– Advertisement –
Hack ‘n Slash games aren’t my cup of tea. I don’t enjoy the mindless combat and the endless waves of monsters and foes. However, Demon Skin is different. This dark and cruel title is brutally tough, and it has some excellent combat mechanics. Moreover, its sinister story is captivating, and the setting is uncomfortably morbid.
Developed by Ludus Future and published by ESDigital Games, this is a hack ‘n Slash title. What’s more, it has some old-school adventure elements and a vast arsenal of weapons at your disposal. On top of this, the monsters are unbelievably tough, and the game pushes you to your limits.
Demon Skin tells a cruel tale.
Being a hero isn’t an easy task. Yet, you don’t expect your life to be turned upside down when you try to save the world. Sadly, this is exactly what happens in Demon Skin! The protagonist, a member of the Order of Wanderers, witnesses a sinister ritual. Trying to prevent it from ending, he throws himself into a flow of energy. This split-second decision has serious ramifications as he is turned into a demon. Not happy with his new form, he must undertake an adventure like no other. En route, he will slay monsters, find new powers, and hopefully restore his former glory.
The story is absurd, but it works well with the fantasy theme. Moreover, the gruff characters and evil overlords add a grandiose element to this odd title. As you push further into the gameplay, you explore some excellent environments. Each of these locations has vast dangers that must be avoided and death is disappointingly all but assured. However, if you die, you will thankfully respawn at a nearby checkpoint. Fortunately, the developers have kindly integrated a vast number of checkpoints to mitigate the guarantee of failure.
Linear gameplay but excellent combat.
I have to be in the mood for a linear tale. Sadly, I find the funnelled mindset too restrictive, and this usually frustrates me. Yet, Demon Skin does a great job of keeping you focused, as the combat is never-ending. Furthermore, the excellent and slick fighting mechanics are fascinating and will test the best gamers of this genre.
The hero has a choice of 3 stances to overcome his opponents. Depending on which one you select, they’ll have an impact on your foes. For example, a low blow to a skeleton will knock it off balance. You can use these small bits of intel to your advantage, and kick every creature’s ass. Alongside this, you’ll have to dodge and weave to avoid unwanted attention. Luckily, each creature follows a set pattern whenever they are attacking. Consequently, all you must do is study their form, learn their patterns, and use this knowledge to your advantage.
This approach works wonderfully well with each of the massive bosses that you must annihilate. These awful entities kick your ass repeatedly. However, once you understand what must be done, you’ll make light work of their advances.
Weapons and a simple skill tree.
The combat element was incredible. Blocking your foes by selecting the right stance is tricky, but achievable. Yet, what makes this element even better is the arsenal of weapons at your disposal. Each blade, axe, or bludgeoning device has unique characteristics. Subsequently, you must study the combo guide to get the best out of each weapon. alongside this, they have special attributes that add to your attack and defence. As such, you must pick the right weapon for each combat encounter.
What wasn’t so great, however, was the simple skill tree. I expected this to have a deep and rich character development. Unfortunately, I was wrong! Instead, as you level up, you get to select between attack, stamina, and health. This is the extent of the character progression, and it wasn’t enough for a modern game. Accordingly, though the rest of the action is rewarding and interesting, the character progression is undercooked and disappointing.
Demon Skin looks great, but the acting is woeful.
I cannot find fault with the grim visuals. The 2D side-scrolling nature of the action works perfectly with the linear gameplay. Furthermore, the varied stage design keeps you interested and the character models are detailed and unusual. On top of this, the animation is smooth, and this helps the aforementioned combat mechanics.
You must also consider the basic but interesting platforming mechanics. This element ensures that the linear approach didn’t become tedious. Moreover, there are plenty of hidden treasure chests, skill points, and other key items that must be searched for.
I can’t complement the visuals enough. However, the audio wasn’t so great. annoyingly, the acting was wooden at best. What’s more, the spoken dialogue didn’t match the subtitles. Therefore, it was confusing and didn’t work well at all. However, this issue to one side, the music and the sound effects were good. The grim-sounding tunes add a gritty edge to an already dark experience. As such, it sets the scene and was very impressive.
Occasionally clumsy controls.
The combat was slick and smooth, but it was held back by the occasionally clumsy controls. Sadly, the dodge and rolling commands are linked to the same input. As such, you’ll make numerous mistakes and get hit or killed unnecessarily. On top of this, the hero has a turning circle of a tanker. Consequently, when you are trying to avoid falling spikes or leaping across crumbling platforms, it is unbelievably tough.
Demon Skin has limited replay value or longevity. Though there are plenty of collectables to find and loads of weapons to try out, the action rarely changes. As such, if you wish to complete this game, you’ll have to endure the same action repeatedly, and that will get somewhat tiresome. Yet, the first playthrough is great and challenging and will keep you busy for hours.
Demon Skin is a slow burner.
It took me a considerable amount of time to get into Demon Skin. I found the action to be frustrating, and I didn’t get the concept. However, once I understood the key elements, I fell for its gritty and grim charms. Moreover, the bosses are great, the weapons are incredible, and the combat is incredibly slick. Accordingly, I loved it and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you regain your old form? Kill every foe, master each weapon, and make the Order of Wanderers proud.
