Demon's Crest

🎮 Super Nintendo ⏳ 6 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Villainous Hero Origins #

This title is a dark fantasy action-platformer developed and published by Capcom, serving as the third entry in the Gargoyle’s Quest series, which spun off from Ghosts ’n Goblins. Released late in the SNES lifespan, it didn’t receive much commercial attention at the time, but it has since become a cult classic, and for good reason. The MC is called Firebrand, the red demon who was once a recurring boss in Ghosts ’n Goblins. Particularly speaking I was not a fan of games in which you play as the villain at first, but I’ve grown to love this approach to story-telling, it deepens the lore, universe and the backstory behind the events of previous titles.

Quest for Elemental Crests #

The story follows him after a great demon war, where he sets out to reclaim six powerful elemental crests that grant control over fire, earth, water, air, time, and heaven. These crests allow you to transform into different forms, each with unique abilities that open up new paths, giving the game a structure reminiscent of early Metroidvania titles. The gameplay blends precise platforming, combat, and exploration. You can fly short distances, cling to walls, and use various projectile attacks. Levels are non-linear, with a world map that lets you revisit areas to uncover secrets and optional bosses once you’ve unlocked new abilities.

Secrets and Challenge #

For me the best aspect of this title are it’s secrets, in general the mainline story is very short, but it really shines when you decide to go 100%. I highly recommend doing so, this really feels like the intended way of playing this. The difficulty is tough but fair, it demands patience and mastery of Firebrand’s powers. The most difficult sections for me were the bosses, made worse by the lack of QOL of modern gaming such as more frequent checkpoints, meaning that you got very little time to learn the boss patterns and try again.

Bosses, Visuals, Soundtrack #

This is why I advise using save states for the bosses, and don’t feel ashamed if doing so, this is one of the many flawed games when it comes to the difficulty spikes of the back in the day game design. Visually, this game is stunning for its time, the sprite work is detailed and expressive, with gothic architecture, eerie lighting, and foreboding enemy designs that create a beautifully grim atmosphere. The OST complements this perfectly, featuring haunting organ melodies and moody ambient tones that reinforce the game’s dark tone.

Cult Classic Recognition #

Despite its brilliance, this game was a commercial failure upon release, partly due to poor marketing and stiff competition in 1994. However, in hindsight, it’s regarded as one of the SNES’s finest hidden gems, a moody, artistically ambitious, and mechanically refined platformer that showcases Capcom at its creative peak. If you enjoy atmospheric action games with exploration and challenge, this title is an unforgettable experience that still holds up remarkably well today.