Destin will take out another demon creature and I end my turn. The actions I have already laid out are not executed in cinematic fashion and opponents get to make their own moves. A cloaked wizard summons a few extra monsters to the board, while Namako is unfortunately poisoned.
But that doesn’t matter much. It’s a new turn and I have enough moves to eliminate another couple of baddies and then step on some eldritch-looking tiles to seal this breach. All the demons get sent back to hell and my four-character party makes a few snide comments. It’s the kind of positive attitude you need in the face of a demonic infestation.
Demonschool is developed by Necrosoft Games and published by Ysbryd Games. I played a preview version on Steam on the PC. The title mixes role-playing game and turn-based tactics ideas as a party of four characters tries to stop a demon invasion.
The action takes place on an island, using a variety of small but detailed locations. The four main characters are Faye, Namako, Destin, and Knute, all university students who are just as good at bantering as they are at investigating supernatural attacks. They have to go to class and socialize to improve their skill while exploring a range of island locations. The narrative takes place during a university semester.
Demonschool allows players to freely explore spaces and interact, before shifting the four-character group to alternate versions of each space for tactical engagements. The group shares a pool of Action Points and movement becomes an attack as long as a target presents itself.
The four characters can heal each other and interact to boost damage. Enemies also have special abilities and the power to inflict status effects. Battles end when one of the four steps on a sigil and delivers all remaining demons back to hell.
Tactical battles move fast and there’s a Rewind option that limits frustration. At certain points, players have to make choices, although the preview doesn’t make clear the scope of their consequences. There are 15 important character to interact with over the course of the story.
The full game will also involve going to class, which will allow characters to become stronger, presumably because incoming demons will also gain power. The big question is whether the game can keep immersion high while adding variety to its interactions and battles.
Demonschool is a good-looking game, even if the perspective is isometric and there’s not a ton of detail on the heroes or their opponents. The core quartet is easy to identify visually and the locations I’ve seen are colorful and filled with other characters. The combat effects and the soundtrack are lovely, creating a sunny atmosphere despite the horror elements and the demonic presence.
Conclusion
The story might not be original but I liked the execution. The option to rewind moves is great for players who want to test our approaches and combos. Demonschool’s mechanics are easy to understand and I hope the full experience offers even weirder battles and big narrative twists.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
