Demeo
- February 22, 2023
- Resolution Games
- 5h median play time
Demeo is a delightfully-distilled tabletop RPG experience for up to four players that fits just as well in VR as it does on PC or PlayStation.
Demeo is a fantasy role-playing game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on cooperative gameplay. The game boasts stunning visuals and an immersive soundtrack, although it does have some bugs. With good replayability, Demeo provides a magical experience for players looking for a new adventure.
Reviews
- Demeo offers a fantastic VR tabletop experience, capturing the essence of D&D and board games.
- The game features intuitive controls, beautiful graphics, and engaging gameplay that encourages teamwork and strategy.
- The community is friendly and welcoming, making it easy to find games and enjoy the social aspect of the experience.
- Currently, the game has limited content with only one campaign, leading to repetitive gameplay after a few runs.
- The lack of a save feature means players must commit to long sessions, which can be inconvenient.
- Some mechanics, such as enemy respawning and the balance of character classes, can feel frustrating and unbalanced.
- gameplay300 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its intuitive controls, solid mechanics, and fun multiplayer experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive, lacking depth, and having frustrating mechanics. Many players appreciate the game's visual presentation and the social aspect of playing with friends, but express concerns about the limited content and the reliance on RNG elements that can lead to uneven experiences. Overall, while the core gameplay is enjoyable, there are calls for more strategic depth and content updates to enhance the experience.
“Seamless gameplay, intuitive controls.”
“The mechanics are satisfying and you have to make some hard decisions.”
“The gameplay is smooth as a paladin's sword and just as satisfying.”
“The game wastes your time and makes itself obnoxious at every single step of the journey, and doesn't offer the mechanical complexity or meaningful decision-making to make the time and pain worthwhile.”
“Starting at the lack of platform optimization and control issues and going over to missing convenience features and ending at super slow and boring gameplay.”
“The gameplay is basically punishing for little reward.”
- graphics148 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their stunning quality, vibrant colors, and detailed animations, particularly in VR. Players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of classic tabletop games, noting that the visuals enhance the overall immersive experience. While some mention minor issues with UI and performance, the general consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The visuals are stunning.”
“The graphics are beautifully done, the animations are very cool, and the audio is engaging.”
“I'm really impressed by its experience and the visuals look amazing even on a next-gen headset like the Varjo Aero!”
“A miniature-battle style fantasy game that has decent graphics, but so much UI misery and so many bad elements, it has to be a thumbs down.”
“In general, the game's performance seems good, which is no surprise given its simplistic graphics.”
“All of the mechanics would play and feel better on a flat screen, and the choice of visuals does not justify it either.”
- story135 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with many players noting that it feels more like a series of disconnected missions rather than a cohesive narrative. While the gameplay is enjoyable, especially in multiplayer settings, the absence of character progression and a rich storyline detracts from the overall experience, leaving players wanting more substantial content and storytelling elements. Overall, the game is seen as a fun dungeon crawler but falls short in delivering a compelling story.
“Currently only one storyline, however with the randomly set up floors each game, and the variety of player styles, it keeps it alive game after game.”
“Some kind of story, some kind of adventure one would go through and evolve from a starter-hero to a seasoned veteran!”
“I am quite excited for the next storyline, and can see this game lasting quite a while.”
“Storytelling is also pretty much non-existent despite the D&D-like atmosphere.”
“The lack of story and character development completely subverts my willingness to invest myself or to endure some of the game's difficulty.”
“There is also very little narrative play, character progression, story evolution, and similar elements that I am missing from standard RPGs.”
- replayability80 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its procedurally generated levels and diverse character classes, allowing for unique experiences with each playthrough. While some players note a diminishing return on replay value due to limited content and slow reward progression, many still find it engaging enough to return for multiple sessions. Overall, the combination of random elements and community engagement contributes to a strong replayability factor, especially for those who enjoy social gaming experiences.
“The idea is that it is randomly generated and thus infinitely replayable with constant unlocks of cosmetics tracking your experience with the game.”
“After about 10 hours of play time, the replayability of the game is one of the best I've experienced out of most of today's games.”
“In fact, each new situation feels unique, giving plenty of room for different tactical approaches that keep replayability fresh.”
“However, once you figure out what works, it's hard to stray from that... making replayability not the greatest.”
“The lack of content makes the replayability limited and will probably make the player base drop a great deal as time passes and people move on to other games.”
“Currently, I think the replayability is a bit rough with how long it takes to unlock rewards.”
- stability30 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 87 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, desynchronization in multiplayer, and various control bugs that disrupt gameplay. Players report a rough experience due to inconsistent mechanics and connection glitches, leading to frustrating moments during play. While the game runs well on lower-end hardware, the overall stability concerns detract from its enjoyment.
“The game runs great on even lower-end hardware, but my experience was with a 5800X and 6800XT.”
“Controls are intuitive, the game runs great, and it looks and sounds great to boot.”
“Constantly disconnects and freezes up.”
“This game only runs for me between 2 minutes to maybe 25 minutes on Rift S before I get a black screen crash; all other VR games run fantastic with zero problems. It's a very buggy game.”
“Game is very buggy and prone to crashes at times.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its polished sound and visual design, creating a cozy, 80s basement vibe that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the smooth camera movement and engaging animations, which contribute to a relaxed and friendly environment, particularly when played with friends. While the storytelling may be lacking, the game's aesthetic and immersive qualities make it a standout in its genre.
