Demon Lord: Just a Block Review

Demon Lord: Just a Block begins at the point where most RPGs end. A party of heroes has just vanquished the titular Demon Lord, bringing peace to the kingdom… Or perhaps not, because the disembodied head of the deceased big bad has now come back to life and is embarking on a quest to get revenge.

As games about evil sentient skull heads go, Demon Lord: Just a Block adopts a light and comical tone. This may be a revenge story, but it’s also one about throwing bats (of the winged variety, not the baseball kind) at your opponents until they can take no more, and defeating knights who swing giant cartoonish haunches of mutton at you. Let’s see how this game about blocks stacks up.

Blocks and Battles

Demon Lord is a roguelite dungeon crawler that’s almost, but not entirely, turn-based. Every level is a grid that you’ll gradually bounce your way through, battling enemies and collecting upgrades as you go. Every time you take an action, the other characters in the dungeon all act as well, but you’re given a few moments to respond, allowing you to duck and weave out of danger or (as is sometimes the case) leap inadvertently from safety straight into the line of fire. It takes a bit of getting used to the hybrid gameplay system here, but you’ll gradually grow out of your bad habits and improve your dodging and parrying skills.

To use another game as a reference point, Demon Lord: Just A Block plays similarly to Crypt of the Necrodancer, except it’s amelodic. You don’t have to time your movements to the beat; you can dodge and attack at your own pace.

Saving Some Souls

Souls are the currency of the blocky world of this game… Well, gold pieces are technically the currency, but you lose all of your gold when you die, while the souls you’ve gathered stick with you. After failing a run, you can exchange these souls for a variety of boons and bonuses to make your next attempt just a little bit easier. All of these upgrades are separated into different tiers, and you have to complete each tier before you can move on to the next.

At times, this tier system makes your progression feel a bit sluggish. Your advances are gated, and not every upgrade has been designed to be equal. You’re probably going to snap up attack boosts right away, while leaving some of the drier bonuses, like those that help you pick up items from further away, as long as you can. Still, this tiering system is probably a necessary evil, since it prevents you from just immediately creating a monstrously min-maxed demon head and tearing your way through everything in your path.

Equipment and Enemies 

There are several different weapons available, and swapping between them adds a splash of variety to repeat runs. Wielding a colossal great sword, which requires multiple turns per swing, feels markedly different from using the roguish dagger that deals more damage when striking opponents from behind. There’s an impressive amount of choice on offer, and while there’s definitely a power disparity separating the strongest options from their weaker counterparts, the game succeeds at making all of its weapons meaningfully alter the way that you approach combat.

Demon Lord: Just A Block features a partially randomised selection of bosses for you to batter your way through. At their best, these bosses reward you for careful strategizing and mixing up your playstyle to bring them down. There’s a villainous version of the Snake from Snake, which takes more damage when thoughtfully approached and attacked in a certain spot. At their blandest, some of the bosses feel like damage sponges with attacks that are telegraphed too readily, allowing you to apply pressure without truly feeling threatened.

Conclusion

If you’re up for a slapstick roguelite romp, Demon Lord: Just A Block definitely delivers. Yes, you’re a villain, aiming to plunge the world into darkness and resume your reign of terror, but in a sort of kooky cartoon-baddy way. There’s a little bit of
Triumph Studios’ Overlord in the game’s presentation of its evil, but far from awful, lead.

The variety of weapons and builds available ensures that each of your runs feels fresh and that you’re not just looping the same strategies. The boss battles can be hit or miss, and upgrading your character takes a bit longer than it possibly should, but there’s a level of charm here that’s just undeniable. You certainly won’t regret blitzing through this blocky adventure.

Demon Lord: Just a Block is available on Steam for $12.99 (£10.99).