Demonschool review — a hair-raising semester

Are RPGs just too long these days? Some say it’s just the realities of growing up and balancing our favorite hobby with adult responsibilities in work, family, and what have you, yet it’s hard to argue against the mammoth-sized playtime of, say, Persona 5. Funny I mention that particular game: Necrosoft Games’ Demonschool and its 25-hour playtime feels like it’s tailor-made for those who like the cut of Persona’s jib, yet can’t be bothered to invest triple-digit hours with modern RPGs.

Not that it doesn’t carve out its own niche: the school setting, relationship-building, and schedule-based progression are certainly all familiar, yet its supernatural horror-flick plot, inventive strategy play, and blend of 16-bit graphics and 3D polygons render Demonschool a unique beast oozing with character and style.

Demonschool stars young demon hunter Faye as she navigates the conspiracy-ridden university life of Hemsk Island, rounding together an ever-growing band of misfits – including hapless Namako, movie/anime junkie Knute, and animal nerd Mercy, among others – to face off against the demonic harbingers of an impending apocalypse. Madcap adventures in the vein of young adult Scooby-Doo hijinks ensue, right down to your mystery club getting its own dog mascot. 

Utilizing a team of four characters, the goal of each battle is to eliminate a requisite number of demons, but careful: all combatants operate under an ever-depleting Action Point bar, albeit iteratively for each respective character; for instance, moving Faye once will cost only one AP, but using brawler Destin once, then twice will cost one, then two. Furthermore, you’ll want to mind the barrier behind them – should any of the demons break through and escape, it’s doomsday for Earth. Tough gig, demon hunting.

Demonschool prides itself on its simplicity. There are no random encounters, nor is there leveling. Each character’s equipped with only three hit points and stays that way, while every battle is scripted as per the story progression. Rather than clicking through countless menus, characters are centralized around one specific action: some won’t deal damage in favor of buffing and healing, whereas others simply push enemies back one tile with their beefy punches. All have their respective strengths and weaknesses as attributed to their respective element types, which you’ll want to memorize.

But this simplicity is deceptive. Each fight is like solving an elaborate puzzle; a step-by-step procedure initiated via careful use of techniques and movement options. Unlockable abilities evolve units beyond their one-note capabilities, be it adding a touch of poison to their attacks or immunity to all status effects. Sidestepping, signified by blue tiles on the combat board, let you act twice in one turn – an AP-saving trick that’ll save your bacon more than once. Synchronized teamwork via positioning can unleash combos melding elemental attacks and firing off pretty colors.

True to its name, Demonschool carries the school theme into battle with the class credits earned from the combat’s scoring system – an “A” grade earns you three, whereas “C” only grants one – your characters will hit the books to learn your skill of choice. If you routinely keep flunking battles, fret not; Demonschool is quite generous with its economy, and you’ll have more than enough credits to study whatever you need.

Demonschool isn’t afraid to shake up the literal playing field, either. Exploding enemies spread poison, multiplying ghosts impede movement, and environmental damage from canisters and extinguishers can be exploited to incinerate swathes of enemies. Humorously, the enemy AI never grasped how to pull this off in their favor, often blowing themselves up whenever they tipped over a canister.

Intricate, tough, and even devious, Demonschool gets the gears going in your brain much as it remembers the cardinal rule of strategy games: every chess piece matters, right down to the lowly demon Grunt. Pathetic footsoldiers they may be, they serve as the demons’ trump card, pitifully lurching their way to the barrier before pulling it wide open – a humiliating end for any careless demon hunter.

Really, it can all be a tad overwhelming. Barring bosses, there’s no movement range display à la Fire Emblem to telegraph enemy attacks, and certain mechanics aren’t immediately explained, if at all – falling off the stage in certain boss fights threatened to turn me into a curse-spewing demon. Thankfully, the Help section covers all the essentials, so you can pop over for any refreshers. (Psst, Stun effects are your friend! Always prioritize high-movement characters, too.)

Helps that it’s all framed within an eye-catching blend of classic Italian scare flicks and Japanese horror manga. Nostalgia is the name of the game as Demonschool’s 1999 setting moves to the beat of a cult classic teen movie, right down to our spirited protagonist navigating university life, fighting off the demon-crazed occult and unraveling the family conspiracies haunting her past. Did I mention the awesome 70’s inspired soundtrack? Do pay attention to the battle bangers lifted straight from a Halloween synth concert.

But yes, the story. While it’s not afraid to get macabre, Demonschool’s heart lies amidst the nonchalant absurdity that is Hemsk Island’s school life (“If you fail to complete this assignment by the end of Friday, it’s prison for all of you,” warns your teacher). The ever-escalating twists and turns can only be surmounted by a cast just as quirky, with even the straight man in Namako gradually blossoming from reluctant wallflower to confident leader. From its robust script to lively personality, Demonschool is as funny as it is gripping.

As the weeks count down to Y2K, you’ll somehow spare some downtime on campus to forge bonds with your dozen-plus classmates. Some activities are better than others: the mini-games in fishing, cooking and the like are too rudimentary to impress, yet I found myself drawn to more passive activities. Side-stories are amusing conduits for the game’s warped humor, whereas renting classic movies for Knute inspire reviews for his weekly newspaper column. Demonschool isn’t an especially meaty package, but little details like this illustrate its found family.

Naturally, Faye’s budding friendships can bloom into romance, although I confess to finding myself confounded with the results: I pursued one character (Namako) only to discover I was stuck with a platonic “soulmate”. I mean, okay, cool, nothing wrong with being besties, but couldn’t I just find love with someone else? Meanwhile – and I imagine this likely holds true for romantic playthroughs -- Faye was free to smooch numerous other romance candidates. Keyword being “numerous”. And the game still labelled them as “friends”. Yeah. For her sake, I hope she’s polyamorous.

At least they influence the numerous endings. From my playthrough, it’s obvious there’s a true ending that escaped my reach (amid others advertised as being tough to get), so we imagine future Demonschool superfans will scavenge the game inside-out to discover their respective triggers. Do consult guides.

You know how protagonists cap off their wild adventure by addressing their newfound comrades with “it’s only been a short time, but it’s like we’ve known each other forever”? Having finished Demonschool in mere days, I left Hemsk Island’s shores feeling much the same about its motley crew. Be not fooled by inevitable descriptors of “bite-sized Western Persona” – Demonschool steps outside the shadow of its inspirations to deliver something truly spooktacular.