“If you like a relaxed atmosphere, a friendly community, and a fun game full of 80s basement nerd vibes, this one's going to rock your socks.”
“The atmosphere is great, the animations are great, the card-acquiring system, while unorthodox, is also great.”
“Where it is not like D&D in terms of its social atmosphere and role playing.”
“Storytelling is also pretty much non-existent despite the D&D-like atmosphere.”
“There are undertones of 'Hearthstone' in the card play mechanics and some of the presentation, that knit together with a tabletop, cozy room atmosphere in the game that will let hours spin away and batteries drain.”
- optimization20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it generally performs well due to its simplistic graphics, users report issues with VR performance, particularly on the Rift CV1, where stuttering occurs. Some players experienced lag and graphics bugs, but others noted excellent performance on high-end setups like the Valve Index. The lack of optimization for specific platforms and control issues were also highlighted as areas needing improvement.
“The performance is excellent.”
“Performance is great, Valve Index 120Hz with supersampling.”
“No performance issues.”
“The performance in VR is kind of okay, even though on a Rift CV1, rotation and zoom tend to stutter a bit on more than good enough hardware.”
“This is probably due to a lack of optimization for the specific platform or maybe even Steam VR.”
“Starting at the lack of platform optimization and control issues, and going over to missing convenience features, it ends with super slow and boring gameplay.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 73 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with slow unlocks and a lack of variety in deck building contributing to a monotonous experience. Many reviews highlight the frustration of facing the same challenges repeatedly, leading to a sense of boredom, especially in solo play. However, those who enjoy dungeon crawling and are willing to endure the grind may still find some enjoyment in the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“There is no skill or variety in deck building and unlocks are tediously slow.”
“Playing a solo game is tedious and boring.”
“The damage you deal is also always the same, which adds to the feeling of just grinding.”
- music13 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- -15 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its simplicity and quality, contributing to an atmospheric experience with great sound effects and character voices. While some users noted minor issues like repetitive tracks, the overall execution of the soundtrack enhances the gameplay and artistic expression. Players appreciate the option to adjust the music volume for a more comfortable experience.
“Great music, great artistic expression, and well-executed gameplay.”
“Sounds and music are excellent as well.”
“Challenging, looks stunning, beautiful animations, sound effects and music, very atmospheric, cool character voices, progression, skins, replay value, lots of cards, stunning level design and so much more.”
“The music is incredibly repetitive and quickly becomes annoying.”
“The character movement is fine, but the minor bugs and the repetitive music really detract from the experience.”
“I found the music to be quite dull and lacking variety, which made the gameplay feel monotonous.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by its campy and self-aware style, making it a source of laughter, especially when played with friends. Players enjoy the absurdity of losing to AI while engaging in silly antics, and the nostalgic references to childhood gaming experiences enhance the comedic atmosphere. The juxtaposition of immersive dungeon details with the reality of playing in a VR basement adds an extra layer of humor to the experience.
“This game is hilariously difficult with friends; I had a blast.”
“Throwing the dice, zooming in, saying stupid things, laughing while being overrun by enemies because you opened the wrong door at the wrong time.”
“The campy humor of the game being played in a basement also isn't lost on a person that grew up playing fantasy games with friends in the basements of childhood homes.”
- character development8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant absence of character development in the game, which detracts from player investment and engagement. While the strategic gameplay is enjoyable, the lack of story and progression options limits the overall experience, though there is potential for future enhancements.
“I can see huge potential in the future with add-ons, character development options, traps, more spells, and abilities.”
“The lack of story and character development completely subverts my willingness to invest myself or to endure some of the game's difficulty.”
“There's no real experience progression or character development.”
“Although there is no character development, it is a fun strategic tabletop-inspired game.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as underdeveloped, with players feeling a disconnect due to unexpected movements that disrupt immersion. Many users express a desire for deeper emotional engagement, suggesting that the game has not yet fully realized its potential in this area.
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features ongoing developer support while avoiding the use of DLC or microtransactions, which has been positively noted by users.
“Ongoing developer support without DLC or microtransactions.”
Critic Reviews
Demeo Review - An Immersive, Accessible And Highly Enjoyable Ode To The Halcyon Days Of Tabletop Gaming
In the end, Demeo does that most unexpected of things - it provides a deep and highly enjoyable tabletop RPG experience for folks who are typically put off by the notion of setting up a board, potentially losing important figures, worrying about missing dice and all that other nonsense. Absent such tedious administrative concerns and with clear design, tactile physical feedback and easily grasped mechanics that ensure everyone can play, Demeo is a shining example of how to translate one of the most socially beloved hobbies into an all new digital realm.
80%Demeo PSVR2 Review -- Virtual Demons and Dice Rolls
Demeo is a fantastic dungeon-crawler, and a perfect addition to the PSVR2 library. Demonstrating a visual clarity not seen on any other platform, the PlayStation VR2 version is the best possible platform. This is an easy recommendation and a must-have for any PSVR2 owner.
95%Demeo Review
Though Demeo nails the quality tabletop experience in VR, as well as creates an incredible social space, it's thin amount of content makes it hard to recommend at its price point.
75%