Demeo

Demeo is not a perfect tabletop RPG. Its turn-based combat isn’t especially deep and its difficulty stems from brute force. But it is instantly graspable and endlessly rewarding even when the odds are stacked against you. More importantly, though, it’s a near-peerless social VR experience, polished to such a degree that it transforms the kinks of its systems into enjoyable, suspenseful quirks. Facing its brutish hordes with friends at your side is a thrilling, collaborative endurance test; defeat is met with entertained cries of anguish while victory — rare as that may be — is celebrated with the sort of group-wide elation you might have been missing in this tough past year. Not built for parties of one, then, but if you have a group of three or four ready to raid, Demeo is one of VR’s best.

Brilliant simulation of a traditional dungeon crawler board game with a decent variety of enemies. I can’t wait for the release of the next dungeon.

If you like old-school RPG, you need to try Demeo. It needs more content at the moment, but the foundations are incredibly solid and there is lots of fun to be had.

If you are a fan of miniature RPG board games and tactical turn-based gameplay wrapped around a simple to play ruleset, there is a lot to like in Demeo. Combining the VR environment, voice acting, sound effects, and animations make for a great experience, especially when played with friends. While it currently doesn’t replace a tabletop RPG, I can see the potential, and it is a big step in the right direction. With a few balancing tweaks and more updates/content, this will be an amazing game.

Demeo continues Resolution Games’ run of well-crafted VR titles, moving away from the frantic gameplay of Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale and Blaston into a far more laidback experience. As Demeo is entirely tabletop-based there are no comfort issues to worry about (best played seated), plus as you complete runs you level up and unlock new customisation options, encouraging repeat gameplay. Its slower style isn’t for everyone yet as an example of D&D in VR, Demeo excels.

Its lack of content and essential features holds it back. Not counting any repeated playthroughs or attempts, you'll likely see everything there is to see in a couple of hours. While new and potentially free content is on the horizon, the current price of $30 feels a touch steep. When Demeo adds some essential features, like a level editor or a save function, and some more dungeons, it could become one of the go-to VR experiences for RPG fans. It hasn't reached that lofty goal yet, though.