Demeo - What We Know So Far
Though virtual reality gaming has existed for a considerable amount of time now, few VR titles have yet to break through into the gaming world mainstream. In 2020, marquee VR titles were more limited to major franchise entries like The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners and Half-Life: Alyx (which is technically playable without a VR headset). That said, Resolution Games is among a number of companies hitching its wagon to VR gaming, whether that means transcending the medium's current limitations or simply succeeding within the confines of the technology.
Demeo is an upcoming VR RPG currently in development by Resolution Games. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Demeo features a relatively straightforward medieval fantasy setting. Since much of the draw of VR gaming remains its novelty in the absence of finely tuned game mechanics, a functional RPG in a virtual reality world has little precedent. How Demeo will impact the amorphous VR gaming landscape, however, is something that will only become apparent following its launch.
When will Demeo be released?
Resolution Games has yet to set a precise release date for Demeo. That said, its release is currently scheduled for some time in 2021.
Naturally, this can only be interpreted as an estimate, rather than a guarantee. The countless moving parts in game development can necessitate delays for a number of reasons. The fact that Demeo is being developed amidst an ongoing pandemic means that any existing complications could only potentially be worsened, as they were for some other major game releases.
The Resolution Games' website lists the Oculus Quest and Rift as the platforms for which Demeo will be available upon its 2021 release. The Steam store also lists HTC Vive and Valve Index as compatible with Demeo. In some fine print on its webpage for the game, Resolution also promises a cross-platform launch, meaning that a version of the game should be playable on PCs without VR capabilities.
Which of these versions will be available when the game releases and which will ultimately be implemented post-launch has yet to be specifically detailed by Resolution.
Is there a trailer for Demeo?
Currently, only one trailer exists for Demeo. Resolution describes it as a teaser trailer, and as such it doesn't include too many key details as to what players can expect from a typical session of the game.
That said, what is showcased most prominently is the game's graphical style. The characters in this initial teaser trailer appear cartoony rather than realistic. While the body proportions of its characters are similar to those of real-life people, armor details are simple and colorful, as opposed to the rough and gritty style seen in game like The Elder Scrolls series.
Attentive viewers will notice that, while its human and human-like characters move around, they do so while attached to round bases. They greatly resemble the action figures used in tabletop games like Warhammer 40,000.
With that design aesthetic in mind, it's fitting that the trailer's conclusion describes Demeo as a "dungeon crawler, fantasy RPG, co-op multiplayer virtual game night."
What is gameplay like in Demeo?
In an interview with VentureBeat, Tommy Palm, the CEO of Resolution Games, hinted at a few elements of Demeo's gameplay beyond those showcased in its teaser trailer. Key to what players can expect out of a Demeo play session is the latter descriptor included in the trailer, categorizing the game as a "virtual game night."
Palm explained that Demeo's developers intended, first and foremost, to emulate a traditional pen and paper RPG session in a virtual space. One of the benefits of simulating this experience, Palm explained, is that the game's programming circumvents the need for a rule book.
Overall, Palm avoided detailing very many gameplay specifics beyond the title's similarity to tabletop RPGs. That said, when asked by interviewer Jason Wilson if the game resembled dungeon-crawling RPGs like Gloomhaven and Talisman, Palm described Demeo as more similar to Gloomhaven.
Palm also stressed that one of the key components of Demeo's "virtual game night" experience is its inherent social element, which wouldn't otherwise be possible in a more traditional action RPG video game.