PC Gamer enrolls itself into Demonschool with its review of the school-life tactics RPG with hints of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Italian horror cinema from developer Necrosoft Games and publisher Ysbryd Games, out on November 19, 2025!
Inside me there are two wolves—Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Persona—so it’s hard for me to resist howling when ragtag bands of ’90s high schoolers kick demon tail in between pop quizzes and making out with each other. The way Demonschool weaves old-school apocalyptic vibes with tactics-based combat brought out the beast.
The real beauty of Demonschool’s battle system is the way it’s divided up into the planning and action phase. The former almost feels like I’m cheating at chess, manoeuvring step-by-step to see the consequences of my actions before they happen. I can undo moves, shuffling and sidestepping until I’ve kicked and punched as much demon scum as I can. Once I’ve strategised to my liking I can hit the button and watch the entire thing play out at once, like winding up a toy car and then letting it rip along the laminate.
Hunt gruesome devils and bosses inspired by ‘60s and ’70s Italian horror cinema and Japanese horror manga as 2D and 3D realms clash, washed in the fluorescent hues of JRPG giants like Shin Megami Tensei and Persona. Master a chess-like tactical board inspired by Into the Breach and form strategies to take down Hell’s deadliest creatures.
Map out moves in the Planning phase, utilizing classmates’ strengths to position them for success. Rewind and redo actions to perfect the turn, then move on to the Action phase to set all attacks, heals, and special powers off simultaneously. Create captivating combos when characters collide as bonds grow between the battle party.
Befriend, romance, and recruit 15 different playable characters, each with distinct abilities to strengthen the team. Debuff and stun enemies with Namako’s quick dashes, and deal heavy damage with Ti’s rock attacks. Boost the party’s skills by balancing class schedules, training, extracurriculars, side quests, and more, all while maintaining a stellar GPA.
“After a few delays, we have finally shaped Demonschool into the game we set out to create,” said Brandon Sheffield, creative director of Necrosoft Games. “We’d like to thank our audience for supporting us through the development process and can’t wait for them to fish out every little detail the island has to offer.”
Demonschool begins orientation on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on Nov. 19, 2025, with English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese language support.
Check out Ysbryd Games via its official website, follow @YsbrydGames on social media, and join fellow demon hunters on Discord. Research Necrosoft Games on its official website, Discord, and @necrosoftgames on social media.
