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Warstride Challenges
Game
Game2025
Labyrinth Of The Demon King
Developer J. R. Hudepohl
Labyrinth of the Demon King is a 2025 video game developed by J. R. Hudepohl and published by Top Hat Studios. Upon release, the game received average reviews, with critics praising the game's atmospheric horror and visual similarity to PlayStation survival horror titles, whilst critiquing its design limitations. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
396 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
90
LovedLoved
217 positive · 24 negative
95% range 86–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 217 | 24 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 77 | 4 | 59 |
| Lemmy * | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Mastodon * | 3 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,532 of 1,657 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
90% recommend · 201 yes, 23 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 224 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (2,094 of 2,271 positive).
Players praise the game's oppressive atmosphere and unique blend of King's Field and Silent Hill influences. [1][2][3] Many note the intentionally clunky combat and dated graphics, which some find charming and others frustrating. [4][5][6] Some reviewers mention the game's short length and easy bosses, while others highlight its challenging start and maze-like level design. [7][8][9]
Liked
Disliked
- Combat is often described as janky and frustrating. [15][6]
- Level design can be confusing with maze-like layouts and respawning enemies. [16][9][17]
- Some find the game too easy, especially bosses, allowing cheese strategies. [7][18][14]
- The rough start with low health and stamina can be off-putting. [7][19]
Representative posts
- [6]
the exploration/setting is damn near unmatched but the janky combat makes exploring it a chore. 50% of my attacks dont even register, the enemies are all far too tanky, heavy attacks consume an absurd amount of stamina, light attacks are basically worthless, parrying just kinda feels bad and usually you cant even follow up because theyll wind up some super speed attack and youll trade a hit. Really wish i could love …
- [1]
Insanely good horror game. Absolutely sick mess. I played a lot of good horror games, but I can remember only few that managed to create as strangling atmosphere. Aesthetics, visuals, ambients, lighting, monsters - all this creates unique experience. Something that I especially like here - this is a fair horror. That means? - no cheap tricks and no jumpscares. Yep, not a single one. Even more, the game gives you a …
- [19]
A muted recommendation, but one nonetheless. The first two or three hours? Immaculate. It opens with a crushing, pulverizing, pervading sense of dread that slithers up your spine with every step. Sightless yokai caving each others' skulls in with doorframes. A vengeful spirit whose eyeballs dangle from their sockets. Creatures skittering along floorboards with too many legs. A husband and wife duo who dance around …
- [20]
Kings Field + Silent Hill in Feudal Japan makes for a killer freaking game. Highly recommended for any Survival Horror fan. Solid 9/10.
- [9]
This game feels like the lovechild of Condemned: Criminal Origins' combat and Silent Hill's oppressive atmosphere, with a hint of Resident Evil sprinkled in. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, then this game is definitely worth picking up. That said, this game lives up to the 'Labyrinth' in the title. The level design is hard to navigate, considering the maze-like layout, endlessly respawning enemies, and …
Summarised from 34 of the 344 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Labyrinth Of The Demon King sits at 90% positive across 241 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
According to review aggregator Metacritic, Labyrinth of the Demon King received "mixed or average" reviews. Several critics compared the game favorably to PlayStation titles, including Silent Hill and King's Field. Edwin Evans-Thirlwell of Rock Paper Shotgun praised the game's aesthetics, describing them as a "convincing encapsulation of the ambience of Silent Hill [games]" although noting its "appallingly sluggish movement". Describing the game as one of the best horror titles of the year, Bloody Disgusting commended its "cohesive vision" and "period-accurate aesthetics" as "one of the most masterfully crafted horror games in recent memory", although considered the player's increasing…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 396 · most liked firstNekomata from Labyrinth of the Demon King. Good game.
positive · AI labelView post →Hey folks, I've added Labyrinth of the Demon King to my Steam curator page with a very enthusiastic recommendation. If you've not heard me raving about this on stream, it's a King's Field style dungeon crawler that is also a Survival Horror game, a magnificent blend of gameplay styles.
