The PlayStation Vita is getting a slew of games out this year and many of them are niche Japanese hits like Danganronpa and Conception II. Another such game brought to Western shores by NIS America is Demon Gaze.

Demon Gaze is a first-person dungeon crawler at its core, although there's some visual novel elements to it as well. You play as Oz, a young man who wakes up with no recollection of his past and possesses a mysterious power. While that premise sounds cliché, it sets up the aim of the game: Oz is a Demon Gazer, individuals who can seal demons with their eye and can even summon these demons in battle.

Discovered by the retired mercenary Lorna, she helps Oz find lodging at the Dragon Princess Inn, run by the beautiful but miserly Fran Pendoll. In order to earn his keep, Oz has to pay Fran rent in addition to helping capture demons for her. However, Oz can't do it alone. He'll have to hire allies to fight alongside him and get stronger by defeating monsters in labyrinths and discovering gems than can be used to summon monsters that carry rare treasures. These treasures can be used to strengthen yourself or can be sold for profit in order to pay your rent or hire more mercenaries.

Much of your time in Demon Gaze is spent in the labyrinths. One of your demons, Comet, can detect hidden doors behind trick walls. Be sure to search every nook and cranny for Circles, portals that house demons. When placing a gem inside a Circle, demons will be summoned and winning these battles will net you experience points and some choice items you can either keep for yourself or sell back at the inn for extra money. Battles are turn-based and summoning a demon doesn't waste you a turn, so feel free to summon one when needed. Demons act on their own accord, so they mainly act as your support. Each demon has a specialty in battle so part of the strategy is knowing which demons you'll need to use to win each battle. However, if demons are left out for too long, the demon will become enraged and will attack your party instead, so seal them back in before it's too late.

Each labyrinth is under the dominion of a key demon that you'll eventually discover and battle. Win the battle and you'll seal that demon with your Demon Gaze. Lose and you start back from your last save. And believe me, you're going to see that title screen a lot. So don't rush in and fight a demon early: you will be decimated without proper leveling, weapons, skills and helpers. It can get frustrating, believe me.

Demon Gaze has several shortcomings. My main gripe is that it takes an incredibly long time to get anywhere with the adventure, and I find myself revisiting old labyrinths again and again to score new gear to sell and to get stronger for the next boss fight. While the character artwork is beautifully drawn, the labyrinths themselves are unremarkable. Speaking of the artwork, there are scenes which get very T-rated, and while I personally don't mind naughty illustrations and suggestive situations, I feel as though they're added to spice up an otherwise dull game. The music is really nice, though.

Demon Gaze is definitely an aquired taste. If you really like dungeon crawlers and fighting alongside cute anime girls then I'm sure you'd enjoy it. 

Hint: Read every Gazer Memo you'll find in labyrinths. They may help you find hidden treasure or give you a tip that can save your life.

by Ray n.