Demon Gaze

Did You Know?

• A manga adaptation illustrated by Kurono began serialisation in Dengeki Maoh in December 2013.
• An international version titled Demon Gaze: Global Edition was released in Japan on July 3, 2014.
• An enhanced version, Demon Gaze EXTRA, was released in September 2021 for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in Japan, with a western release in January 2022.

Gameplay

Players assume the role of the protagonist Oz, a young man with a magic eye that can seal demons. The player can create secondary characters from seven classes and five races, with 45 character illustrations changeable by taking a bath. Demons are part machine and some transform when rampaging; after defeat they can be summoned to battle. Oz explores the dungeons of Mislid to kill demons and gather treasure, then returns to town to pay rent at the Dragon Princess inn or improve the party. The town hub allows resting and conversing with non-player characters, including manager Fran Pendor who offers a secret mission. Certain conversations trigger heart-pounding cutscenes. Difficulty can be changed in certain dungeon rooms or by talking with particular characters.

Development

Demon Gaze first launched in Japan on January 24, 2013. While it carries over some monsters and items from its predecessor, Students of the Round, the title introduces fresh dungeons and new half-machine demons. The cast features notable Japanese voice talent such as Saori Hayami, Atsuko Tanaka, and Yukari Tamura. Work on a sequel started in mid-2014, leading to Demon Gaze II's Japanese release on September 29, 2016, followed by a Western launch in fall 2017 for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4.

Reception

Demon Gaze holds a score of 70.66% at GameRankings and 70/100 at Metacritic. Four Famitsu reviewers scored it 9, 9, 8 and 8 out of 10 for a total of 34/40. The game sold 25,316 physical retail copies in its first week in Japan, reaching 47,993 by mid-February 2013, and ranked as the sixth most purchased digital Vita game on the Japanese PlayStation Network in 2013. By April 2014 Kadokawa Games announced 180,000 copies shipped worldwide; a July 2014 announcement confirmed 200,000. Dale North of Destructoid gave 7/10, calling it a solid game with an audience but lacking replay value. Brittany Vincent of GamesRadar awarded three stars out of five, describing it as colorful but forgettable. Heidi Kemps of GameSpot scored 7/10, praising battles and characters but criticising the story and fan service. Josiah Renaudin of IGN rated 7.2/10, praising combat and characters while criticising uninspired visuals. Marcus Estrada of Hardcore Gamer gave 4/5, calling it mechanically sound. James Stephanie Sterling of The Escapist scored 4.5/5, calling it addictive and perfect on Vita. Matt Kamen of The Guardian gave 2 stars out of 5, citing a lacklustre package despite nice use of online functions.