Demon King Box Review

Demon King Box Review Screenshot 1

Circle Entertainment has lots of thoroughly underwhelming games on the Nintendo eShop and Demon King Box is yet another extremely mediocre title. Demon King Box pegs itself as an RPG with RTS elements. In reality it is merely a lane strategy game with some poor character and hero upgrades. This seemingly purposeful miscommunication of genres does nothing to endear me to the game and the unnecessary use of a breasts on the thumbnail icon just frustrates me further. Here is why Demon King Box is a rubbish game.

First off we have the writing. The game is full of chonky conversations that read as it they are standalone sentences and instead of two character talking to each other. The basic plot of the game is that the Demon King was sealed in a box by humanity and has now been released and is going around gaining favour with all the other demons in the realm in order to become king again. You’ll be gathering an army that includes the likes of Pigs, Nighelves and Maids.

Demon King Box Review Screenshot 2

The game is clearly trying to go for the same whimsical humour and cartoony world that has made the Disagea series a success, but fails horribly with very little of the conversations actual having any point other than telling to beat this level or well done you completed that level. The waste of time plot and drivel spouted by each character makes me want to not play this game and I haven’t even gotten onto the gameplay or upgrades.

During each level you will have 3 lanes separating you and your opponent. You can drag and drop you minions into one of these lanes and they will trot off down towards the enemy. All the while your foe is doing the same and placing their own ‘demon pets’ (as the game calls them) and watching them jog towards you. When the two factions meet they will start hitting each other. The top screen shows the characters and all their animations and health bars and the bottom an overview of where each unit in each lane.

This next part really frustrated me and it is probably less of an issue for those who are right-handed, but it is really annoying to drag on drop units and then use the analogue stick to move the top screen at the same time. My cack-handed limitations aside, this stops being an issue when you realise that the top screen is essentially just a prettier version of the bottom screen and really all you need to do is watch one coloured dot run towards another and ignore the animations happening up top.

Demon King Box Review Screenshot 3

All of the levels are just throwing as many units into each lane and watching them win. Sure you can choose an opportune moment to use your ‘Demon Gods’ special ability, but even with this the whole this is so thoroughly boring you might was well watch paint dry. At least paint doesn’t pretend to be an RPG with RTS elements, it is just paint.

This brings me rather unfortunately to upgrades. Every time you beat an enemy they inexplicably drop some food that can be fed to your ‘Demon Gods’ and ‘Demon Pets’ to upgrade them. Each gives a specific number of experience points. Feed a unit enough food and it levels up gaining better numbers and perhaps a new ability. This is the entire level up and RPG system. It is quite simply pathetic. So, Demon King Box? Should you buy it? Is it good? The short answer is no.

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Nintendo 3DS code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the latest game reviews, news, features, and more straight to your inbox