Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Demise: Rise of the Ku’Tan delivers a deeply involved gameplay loop that marries classic rogue-like mechanics with a modern first-person RPG interface. You begin by creating your hero—choosing from nine distinct races, each with unique resistances, stat bonuses, and even variable eye heights that change your in-dungeon viewpoint. From there, you can join up to twelve different guilds, learning and combining diverse skill sets, though experience is earned in only one guild per excursion.

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Once your party ventures into the sealed mines of Dejanol, the core loop of dungeon exploration, questing, and combat unfolds in a sprawling 25-level labyrinth. The fixed map design allows for elaborately handcrafted areas and memorable set-pieces, rather than procedurally generated corridors. Real-time combat keeps the tension high—you attack, cast spells, or use items on the fly, but the game also offers a strategic pause option to reassess and reissue orders.

Quests are plentiful and varied: guild elders assign you to slay particular monsters or retrieve rare artifacts, while Lord Gherrick tasks you with investigating the source of the demon incursion. A town Seer can hint at monster lairs or hidden treasures, though her insights come at a steep gold price and are never guaranteed. Failure isn’t trivial—if a character dies in the depths, you must bring another hero to recover the fallen comrade’s corpse or hire townsfolk to do the job.

Multiplayer further enriches the experience by allowing up to four players to team up online. Each player controls a single character but shares a common dungeon map and loot pool, promoting collaboration. The demo version offers the first five levels for free, while the full release adds the remaining 20 levels and self-hosting support for private servers.

Graphics

For a game inspired by late-80s rogue-likes, Demise’s visuals are surprisingly robust, featuring fully textured 3D corridors, dynamic lighting, and atmospheric effects such as flickering torches and groping shadows. Character models and monster designs strike a fine balance between nostalgic pixel-art charm and the polygon counts expected of late 1990s PC titles.

The first-person view benefits from race-dependent eye heights: a towering Giant peers over the tops of crates, while a stocky Dwarf must crouch to see low-hanging stalactites. This subtle detail not only affects immersion but occasionally influences which vantage points you can use in combat or exploration. Inventory screens and character sheets are laid out cleanly, with colorful icons for each guild skill and equipment type.

Spell effects and environmental hazards add visual variety to long dungeon crawls. Ice spells glaze entire rooms, fireballs scorch walls, and phosphorescent fungi cast an eerie glow on winding passageways. Even the town of Dejanol’s surface areas receive considerable attention, from the ornate guild halls to the bustling public square filled with NPCs and quest boards.

While ages have passed since its release, Demise’s art direction holds up through careful use of textures and a coherent aesthetic. The game’s modest system requirements—paired with an optional demo—make it accessible for modern players seeking a retro-style adventure without sacrificing graphical flair.

Story

The narrative framework of Demise unfolds around the mysterious demon siege of Dejanol’s Mythinite mines. Once the primary source of the rare mineral needed for magic and craftsmanship, the mines were abruptly overrun by demonic forces before being sealed away. The guilds reclaimed the surface town, but rumors of deeper, more sinister activity have prompted Lord Gherrick’s summons for brave souls to delve into the darkness.

As you advance, each dungeon level reveals more about the malevolent force at work—a resurrected fallen god known as the Ku’Tan. You encounter cryptic inscriptions, twisted cultists, and restless spirits that shed light on the mine’s tragic past. Multi-tiered quests from guild masters and the Lord himself gradually coax the story into focus, blending personal character arcs with the grand struggle against infernal corruption.

NPC interactions are more than quest triggers: some monsters can converse with you if you know their language, offering insights or even temporary alliances. These narrative flourishes reward exploration and encourage you to invest in diverse skill trees to unlock new dialogue options. The town Seer’s prophecies add an air of uncertainty, as her visions occasionally mislead, reinforcing the sense that the world of Demise is alive and only partly understood.

While the central plot drives you toward the ultimate showdown with the Ku’Tan, side quests and guild assignments often introduce their own mini-stories—rescuing trapped miners, recovering stolen heirlooms, or exploring abandoned forges. Altogether, the narrative depth is impressive for a game whose roots lie in grid-based rogue-likes.

Overall Experience

Demise: Rise of the Ku’Tan stands out as a masterful fusion of old-school dungeon crawling and modern RPG sensibilities. Its steep learning curve may intimidate newcomers, but the reward of multi-guild character builds, challenging real-time combat, and a massive handcrafted dungeon is well worth the investment. The permadeath elements add stakes to every decision, while the option to back up saves—though intentionally cumbersome—offers a safety net for the overly cautious.

Cooperative play brings a fresh level of excitement, as party members can combine complementary guild skills to tackle difficult areas. The shared map and loot encourage genuine teamwork, and hosting your own server ensures you can customize the difficulty and player count to suit your group. Even in single-player mode, the town’s bustling economy, dynamic quests, and NPC personalities make Dejanol feel like a living hub.

The game’s replayability is virtually endless: with nine races, a dozen guilds, and near-limitless leveling potential, you can craft wildly different heroes. Randomized loot spawns and non-hostile monsters that can be bargained with add unpredictability to each excursion. Whether you’re a veteran seeking a hardcore challenge or a newcomer drawn by the promise of epic loot and demon-slaying glory, Demise offers a rich, engrossing world.

In the end, despite its age, Demise: Rise of the Ku’Tan remains a shining example of how deep systems, engaging storytelling, and cooperative multiplayer can revitalize a classic genre. For players craving a serious dungeon-crawler with minimal handholding and maximum depth, Demise is well worth delving into.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10