positive · AI labelView post →Playing Labyrinth of the Demon King and I have to say that getting my ankles gnawed off by a poisonous rat I found in a crate while a monster sneaks up behind me for the killing blow is unironically 100% what I want out of this game
positive · AI labelView post →Ooh, nice. The excellent Labyrinth of The Demon King (King's Field + Silent Hill + Samurai) is getting a very beefy looking New Game Plus update later this month. Sounds like a full remix/second loop kinda deal - new enemies, puzzles, weapons, etc. Love when ANY game does that.
neutral · AI labelView post →Finally playing Labyrinth of the Demon King. Holy sHit this game is amazing! Absolite perfect combo of everything I love about PS1/PS2 horror games, both gameplay wise and graphics wise!!!
positive · AI labelView post →Just played a bunch of Fly Knight, AMAZING on that game! Gonna try Labyrinth of the Demon King now. It's so nuts you can just do this with Unreal Engine games wtf
neutral · AI labelView post →As others have said Labyrinth Of The Demon King is very cool. Intentionally crunchy and low-fi, locked to 4:3 ratio with overly compressed, jerky video cutscenes. Feels like a long-lost early PS2 game ported to PC, riffing off King's Field & Silent Hill equally. Only thing it's missing is UI sounds
positive · AI labelView post →This game totally drew me in with its visual and audio presentation and stellar atmosphere. And as I kept playing, that astonishment was replaced with frustration. A lot of people take issue with the combat system, but I don't think it's bad. The problem is the abundance of it and no worthwhile reward. Every duel can be challenging, but when the enemies spawn in massive numbers (especially in later towers) and also respawn infinitely, it becomes a massive slog. There is no real benefit to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In case you missed it, added Labyrinth of the Demon King to my Steam curator page. I have been rather obsessed with this game, it's incredible.
positive · AI labelView post →Also a related shout-out to Labyrinth Of The Demon King, which came out early last year and then got a similarly ambitious New Game Plus update that also extends the story. It's another King's Field-like, by way of Silent Hill and medieval(?) Japan. Feels more intentionally old-school than Verho.
neutral · AI labelView post →I had a big thread talking about how amazing Labyrinth of the Demon King is, extremely creepy game, utterly fetid atmosphere.
positive · AI labelView post →This game was literally made to piss in your cereal. Its intentionally confusing, doesn't tell you anything, puzzles and corridors are extremely confusing and frustrating. If you have no idea what you're doing the amount of mold on the walls will make it impossible to even see doors. This game is lock in or get the ♥♥♥♥ out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thank you everyone for you support with Labyrinth of the Demon King. Currently working on New Game+ which will bring some new weapons (among other things). Take a looking at couple new fist weapons here...
neutral · AI labelView post →Also a bit later today, Labyrinth of the Demon King! A Japanese horror-themed King's Field-like. The demo had fantastic vibes, so I can't see the full game struggling. Feels like a great next pick for those who've finished Lunacid and want something similar.
positive · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is a game that is part King's Field style dungeon crawler with slow, methodical stamina management combat, part Silent Hill-esque Survival Horror, a blend of gameplay I haven't seen before but works so perfectly. And some of the skrunkliest visuals I've ever seen!
positive · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is pure retro horror gold. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/26205515 >After playing [Lunacid](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745510/Lunacid/) I was looking for more retro horror dungeon crawlers, but I couldn't find anything that really went all in on it. But now [Labyrinth of the Demon King](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1804010/Labyrinth_Of_The_Demon_King/) is out and HOLY SHIT does it hit the mark. > >…
positive · AI labelView post →I was not familiar with your game Labyrinth Of The Demon King. Now I realise I was in a WWE TLC match all along
neutral · AI labelView post →Insanely good horror game. Absolutely sick mess. I played a lot of good horror games, but I can remember only few that managed to create as strangling atmosphere. Aesthetics, visuals, ambients, lighting, monsters - all this creates unique experience. Something that I especially like here - this is a fair horror. That means? - no cheap tricks and no jumpscares. Yep, not a single one. Even more, the game gives you a good introdution for local dangers and bosses either via some cool intros or…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Labyrinth Of The Demon King is what happens when you put the original Silent Hill and a King's Field game in a blender. Absolutely grimy, intentionally slow and stiff, and oppressive in its pacing. It's cool. And also just got a huge update adding a New Game Plus second loop with new story.
