Be-Rad Entertainment’s Demon’s Mirror nonchalantly blends a mix of different sub-genres of games. It’s a deck-building that mixes grid puzzle mechanics that builds on turn-based combat. On paper, this may sound a bit too much, but it works. Both, in its gameplay and art direction. It’s a breath of fresh air in a world of puzzle games that fool a player’s sense of familiarity, no thanks to fancy cutscenes and basic puzzle-solving that builds on the foundation of games that came before.
I’m delighted to say that Demon’s Mirror has successfully proven that experimenting with different sub-genres of game design can prove to be extremely rewarding, although sometimes “too much talent” can be a problematic promise for players who are new to certain game mechanics.
Demon’s Mirror arrives on PC this Summer.
Demon’s Mirror Is a Jack of All Trades, Master of Some
The least complicated part of Demon’s Mirror is the story it tells. You’re in a world of chaos, trying to bring back a sense of peace and balance. How do you do this? By playing cards, of course! You’re given a deck of cards (with lovely artwork on them) that performs a special ability when played.
Some of these shield your health; a quality I was extremely fond of when facing the boss at the end, while others help you buff your attacks and be smarter than your enemies. However, deck building is just part of the play here. On the right side of the screen is a neat table that plays something like Bejeweled or Puzzle Quest. You drag your mouse across a set of tiles to perform an action.
It made me chuckle how this game reminded me of those bits and pieces of my childhood when such arcade games would occupy all my time. Especially when I was busy matching tiles in a game or building a deck of cards that made me feel like the little genius that I am.
Demon’s Mirror introduces you to a range of such gameplay ideas but focuses on one central theme. Bring down the enemy’s HP as smartly and quickly as you can. Then, move on to the next set of good-for-nothing AI bots until you beat their boss.
Add to this a turn-based combat system where enemies aren’t as naive as they appear to be, and you have a unique gameplay loop that’s simply hard to put down.
A Subtle Yet Unexplored Dungeons & Dragons Narrative
As I adventured across Demon’s Mirror’s cartoonish yet daunting realm, I was introduced to a variety of choice-based scenarios and unexpected turn of events. For instance, the game asked me to choose which path I wished to take in hopes of getting closer to the final boss. Even after making a choice, I was presented with a further list of choices.
Sometimes, these decisions could lead to a battle. Other times, they would help me rest and regain some HP or let me purchase new items along with new cards for my deck. If I chose not to rest up, some of my cards would gain a buff. Overall, I could see how simple choices could lead to a long-term impact, which felt quite impressive.
Right then, it occurred to me, “Your Video Game Critic senses are tingling. Something tells you the devs wanted to work more on this, but couldn’t.” Devs, if you’re reading this, blink twice if it’s true. Write to me if you need any suggestions for this.
While it’s clear to me that Demon’s Mirror has already blended an array of arcade-esque puzzles and a choice-based narrative, there’s so much more that can be explored simply because the game’s foundation is so strong.
Online Co-op, 1v1s, and Other Possibilities
Rather than a point of critique, this is a simple suggestion. Demon’s Mirror is the game I’d show off to my friends who are fans of Slay the Spire and Puzzle Quest. However, their smiles will likely turn into frowns when I tell them, “Well, we can’t really play this together!”
As fun and adventurous as the game is by itself, I truly believe this would be an adventure twice as fun when played with friends. In every battle where I was breaking my head over which cards, buffs, or debuffs to play next, I wondered how fun it would be to have a co-op buddy who could suggest their own set of cards.
I would also love to see Demon’s Mirror on smaller screens for the simple reason that it’s a game you can pick up and play without having to pour hours into it. At the same time, Demon’s Mirror is also highly addictive once you get a sense of its deckbuilding mechanics.
Being an absolute amateur in the world of deck building games, I would have appreciated a better tutorial. There’s one in the game, but it introduces you to everything, almost all at once. Rather, a step-by-step approach could work better where two battles worked as introductory sessions. One for the deck building and another for grid manipulation mechanics.
Keeping aside these little complaints and optimism for more ways of playing, Demon’s Mirror is in a place of potential. It’s exciting, it’s fun and it runs without any bugs or glitches on the PC. This is a game that improves with more players and even more content.
