DemonCrawl

About

DemonCrawl is a single player role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Therefore Games and was released on November 5, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"DemonCrawl" is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game with an intriguing story and fabulous gameplay, featuring splendid visuals and music. The game offers 800+ unique items, 5 Quests with multiple difficulties, 50+ stages, and 70+ stage mods for a long-lasting challenge. With open-ended player progression and various gamemodes, "DemonCrawl" is very replayable, despite being slightly buggy and grinding.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,896 reviews

gameplay106 positive mentions

grinding56 negative mentions

DemonCrawl is a fun and addictive twist on the classic Minesweeper, combining RPG and roguelike elements with a vast array of items and mechanics.
The game features a great soundtrack and charming pixel art, enhancing the overall experience.
There is a significant amount of content and replayability, with numerous unlockable items, masteries, and quests to explore.

The game can be excessively RNG-dependent, leading to frustrating moments where runs end due to unavoidable guesses or bad item drops.
Some mechanics, such as omens and stage modifiers, can feel punishing and may ruin otherwise good runs.
The progression system can be grindy, making it difficult to unlock new content and masteries without investing a lot of time.

gameplay
498 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The gameplay of "Demoncrawl" is a complex twist on the classic minesweeper formula, integrating a vast array of roguelike mechanics and items that enhance replayability and strategic depth. While many players appreciate the addictive nature and variety of mechanics, others criticize the overwhelming number of features, reliance on RNG, and frustrating design choices that can lead to unbalanced experiences. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of familiar gameplay with new elements, but it may not satisfy everyone due to its steep learning curve and occasional bugs.
- “The mechanics this game introduces are expansive and unique, which make for an overall enjoyable experience.”
- “It's a great combination of classic minesweeper gameplay with RPG as well as roguelite mechanics.”
- “Demoncrawl is a roguelite based on minesweeper that boasts a massive amount of content, a vast library of items to discover, engaging and challenging gameplay, and endless replayability.”
- “Overloaded with feels-bad mechanics like curses from chests and double-payment for doctors, inventory management being a separate screen is extremely clunky for how simple the interface could be.”
- “The game, for me, ended up dealing with the exact same gameplay loop, torturing myself until I eventually got the 'perfect' run and finally got that dopamine hit - which could take up to a week.”
- “The gameplay also relies on RNG quite a bit in terms of which items you get and what guesses you have to make, which some people don't like.”
music
298 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
41%
1%
The music in this game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its quality and variety, often describing it as unexpectedly fantastic for a minesweeper title. The soundtrack features distinct tracks for each level, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience, and is noted for being both catchy and relaxing. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, significantly contributing to the game's appeal and replayability.
- “The soundtrack alone makes it worth checking out.”
- “This game combines the addicting nature of minesweeper with amazing music and unique item ideas.”
- “The music is absolutely amazing and some of the best I've heard from an indie game in recent memory.”
- “There's one specific song that'll probably make you want to turn the volume down in a particular stage though, you'll recognize it.”
- “The music becomes annoying every time I die and need to go through the screens to try again.”
- “The art and music in this game aren't incredible, but the atmosphere is godlike.”
story
264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
87%
2%
The story in "Demoncrawl" is described as minimal and somewhat obtuse, primarily serving as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus. Players engage in a series of quests that blend traditional minesweeper mechanics with RPG elements, where the narrative unfolds through snippets and environmental storytelling, leading to intriguing twists as they progress. While some find the story engaging and a fun addition, others criticize it for being underdeveloped and reliant on chance, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “The story/quest mode is pretty fun, and overall it is prettier than regular minesweeper.”
- “There's even a story here, though it is mostly referential it does go some places that are worth seeing.”
- “The plot is extremely strange, but there's some very interesting twists and turns where you never could have imagined it would end up, even if you're not paying much attention to it.”
- “The story, such as it is, is a little obtuse and pretentious.”
- “While playing through the quest, the items you get mention lots of random things and there's little to no explanation for any of it.”
- “Also, and what personally drove me to this review, the writing/ending on the last quest was so hackneyed that I cannot even think favorably of the game anymore, despite my initial enjoyment.”
graphics
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
48%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming pixel art style and retro aesthetic that evoke nostalgia for classic games. However, some players find the visuals confusing, as certain tiles can look too similar, leading to gameplay mistakes. Overall, while the art and music are often highlighted as strong points, there are concerns about clarity and usability in the graphical design.
- “The pixelated artwork is sometimes creepy but beautiful, and the music and ambiance is very enjoyable.”
- “The visuals are great and the music is beyond my expectations for just minesweeper.”
- “Artistically, Demoncrawl sticks with 16-bit style graphics reminiscent of SNES games.”
- “Terrible game with a lousy graphical style.”
- “However, recently when I decided to give this game another try on easy mode, one thing ultimately stopped me: the graphics.”
- “The graphics are somehow worse than the original minesweeper too.”
replayability
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
61%
5%
The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, offering a wealth of content, diverse classes, and numerous unlockables that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay mechanics and the challenge it presents, likening its replay value to that of popular roguelikes. However, some users express frustration with the reliance on RNG and technical issues that can hinder progress.
- “The concept works surprisingly well and the result is a very satisfying puzzle-roguelite with a ton of unlockables and replayability.”
- “Demoncrawl is a roguelite based on minesweeper that boasts a massive amount of content, a vast library of items to discover, engaging and challenging gameplay, and endless replayability.”
- “This is one of the most replayable puzzle games I've ever played, and if you're thinking about buying it, do it.”
