Demon Throttle

Boy have I been excited about Demon Throttle for quite some time. This is a hard as nails old school arcade style of game. I know that four levels do not sound like a great deal, however, this is a game that is going to really test your skills as it is a punishingly challenging game. However, it is not “cheap” instead, it forces you to get good at the game and learn how to get through each level. I was lucky enough to score a physical version of this on the Switch and I want to get it on PC as well!

Two Unlikely Heroes

The plot of Demon Throttle is something that I think is neat. We have two playable characters. One is an old timey gunslinger and the other is a vampire. They are brought together to try and slay this demon king who has wronged them both! The gunslinger had his wife banged by the demon! The vampire on the other hand is out for revenge as the demon took her magical chalices which give her the power she has! The story is pretty fun and it gives you good motivation for plowing through the hordes of enemies.

Blowing Into The Cartridge!

I would say that I get some major 8 and 16-bit vibes from Demon Throttle. It reminds me of games on the NES like King's Knight and games on the SNES like Pocky and Rocky. The core gameplay takes place over four levels and each level has a horde of enemies for you to defeat on your way to a boss. The game is that of an action shooter, you are always moving forward, and as well as shooting enemies, you also need to dodge their attacks as well. This is a very, very challenging game and one that does not take it easy on you. While there are not many levels, the game is mostly about learning the little nuances of the game and learning enemy patterns so you can get through it.

No Second Chances!

A huge part of what makes Demon Throttle so challenging is that once you are dead, you are dead. There is no continues here or being allowed to take your upgrades on your next run! Once you are dead, you are dead and you have to roll your sleeves up and try again. I know that some people may find this more frustrating than fun, but I think it is very cool and it reminds me of many classic hard, and brutal NES and SNES games that I had the pleasure of playing as a kid.

Pixel Perfection

I know that we have all seen a million games that use pixel art these days, but I think what they have done here with Demon Throttle is very cool. It more reminds me of 8-bit games than it does 16-bit ones and I am very happy about that. The games it reminds me of are Ninja Gaiden with its cinematic flair and also the 8-bit inspired Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon which itself is a fantastic old-school inspired game.

Pros:

• I love the 8-bit style of the game
• It is a fast, frantic, and challenging shooter
• You can play this local co-op style with a friend and it is even more fun!
• It is challenging, but you feel amazing when you finally beat the game

Cons:

• While what is here is great, there is not much content
• Some may not like how challenging the game is