It's true that there is unavoidable sword fighting in the game. However, it's possible to get through the game with only six — count 'em... SIX — such encounters. All right, to be fair, there are seven to get the optimal ending from among the several available. If that's not sufficient to relieve anxiety in the less dextrous adventurers, would it help if I told you there's a toggle option to make the combat easier? If that still doesn't do it, then the combat mechanics themselves will be sure to. There are precisely two — count 'em... TWO — combat maneuvers: defend and attack. Defend is virtually foolproof. By holding the Space bar, you parry with your sword, and your opponent, apparently having the brain capacity of an amoeba, will never register the fact that the attack is not working. Assuming you're capable of even slightly higher cognitive functions, the only thing you need to do is let go and click the attack button while your enemy is exposed. This pattern should take about ten (no need to count this time) seconds to discern, and the rest is just a matter of executing correctly, both literally and figuratively. I kid you not, it's a cinch. And you can afford to screw up a bunch of times, too, as your health meter is plentiful, and you can heal yourself with a tasty potion between fights. Decide for yourself if you consider seven fights in 10-15 hours of gameplay to be excessive for your own tastes, but it's decidedly not a substantial part of Daemonica. For the more aggressive players, you can take an alternate approach that will result in (slightly) more fighting, but frankly, there's little incentive to do so.

Of course, some may not even get to the combat if the control scheme scares them off. Daemonica plays with a combination of keyboard and mouse that's functional if not quite ideal. In a world rendered entirely in 3D, you'll move Farepoynt around by pointing and clicking your way through the environment. However, the camera is entirely player-controlled, so you'll need to constantly rotate your view with the keyboard for the best perspective. This takes some getting used to, but it should quickly become intuitive. The only thing that flummoxed me at first was that the rotation axis is reversed from what feels natural to me, and there is no way to flip it. So you may be in for some "not THAT left, the OTHER left" sorts of brain training, but it'll come. To help out with navigation, there's an onscreen compass, and a map you can call up with key locations identified, along with your current location and direction. Other functions like accessing inventory, clicking through dialogue trees, and interacting with items will be instantly familiar to any adventure gamer. If you're not typically a fan of keyboard games, you'll probably find Daemonica's system far more accessible than most.

One thing that will become immediately clear about Daemonica is that it was obviously made with a limited budget. This is not a criticism; simply an observation. There are quite a few corners cut to keep the presentation simple. From the absence of any significant cutscenes (even the intro and conclusion are only basic visuals with voiceovers) to a lack of relevant character animations, there's no denying that this is a no-frills game. While this may rankle people who expect more, for the most part the game doesn't suffer much from the restrictions. Just expect a little more reading and a little less watching on occasion. I really can't comment on the game's sound, as the ambient effects weren't available in my preview version, and the game still isn't fully localized from its original Czech language, so I played only with subtitles that need plenty of work. These issues will be cleared up for the final release, of course. The orchestral music creates a suitably solemn, creepy atmosphere; I just wish there was more of it.



The graphics are less than cutting edge, to be sure, but are generally effective. Daemonica offers varying resolutions, along with shadow and effects options that include birds gliding above, rats scurrying nearby, trees waving, and the occasional drizzle to dampen Farepoynt's already dreary existence. My only real complaint is the long load times which occur each time you enter and leave a building or new area. You can't exactly boil an egg while you're waiting on the load screen, but there just isn't enough going on visually to warrant the kind of delay that happens so frequently. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's a nuisance that can hopefully still be addressed before release.

When all is said and done, there's good news and bad news about Daemonica. The bad news is... the game feels like a stripped-down version of an RPG. The good news is... the game feels like a stripped-down version of an RPG. It really depends which side of the line you're standing on. RPGs have long been the adventure's cousin, but married into the action family. Take away the repetitive fighting and stat building, and you're typically left with a story even purists would enjoy. That's Daemonica. Whether or not that's enough to carry the day will depend on personal preference.

One thing at least can be said for certain at this stage: Daemonica dares to be different and deserves your attention. It won't be everyone's cup of soulgreep, but its occult premise, dark atmosphere, and unique presentation make this intriguing murder mystery well worth a closer look for adventure fans. As so often happens, it takes a gutsy, up-and-coming publisher to take a risk on games that can't easily be labeled and marketed, so in Meridian4, it's great to see another such publisher has stepped to the fore. Look for Daemonica to hit North American store shelves on March 28, 2006.