Daemonic Runner
- January 3, 2020
- Sergey Bobrov
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamDaemonic Runner is a rhythm-based parkour game where you evade demonic hordes to the beat of head-banging tracks. Grind rails, leap over chasms, and slide under obstacles in dynamic levels that adapt to your song choices. Every run is a fresh, adrenaline-pumping experience as you compete for high scores and leaderboard dominance.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique and fun gameplay that combines speed and momentum-based mechanics.
- Interesting visuals and sound design that evoke a retro aesthetic.
- Offers a quirky and enjoyable experience, especially for speedrunners.
- Extremely short playtime, often completed in under an hour, leading to concerns about value for money.
- Gameplay can feel clunky and unfinished, with frustrating level design and mechanics.
- Lacks a substantial story and polish, making it feel more like a tech demo than a full game.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a fast-paced, exhilarating experience that allows players to swiftly impale enemies, reminiscent of classic titles like Sonic and Thief. However, many users find the gameplay to be clunky and unfinished, with poor enemy feedback and cramped level design hindering the overall experience. While the mechanics can be enjoyable once mastered, the game is criticized for its short length and lack of depth in gameplay-enhancing features.
“Amazing gameplay, feels great to run very fast and impale enemies on your sword.”
“The mechanics can be somewhat hard to grasp, but nothing beats flying through a hallway and stabbing five people at once.”
“The main mechanics are twofold - holding W accelerates you to insane speeds, but fast turning will slow you down, and the speed you gain amplifies the damage you do.”
“However, the issue here is the gameplay feels incredibly unfinished. There's almost no feedback with enemies, and hits really don't feel like they land when you swear they should. It's all incredibly clunky, and although it can feel really good to torpedo through 4-5 enemies at once, you can find yourself in a dead stop due to the frustratingly cramped level design and lack of attention on gameplay-enhancing designs and mechanics.”
“Oh, and it is short, about an hour and a bit, but frankly for a one-person project, and at its current state, I don't think it would help to make it longer without devoting quite a bit of time into creating new enemies and mechanics.”
“The mechanic of jumping to stab your daemon enemies feels good, but I've found I have some difficulty getting it to activate at some angles and in some places, particularly with low ceilings. But besides that, it all feels good once you get a handle on it.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered minimal and lacking depth, with some players finding it almost non-existent. However, the unique concept of an astronaut crashing on a planet inhabited by medieval knight-like entities adds a quirky charm, and the brief dialogue at the beginning and end has elicited some positive reactions. Overall, while the narrative may not be a focal point, it provides a lighthearted backdrop to the gameplay experience.
“I sometimes love games with brown colors and they remind me of Quake, which I love. This game was so nice and it had a great story; this game is fun!”
“Really unique concept and while a little iffy on story and pitch, it's one of the few Steam games I picked up and replayed.”
“Story is practically non-existent, but the (admittedly short) dialogue at the beginning and end of the game did make me smile a few times.”
“The rather minimal story concerns an astronaut who manages to crash his spaceship on a planet crawling with hostile entities who inexplicably look like medieval knights.”
“No music, movement's a bit wack, some things have weird collisions, story is non-existent and also is quite hard at certain places, especially if you try to clear each stage, but that might be a feature depending on who you ask.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are described as a unique blend of retro aesthetics reminiscent of PlayStation-era titles, with influences from the Thief and Quake series. While the visuals are praised for their cool concept and interesting take on retro FPS tropes, some users feel that the execution falls short, particularly due to the game's brevity. Overall, the graphics appeal mainly to speedrunners seeking a different experience.
“Aesthetically, this game is really cool.”
“Cool concept, cool visuals, very short.”
“The mechanics and visuals are a really interesting spin on retro FPS tropes.”
“A strange mix of PlayStation-era warpy graphics and something reminiscent of the Thief and Quake series.”
“Well, I really like the concept and the graphics, but the execution is a bit off.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is limited, primarily due to its short gameplay duration and lack of substantial content, despite some randomized elements and unique combat mechanics. While speedrunning offers a niche replay option, many players feel the overall experience does not justify repeated playthroughs.
“Still, the unique combat gives a fair amount of replayability, so the sale price is worth it in my opinion.”
“And while there is some level of replayability due to randomized enemy placement, the overall amount of content is still nowhere near satisfactory, especially given the game's price point.”
“The only replayability I see for the game is speedrunning.”
“I thought it would have replay value beyond its one hour gameplay period, but it just didn't.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features no music, creating a heavy and oppressive atmosphere that enhances its gothic aesthetic. While some players find the lack of music to be a drawback, the sound design is praised for its quality, contributing to the overall immersive experience.
“The game has no music, but it does have very good sound design.”
“It's pretty fun, on top of being filled with a heavy, vaguely oppressive atmosphere, with no music whatsoever and level architecture that recalls the grand gothic halls of Quake, filled with dense rusted metal corridors and bottomless pits.”
“No music, movement's a bit wack, some things have weird collisions, story is non-existent and also is quite hard at certain places, especially if you try to clear each stage, but that might be a feature depending on who you ask.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its lightheartedness, particularly with playful references like the capped field of view at 69, which some players found amusing. Overall, while the humor adds a fun element, it is accompanied by some frustrations regarding technical limitations.
“Some things are trash: FPS is capped at 60, FOV is capped at 69 (haha, funny joke, dev).”
“Cool, funny, and quite challenging, but for sure one thing.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a fun yet heavy and oppressive tone, enhanced by the absence of music and level design reminiscent of grand gothic architecture, featuring dense rusted metal corridors and bottomless pits.
“It's pretty fun, on top of being filled with a heavy, vaguely oppressive atmosphere, with no music whatsoever and level architecture that recalls the grand gothic halls of Quake, filled with dense rusted metal corridors and bottomless pits.”
