Thanks for the heads up. I’ll look it up 🙂

I really enjoyed the unique atmosphere and feel of this one, despite the abrupt end and…the controls. Something about the aiming is just totally off and frankly nasty, no matter how much I fiddle around with the configuration. Not that this is the only game I’ve had this particular issue with: L.A.R.A. is probably the only XBLIG FPS that I haven’t (then again, that game is just flat-out incredible!)

The weapons really could’ve used some more work, too. Although the laser ray shooting blunderbuss is pure genius, weak, impotent sounding/feeling shotguns should be an obvious no-no for *any* shooter.

I couldn’t get on with the controls though. I know AAA games probably have people whose sole job it is to make the joypad>camera controls feel natural, it’s gotta be harder than I think it is; but the deadzone in Demon House is massive, fine aiming is impossible. It either doesn’t move, or moves past where I wanted it to be, mostly all i could do was whiff shots either side of an enemy’s head. My solution was to point the camera roughly where I wanted the shots to go and running around with the other stick to line the shot up. In the first half of the game this kinda worked and it didn’t really affect my enjoyment ‘cos most of the enemies were on the same level (hey, that’s how I played Timesplitters! :D) but in the second act with all those flying guys wingin’ around my head I was just waving around wildly hoping I’d get ’em. Which was frustrating, ‘cos with better controls they would be toast and I would be happy. A sniper shot from afar with the laser gun would have made me feel GODLIKE. Instead I was cursing and falling off ledges. nngggrgh

Basically I think the controls couldn’t handle it and they made the second half worse than it should have been. But I agree with your review also. The design just could have been mooorreeeee. Comparing those two screenshots says it all really. 😦

I did enjoy the game! I liked that there was a story goin’ on. I enjoyed the second half of the game, even! 😀 And the boss! That bad guy’s got some commitment, I respect that! I liked exploring, I liked the laser beam gun rifle thingy, the upgrades, the hidden rooms (HIDDEN ROOOMMMSS!!! :D), the variety of the baddies. I liked those bastard skeletons hiding behind their shields! The cheeky sods!

… but the trouble is with bad controls it affects *everything*; I liked those skeletons that hid behind their shields but I didn’t have the accuracy to nip behind them and laugh as I plasmaed the back of their stupid unprotected heads. I liked the walky contraption things with the laser beams, but they were too difficult to dodge and shoot at the same time, so I took the damage and ran at them shooting wildly instead. The controls reduced the simple pleasure of taking in a dining room as I ran through it, it even made switches more difficult to switch. Dodgy controls just add extra nngghhgh, everywhere.

BUT! Yes I actually really did enjoy the game a lot (despite the rant!). Don’t think I didn’t!

but nnghghhhhgh!!!

About Demon House, I played the trial and I bought it after the 8 minute mark. For me, it’s just not about killing monsters. It is the whole game experience I look for, and I found that “Demon House”, overall, was a great deal for 80 msp.

Just my 2 cents ^_^

Sadly, XBLIG is not the market for this sort of game. I did enjoy the atmosphere though, and that rocking chair was a nice touch.