Halloween’s around the corner. Got plans? No? I’m not much of a costume party person myself, so I’ll be staying in to play a bunch of spooky games, and one that has recently caught my attention features a lovely injection of PSX-style retro grunge that I struggle to not just stare into for hours as I contemplate the grim realities of existence. Sound up your alley? Good.
Labyrinth of the Demon King arrived earlier this year on console and PC. At first glance, I just knew it had to be added to my Steam library. It features that kind of grim, low fidelity dread that the original PlayStation was so good at delivering in games like Silent Hill. It’s dark and moody as hell, making it perfect for late night gaming sessions during the autumn months as the world grows dark and cold.
A first-person dungeon crawler, expect Demon King to put up a fight. It can feel a little Souls-y with its stamina bar and emphasis on timing your attacks and dodges correctly. Enemies also don’t always go down as easily as you want them to.
I’m still early on in my trip through the titular labyrinth, but the vibes of this retro-horror experience are easily going to drag me in for many more hours. The game defaults to a 4:3 perspective, reminiscent of the days when we all were gaming on square-ish screens. You can change that to 16:9 or 16:10, which makes it a great option for the Steam Deck’s taller screen format.
The game also features a demo, so if you’re curious but aren’t sure about thinning your wallet a touch, it’s easy to jump in. Besides, you need a game to play on Halloween and those annoying kids begging for candy at the door aren’t going to ignore themselves.
