Picture this: you've just run into the business area, fifteen minutes late for an appointment after batting aside the families and slow-walking unwashed masses in the public areas as best you can. You're sweaty, tired from the day's activities already, and you're not sure what you're going to get out of the rest of this 30-minute appointment.
If the game you're playing is Daimon Blades, I can tell you first-hand you're going to get a lot.
StreumOn Studio's latest title is a dark fantasy action game. "Not another Soulslike" I hear you cry, but you needn't worry. Daimon Blades is a true action experience, more comparable to the Vermintide games than anything else. It borrows the rich combat systems Fatshark developed and turns the pace up to 11 as you play as a warrior monk equipped with a demonic blade that must fight his or her way through a series of arenas packed with cursed creatures, strange entities, and more in order to eventually face off against a powerful, demonic boss.
Daimon Blades' gameplay loop is somewhat comparable to Vermintide 2's Chaos Wastes. As well as plenty of enemy rooms, there are also buffs you can gain and other areas where you can rest up and purchase upgrades, meaning you get a break from the action every now and again. But action is the main focus here. You throw yourself into groups of enemies, blocking attacks and dodging back out after cleaving a couple of demons in two. As I mentioned, Daimon Blades feels incredibly fast, which allows it to distance itself from other first-person melee games significantly.
You can be in and out of engagements in seconds, tearing across the map in a way that feels as fun and fresh as when I first picked up DOOM (2016). With no tutorial, I was chucked in at the deep end, but making the most of my speed to get some distance from the oncoming hordes, I managed to survive all the way to and beat the boss. Not bad for around 20 minutes of proper gameplay, and I have to say I enjoyed every moment of it. Daimon Blades' pace makes it a proper thrill ride, rewarding quick reactions and having the strong combat core a game of this type so sorely needs.
The visuals of Daimon Blades drip with flavour. While the graphical quality and UI is a reminder that this game is in early access, the effects and visual worldbuilding are incredibly strong. Character designs specifically feel brilliantly tinged with the religious and dark fantasy combination StreumOn Studio is aiming for. I didn't get much of a sense of the story in my short time with Daimon Blades, but through its visuals the game succeeds in attracting the eye and making you want to ask more of the world and core narrative.
Essentially, you are a warrior monk delving into the Daimon realm in order to defeat your mentor who has turned traitor and stop the tides of demons from rising up and claiming the mortal planes. To do this, you can't just rely on your own skills and are equipped with your very own Daimon Blade. This weapon will speak to you, looking to corrupt you to give you stronger powers and abilities. This is a great hook for Daimon Blades, but I didn't really get to see how deep this system goes and how much of a relationship you build up with your weapon. I therefore cannot say whether this is a really unique game mechanic or just another way of framing a +10% damage buff when you clear an area.
Daimon Blades wears a lot of its influences on its sleeve, but there's no shame in that and the developers at StreumOn Studio have created something fresh and unique from the parts of what came before. Its quick action is addictive, and its visual worldbuilding invites a player to explore more and dive deeper into the Daimon realms. There's still some work to be done, but that's what early access is for, after all, and I hope that Daimon Blades can reach the potential it shows even just after a short period of play.
