Demon’s Mirror marries Slay the Spire to Puzzle Quest – and it has an axolotl

Match-3 roguelike deckbuilder is gearing up for launch

Be-Rad Entertainment / Good Shepherd

Demon’s Mirror is one those wild roguelike deckbuilders that shouldn’t work on paper, because putting Puzzle Quest’s Match-3 mechanics into Slay the Spire sounds silly – but to the credit of developer Be-Rad Entertainment and the versatility of the genre, the formula somehow works.

In our Demon’s Mirror preview we played as Draga, one of three playable characters in the game – that’s by far not the only Slay the Spire parallel you’ll find in this game. During a recent press event, the developers were very open about the fact that Slay the Spire inspired them.

Draga is a cool character due to her unique debate mechanics, which allow her to subdue foes through the power of facts and logic. Naturally, the two other cast members are a little different: When you first start up the game, you’ll only be able to play as Wulf, a bipedal wolf warrior with an aggressive focus. He’s going to be a solid character to learn the game with, as his starting artifact allows you to engage with the Match-3 mechanic without using up any energy once per turn – this gives him a lot of versatility, since the Match-3 system allows you to attack, defend, and power-up abilities depending on what kind of chain you connect.

Then there’s Demon’s Mirror’s third character, which is based on an axolotl. They look to be the perfect fit for those among us who enjoy the ‘death by a thousand cuts’ playstyle, since they can inflict damage whenever tiles in the Match-3 field are destroyed.

We also got a good look at the game’s modifier system – every roguelike needs one, as it’s a key component in generating replayability value. Aside from having modifiers which make the game harder, Demon’s Mirror actually contains modifiers that make the game easier as well, which is a nice little approachability feature. From characters to modifiers, anything in the title can be unlocked through playing.

Be-Rad Entertainment is currently working to get the PC version ready for launch, but there is interest in getting the game out on mobile devices and consoles as well – especially since the necessary control schemes are being implemented for Steam Deck support anyway. Still, the launch on PC is up first on the agenda. For the time afterwards, the developers are planning to add a few content pieces to the game for free aside from updates that fix bugs or adjust some balance values.

Ideas for DLC, the developers said, are ripening in their heads, but the future is too uncertain to really commit to anything in this regard at the moment. One thing is clear, though: No multiplayer is planned for Demon’s Mirror.

The Demon’s Mirror release date should be announced pretty soon – in the meantime you can check out the game’s demo on Steam for free.