Book of Demons is a Diablo-like hack and slash game developed by developer Thing Trunk.
Book of Demons pop-up Diablo
Polish developer Thing Trunk wants to reinvent classic games from the golden age of PC gaming. It is planned that the Return2Games series will consist of a total of seven games that will not only give the veterans a nostalgia kick, but will also attract a whole new audience. Book of Demons is the first in the series to feature hack-and-slash gameplay that pays homage to Diablo.
The pop-up world
The series is set in the Paperverse, an enchanting land of pop-up bookscapes and paper-thin characters. The characters are nicely illustrated, with limited animation and the atmosphere is that of a children's puppet theater. The inspiration comes from Diablo, but the style and gameplay is more light-hearted and forgiving.
The Abandoned City
The quest begins in an abandoned town where the only inhabitants are a healer, a barmaid, a sage and a fortune teller. Everyone else fled to escape the Archdemon's wrath. Everyone except our hero. He takes on the burden of saving the day. You can exchange gossip with these characters, and if you add silver to their pockets, they can be persuaded to help you in various ways.
away from the village
After leaving the village, the only option is to explore the basement of the city's cathedral. You will soon discover that the gossip is true and that a demon lurks in the maze of corridors, preparing meals of human flesh for his master. You work your way down. The next stop is the Catacombs, where an army of the dead was revived by the Anti-Pope. The last port of call is Hell itself for a showdown with the Archdemon.
The tutorial
Carefully crafted, the tutorial uses waypoints to guide you through a level. Each point of interest opens an explanation window with clear examples. It's not a difficult game to understand, but this well-done introduction gives you full confidence in the designers and gets you excited for the hack-and-slash part.
Follow the footprints
Navigation is simplified with the inclusion of a mini-map and footprints, allowing for easy tracking of your path. A checklist of valuable items and their surroundings ensures that no loot goes unlooted. One particularly useful type of treasure is item cards. These can often be found on bookshelves and can be plugged into any free slots.
your cards
You'll soon have more cards than slots, but luckily you can pay the sage to open additional slots. There are three types of cards: items, spells, and artifacts. Items, like healing potions, have limited doses but can be refilled by the fortune teller.
spells
Spells require mana and artifacts to cast. They provide passive benefits. You have to pay the sage to identify some cards. The fortune teller uses runes to increase a card's level. Even during combat, you can still juggle cards between slots, giving you extra flexibility.
who do you play
Initially, the only choice is to play as a sword-wielding warrior, but later you can unlock a bow-armed villain and a wizard. The procedurally generated isometric dungeons adopt a single-tap approach, moving your target hero through mostly linear corridors. Your character will stop at intersections and a quick tap will also stop him.
Attack on enemies
One tap attacks enemies, opens chests, examines traits, and pretty much anything else you desire. Once an enemy is selected, your character will continue to attack automatically, but you have the option to tap and hold to speed up the attack. Some enemies are heavily armored or cast spells. You must focus your initial attacks on destroying these attributes before you start dealing damage.
The challenge
Despite its accessibility, Book of Demons still offers a great challenge. There are three levels of difficulty. In deeper dungeon levels, enemies will attack you with spells. When things get too messy it's tempting to tap wildly and hope for the best, but it's usually best to exercise a little more caution.
The monsters
Some monsters carry shields or get really angry if you attack them too quickly. Others explode in poison clouds or fall from above, stunning you for a short time. Don't let the bosses' rather silly names fool you either, they can also be formidable opponents with their own special abilities. Most have multiple tiers, sometimes they are linked to other enemies that must be defeated first, or they have their own invulnerable spheres of influence. It adds a bit more depth to the central mechanic.
The level of difficulty
Things never get frustratingly difficult. There are many ways to visit the numerous wells that restore health and mana. Death doesn't have to be final either. Reach the point of your doom, marked by a tombstone, and all your progress can be reclaimed. The developers really tried to make the game as accessible as possible. Their Flexiscope system even allows players to adjust the length of the game while ensuring a rewarding mix of challenges and loot, whatever your time constraints.
Conclusion
Book of Demons is much more than first impressions suggest. It can feel a little repetitive and automated at times, but thoughtful design choices help maintain interest. Featuring three distinctly different characters, each with their own signature cards and three levels of difficulty, the game certainly guarantees replay even after you've completed your first run. The game is a considered and worthy homage to the action role-playing game genre.