Demontower

"In the age of blood
A pale one will rise
Wielding naught but a simple blade.
Who dares to climb the steps of...
DEMONTOWER"

Demontower Title

— Demontower Intro

Demon Tower is a 2D action minigame accessible from Mae's laptop after Angus fixes it. Once the game is beaten, Mae will make a note of it in her journal.

Spoiler warning! This article contains major plot details about the game.

Gameplay

Demontower is a 2D roguelike game in which the player must navigate through an enemy and hazard filled floor to obtain a key and defeat a boss in order to proceed to the next level. The position of the rooms with the door and key stay the same per level, but the rooms themselves are procedurally generated. The game consists of a total of nine levels and a final boss fight. Levels are marked with Roman numerals. In order, the levels are named:

• Level I: The Hole
• Level II: The Cellar
• Level III: Skellie Outskirts
• Level IV: Skellie City
• Level V: Library
• Level VI: Church
• Level VII Blood Moat
• Level VIII: Leafy Graves
• Level IX: Cemetery Grounds

Demon Tower gameplay.

The Palecat protagonist has a single, wide arc slash and can also dash to avoid attacks and obstacles. These dashes can be used in succession one after another, but the number of which is determined by a naturally recharging meter under the player's health represented by three cyan lines. The player starts off with nine total health points and one dash but will gain an additional dash charge every level, while continually losing one maximum health point after each level starting at level three. When taking damage, the player is temporarily stunned for about half a second.

healing vase (left) and a tall regular vase (right)

A single-use heal.

Each level also contains vases which can be broken, and may have a single pink flame inside them which restores one health point. Vases with pink accents are guaranteed to have a heal in them, it takes two swipes to break them as opposed to one swipe on normal vases. Other sources of heals are in random enemies after killing them and the blue, red-hooded guards at the door of each boss fight. Dashing/jumping over a heal causes it to dissipate, and it cannot be used.

The Player and Abilities

The player facing forward.

The Player

The only playable character in Demontower is Palecat, who wears a blue tunic that has a green shawl over it and a red pointed hat. You can see her holding her sword with her right arm, which has a red handle.

This character does not have a discernible personality but depending on player choices the ending of the game changes. In the bad ending, the Palecat is referred to using she/her pronouns. The hitbox this character uses is very precise. She can die to enemies and environmentally, but cannot self-damage. Upon dying at any point within the current floor, the Palecat respawns at the start of the level and the level's layout and enemy generation is regenerated and randomized. Besides this, there is no permadeath and no other penalty for dying.

Abilities

In Demontower, the player has three available abilities. They are dashing, swiping, and swift striking. The names for these abilities are not canon, they're fan-given.

The dash ability is used by using the key/button associated with jumping. Dash can be used to quickly traverse the map, jump over obstacles that are not walls or pots, distract enemies, and absorb projectiles. The player is invulnerable only while dashing, there is no grace period whatsoever with this ability. If the player swipes while dashing, they are no longer invulnerable. All projectiles (such as fire balls, ashes, heals, and knives) dissipate when dashed over; they cannot harm the player or detonate. One dash depletes one part of the blue meter in the upper left corner of the screen.

Swipe is the only attack that the player has and it is used by using the primary key/button associated with interacting. It deals one damage to everything it touches, the player can swipe around corners, over lava, but not through walls. There is no cooldown on this ability, but if the player swipes too many times in quick succession they become tired and slowed.

Swift strike is a combination of swiping and dashing, it can be used by using the keys/buttons associated with jumping and interacting at the same time. The player is able to be attacked and can take damage if they touch an enemy. It deals one damage to whatever is at the other end of the dash, and knocks them back if possible.

Enemies

In Demontower there are several enemies that can attack or make contact with the player, which causes them to lose one health point. Some enemies have armor, weapons, spells, and shields while some simply walk or float around. Enemies can hurt and kill (potentially) themselves and other enemies, and they can be environmentally killed. All enemies that can live through it are stunned for half a second and knocked back when attacked. Knives stay on the ground after being thrown, and sometimes Skellie heads and helmets can stay on the ground.

None of these names are canon, they are common nicknames afforded to each enemy by players.

