Demoniaca: Everlasting Night PS5 Review: Demonic

Isee many titles influencing Demoniaca: Everlasting Night – both video games and perhaps even manga like Berserk. It could essentially be another super retro title like Okinawa Rush. Alas, this Eastasiasoft release made me more berserk than anything.

Let’s be clear: I don’t think I’ve ever denounced a game and discouraged anyone from seeking one out. That’s not going to happen here either, but this game has many divisive traits, so I’m going to be Harold the Herald and tell you as much as I can.

The setup is straightforward enough. Demons have shown up, flexed some muscle, and left our hero for dead. With all the wounds she’s endured, both her blood and the demons have made blood babies, and now she’s a badass. Ish. 

Demoniaca: Everlasting Night is an unusual game in that it’s a Metroidvania in the style of a beat ’em up. I have to say that I wasn’t that impressed with the visuals, but they’re so unique that there isn’t much out there like it. Take a cookie. But it’s the animation that’s a standout as it’s very much like King of Fighters, where the animated frames are minimalist.

The demons are absolute bastards and creating their own Tower of Babel, so she goes in to duff them up. There is some initial handholding with a Roblox-like sage that hints at the moves and riches available, occasionally making an MK-like cameo shouting “Toasty!” each time you perform a critical hit. There are a lot of moves to unlock, but like a typical fighter, there’s a command list option from the menu.

On the PS5 controller, square and triangle are kicks, and cross and circle are reserved for punches. Already that’s a little counterintuitive for most, but so L1 for the indispensable map, L2 (a pointless) block, R1 for inventory, and R2 is jump. No matter how hard I tried, I’d continually press the wrong buttons for jumping, mix punches with kicks, and frequently press the shoulder buttons due to that muscle memory of other fighting games. Unfortunately, there aren’t any options to change this setup.

Pressing R2 to jump was hard work, but the actual jumping was worse. One of those influences I alluded to at the start was the original Ninja Gaiden – yep, I’m going to say I hated that. She’ll jump and stick to every wall without fail as if wearing a suit made of Velcro. The only way to counter this is by performing perfect, calculated jumps, but there are usually enemies on the platform, and collision will create a colossal knockback, often sending you down a floor or two. 

These knockbacks were unbearable in some areas, especially with the first boss, as it was almost impossible not to incur a knockback from projectiles, toxic floors or their actual attacks. Yes, I rage quit. There was no satisfaction in these sections whatsoever. If you’re inclined to do so, there’s ample opportunity to grind areas endlessly to level up. The RPG element is where the Demoniaca: Everlasting Night gets it right.

Levelling up in Demoniaca: Everlasting Night works like any other game, but she can also pick up a wealth of equipment that adjusts stats. I got two pieces that regenerated health very early on, and they were the only things keeping me in the boss battles. These drops were so frequent that it’s possible to find a good setup up early on, but do note that a lot of them have some insane debuffs too.

Yes, there are fair difficulty settings, but it’s the fundamental wrestling of controls – jumping and button placement and kickbacks that spoiled my experience. A ‘good’ demon can be summoned to help with attacks, but the AI is abysmal, so it’s best to get someone else to pick up a controller and play co-op.

I was disappointed with Demoniaca: Everlasting Night as it has so much potential and is a unique game with many ambitious ideas. The visuals grew on me, and the soundtrack was good while a little repetitive. There was mention of mature erotica in the press release, but it’s just boobs a la Heavy Metal. It’s nothing shocking or tantalising, but that’s subjective. If you’re after something seedier, try Lust From Beyond or perhaps House Party. Then again, the former is likely to scar you.

As for Demoniaca: Everlasting Night, don’t let me put you off, but just be forewarned about the controls. Perhaps you’ll get on with it, and I was just a bit of a nob. The Steam reviews are mostly positive, but it appears that others experienced the same thing on the PC version. It didn’t resonate with me, but I respect the concept. Weigh it up, and go check it out for yourself.