GAME REVIEW | High Honors For Indie Horror RPG "Demonschool"
If I had a nickel for every time Ysbryd Games released an RPG about the year 2000 bringing about the end of the world, I’d have two nickels. It’s not a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice! In 2018, it was Ackk Studios’s YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG that delivered a great story, terrific dialogue, and an excellent turn-based QTE-styled battle system. Now, in 2025, Necrosoft Games dives back into the era where MTV was still relevant and kids everywhere played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater like there was no tomorrow. Welcome to Demonschool (not with Iruma-kun), and boy, is it ever a school everyone should enroll in!
Demonschool focuses primarily on Faye, a redhead who loves all things supernatural. But what she loves most is kicking supernatural butt, and if she can find others to partake in beating up demons and the like, then she’ll be a happy gal! On a mysterious island, a bunch of weird stuff is going on, with the main area of concern being the school Faye goes to. As luck would have it, Faye is chosen to deal with most of the problems, with tasks given to her by a teacher with memory problems.
Thankfully, Faye isn’t alone when having to solve these mysteries. Alongside her is the equally punch-happy Destin, the movie-loving Knute, and the often cautious Namako. There are others that can join the fray, but these are the first three that become part of Faye’s equivalent of Mystery Inc. Gangsters, ghouls, and other things of Satanic nature are invading the island, and with the world set to end at the start of 2000, there’s only a sliver of time remaining to make sure that doesn’t happen.
When you come across enemies and dive into battle, the setup is surprisingly simple. After choosing up to four characters, you move around the board, attack enemies, and attempt to avoid enemy fire. If you manage to pair up two characters, you’ll unleash a killer combo attack. With enough juice powered up, you can unleash your Special attack, turning demons and gangsters into red goo. Once you’ve defeated the number of enemies that the fight demands, you walk to the end of the board, summon a portal, and kill all the remaining baddies.
With enough points and maybe some spells from the local mysterious merchant, you can equip more powerful offensive and defensive power to your characters. Bigger punches, throwing debuffs onto enemies, and even becoming immune to poisons are some of the things you can learn to better your chances at battle. The only downside is that it takes a long time for these skills to be learned, as it requires two people to “study” for X amount of days to learn them. So when you start off with only a couple of people, it can take a long time to get these skills in the early chapters.
Where the real challenge comes in Demonschool is how you execute battles. You are only given 3 XP, and unless you have someone like Knute healing you, your death will be a quick one. What’s even more challenging is that not everyone you send into battle will attack enemies, and will instead either lower their defenses or act as your healer. If all of your fighters die, and you are left with only the likes of Knute and Namako, then you might be forced to restart the battle again. On top of that, each fight has its side quests like “finish the battle in three turns” or “keep everyone alive”, which means getting a high grade in a fight is wicked difficult!
However, even with these tough aspects placed into every strategy fight, it never takes away from the fun that Demonschool delivers at every corner. The story and its script are pretty damn entertaining, with Faye and the rest of her silly friends balancing the seriousness of the situations with witty dialogue and funny reactions. Necrosoft did a fantastic job creating characters that you not only would want to root for, but also want to have a beer with if free time allowed it. (You know, once these guys are old enough to drink.)
On top of the main storyline, there are side quests involving both your friends and random people of the island. For the former, these quests find a way for Faye to grow closer to her new friends. From aiding a friend wanting a rare VHS tape to seeking some legendary deadly snake, these moments help with both Faye and the player to get to know these new people in her life. Sometimes, it leads to a super awesome friendship; other times, it leads to a game of tonsil hockey! Either way, it goes to show Faye’s got plenty of love inside of her, even if all she wants to do is kick demon butt.
There are also some mini-games spread out throughout the mysterious island. A fishing one will have you catching two dozen different kinds of demon fish, a task that becomes more difficult the more unique catches you get. One of the more fun ones is the Karaoke mini-game. While it lacks the spectacle of a Yakuza/Like a Dragon title, the task of matching the song lyrics to the key word as quickly as possible makes it a fun challenge. Of course, the best is when you can find dogs to pet, as…well, do I need to explain why that’s the greatest?
Perhaps the best thing about Demonschool is its soundtrack. Composed by Kurt Feldman, the songs that burst through your speakers are unlike anything you’ve heard in gaming this year. Hardcore synth riffs during battles, rocking melodies whilst you unravel mysteries, and even a little tropical flavor when you’re by the docks fit every moment this game delivers. Trust me when I say that you’ll be wanting to blare this score long after you’ve finished beating the game. (If "Tuesday Battle (Action)" isn't in your Best of 2025 playlist, then I don't even want to know you!)
PROS:
- Easy-to-learn strategy game system
- Very fun story, dialogue
- The best soundtrack of the year
CONS:
- Some battles may feel repetitive
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Demonschool parties like it’s 1999! The battles are challenging, the story is engrossing, and the soundtrack kicks all sorts of ass! Necrosoft delivers another fine example of why 2025 is the year of the indies, as Demonschool crafts an RPG adventure that puts the AAA industry to shame!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Haylee Kiedrowski of Stride PR. Reviewed on the PS5 and PC via Steam.
