Demos—post game demos here

[Hveðrungr]

Steam News - Updates to Free Demos on Steam - Steam News

With thousands of playable demos launching on Steam every year, and millions of players trying them out (often as part of Steam Next Fest), we've noticed some trends in feedback from both developers and players about the process and functionality. We've put together an update based on that...

store.steampowered.com

Updates to Free Demos on Steam

• Demos now behave better in the Steam library
• Demos can now have a separate store page
• User reviews for demos
• Demos now appear more in the Steam store
• Wishlist notifications when demos become available

This cracked me up:

Q. What is the deal with the Demo icon? Is that a plate? A vinyl record?
A. That classic icon, my friend, is from the days when demos were commonly distributed through the post office, contained in a bound package of game journalism printed on dead trees and imprinted on circular media known as Compact Discs.

 

[Brian Boru]

Jewel Match Origins 3 - Camelot Castle Collectors Edition

Played 50 minutes of the 1-hour demo available from BigFish.

Very polished, great graphics—top-notch production values.
Modes are Relaxed, Timed, Limited Moves.

It's too shiny for me, I felt like donning my shades to cope with the sparkling graphics. Other problem is too much going on—too many different object types and power-ups—for what's mostly meant to be a relaxing genre.

Could be ideal for RPG players who like RGB and want a small side game

 

[Pifanjr]

ColdRidge on Steam

Immerse yourself in a turn-based exploration game set in the mystical Wild West. Strategically plan your moves to navigate cursed terrains, uncover magical artifacts, and explore uncharted lands. Don't be fooled by the calm plains of Coldridge, take a gamble and unveil its mysteries!

store.steampowered.com

ColdRidge is a cowboy exploration game that's like playing just the exciting first turns of a Civilization campaign

Former devs on Humankind and the Endless series go indie with ColdRidge.

www.pcgamer.com

The following quote from the above article drew my attention:

Play just the first, exciting part of a Civilization-like 4X over and over by exploring out from the first settlement.

So now that I've finished Marvel: Midnight Suns I decided to check out the demo.

First of all, the game does not feel like the first, exciting part of Civilization. It's far too stressful for that.
Every expedition you get a choice of 3 goals to complete in 8 steps. Each goal gives you a specific number of resources to gather for a specific monetary reward, or a fee if you fail to get everything. However, the entire map starts covered in a fog of war, with only the tiles adjacent to your avatar being revealed, so you often have to make a guess on whether you'll actually be able to fulfil any goals. Of course you'll have more information on subsequent expeditions, but the resources you claimed on earlier expeditions are gone, so it's also harder to get to the resources you need.

The game does give you some consumables to help, but those cost money and if you don't have enough left at the end of the year it's game over. A year is only 5 expeditions long, so a single mistake can be pretty costly.

At the end of the year, the map is reset and you get a choice of one of three abilities, such as increasing the visibility by one tile or skipping over a tile if you're going in a straight line. This is a major help, but the amount you need at the end of the second year is double that of the first year. You do carry over the leftover money at the end of a year, but that also means that one bad year makes the entire game much more difficult.

The demo only covers the first two years of the game. Provided you survive the first year of course, I failed on my first two tries. The demo feels too much luck based for my liking, though at the end of the demo it does mention that the full game includes additional items and mechanics that should allow you to better mitigate the risks you're required to make.

All in all, it seems like an interesting game, best suited for short gaming sessions.

 

[Brian Boru]

Ah, my fav Romantic poet in a game!
Amplitude devs!!
Specs suit Patient Gamers!!!

Okay, I'm in

 

[ZedClampet]

*sigh* Another jankfest of a pirate game. Trailer looked so good and then the character struggles to even walk up stairs and the UI is painful. Tastes vary, so I'll go ahead and post it anyway. Someone else may like it.

Neverseas on Steam

Ahoy, captain! Welcome and join us to find out the untold tale of Neverseas, where time and space is a dream and you are a sand grain in an endless lost sea that careless wanderer can fall into. The main question is are you brave enough to dive into it?

store.steampowered.com

 

[Pifanjr]

I wanted to try out the Stargate: Timekeepers demo, but discovered it has been removed, which is annoying. Considering the steam rating and the reviews on the demo, I suspect the developers decided it wasn't worth updating the demo, nor leaving it up.

 

[Pifanjr]

Shadows of Forbidden Gods on Steam

Take on the role of a Dark Elder God and lead your agents to bring about an apocalypse in a fantasy world. Work in the shadows, avoiding the heroes who will try to stop you, as you bring about plague and famine, ice age and volcanic destruction, madness and never ending night.

store.steampowered.com

I tried out the demo for Shadows of Forbidden Gods. I only played the first two tutorials, but so far it feels like a game that has a lot of interesting mechanics, but a steep learning curve and a terrible UI.

