It always amused me, watching Buffy on TV, that nobody else in the school seemed to be aware of what was going on. Buffy and her friends were off slaying vampires and demons and investigating strange happenings that mysteriously occurred repeatedly in this one school, but her peers remained seemingly oblivious. At least, until that prom episode where they finally bothered to thank her.
Demonschool
Publisher: Ysbryd GamesDeveloper: Necrosoft GamesAvailability: Out 13th September, 2024Download the demo on: Steam
There’s a similar occurrence in Demonschool, except here it’s baked into the narrative. There are demons at school – surprise(!), unless the name gave it away – but none of the students are aware, their minds wiped of any and all knowledge. It’s up to a crack team of demon slaying students with special powers to thwart their teachers and find out why.
Demonschool is a blend of 90s vibes and Buffy-esque storytelling with Persona-inspired gameplay and tactical combat. It’s playful, funny, nostalgic, and spooky in equal measure and I can’t wait for the full release on 13th September, even if it’s on a Friday. But there’s no reason to be alarmed!
The main character is student Faye, the last remaining demon hunter who leads with her high-kicking feet. She recruits a number of schoolkids to her cause who each awaken to their demon-hunting powers: so far that’s the nerdy Knute, the bookish Namako, and the trademark lovable himbo Destin, though the final game will include 15 playable characters in total. There’s even a foppish professor helping them out.