- “In the end, it's just another game that's relying solely on bad luck to extend replayability; it disgusts me.”
- “So whilst it certainly improves greatly on the normal game of minesweeper and adds a massive amount of replayability, it ends up being more frustrating than the original at times.”
- “Classes are a big part of where your replayability comes from; why would you make it so hard to get them, and what is the actual point of unlocking them in stages?”
grinding
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game is widely criticized for its excessive grinding, particularly in the late game where players must accumulate tokens and unlock numerous classes and items, often leading to a tedious experience. While some players find enjoyment in the grind and the organic discovery of strategies, many feel that the slow token acquisition and RNG elements detract from the overall fun, making progression feel convoluted and frustrating. Despite updates aimed at reducing grind, the consensus remains that the game's design leans heavily towards a grindy experience reminiscent of MMOs.
- “The game is designed to be super grindy (if you don't resort to cheesy farm strategies) - MMO levels of grindy with layered RNG.”
- “It's very grindy to accumulate tokens and artifacts, and then to make it worse, I think it's unusually easy to regret your purchases here - you spend a bunch of tokens and artifacts on some special run only to die to a stupid mistake, or you spend them on unlocking a special ability which turns out you don't like as much as your old one, and well, better go grind some more.”
- “You will never have a run that you won off of your own merit; you are simply grinding the first 6 levels of each 'quest' in the most min-max-y way possible until you get lucky enough that the game provides you with a run that isn't a guaranteed loss.”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and inconsistencies that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some moments of gameplay shine through, they are often overshadowed by technical issues that frustrate players, making it difficult to recommend the game despite its enjoyable concepts. Overall, the game is described as a "technical disaster" that has worsened with updates, leading to a frustrating experience for many.
- “Runs great on my mid-range laptop.”
- “Eta: runs great on my Linux box (Mint 20, NVIDIA proprietary).”
- “It is a technical disaster: as other reviewers said, this game is a buggy mess.”
- “Buggy, crashy garbage that when it holds itself together through duct tape and glue sticks shines somewhat beautifully, but good luck with finding those moments consistently.”
- “This game was really good on launch, but I feel like with every passing update and event put into this game nowadays it starts acting more and more buggy.”
monetization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
59%
33%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with players appreciating the absence of microtransactions on PC but criticizing the progression system, which feels overly grindy and balanced for a pay-to-progress model. The mobile version features intrusive ads and additional costs to unlock content, leading some to question the developer's business practices. Overall, while some players respect the lack of microtransactions, the monetization approach has left a negative impression on many.
- “Thank goodness there's no microtransactions in this game, because that would definitely make the developers more biased to make it 'harder.' I respect the developer for not going that route.”
- “Just to be clear, there are no in-game purchases on PC.”
- “I don't regret buying this game, but the sketchy monetization just puts me off way too much to recommend it to others.”
- “I would not have bought this game if it had this kind of monetization back when I bought it since I don't want to support these kinds of business practices.”
- “All I know is right now the progression system is absolutely beyond broken due to it being balanced for pay-to-progress microtransactions.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its unique blend of brutal humor and clever creature names, which add a comedic twist to the challenging gameplay. Players find the humor to be a standout feature, enhancing the overall enjoyment and making the experience both fun and memorable, especially in a multiplayer setting. The combination of old-school elements with a roguelite format contributes to its humorous appeal.
- “I picked this title up largely because a minesweeper roguelite sounded novel and hilarious.”
- “The name generator for the monsters can sometimes give them amazing (and hilarious) names.”
- “If you are careless, it will chew you up and spit you out while laughing in an evil manner.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly due to its nostalgic ties to the classic Minesweeper, which evokes feelings of empowerment and excitement. The gameplay mechanics, such as "chording," enhance the experience, making it both engaging and enjoyable, while the desire for balance and mastery improvements reflects a deep investment in the game's potential. Overall, the emotional resonance stems from a blend of nostalgia and the thrill of strategic gameplay.
- “I really wanted to like this game; growing up with Minesweeper on the old Windows 95 made me feel like a powerful genius as a kid. When I saw this game, I got excited because it gave me an excuse to play it again.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
Players express frustration with the game's optimization, noting a lack of focus on fixing game-breaking bugs and performance issues, as developers prioritize new content that often introduces additional problems. The performance is perceived as heavily reliant on RNG, diminishing the impact of player choices and skills on the game's outcomes. Overall, there is a strong desire for more consistent performance improvements and a better balance between content updates and optimization efforts.
- “The player gains experience to level up based on the difficulty of the level completed and their performance, as well as a variety of other factors (speed, no flags, skipping items).”
- “Tldr - player's performance and choices in the game should have a more direct impact on the end result of a session.”
- “Every few months I go back to check if one of my favorite games has patched a game-breaking bug, but no, like always they just release new content (and with it much more jank) instead of just focusing on a much-needed performance patch.”
- “Your performance is incredibly RNG-based in this game depending on the items received.”
- “Player's performance and choices in the game should have a more direct impact on the end result of a session.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting its immersive fantasy adventure style and engaging gameplay elements. While the art and music may not stand out, the overall atmosphere is described as "godlike," contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Amazing atmosphere and gameplay.”
- “I just adore how a classic game gets expanded like this: life system so you can go on, tons of items to help you (or make things harder), special abilities, special stages, the whole fantasy adventure style and atmosphere, even a little bit of plot.”
- “The art and music in this game aren't incredible, but the atmosphere is godlike.”