The shareware legend DemonStar comes soaring back with new game modes and revised gameplay. Originally published in 1997, DemonStar has earned the Computer Gaming World's "Shareware Game of the Year 1999" award..
The game casts players as pilots of a spaceship, tasking them with navigating through 18 progressive levels filled with waves of enemies and challenging boss battles. The core gameplay loop involves rapidly shooting down foes, collecting power-ups, and trying to survive to the end of each stage.
Players have praised the tight, precise feel of the ship's movement and shooting, describing the controls as "smooth" and "crunchy." The game supports both keyboard and gamepad inputs, allowing players to choose their preferred control scheme.
Enemies range from basic cannon fodder to more complex foes with unique attack patterns, keeping the combat engaging. The boss battles, in particular, stand out, as players must learn and adapt to each boss's attack sequences to emerge victorious.
Defeating enemies causes them to drop various power-up items, such as different weapon types like lasers, missiles, and bombs. In the original "Legacy" mode, the power-ups cycle through different colors, allowing players to wait for the specific upgrade they want.
While the game presents a fair and satisfying challenge, the sense of progression as players learn enemy patterns and improve their skills is highly rewarding. The "Insane" difficulty setting offers an extreme test for seasoned players.
The game features a local co-op mode, allowing two players to team up and take on the experience together. This cooperative gameplay adds an extra layer of strategy and fun, as players coordinate their movements and firepower.