Developer:

Publisher:

Ysbryd Games

Release Date:

TBA 2024

Platforms:

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Windows/macOS/Linux)

Website:

demonschool.com

Regular Price:

USD TBD

Description

Demonschool is an RPG with tactical battles in which motion equals action. The game focuses on streamlined action and tactical positioning with combos and status effects galore. As Faye and her misfit companions, players must defeat monstrous creatures in the space between human and demon worlds while navigating university life on a mysterious island. The game has a deep story, loaded with side quests, characters to find and befriend, an upgradeable clubhouse, and an irreverant horror-tinged vibe. Demonschool marries 2D sprites with stark lighting and 3D backgrounds and effects to create something akin to a 70s Italian horror film.

History

Demonschool wears its influences on its sleeve - the lighting and colors are influenced by vintage Italian horror, and the avatars are influenced by manga and illustration horror giants like Suehiro Maruo. We started from those visual touchstones while abiding by certain specific visual and hardware constraints in order to achieve a cohesive look and feel. Essentially, we conceptualized a fictional game console, and stuck to its hardware "rules" when making this game. The music complements the vibe with its 70s tinged synths, chorals, and fretless bass, and (hopefully!) combines to create something that looks and feels somewhat familiar, but is ultimately wholly unique.

In terms of the battle system, we started from the idea of removing as many "clicks" as possible from traditional tactics games. You don't have to choose your enemy, choose what kind of attack, confirm all those things, et cetera. You move in a direction, and your character reacts accordingly with whatever is in their path. We find that this makes for a smooth tactical experience that still gets your brain moving. The game has a planning phase during which you can rewind your moves at any time, followed by an action phase where the fighting overlaps in a visually pleasing manner.

Features

• Tactics: Rewind any action during the planning phase and create combos to dispatch your foes. The bigger the combo, the more efficient your play, the greater the reward becomes.
• Story: A light horror narrative told through huge avatars with side quests aplenty. Even a few minigames.
• Schedule: Plan your school schedule to customize character traits and build out skills. Equip new skills to change how your characters interact with the battlefield.
• Friendship: 14 characters (plus main character Faye) with whom to build relationships. Choices you make will determine who you get closer to, which can also influence the game's endings.
• Clubhouse: Gather new furniture sets for your clubhouse and watch your characters' interactions change!