This is NOT a guide. If you are looking for one, check here . Note that it contains semi-spoilers.

Ghosts

Basic ghost.

Basic Ghosts

Basic ghosts are one-hit enemies that are purple/translucent and have the ability to float through walls. They have no weapons or spells and when they touch the player they lose one health point.

Invulnerable Ghosts

Invulnerable ghosts only make an appearance in the King Fire Bird boss fight. They behave the same way as basic ghosts, but they cannot be killed. When attacked, they bounce 3 tiles backwards in the direction they are hit from. They harm the player if they make contact with them, and move to them regardless of where they are in the room and if any obstacles are in the way. They move slowly.

Skellie Warriors

Basic Skellie

Basic Skellies

Basic Skellies are two-hit enemies that move at a slow speed. They are perfect-white skeleton cats and when hit once their skulls pop off. Even with their head popped off, they can still attack the player and notice them when facing their direction. They have no weapons or spells.

Basic Skellie warrior.

Basic Skellie Warriors

Basic Skellie warriors are two-hit enemies that move at a slow speed, they are the same as Basic Skellies but with swords that they can thrust at the player, moving ahead 3 spaces. They can thrust themselves into lava. Their bones have a yellow undertone.

Each color of armored Skellie warrior.

Armored Skellie Warriors

Armored Skellie warriors have helmets and/or shields. Each added protection requires one more hit to kill them. Their armor can be either red, blue, or green. Only red Skellie warriors can have shields, and only blue Skellie warriors can have spears. The undertone of their bones is the color of their armor.

Fire Creatures

Fire bird.

Fire Birds

Fire Birds are teal birds with red caps, green capes, and hollow eyes, and can be seen carrying a small red tome. They can be killed with one hit, move at slow speed, and can kill themselves. When they notice the player, they pause for one second to cast a spell. This cannot be cancelled by moving out of their line of sight. The spell they cast causes two fire balls to shoot in the player's direction, which then detonate and stay lit for about two seconds. Walking into this fire causes any entity (save bosses) to lose one health point. When killed, they leave a small fire.

Armored Skellie fire cat.

Armored Skellie Fire Cats

Armored Skellie Fire Cats are a mixture of Fire Birds and Armored Skellie warriors. They require three hits to be killed, and they can kill themselves. They have green helmets, a teal cape, and usually have a sword (or wand). They have two separate attacks depending on if the Palecat is closeby or farawat. At long-range, they cast three fire balls towards the player when noticed, which detonate and stay lit for about two seconds. At close-range, they will thrust their sword towards the Palecat in a similar fashion to Skellie Warriors. Oddly, when their headless body is attacked, the entire thing is killed rather than only the cape. When killed, they leave a small fire.

Ratballs

Basic ratball.

Basic ratballs

Basic ratballs are small, blob-like cloudy grey enemies, composed entirely of rats bundled around each-other, with small pink tails and orange eyes, that inch around the map at a very slow pace. They can be killed with one hit. When killed, they release three baby ratballs in a line. Each smaller ratball is killed with one hit. They have no weapons or spells.

Small ratball.

Small ratballs

Small ratballs are small, squeaky enemies that move very quickly. They take one hit to kill. They have no weapons or spells.

Guards

Basic Guard

Basic Guards

Basic Guards are brown birds in a brown robe that have no weapons or spells. They move slowly, and can be killed for one hit point. Basic ghosts are almost identical to basic guards.

Knife guard.

Knife Guards

Knife Guards are enemies whose faces are obscured by a red robe. They move very fast and can be killed with one hit. They throw knives at the player, and they can dash for four spaces and through walls. The Palecat can dash through their knives, deflecting them and dealing no damage to the player in the process. They can kill themselves by dashing into lava or other enemy projectiles.

Weak guard.

Weak Guards

Weak Guards are green birds in a light blue robe that have no weapons or spells. They move slowly, and can be killed for one hit point. For each weak guard killed, one fewer strong guard appears at the door to the boss after the player collects the floor key.

Strong guard.

