[h1][b]Introduction[/b][/h1]
As I absolutely adore the [b]DOOM[/b] series and similar titles, [b]Demon Blast[/b] naturally caught my eye on [b]Steam’s Store Page[/b] immediately. Its colourful, cartoonish art style, along with the promise of killing hordes of demons, was enough for me to give it a try, despite it being in the [b]Early Access[/b]. The harsh reality is that this game is unfinished and clunky to play, as you would expect from the [b]Early Access[/b]. However, the promised updates are still not released, which is why I finally decided to write a review, as the game’s current content does not offer enough to justify its price for me.
[h3][b]Story[/b][/h3]
You wake up in some sort of dungeon without remembering anything, a classic videogame cliché. The only way to find more answers about this place and yourself is simple. Go forward and kill demons! Well, as there are only three levels, one of which is a tutorial, I cannot tell you much more. Although even in its current state, there are attempts to make the story more interesting. Firstly, there is a lore diary, but its descriptions are very brief. Secondly, there are a few dialogues and dialogue choices, but they do not have an impact on the game so far. So, while foundations for the story are present, it does not offer enough to have some experience from it.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2257350782
[h3][b]Gameplay[/b][/h3]
[b]Demon Blast’s[/b] gameplay is pretty simple. You venture from an arena to arena with one goal in mind, to kill demons. As it is custom in these games, a variety of weapons, from fists, pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, and flamethrowers awaits you. However, the weapon’s feeling is not that great, to be honest. It is just missing something that makes me want to shoot enemies in other games. The gunplay is just not enjoyable. The game tries to make gameplay more interesting by adding multiple power-ups you can find in the levels. Those can increase your damage or multiply your shot projectiles.
You gain ammunition and health by killing enemies or by finding it in the level. There are also golden coins, which allow you to replenish supplies from a merchant. You can also upgrade your character or weapons between each mission. Those upgrades are pretty basic, though, as they only increase your overall statistics, like health, damage, or a critical change. That is an interesting addition that could definitely work in the future, but for now, it is a bit useless.
Here comes a problem, though. [b]Demon Blast[/b] would be a pretty easy game to play, especially with the power-ups. Demons have like one type of attack, and you can run away or circle around them without any problems. Now, enemies either attack you in melee or with ranged attacks, and enemy variety is not that great, as you will only meet some demons, overgrown spiders and bats, and skeletons. Now, I said that the game would be easy, right? Well, the reason why it is not easy to play is because of its control problems and hitboxes. The game’s controls are a bit clunky, especially mouse aiming, which is just atrocious and unintuitive. My mouse even got stuck sometimes, so I could not aim in any direction. Hitboxes are not the best either, as sometimes you shoot an enemy right in the face, yet it does not register any damage. Also, enemies’ projectiles ignore the closed door and go through them while damaging you in the process. So, you might die due to these issues pretty often.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2257350233
There is not much more to say, as there is simply not enough content. As I mentioned, with only three missions, this game lasts only a few minutes. As I finished the game thrice, I can say that there is no replayability so far, as enemy placement is always the same, so you can only grind coins to make your character stronger. If there would finally be an update, which would allow me to play more levels, then it all might work pretty well, except for a few issues.
[h3][b]Audiovisuals & Performance[/b][/h3]
I already mention that I like the game’s visuals. They are pretty simplistic, but it is nice to look at it due to its colourful nature. Unfortunately, the game’s effects and animations are not that good, as sometimes it is not clear enough if the enemy is actually attacking you. As for the sound effects, they are not that good, but the soundtrack is quite catchy.
The game was tested with an [b]i5 8300H, GTX 1060 6GB[/b], and [b]16GB RAM[/b], running at the highest settings, at [b]60 frames per second[/b], at [b]1920x1080[/b] resolution. Despite being in [b]Early Access[/b], I have not encountered any performance issues or crashes, so that is undoubtedly a positive aspect.
[h1][b]Conclusion[/b][/h1]
[b]Demon Blast[/b] looks like a promising first-person shooter, but with the small amount of content and its problems, I cannot recommend it in its current state. I waited with my review for months, yet there were no updates that would either add more missions or flesh out the gameplay. II would be glad if this game would change my mind in the future.
[quote]This review copy was provided via DitD.[/quote]
[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41545671][quote]Remember that Blue Lips Never Lie! Thus, follow my curator, [b]Blue Lips and their Quips[/b], to find more honest yet humorous reviews!