It reminds me a bit of Crusader Kings, where you have no idea what you're supposed to be doing when you start playing and you feel like stuff just kind of happens, but the more you play the more mechanics you discover you can play around with, a lot of which are buried in menus or require an intimate understanding of the game mechanics that no in-game tutorial will teach you.

 

[Brian Boru]

Okay, I'm in

And out!

game does not feel like the first, exciting part of Civilization

No, it does not indeed, I dropped it after ~15 minutes. Nothing to add to Pifanjr's fine review, seems maybe more suited to farming or survival players.

 

[Pifanjr]

No, it does not indeed, I dropped it after ~15 minutes. Nothing to add to Pifanjr's fine review, seems maybe more suited to farming or survival players.

I wouldn't call it a farming or survival game, those words have very different connotations when talking about video games.

I suppose I would call it a roguelike turn based strategy game.

 

[Brian Boru]

Country Tales 2

Got the demo from BigFish Games but didn't complete the full hour.

Gameplay is exactly same as CT1 which I own from years ago. It's not bad, but no Royal Envoy—which has spoiled most other builder-puzzle games for me.

The one unusual mechanic I haven't seen before in these kind of games is you have unlimited Workers—every other game you have to buy them if you want more than start number.

It's standard casual builder—build a few houses to earn rent, build support buildings to keep the village ticking over… eg lumber mill, farm etc. The puzzle aspect is in figuring out the optimal sequence in which to get and spend your resources, and be fast enough to earn the gold star(s).

 

[ZedClampet]

No, it does not indeed, I dropped it after ~15 minutes. Nothing to add to Pifanjr's fine review, seems maybe more suited to farming or survival players.

As a farming and survival player, I can tell you there are zero similarities. I only played this for a little while. Honestly, it just felt pointless to me. I wasn't bought in at all.

 

[Brian Boru]

As a farming and survival player … it just felt pointless to me

Oh, interesting. TIL there is a difference between farming/survival and pointless.

 

[Hveðrungr]

Oh, interesting. TIL there is a difference between farming/survival and pointless.

To be fair most games are “pointless” other than providing some temporary enjoyment.

 

[Brian Boru]

To be fair

True—but poking Zed is never pointless!

 

[ZedClampet]

VOIN on Steam

Fight hordes of enemies in fast-paced first-person hack-and-slash battles. Explore the world of dark fantasy filled with secrets and dangers, and master your skill of wielding primordial elements.

store.steampowered.com

I was born to play this game. If you are good at Vermintide and enjoy it, you might want to try this demo. Combat feels great. There's no blocking. It's all about movement. There's some loot and upgrades, etc. Just felt really good and very polished.

 

[ZedClampet]

Cinema Simulator 2025 on Steam

Cinema Simulator 2025 is a simulation game where you will manage your own movie theater and test your strategy and management skills. Starting from a small movie theater, try to become a giant in the movie industry.

store.steampowered.com

Exhaustingly clunky and boring.

 

[ZedClampet]

Alan's Automaton Workshop on Steam

Alan's Automaton Workshop is an open-ended programming puzzle game. Start a new business with Alan Turing and his groundbreaking innovation: the Turing Machine. Build unique automatons, and solve all kinds of problems from clients.

store.steampowered.com

This is a programming flow chart game and very well done.

 

[ZedClampet]

Save 10% on Worshippers of Cthulhu on Steam

LEAD the CULT OF CTHULHU. Decide the fate of your followers, perform eldritch rituals, and master the art of city-building in a world where the line between sanity and madness blurs. Can you endure the horrors you unleash?

store.steampowered.com

Fairly standard colony sim except for the subject matter. There are tech trees and whatnot associated with the worship of Cthulhu. Fairly interesting, but not really what I was looking for at the moment. Honestly, I just want to build a pretty town. Think I'm going to drag out the Anno series.

 

[ZedClampet]

The Black Grimoire: Cursebreaker on Steam

A story driven solo RPG inspired by oldschool games like RuneScape and Ultima Online! Explore a sprawling medieval fantasy world full of npcs with dialogue, level skills, fight varied monsters and uncover the story of Rothar Aercrest – the cursed lord to the remote woodlands of Imberthale.

store.steampowered.com

This came out of early access yesterday. I'm not a good judge of low end RPGs, but I know where you can get a demo to try it for yourself.

 

[Pifanjr]

Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate on Steam

Chess, but you replace your entire army with a royal shotgun. A unique strategy roguelike based on the timeless checkboard classic.

store.steampowered.com

I saw someone talk about this and decided to check it out. It's a turn-based roguelike tactics game. It's a pretty simple premise, but it's definitely not an easy game. I haven't won a single time and I've tried quite a few times already. I've tried playing some quick games whenever I have a few minutes available, but it's not really a game you should play quickly as it's too easy to make mistakes that way.

