It’s great when a game randomly grabs me. We’re back to a muggy, humid summer here in the UK, and I am dealing with it the best way I know how: play video games while eating ice cream. I have simple tastes!
Welcome back to another episode of Bite-Sized Reviews, the show where I try to work through the growing list of new additions to my Steam library while downing copious amounts of coffee. We have a few months of relative peace before the pre-GTA 6 onslaught hits the gaming scene like a tsunami, and I fear it is going to be a bloodbath.
Either way, I have been playing an awesome little indie title lately called Demon Lord: Just a Block. I went into the game without any expectations, but it has become my go-to thing to play when I just need to vegetate on the couch. Demon Lord may not be anything revolutionary, but it is a delicious smoothie of mechanics and genres rolled together into a single package, and I’ve really enjoyed it.
Demon Lord: Just a Block is a small-scale indie roguelite that blends grid-based movement, turn-based tactics, and action combat. Roguelikes might feel like they are more numerous than atoms in the universe, but Demon Lord’s ‘the world only moves when you do’ at least brings a refreshing twist to things. There is a surprisingly good narrative behind this game, too. You play as a demon emperor fallen from grace who must restore his power through taking back territory one step at a time. You play as a floating head, which is pretty funny, and the game’s writing is both humorous and rather captivating. Just the mental image of a decapitated Demon returning to their former power is hilarious.
The gameplay loop is simple enough and is what you might expect from most roguelikes. You’ll explore procedurally generated stages, unlocking new weapons, abilities, and upgrades as you progress and die. Because the world advances only with player actions, combat feels more strategic than relying on reflexes. Enemies might lack a little variety, but each opponent has their own attack patterns, so you need to be on your toes and adapt on the fly. I also really like Demon Block’s build variety with tons of abilities, power-ups, and weapons with different effects, and there’s quite a diverse range in the combat system. Being able to constantly unlock new toys to play with also helps out, especially in the early and mid-game.
While Demon Lord: Just a Block blends great gameplay and design, I do have a couple of things to note. I’ve found some of the power-ups have a rough balance to them, which is common enough in roguelikes. I would like to see a little more balance to the overall builds, as it can leave some runs exhausting to attempt. I also would like to see a little more polish, as I ran into a couple of minor glitches with the interface. No dealbreakers again, though.
Overall, Demon Lord: Just a Block is deeply engaging. I might get a little sick of roguelikes, but Demon Lord excited me. The tactical gameplay and humorous writing make for a great package, all for a very reasonable price tag. It might not be the best roguelike on the market, but the creativity makes it stand out.
