Demonologist
- September 25, 2023
- Clock Wizard Games
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Demonologist" is a dark, fast-paced first-person shooter where you play as a powerful exorcist. Battle against hordes of hellish demons using an arsenal of weapons and occult powers. Chain together combos and strategic spells to survive intense encounters in this adrenaline-fueled, supernatural thriller.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- graphics1,254 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Demonologist" have received widespread praise for their stunning quality, often described as superior to those in "Phasmophobia," thanks to the use of Unreal Engine 5. Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere created by the detailed visuals and sound design, which enhance the horror experience. However, some users have noted performance issues and graphical glitches, suggesting that while the aesthetics are impressive, the game's optimization and gameplay mechanics still require improvement.
“The graphics are simply stunning and what really brings this game to life.”
“Demonologist boasts breathtakingly beautiful visuals that transport you into a meticulously crafted world.”
“The graphics are great, the atmosphere is creepy and the level design is just beautiful and very detailed.”
“It just looks bad, like there was no thought put into the aesthetics of it, and well it just looks soulless...”
“Terrible performance, even in low graphics.”
“The graphics look nothing like the trailer even with everything on max settings, the game is nothing like any of the trailers either.”
- gameplay1,140 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Demonologist" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its similarities to "Phasmophobia" in terms of mechanics, such as ghost hunting and evidence gathering. While some appreciate the game's graphics and the addition of unique features like exorcism mechanics, others criticize it for being repetitive, lacking depth, and having unoptimized controls. Overall, the cooperative gameplay can be engaging and fun, especially with friends, but many feel that the game needs more content and refinement to enhance the overall experience.
“The gameplay is tense and exciting, especially when playing with friends.”
“The game's immersive storyline, combined with its challenging gameplay mechanics, makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking an enthralling and rewarding gaming experience.”
“Demonologist is a thrilling and immersive experience that masterfully combines the dark arts of demonology with intense, strategic gameplay.”
“Boring and repetitive, no sense of progression, same ghost events, too slow gameplay, voice recognition not always working.”
“The gameplay is mostly just 'waiting around simulator.' The evidence gathering for the ghosts is slow and felt clunky, and to be honest, the actual 'hunts' are not exactly something of interest.”
“The biggest downside to the game in its current state is that the gameplay loop is repetitive.”
- atmosphere530 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Demonologist" is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, enhanced by stunning graphics and effective sound design. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a genuinely spooky environment, with many noting that it surpasses similar titles like "Phasmophobia" in terms of atmospheric depth and tension. However, some critiques mention that the reliance on scripted jump scares can diminish the overall suspense after repeated playthroughs.
“The atmosphere is amazing, the rooms and decor are amazing.”
“The spine-tingling atmosphere, eerie visuals, and bone-chilling sound effects create an immersive experience that keeps me on the edge of my seat.”
“This game excels in creating an atmosphere that's undeniably eerie and foreboding.”
“Unfortunately for them, the atmosphere in this game is lifeless once you see through the charade.”
“Lacks any immersion and the goofy events every minute take out any form of suspense or atmosphere.”
“There is absolutely no atmosphere; the game decides to not focus on the very thing that makes scary games but instead tries to be very quiet and get you with super poorly rendered jump-scares that happen in the same spots every time.”
- story394 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a rich tapestry of lore and mini-narratives embedded within each map, enhancing the overall experience for players who enjoy uncovering hidden tales. However, many reviewers noted that while the overarching story and individual map narratives are intriguing, the gameplay often feels repetitive and grind-heavy, detracting from the narrative immersion. Additionally, some players expressed frustration with specific story elements, such as poorly executed side quests and the need for extensive grinding to access deeper story content.
“I love the fact that this game has an overarching story and all the maps have lore behind them; it adds depth to the things going on around you.”
“Each case I investigated had its own unique and terrifying backstory, making me eager to uncover more.”
“The game's immersive storyline, combined with its challenging gameplay mechanics, makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking an enthralling and rewarding gaming experience.”