Strong Guards

Strong Guards are green birds in a red robe that have no weapons or spells. They move fast and can be killed in two hits. Killing one will allow a single-use heal to spawn. Strong Guards only spawn if the Palecat obtains the floor key while there are still enemies present within the current floor, indicated by a roar that can be heard if the Palecat picks up the key beforehand. They move individually, not as a unit, and will not move until they notice the Palecat.

Bosses

Level I - Lava Crocodile

The first level boss is a red lava crocodile that can be killed with one hit, before it properly finishes spawning.

Level II - Krampus

The second level boss is a blue bird with long legs that carries around a brown sack. When in close proximity to the player, it smashes its bag down on the ground in the direction it last saw the player in. It takes it half a second to recover from this. It is very similar in looks to fire birds.

Level III - Pentagram

The third level boss is another blue bird in a darker blue cape that is similar in looks to fire birds. It dashes around the boss room in a pentagram and spawns green armored Skellie warriors, basic Skellie warriors, and basic Skellies. It takes it half a second to cast the spell that spawns the Skellies. When dashing through the player, it deals damage.

Level IV - King Skellie

King Skellie is a large Skellie that sits in a throne, carried by four basic Skellies. He holds a golden staff and he can dash. His attacks work in the same way that basic Skellie warrior attacks do, but on a larger scale. It takes him 3/4 a second to recover from his attacks. He cannot be attacked from behind his throne, however if the player touches the back of his throne they take damage.

Level V - Mega Hairball

The Mega Hairball has one health bar and when it subdivides for the first time it loses it. Each time it subdivides, it loses health and gains speed. A small bird skeleton briefly appears when subdividing for the first time. It appears to be shocked, then it melts into the floor and dissipates.

Level VI- King Fire Bird

King Fire Bird is a fire bird that's carried on a throne and is accompanied by five invulnerable ghosts. He has a pink cape, a golden L-shaped staff, and a large crown. He dashes around the room and casts a spell that sends out three fire balls, which detonate and light for about two seconds. His boss room is the first to have breakable vases and health vases. When he casts his spell, his eyes open wide and the player can see that they're light pink. When killed, he leaves a small fire.

Level VII - Upgraded Lava Crocodile

This boss is a more dangerous version of the first level one. It can move all around the room and leaves behind a two-tile thick trail of lava that damages the player if they touch it. It spews fire balls in all directions.

Level VIII - Monster Knife Guard

This boss is identical to the knife guard, but it has bull horns and skinny yellow legs. It has the same abilities, but it throws three knives. It can dash farther than the regular knife guard and can kill itself in the lava.

Level X - The Blood Thief

This is the final boss. It is a white cat with thick eyebrows wearing a red collared cape and holding a white staff. It can dash, and its attacks are similar to basic Skellie warriors.

Possible Endings

This is NOT a guide. If you are looking for one, check here.

True Ending

The "true" ending is the ending of the game in which the player takes hints from a friendly bird in a cloak every second level except the last, and uses these hints to interact with a room of tombstones at the final level. The pattern you must input is randomly generated for each playthrough.

After the player does this, a chest with a white key spawns in the center of the room. The player can take this key and use it on the large bleeding cat that's sitting just before the final boss' door, healing them and removing the "lava" from the level. After this, the player can proceed to the boss.

After defeating the boss, the player exits the room and goes onto a cliff. It's dark/night and they're facing a tower with red windows.

"The doom spire stood empty.
The blood thief was no more.
The palecat's quest was over."

Finishing the game with this ending will unlock the achievement Palecat.

Bad Ending

The neutral or "bad" ending is the ending in which the player does not do the aforementioned healing.

After clearing the final boss level, the player will exit the room and face a screen with a sword sticking out of the ground in a pool of blood. Its handle is red and the markings on it are a blue plus sign and two orange dots on the left and right. At the very tip of the handle, there is another blue plus sign.

"The Palecat was tired.
The climb had cost her dearly.
She rested in the shadows,
and wondered if her quest
was truly at an end..."

Achievements

You can earn two achievements from this game, Palecat and ~*~Demonpower~*~. You will earn ~*~Demonpower~*~ after finishing the game regardless of which ending you get, but in order to get Palecat you have to achieve the "good ending".

Gallery

Demontower Logo