The Dark Eye: Demonicon takes you back to the dark, gritty universe of The Dark Eye. It plunges you into a foreboding tale where every decision you make has a major impact on the world and the people around you. You are given full control over every conversation, allowing you to shape your own destiny anyway you see fit.
Demonicon is built around a morality system where the more evil deeds you commit, the more ‘demonic’ the main character will become. You have the choice to be either good or evil; it is entirely up to the player. No matter which side you decide to play, everything in the world of Dark Eye has its own benefits. Some skill/talents can only be acquired if you are more ‘demonic’ than good.
You are restricted to specific locations even though the game has a fairly large world to explore. Normally, after completing certain events, Demonicon will show a cut scene and then send you to the next part of the story. The player is given full control over their character’s destiny, but due to the game’s limitations on exploring (which are based on story elements and specific locations), the experience can feel a bit restrictive at times.
The combat system is action-based, but it requires a little bit of finesse since button mashing is not rewarded. Racking up a perfect combo chain will grant additional demonic bonuses that will allow your character to inflict more damage. The third-person camera shows the entire battlefield as you battle your foes. Plus, the camera doesn’t suffer from awkward camera angles like some role-playing games do.
Just about everything the player does will grant them either AP (Adventure Points) or GP (Gift Points) or in some cases both. Adventure Points are basically your standard experience points that are used to level up standard skills and other talents such as your combat abilities. Gift points, on the other hand, are used to upgrade the main character’s demonic skills (i.e. abilities and magic spells). While you can’t customize your character’s appearance, you do have the ability to tailor your abilities and skills.
Some skills require you to embrace the demonic side of Chiron’s skills, while others not as much. There are multiple talent trees that contain skill-based attacks and demonic powers. You can even spend your points on building your character’s attributes.
Unlike traditional role-playing games that grant you experience points for defeating enemies, Demonicon uses a leveling system that is a bit different from your traditional RPGs. As mentioned earlier, your character can earn both Adventure points and Guild points. Adventure points can be spent on skills, special abilities and attributes, while Guild points can only be spent on your Demonic abilities.
The combat system uses a stamina bar to prevent mindless button mashing (i.e. twitch-style gameplay) from occurring. Additionally, the player has the freedom to dodge and parry incoming attacks instead of those actions being automatic. After completing a battle, you can earn both experience types to build your character. You can also gain additional experience points by the number of combos you perform.
Demonicon has a crafting system that allows you to create your own potions and to upgrade your armor and weapons. Gathering resources for crafting can be a little tedious at times, but you can find crafting material at local vendors from time to time. Besides, it’s much cheaper to craft your own health potions than purchase them from a vendor.
Unlike most role-playing games, everything you do in Demonicon has a direct impact on the story. A simple decision like saving someone’s life can alter the course of the game. Even deciding to kill someone can have a cataclysmic effect on the game’s outcome. Thanks to this feature, Demonicon’s gameplay is engaging from start to finish.
Aside from its compelling story, Demonicon offers multiple endings based on your in-game choices. This alone adds to the game’s replay value. With a story that spans 40 hours of continuous gameplay (which also includes side quests), gamers looking to invest their time in a lengthy adventure will find it well spent in Kalypso’s Demonicon.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: PC
System Requirements
Minimum:
OS: Windows XP SP3 (32bit), Windows Vista / 7 / 8
Processor: 2 GHz Dual-core
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: Dedicated DirectX 9.0c compatible graphics card with 512MB VRAM and Shader Model 4.0 support. ATI/AMD Radeon 3800 series and higher, NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT and higher
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Hard Drive: 10 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Developer: Kalypso Media Digital
Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital
ESRB: N/A
Price: $39.99
Demonicon – The Dark Eye’s Website
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Demonicon’s graphics are dark and ominous. | |
| Sound |  |
| Fantastic voice acting and gorgeously composed music. | |
| Gameplay | |
| The gameplay is a fantastic mixture of fast-paced action and strategy. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Demonicon is an in-depth RPG that includes offers multiple ending and the ability to shape and form your own destiny; what more can you ask for? It doesn't get any better next. | |