positive · AI labelView post →Live now! 🔴 It's Halloween in July! I'm playing more LABYRINTH OF THE DEMON KING because I am enthralled by this game, it's amazing. Come by, say hi, and tell me your favourite horror games as of late. www.twitch.tv/caseyexplosion
positive · AI labelView post →Seconding this one, Labyrinth of the Demon King absolutely fucks, and has one of my favourite openings of all time. Effortlessly cool video game, and so lovingly designed
positive · AI labelView post →Tonight I’m going to start streaming Labyrinth of the Demon King, a gnarly looking King’s Field-alike horror game. 8pm Eastern, Twitch.tv/duckfeedtv
neutral · AI labelView post →I really enjoyed this game. The rough, outdated graphics paired with the excellent sound design and deliberately clunky combat make this game very tense at times. Takes a little getting used to, but when you do it's a lot of fun. The writing in this game is also decent for what it is.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The atmosphere is fantastic, but the game ends up making a lot of design choices in the name of horror that I end up finding more annoying than scary.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is THE "shorter game with worse graphics" they keep talking about, and what a game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Resuming my game of Labyrinth of the Demon King tonight on twitch. Tune in here for a spooky dungeon crawling time. www.twitch.tv/frankiepixel...
neutral · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of The Demon King is a solid ps1 style survival horror game, I latched on to the funny meowchant that makes sashimi out of carrion. #fanart
positive · AI labelView post →2025 was a good year for survival horrors. that was an itch I needed scratching for a decade. Made me happy. This was a morning doodle "fanart" based on a game I enjoyed back then (Labyrinth of the Demon King).
positive · AI labelView post →the exploration/setting is damn near unmatched but the janky combat makes exploring it a chore. 50% of my attacks dont even register, the enemies are all far too tanky, heavy attacks consume an absurd amount of stamina, light attacks are basically worthless, parrying just kinda feels bad and usually you cant even follow up because theyll wind up some super speed attack and youll trade a hit. Really wish i could love this game. would love this game if combat was overhauled somehow or they just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A dozen hours, give or take, of crawling thru eminently unhygienic, decaying, dishevelled, damp interiors, with brief stints through sunless, gloomy and of course equally as damp exteriors, whilst swinging drunkenly, artlessly at the assortment of subhumans with horrendous physique (not that yours can be anything to write home about, given your performance), who swing and stab (when they don’t occasionally punch, bite or spit) at you even more drunkenly with weapons either shapeless or even…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →// zoiteki schedule ver.2025.10.20 Harvest Moon is the most October-y game. Resuming Labyrinth of the Demon King and Resident Evil I told people we would watch a scary movie sometime this month, so Saturday Night you can join me in discord to watch something scary together ... I might scream
neutral · AI labelView post →Finished playing 'Labyrinth Of The Demon King'. Awesome game. I left some unsolved puzzles behind, so I will keep playing it for a bit. The pic is just a neat find.
positive · AI labelView post →A neat King's Field like? It's basically reminiscent of that. Combat is definitely a bit clunky. Whilst I appreciate the ability of kicking. Kicking doesn't lead into a combo and gives you too little breathing room. If the first kick, used five seconds apart, like dodging, didn't cost stamina I could see it being used offensively. The main problem I had with the combat wasn't really anything major. It's just that some enemies have super fast attacks which are nearly impossible to block if you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wish I liked this game more tbh. Respawning enemies, clunky ass gameplay and no part of it being satisfying, makes this a hard recommend unless you're going on vibes alone.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Survival horror fans, you might like this game. It's difficult though, won't lie. Actually feels like I'm playing an older game. 🎮: Labyrinth Of The Demon King
positive · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is a sort of King' Field inspired dungeon crawler with heavy Survival Horror elements, a blend of gameplay styles that works so incredibly well. The atmosphere of this game is off the charts, the visuals are some of the grodiest I've ever seen, it looks incredible.
