Demonschool Launches November 19 with Occult Tactical Combat

University life just got a lot more supernatural. Imagine balancing class schedules, building friendships, and investigating occult mysteries—all while fighting demons in tactical isometric battles inspired by 70s Italian horror films. That's the premise of Demonschool, Necrosoft Games' ambitious tactics RPG that refuses to choose between Persona's social simulation and Into the Breach's strategic depth.

Launching November 19, 2025 across PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, Demonschool puts players in control of Faye, a charismatic demon hunter descendant, and her misfit companions as they navigate a mysterious island university where the barrier between human and demon realms grows dangerously thin.

Motion Equals Action Combat

Demonschool's tactical system breaks from traditional turn-based conventions with its "motion equals action" philosophy. During the planning phase, players position all units simultaneously, rewinding and adjusting movements until the perfect strategy emerges. Once committed, the action phase executes every decision in real-time, creating a unique blend of puzzle-solving and tactical combat.

The combat emphasizes combo mechanics where buffing allies and debuffing enemies compounds damage output exponentially. Characters interact contextually with their environments, exploiting elemental weaknesses through coordinated attacks. Unlike punishing tactical games, Demonschool offers accessible difficulty scaling—newcomers can clear missions without casualties, while perfectionists chase three-star ratings that demand flawless execution.

Fifteen Characters, Fifteen Stories

The game features 15 playable characters, each with individual side quests that deepen both their personalities and the overarching mystery. Your shy protagonist Namako enrolls at the university expecting a normal college experience, only to discover that her classmates include demon hunters, occult researchers, and students with supernatural abilities.

Relationship building directly impacts gameplay. Choosing which characters to spend time with during free periods customizes their traits and unlocks new abilities. The narrative unfolds across a semester-long calendar, with weekend breaks between major story arcs. What begins as investigating campus mysteries escalates into confronting larger conspiracies involving demons and the island's dark history.

Sega Saturn 2 Aesthetic

Demonschool's visual identity centers around what developer Brandon Sheffield calls the "Sega Saturn 2" aesthetic—imagining what a hypothetical successor to Sega's beloved console might have looked like in an alternate timeline. The game employs detailed pixel art for exploration and character interactions, then shifts to low-poly 3D for dramatic boss battle cutscenes.

This retro-inspired presentation extends beyond mere nostalgia. The chunky pixels and deliberately limited color palettes evoke the grainy atmosphere of giallo films, those stylish Italian horror thrillers from the 1970s that inspire Demonschool's tone. Director of photography lighting, dramatic camera angles, and saturated reds and purples create an unsettling atmosphere without relying on jump scares.

University Life Simulation

Beyond tactical battles, Demonschool offers a full university life simulator. Players plan weekly schedules that balance classes, social activities, and demon hunting. Mini-games like cooking, karaoke, and browsing the video rental store add texture to the world without becoming mandatory distractions.

These activities serve the narrative rather than padding playtime. The cooking mini-game introduces ingredient gathering that leads to new exploration areas. Karaoke reveals character backstories through song choices. The video rental shop contains meta-commentary on horror film history while foreshadowing plot developments.

Character progression eschews traditional experience points and leveling. Instead, players unlock "Perks" through story events and relationship milestones, then customize builds through "Aspect Changes" that alter fundamental character abilities. This system encourages experimentation and ensures no character becomes obsolete as the story progresses.

Comprehensive Localization

Necrosoft Games partnered with two translation companies to deliver Japanese language support across all platforms at launch—a rarity for Western indie games. Director Brandon Sheffield noted that the total text volume exceeds anything he can accurately quantify, testament to the game's branching dialogue and extensive side content.

The main story requires approximately 15-20 hours to complete, but pursuing all character side quests, relationship paths, and optional challenges extends playtime to 40-50 hours. Multiple difficulty settings and New Game Plus features encourage replays with different party compositions and relationship priorities.

Demonschool Official Website

Game Information

Demonschool launches November 19, 2025 on all platforms with full Japanese language support.