 

[ZedClampet]

Underground Garage on Steam

Dive into Underground Garage, a mechanic sim blending car customization with fast driving. Craft builds for every drive, test them in an open world filled with challenges. Gear up and rev up your ultimate automotive adventure!

store.steampowered.com

This pretty game combines working as a mechanic and running street races. I didn't play long enough to know if there were any street races in the demo, but driving around town in the cars I fixed felt good, but I didn't test it so far as driving/turning at racing speeds Honestly I wasn't in the mood for the mechanic part. I played Car Mechanic Simulator to the point that I may never want to play as a mechanic again, although fixing things is just a little less of a process in this demo. You don't have to look up parts, for instance. I only fixed a starter and did a brake job, so I don't know how complex the engine is, but I got the impression it's a more or less complete engine.

I think it's worth a look for people who want to do mechanic work and modify their own cars for street racing. The mechanic side seemed good enough, but I can't vouch for the racing. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a little more cade than sim in the simcade chart, probably more arcade than Forza Horizon, but less arcade than Need for Speed.

 

[Pifanjr]

Save 20% on Magicraft on Steam

"Magicraft" is a Roguelike game that uses a variety of spells to match unimaginable spell effects, and the construction of ultra-high degrees of freedom cannot even be exhausted by developers.

store.steampowered.com

I'm not a big fan of bullet hell games, but I do like roguelites and I liked the idea of combining spells and modifiers. And I must say, the game does a good job about giving you different spells and modifiers to work with. There's a decent selection of spells and modifiers, you can upgrade them to get new effects, you get different wands that slightly modify the spells you slot into them, you get relics that give passive positive effects and you can get curses that give you passive negative effects. A pretty decent amount of content for a game that's on sale for ~€13 right now.

It did seem pretty easy though. I only died once before reaching the boss of the second stage, which is where the demo ended, and it seemed like there were only three stages in total.

 

[Pifanjr]

Emberward on Steam

Build twisting mazes with tetromino blocks and deploy unique towers in this engaging roguelite tower defense game!

store.steampowered.com

I'm not a big fan of tower defense games, but I do like roguelikes. I don't quite remember what made me decide to add this demo to my library, but I did enjoy playing it.

You start the game by picking three tower types and a passive buff. Then for each battle you get three tetris shapes before every wave which you can use to change the path of the enemies and which you place your towers on.

The towers themselves have different shapes as well, so there’s a decent amount of strategy in placing the tetris shapes, as you have to plan ahead to make sure you have enough space to place more tetris shapes and enough place to place your towers. For example, I had a tower that needed to go over a 1 tile gap, as it dumped poison on enemies walking on the path beneath it and another tower that took up a 2x1 space and shot a projectile in a straight line.

The levels you play in are quite varied, with early levels having just one source of enemies and later levels having as much as 6 different sources, so you need to plan well to try to get as many of them in one place to maximise the effect of your AoE towers.

The game did seem pretty easy. I played on normal difficulty, but I never even had an enemy come close to my base and never used any of the temporary buffs you occasionally get. I didn't even bother spending all of the coins I got in some levels. The demo stopped after the first boss though, after about 7 battles or so.

 

[ZedClampet]

Emberward on Steam

Build twisting mazes with tetromino blocks and deploy unique towers in this engaging roguelite tower defense game!

store.steampowered.com

I'm not a big fan of tower defense games, but I do like roguelikes. I don't quite remember what made me decide to add this demo to my library, but I did enjoy playing it.

You start the game by picking three tower types and a passive buff. Then for each battle you get three tetris shapes before every wave which you can use to change the path of the enemies and which you place your towers on.

The towers themselves have different shapes as well, so there’s a decent amount of strategy in placing the tetris shapes, as you have to plan ahead to make sure you have enough space to place more tetris shapes and enough place to place your towers. For example, I had a tower that needed to go over a 1 tile gap, as it dumped poison on enemies walking on the path beneath it and another tower that took up a 2x1 space and shot a projectile in a straight line.

The levels you play in are quite varied, with early levels having just one source of enemies and later levels having as much as 6 different sources, so you need to plan well to try to get as many of them in one place to maximise the effect of your AoE towers.

The game did seem pretty easy. I played on normal difficulty, but I never even had an enemy come close to my base and never used any of the temporary buffs you occasionally get. I didn't even bother spending all of the coins I got in some levels. The demo stopped after the first boss though, after about 7 battles or so.

It's a lot of fun. I finished all there was at some point, but they've added more since then. The difficulty goes up as the areas become more difficult to build in, and you get increasingly more difficult enemies added to levels, but overall Normal wasn't overly difficult. I intend to go back once I've finished the entire thing and play on a higher difficulty. They did say that the difficulty of the more recent areas is higher than the first region.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm not a big fan of tower defense games

Okay, you two have talked me into it

I loved Plants v Zombies OG, but haven't stuck with another TD since, despite trying a bunch.

tetris shapes

Did you guys ever play the L Game from Edward de Bono? First time I met Tetromino.