“Another criticism is the 'Susie storyline.' One of the secrets of the game is a badly written, badly told story about a mad person called Susie, and you have to go back and forth between the most expensive safehouse and the asylum map reading exhaustive notes.”
“In summary, it's a fun take on the ghost hunting experience with the coolest map integrated stories, but the amount of time it takes to reach that story paired with the inconsistent nature of the gameplay, along with the amount of bugs and disconnecting issues, I cannot recommend this game.”
“Jumpscares become repetitive and predictable long before even reaching level 2, and the cost of new equipment means you barely will be able to obtain any new gear at all, leaving you stuck with only the most basic of tools given to you each mission.”
- stability288 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, loading issues, and various glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these bugs, many express frustration over the unplayable state it often reaches, particularly after recent updates. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with calls for developers to address these persistent issues to improve the experience.
“Was great, not too buggy, the scares were scary.”
“Not very often when things don't pop up, seems relatively bug free.”
“Other than that the game is fun and runs great and I'm excited to see future tools, ghosts, jump scares, and awesome ways to exorcise the ghost!”
“As a massive fan of Phasmophobia, I saw videos of this game and got really excited to try it myself. I bought it for me and my friend, and while we can get to the base just fine, as soon as we try to load into a map, the game just completely freezes or crashes. My computer is not weak; I can run games like BG3 just fine, so I find this very frustrating and upsetting since we were so excited to play. Hopefully, the game runs one day for us, but for now, it just sits in my library.”
“From frequent crashes to game-breaking glitches, attempting to navigate through this title is an exercise in frustration.”
“Sadly, the full game is almost unplayable right now compared to the demo. The lack of consistency with the performance, freezes, loading under the map, memory leak, and mic function breaking halfway through seems to coincide with recent complaints and mine.”
- grinding272 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 87 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive. Unlocking new maps and leveling up requires players to replay the same content multiple times, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration, especially for newcomers. While some players enjoy the game with friends, the overall consensus is that the grind detracts significantly from the enjoyment and pacing of the experience.
“Feels very good progressing through the maps, making you want to at least max out all your gear as well (not too grindy).”
“Better than Phasmophobia, it is a pretty scary game fun with friends. There is a lot to do, different maps, and cool features. The game is grindy but not too grindy.”
“The jump scares and secrets of the maps are really cool, but we want to try the new map. Forget it, I'm not grinding for level 15 to try it.”
“It was fine for the first hour and then afterwards it just got boring because of how long it took to get to the next maps. You have to get to level 3 to unlock the next 2 maps; otherwise, you can only play 1 map and it takes about 8 correctly guessed games to get to level 3. The grinding is absolutely horrendous.”
“The game for some inexplicable reason has locked you out of maps and expects you to level through to unlock more, which would be fair enough if not for the absurd amount of grinding required.”
“You can't do the optional objectives because you can't buy the gear, so you're stuck trying to get the money together to afford anything, while tediously grinding out the same map over and over again.”
- humor212 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is predominantly highlighted as a shared experience, with players finding it extremely funny when playing with friends, especially during moments of panic and jump scares. Many reviews emphasize that the game is best enjoyed in co-op mode, where the combination of fear and laughter creates memorable moments, often leading to uncontrollable laughter at each other's reactions. While some players note that the humor can diminish when playing solo, the overall consensus is that the game offers a hilarious and entertaining experience, particularly in group settings.
“One of the most fun and funny games I've ever played with friends.”
“My friends and I always have a huge laugh when someone gets super scared, or when the ghost is chasing us in funny ways.”
“It's really fun to play with friends because no one can pretend to not be scared... and it can be funny when you hear them scream at the top of their lungs!”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
- optimization188 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, crashes, and lag, particularly after recent updates. While some users noted improvements in graphics and performance, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it difficult to recommend in its current state. Players are hopeful for future updates to address these critical optimization problems.
“The beauty of the locations is simply amazing and at the same time the optimization is also at the highest level, everything works smoothly and without lag.”
“This game has good bones and great optimization to match.”
“The atmosphere and sound effects are amazing, and the graphics, along with the very well optimized game make for an amazing experience, especially with friends!”
“The game's optimization is terrible.”
