Demonschool on Xbox: A Semester of Spooks and Strategy

When you first boot up Demonschool on Xbox, it doesn’t feel like a typical tactics RPG. Instead of throwing you straight into menus and stat sheets, it greets you with a strange, stylish world that feels equal parts haunted campus and Saturday morning cartoon gone wrong. The game is the brainchild of Necrosoft Games, a small but ambitious studio known for experimenting with genre mash‑ups and offbeat aesthetics. They’ve built a reputation for creating titles that don’t just play differently, but look and feel different, often leaning into retro inspirations while twisting them into something new. Partnering with Ysbryd Games as publisher, the same team that helped bring cult favourites like VA‑11 HALL‑A to a wider audience, Demonschool arrives with a pedigree of indie creativity and a promise of stylish weirdness.

What makes Demonschool stand out isn’t just its tactical combat or retro visuals, but the way its story tries to weave everyday campus life into a supernatural nightmare. You step into the shoes of Faye, a young woman who carries the weight of her family’s demon‑hunting legacy. Her arrival at Hemsk Island’s college feels deceptively ordinary at first with lectures, friendships, awkward social encounters, but the island itself is steeped in unease. Shadows linger too long, professors seem a little too eccentric, and the line between reality and the demon world is constantly fraying.

The games narrative unfolds like a semester abroad gone wrong. You manage your time between classes, friendships, and demon‑hunting duties. Each day offers choices: do you spend time bonding with a classmate, pursue a romantic subplot, or prepare for the next mission? These decisions affect relationships and unlock new abilities, giving the social side of the game real mechanical weight. This calendar‑driven rhythm gives the story a dual identity. On one hand, it’s a slice‑of‑life comedy about quirky students navigating exams and relationships. On the other, it’s a horror‑tinged mystery where every social interaction feels like a reprieve before the next demonic incursion.

What’s refreshing is the tone. The writing leans into campy humour and exaggerated personalities, almost like a spooky cartoon from the 90s. Characters banter, crack jokes, and occasionally stumble into heartfelt moments, though the game rarely lingers long enough to dig deep into emotional arcs.

Hemsk Island itself becomes a character in the story. Its eerie atmosphere of part seaside town, part haunted campus sets the stage for both comedy and dread. You’re never quite sure if you’re in a safe space or about to be ambushed by something grotesque. That tension keeps the story moving, even when the plot beats themselves aren’t particularly complex.

At its heart, Demonschool is a tactical RPG that strips away some of the genre’s heavier mechanics in favour of a more streamlined, puzzle‑like approach. Battles take place on grid‑based maps, but instead of juggling endless stats and equipment, the focus is on positioning, combos, and timing. Each turn feels like solving a small tactical riddle: move your characters into place, line up attacks, and trigger chain reactions that can wipe out enemies in stylish fashion. It’s less about grinding levels and more about thinking a few moves ahead.

The combat system is built around simplicity whilst keeping the depth. Every character has a distinct role, some excel at close‑range strikes, others at ranged support or crowd control and the fun comes from combining their abilities. For example, pushing an enemy into another character’s attack zone can trigger a combo, or setting up a chain of moves can clear the board in one satisfying sweep. This design keeps battles brisk, often lasting just a few minutes, but even with the shorter battles you still have room to play around with experimentation.

Pros

• Accessible, puzzle-like combat that rewards clever positioning and combos.

• Distinctive retro-inspired visuals with a spooky cartoon flair.

• A large, quirky cast of characters and dating sim-style social elements.

• Soundtrack and art direction that create a unique, memorable atmosphere.

Cons

• Writing can feel shallow, with humour overshadowing meaningful character arcs.

• Combat, while stylish, lacks the “crunch” and weight of genre heavyweights.

• Pacing issues in the narrative, with uneven story progression.

• Minor technical hiccups and bugs reported at launch.

Demonschool is best described as a stylish, approachable tactics RPG that thrives on its eccentric personality. It’s not trying to compete with the mechanical complexity of XCOM or the emotional depth of Persona 5, but rather to offer something lighter, quirkier, and more visually distinct. For players who enjoy accessible strategy games with a strong sense of style, it’s a refreshing addition to the genre. The social elements, while not as fleshed out as they could be, still provide charm and variety, and the combat is consistently fun even if it doesn’t reach the tactical heights of its inspirations.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)

Demonschool is available now!