positive · AI labelView post →I really have to thank @caseyexplosion.bsky.social for streaming LabyrinthoftheDemonKing! I THINK I hesrd about it awhile back, but n didnt look further (mostly cause my Steam Account was having issues) but I JUST got it back AND Casey happened to stream it on the same day xP! I played the demo 🐮💜💯
positive · AI labelView post →I wanted to like this. I really loved the setting, atmosphere, and retro art design. I think it still deserves a lot of credit for those aspects. Exploring the castle was eerie and satisfying... until the jank combat brought me entirely out of the moment. The most optimal way to play is parrying and countering, with the occasional dodge. But even doing this, enemies take way too many hits, and ultimately this becomes a drawn-out, boring, and annoying process. If combat was sparse, this might…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly, a really rough start. You don't get enough health or stamina to have leeway to really learn things to start, it's very much tossed into the deep end. But then abandon all you learned, and just shoot the final boss with the gun. Or any boss, really, there's enough ammo around if you've learned how to melee smaller enemies. And if you're out of ammo, you can sprint around them while swinging and chomping mushrooms. Because how frustrating the combat is at the start, you end up trying…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wish there was an easy baby mode in Labyrinth of the Demon King. Game legit rocks in ever way but I’m rubbish at combat
neutral · AI labelView post →Finished Labyrinth of the Demon King I've seen it compared to King's Field which I've yet to play. Maybe I should get around to that? The controls are a little clunky which I really like for something like this but the combat at the start of the game is *rough* Very fitting for an Oni like myself
positive · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is pure retro horror gold. After playing [Lunacid](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745510/Lunacid/) I was looking for more retro horror dungeon crawlers, but I couldn't find anything that really went all in on it. But now [Labyrinth of the Demon King](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1804010/Labyrinth_Of_The_Demon_King/) is out and HOLY SHIT does it hit the mark. …
positive · AI labelView post →Finished the Labyrinth of the Demon King demo by @jrhudepohl.bsky.social. Really cool game. Interesting combat system (though I sucked at it 😅), very cool takes on actual Japanese history/mythology, and I absolutely love the graphics. Very much looking forward to the full thing! #indiegames #gaming
positive · AI labelView post →Finished Labyrinth of the Demon King. Really good game though the ending feels abrupt.
neutral · AI labelView post →Took me just 10 hours to 100% this (not running through, I was taking my sweet time going through the game mind you), it is on a shorter side as others said. And the game is pretty easy (did not try NG+ though) But honestly, there are NG+ with not "just" stronger enemies, so there is some replayability~ And overall, good game. Atmosphere is amazing, there are secrets and different ways to play. Maybe I wish there were more opportunities to actually use different weapons combos, but with the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you enjoy Kings Field style games, Soulslikes, Resident Evil, or any combination of the above this is a must play. The atmosphere of the game is sublime with a bunch of lore and build up to big moments. It's not an RPG but there's a lot of variety in builds to play how you want. The combat can be a little janky at times but does well at striking that balance of feeling vulnerable but not so much so that you feel like you have no control over the game. There's also some jank in enemy AI which…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →respawning enemies dismally slow "deliberate" combat enemies that parry, counter, block, riposte, and bumrush stamina bar that takes about 30 seconds to recharge enemies that take between 4 and 10 hits to kill attacks that take 1/4 of your stamina per swing clumsy menus and inventory lazy backtrack fetch quests status effects that deal so little damage they're basically inconsequential dark, repetitive, confusing map layout I was sold on the art and atmosphere, but it's just a mashup of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A muted recommendation, but one nonetheless. The first two or three hours? Immaculate. It opens with a crushing, pulverizing, pervading sense of dread that slithers up your spine with every step. Sightless yokai caving each others' skulls in with doorframes. A vengeful spirit whose eyeballs dangle from their sockets. Creatures skittering along floorboards with too many legs. A husband and wife duo who dance around the subject of eating each other. Every second you spend here reminds you that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is incredible. Instant favorite, it has quickly and truly become one of my most favorite games. The sound design & music are incredible, it has some of the most impressive atmosphere I've experienced, and has a great combat system to keep me engaged. The lore is excellent, There's decent weapon variety, and this game features my favorite hub of all time that is also accompanied by amazing atmospheric music that sounds similar to Atrium Carceri or Cryo Chamber and is joined in choir…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ll be streaming more Labyrinth of the Demon King at 8pm Eastern (in about an hour). This will be a make-or-break session because so far this game has been ridiculously frustrating and I’m pretty close to cutting bait.