“One of the worst optimized games I have ever played.”
“It's so poorly optimized, it's a waste of money in its current state, which is really disappointing because this game looked really promising and I've wanted to play it with my friends for a while.”
- replayability90 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it offers some fresh experiences through randomly generated elements and multiple outcomes, it falls short compared to competitors like Phasmophobia. Many players find it enjoyable for a limited number of playthroughs, but repetitive puzzles and a lack of content diminish its long-term appeal. Overall, it is considered fun and engaging, especially with friends, but improvements are needed to enhance replay value significantly.
“With fun choices and a branching storyline, Demonologist offers depth and replayability.”
“The replay value for me is high; I love jumping in for a few hunts with friends or even alone.”
“Other unique events like a child running into your room, a child running across the hallway in front of you, and many jumpscare areas are also completely random, and will take multiple playthroughs just to see the full extent of each level, making replayability so good for the horror aspect!”
“The emphasis on jumpscares seems more suited to a one-and-done type game, rather than the replayable experience this game is trying to be.”
“Worst of all is these puzzles have no replay value; it's just the same painful chores over and over.”
“However, unlike Phasmophobia, this game doesn't have the replayability factor like its competitor.”
- music66 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is often described as minimal, with a focus on ambient sounds that enhance the eerie atmosphere rather than traditional musical scores. Players appreciate the immersive audio cues, such as footsteps and whispers, which contribute to the game's tension, while some find the lobby music out of place. Overall, the combination of atmospheric sound design and subtle musical elements effectively draws players into the game's haunting environments.
“The atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the on-screen action, immersing you deeper into the game's world.”
“The game's hauntingly beautiful environments and eerie soundtrack create a truly immersive experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.”
“The realistic graphics, the music, and ambient sounds make it incredibly immersive.”
“A quiet, dark place where something is stalking me is way scarier than loud chair slamming into the wall while music blasts in your ears...”
“Game is fun no doubt but at least right now it's so flawed; mainly hunts and dying come out of nowhere with no music cue, and it just claps you. If they add a noise, maybe it would be bearable.”
“It plays random bad rap and EDM songs that just seem super out of place in this type of game.”
- emotional52 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, often highlighting moments of laughter and tears, with some even describing it as a deeply moving experience. The sense of community and emotional support among players enhances the overall experience, making it memorable despite some technical issues. Overall, the game successfully evokes strong emotional responses, from joy to heartache, contributing to its appeal.
“Ngl this game almost made me cry... it was very spoopy 7/10”
“This game made me cry and laugh simultaneously with my friends.”
“As players embark on their journey to battle demons, they are immediately drawn into a world filled with mystery, adventure, and emotional connections.”
- monetization34 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers feeling it was rushed to market to capitalize on the popularity of similar titles. Players express frustration over the lack of transparency from the developers and the perception that the game is unfinished and unsupported, leading to skepticism about its long-term viability. While some are open to microtransactions for cosmetic items, the overall sentiment leans heavily towards disappointment in the game's monetization approach.
“This means players can be enticed to spend real money on in-game purchases, such as virtual items or enhancements, to gain a competitive edge or progress faster.”
“I, for one, do not mind microtransactions for cosmetics for the avatars in the game, and that's something that could seriously fund the continuation of this game.”
“This game is just a cash grab and is another haunt chaser with a different name that the devs are slowly abandoning after getting their money.”
“Currently the game doesn't feel like much more than a cash grab riding the coop, find the spooky thing, rinse repeat, hype train.”
“This just feels like a quick, unfinished, cash grab.”
- character development10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and craftsmanship, allowing players to form a genuine emotional connection with the characters. The intricate designs and immersive environments enhance this experience, making the storyline and character arcs feel compelling and engaging. Overall, the meticulous attention to detail contributes significantly to the players' investment in the characters' fates.
“The character development is well-crafted, making players genuinely care about the fate of the in-game personas.”
“Intriguing storyline and character development.”
“Whether it's the vibrant landscapes, intricate character designs, or the subtle lighting effects, everything feels meticulously handcrafted, drawing you further into the game's immersive universe.”