negative · AI labelView post →As a huge fan of the survival horror genre, I gotta say I started out really liking this game... the atmosphere, the graphics, the music, everything seemed to be just perfect. I got sucked in and became immersed in this games world, however, eventually I came to a horrible realization. Enemies respawn in this game.... frequently. Rule number one of survival horror NEVER have respawning enemies. Survival horror is a genre that is based around resource management and tactical thinking, something…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kings Field + Silent Hill in Feudal Japan makes for a killer freaking game. Highly recommended for any Survival Horror fan. Solid 9/10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →~7hours for a first completion (no NG+), 27/27 Achievements. Another hard one to review for me. I really don't get why PC Gamer crowned Labyrinth of the Demon King their Horror Game of the Year. It is not bad, but it is also not that good. So let's not loiter and get right to it. What does the Game get right? First off the graphics and playing in 4:3 really felt like a PS1 Game. Yes, there are many of those PS1 Type of Games out there and this one is one of those that gets it right.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best part was being early, got to see the game grow and grow with each new patch. The closest you can get to playing it for the first time again and again! Still need to get Labyrinth of the Demon King tho, loved the demo!
positive · AI labelView post →I just about recommend this game. It's great, but it definitely isn't for everyone. You can probably tell just from the first few minutes of playing whether or not it is for you. It's intentionally dated looking and clunky, the textures are all muddy and range from brown to grey to brown and the draw distance is god awful. There's a charm to it all though. The enemies are low poly but genuinely intimidating to start with, the NPCs that have dialogue noises that sound like someone is melting…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the coolest kings field type game! Yokai and demons! So many weapons to choose from! Come watch me brave the horrors in my new video on Labyrinth of the Demon King! www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsWU...
neutral · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is extremely oppressive and unsettling. The puzzles and riddles are on the level of Silent Hill. And this game shouldn't be under anyone's radar right now.
positive · AI labelView post →Labyrinth of the Demon King is pure retro horror gold. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/26205515 >After playing [Lunacid](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745510/Lunacid/) I was looking for more retro horror dungeon crawlers, but I couldn't find anything that really went all in on it. But now [Labyrinth of the Demon King](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1804010/Labyrinth_Of_The_Demon_King/) is out and HOLY SHIT does it hit the mark. > >…
neutral · AI labelView post →The top reviewer saying this game is intentionally confusing might be challenged. The game gives you a map for every floor with every room labeled. Every "puzzle" has the solution literally written on a piece of paper in the same room as the puzzle, and every puzzle is pushing or placing 4 items in a specific order. Sometimes it involves colors, making it as challenging as playing electronic Simon Says. Every enemy with a unique defeat mechanic has a piece of paper nearby telling you what it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The levels are divided into small areas. There's a loading screen when transitioning between. And all enemies respawn during the loading screen. You can leave a room, then reenter it, and all the enemies will respawn. What's the catch?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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